Emiliano Bellini

Soochow University and Longi researchers developed a ZrO₂ interfacial strategy that reduces recombination and leakage while improving charge extraction in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. The resulting device achieved 2.014 V open-circuit voltage and retained 84% of its initial efficiency after 2,000 hours.

Econergy has launched commercial operations at its 70 MW/141 MWh Părău 1 battery project in Romania, paired with an existing 92 MW solar plant to create a 162 MW hybrid site. The fully merchant BESS can charge from the grid during low or negative prices, with Econergy expecting €9.7 million in storage revenue.

Rabot Energy launched Rabot Flow, a 2.12 kWh plug-and-play home battery for German apartment renters that uses dynamic tariffs to charge when grid electricity is cheap and discharge during price spikes. Sold at cost and requiring no electrician or smart meter, the Marstek-based battery promises around €120–€130 in annual savings while helping Rabot boost customer retention and grid flexibility.

Nanjing University researchers developed a perovskite-organic tandem solar cell using a novel low-bandgap acceptor to boost near-infrared light harvesting and improve photocurrent matching. The device achieved a 27.35% efficiency, while retaining 80% of its initial performance after 744 hours of continuous illumination.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine , OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

In other news, Longi said its operating conditions are expected to improve after a CNY 3.68 billion ($542 million) first-half loss, while GCL SI and Ant Digital Technologies agreed to develop an AI-enabled carbon-management platform. JinkoSolar, meanwhile, proposed renaming its overseas parent Jinko Holdings Limited as it expands beyond solar manufacturing into strategic investments.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that Super El Niño drove a sharp north–south irradiance divide across South America in winter 2026, with sunnier conditions in the north and persistent cloud reducing solar irradiance across much of the south. Two rare August snowstorms in Chile’s Atacama Desert also caused likely snow-related losses for solar PV assets, alongside severe rainfall, flooding, and mudslides.

Madagascar’s diesel-dependent power system faces high costs and chronic blackouts, making solar PV and battery storage an increasingly attractive route to reliable, affordable electrification. Five solar-diesel hybrid projects demonstrate that PV can significantly reduce fuel consumption and electricity prices, offering a scalable model for Madagascar and wider sub-Saharan Africa.

This week, Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Hanna König, Head of Division Project Execution, at Germany's Enertrag SE. She says the most important element of an inclusive organisational culture is ensuring that everyone feels safe to contribute ideas and opinions, particularly when they disagree with the majority or with people in more senior positions.

Lebanon has introduced new permitting and safety rules for PV systems up to 1.5 MW, establishing municipal oversight and technical requirements for installations.