Solar and Wind Take over Global Power Growth in 2025
In 2025 solar and wind added roughly six times more new generation capacity than all other power sources combined, supplying nearly all the additional electricity needed worldwide. The surge was led by Australia, several European nations, China, Chile, Finland, the Netherlands and Pakistan, with solar growth outpacing wind and nuclear output flatlining. Renewable capacity now underpins the bulk of the global energy transition, positioning solar‑wind‑hydro to overtake coal and gas by 2030. The rapid build‑out is supported by expanding storage, skilled labor and low‑cost construction pipelines.
The Reciprocity of Virtual Power Plants and Energy Justice
Virtual power plants (VPPs) aggregate distributed energy resources such as solar, EVs, and demand‑response devices to provide grid services and lower bills. A Clean Energy States Alliance webinar highlighted how VPPs can advance energy justice, citing Vermont Electric Cooperative’s Income‑Qualified...
Navigating the New NERC Requirements for Vendor Remote Access
Effective April 1 2026, NERC’s CIP‑003‑9 forces renewable operators to replace informal vendor management with a documented, evidence‑based cybersecurity program for low‑impact Bulk Electric System (BES) cyber assets. The rule targets electronic remote access used for configuration, troubleshooting and system interaction, requiring...
Court Blocks “De Facto Moratorium” On Federal Solar Permitting
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction halting a Department of the Interior policy that required secretarial‑level approval for every renewable energy project on public lands. The rule had stalled roughly 57 GW of planned solar and storage capacity, creating a...
The Messy Middle of C&I Solar
The U.S. commercial‑and‑industrial (C&I) solar and storage market is entering a "messy middle" as developers grapple with a bifurcated supply chain, evolving fire‑code requirements, and the looming end of tax‑equity financing. Battery storage faces 12‑18‑month lead times for domestic‑content cells,...
Distributed Solar’s Last Mile Problem
Distributed solar and storage projects are increasingly stalling before receiving Notices to Proceed as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules tighten compliance, tax‑credit windows shrink, and interconnection queues lengthen. Capital providers are...
No Evidence of PFAS Leaching From Solar Panels, Study Finds
Researchers from Michigan State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory examined claims that photovoltaic (PV) modules contain leachable PFAS and found no confirmed evidence of such emissions from commercially deployed panels. The analysis shows fluoropolymers—a distinct, low‑bioavailability subset of PFAS—are...
California’s Regressive Rooftop Solar Policy Hit with Second Appeal to State Supreme Court
Rooftop solar advocates have filed a petition with the California Supreme Court to overturn the state’s revised net‑metering policy, which slashes customer credits for excess solar generation by up to 80%. The policy, approved by the Court of Appeals for...
Tenaska, TVA Sign Agreement for 225 MW Battery Project in Tennessee
Tenaska's Bobwhite Energy Storage, a 225 MW/900 MWh battery project, has signed a 20‑year agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Construction is slated for 2027 with commercial operation expected by late 2029, bringing a $300 million investment to Hawkins County. The deal raises...
Amperon Launches Probabilistic Forecasting Tool for Solar and Wind Assets
Amperon unveiled a new probabilistic forecasting service for solar and wind assets, delivering hourly and sub‑hourly generation probabilities up to 15 days ahead. The tool provides 19 percentile bands from P5 to P95 via an API, allowing operators to see...
Massachusetts Senate Considers DER Peak Reduction Mandate to Curb Grid Costs
The Massachusetts Senate is drafting a climate omnibus bill that could impose a Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Peak Reduction Standard on investor‑owned utilities. The mandate would require utilities to meet capacity targets by dispatching customer‑sited solar and storage, creating a...
Tandem PV Launches Commercial Perovskite-Silicon Manufacturing in California
Tandem PV has launched a 40 MW commercial demonstration factory in Fremont, California, converting perovskite‑silicon tandem technology from lab to repeatable manufacturing. The 65,000‑square‑foot plant produces panels roughly 60 times larger than its research devices, delivering 29.7% efficiency and less than...
De-Risking Distributed Solar: Foundations Are a Critical Bottleneck
U.S. distributed‑generation solar growth is hitting a bottleneck at the foundation stage. Early‑stage construction delays, driven by fragmented overseas supply chains and limited EPC capacity, are inflating costs and threatening tax‑credit eligibility. EPCs are turning to domestic, vertically integrated manufacturers...
Rewiring Global Energy Security
Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, argues that rapid electrification powered by renewables and smart grids is the most credible path to national security and economic competitiveness. He cites soaring natural‑gas volatility, weaponised supply chains and surging data‑center...
Solar Developers Face High-Stakes Tax Credit Risks as FEOC Rules Tighten
The Inflation Reduction Act’s One Big, Beautiful Bill has introduced Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions that tie eligibility for Sections 48E and 45Y tax credits to equipment provenance, equity and debt sources, and control provisions. Projects placed in service from 2025...
Solar Asset Managers Talk Underperforming Systems, Catastrophic Losses and AI at SAMNA 2026
The 2026 Solarplaza Summit Asset Management North America (SAMNA) convened more than 650 solar professionals in San Diego for three days of training, networking, and deep‑dive sessions. Attendees highlighted three urgent themes: underperforming assets, heightened catastrophic‑risk exposure—especially hail—and the accelerating...
Control, Not Capacity, Could Be the Next Driver of U.S. Residential Storage Investment
Investors are moving beyond the sheer number of residential batteries installed and are focusing on platforms that can control and monetize fleets through virtual power plants and aggregation. Software‑driven models that dispatch thousands of assets promise recurring revenue streams, positioning...
Maine’s Plug-In Solar Law Takes Effect in July and some Companies Are Already Selling Products in the State
Maine’s new plug‑in solar law, LD 1730, becomes effective July 15, 2026, allowing residents to install portable solar systems up to 420 W on their own or up to 1,200 W with a certified electrician. The legislation requires UL 3700 certification or...
U.S. Distributed Solar Capacity Grows by 6.8 GW in 2025 as Maine Leads on per Capita Basis
The Institute for Local Self‑Reliance reports that U.S. distributed solar installations surged by 6.8 GW in 2025, representing roughly one‑fifth of all new solar capacity. California contributed the bulk with 2 GW, while New York added 1.2 GW and Maine a surprising 1.1 GW. Maine...
Prepaid Leases Emerge as Residential Solar Customer Pathway to Accessing Federal Tax Credits
The residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) has expired, prompting installers to adopt prepaid lease models that leverage the commercial Section 48 Investment Tax Credit. In a prepaid lease, the solar provider owns the system, claims the 30 percent commercial credit, and passes...
U.S. Community Solar Passes 10 GW Milestone Despite Market Contraction
The U.S. community solar market crossed the 10 GW cumulative threshold in late 2025, even as annual installations slipped 25% to 1.4 GW. Analysts attribute the slowdown to saturation in New York and Maine, but a robust pipeline of more than 8 GW—29% already...
Minnesota Community Solar Garden Program Officially Named for House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman
Minnesota lawmakers renamed the state’s pioneering community solar garden (CSG) program after former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, honoring her role in shaping the 2013 legislation. Governor Tim Walz signed the bill with bipartisan support, cementing her legacy in renewable‑energy policy....
Silver Demand From PV Industry Expected to Drop 19% This Year
Metal Focus’s World Silver Survey 2026 shows the global silver market remains tightly constrained, with prices averaging $40 per ounce in 2025 and a fifth straight annual deficit of 40.3 million ounces projected for 2025 and 2026. At the same time,...
Bills Containing Plug-In Solar Provisions Pass in Maryland and Colorado
Maryland and Colorado advanced plug‑in solar bills to their governors within 24 hours, joining Utah, Maine and Virginia in the emerging portable‑solar movement. Maryland’s HB 1532 permits residential customers to connect up to 1,200‑watt devices without utility fees, while Colorado’s...
Terra Energy Aims to Make Signing up for Solar as Easy as Signing up for Cell Phone Service
Terra Energy, a Florida‑based solar‑as‑a‑subscription startup, offers homeowners a 36‑month subscription with no upfront cost and a modest 1.9% annual escalator, positioning the product as simple as a cell‑phone plan. By vertically integrating sales, engineering, logistics and asset management, the...
California School District Completes 3.5 MW Solar and Energy Modernization Project
The Yucaipa‑Calimesa Joint Unified School District completed a $33 million energy modernization that installs 3.5 MW of solar across 12 campuses and upgrades lighting, HVAC and irrigation. A performance‑based lease‑purchase with a 4.373% fixed rate guarantees roughly $48 million in savings over the...
Community-Scale Solar Offers $6.5 Billion in Savings, Bypassing California Gridlocks
A new Pathfinder Communications report shows that deploying 5.4 GW of community‑scale solar and storage on California’s distribution grid could require $3.2 billion of investment but generate $4.2 billion in electricity‑price reductions. By using existing local networks, the projects avoid roughly $2 billion in...
PowerBank Terminates Sale of Two New York Solar Projects Following Permit Delays
PowerBank Corp. said a third‑party buyer, Qcells, exercised a sell‑back option for its Gainesville and Highway 28 community solar projects after the sites failed to obtain local permits. The two projects were part of a broader 48 MW, $49.5 million portfolio sale, but...
Managing Cyber Risks in the Era of Decentralized Energy
The U.S. electric grid is rapidly integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop solar, storage and vehicle‑to‑grid systems, creating a more resilient but digitally complex network. This shift has expanded the attack surface, with utility cyber‑attacks up 75% from...
AI Inspection Data Is Gaining Traction in Solar Risk Assessment
Machine learning is moving beyond operations and maintenance to become a core component of solar risk assessment and financing. AI‑driven visual intelligence can spot microcracks, thermal hot spots, and soiling at the panel level, enabling longitudinal performance tracking and financial...
Making the Case for Brownfield Battery Builds
Brownfield battery development—building storage on underused legacy power sites—is gaining traction as a faster, lower‑opposition alternative to greenfield projects. Elevate Renewables announced a 50 MW/600 MWh battery at the Bergen Generating Station in New Jersey, leveraging existing grid ties and transmission access. The...
Volta Space Technologies Leverages Government Partnerships and Funding to Develop Laser-Enabled Lunar PV Power Network
Volta Space Technologies is developing LEPTON, a laser‑enabled power‑transmission network that will beam electricity from low‑lunar‑orbit satellites to surface assets. The company secured a slot on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2, targeting a 2028 demonstration that will power a lander‑mounted...
The World Added 4 GW of New Solar Capacity for Every GW of Wind in 2025, but Wind Is Gaining
Ember’s 2025 report shows 814 GW of new solar‑wind capacity installed, with solar adding 647 GW and wind 167 GW. Solar growth slowed to 11% year‑over‑year, while wind surged 47%, narrowing the historic 4 : 1 capacity ratio to 3.9 : 1. Combined, solar and wind now...
Most State-Permitted U.S. Solar and Wind Projects in 19 States Received a Timely Permit
Researchers from Berkeley Lab and the University of Massachusetts Amherst examined state‑level permitting for large‑scale solar and wind projects in 19 U.S. states. Of 460 projects, 365 reached a decision and 90% were approved, typically within about a year of...
Kansas County Weighs Moratorium on Solar Development
Jackson County, Kansas is weighing a formal moratorium that would pause all new utility‑scale solar projects while a permanent regulatory framework is drafted. The proposal targets the 5,000‑acre, 500 MW Jeffrey Solar project by NextEra Energy Resources, which alone would dwarf...
U.S. Scientists Build Copper-Contacted TOPCon Solar Cell with 24.3% Efficiency
U.S. researchers have demonstrated a TOPCon silicon solar cell that uses screen‑printed, fire‑through copper paste on the rear and silver on the front, combined with laser‑enhanced contact optimization (LECO). The LECO process reduces rear contact resistivity from roughly 300 mΩ·cm² to...
Colorado PUC Decision Codifies Environmental Justice Advocates’ Settlement with Xcel Energy
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s 2026‑27 Renewable Energy Compliance Plan, incorporating a settlement with the Environmental Justice Coalition. The deal redirects $1.5 million toward income‑qualified programs and boosts incentives for solar and battery installations. It also rolls over...
EG4 and Outback Power Advantage Programs Bring DIY-Friendly Pre-Paid Battery Leases to Homeowners
Texas‑based EG4 and Outback Power have launched “Advantage” programs that provide homeowners with pre‑paid battery leases. The offerings bundle a hybrid inverter with standardized battery packs and allow either DIY or installer‑led installation to keep costs low. Eligible participants receive...
AES Scraps 320 MW California Battery Project Amid Fierce Local Opposition
AES Corp announced it is abandoning the 320 MW/1,280 MWh Seguro energy storage project in San Diego County. The decision follows a three‑year dispute with local residents, stricter fire‑safety setbacks, and a denied easement through Palomar Health that eliminated the only viable...
California Proposed Decision on Community Solar ‘Virtually Ensures No Projects Will Be Built’
The California Public Utilities Commission issued a proposed decision that rejects the industry‑backed Net Value Billing Tariff (NVBT) and adopts the lower, utility‑favored Avoided Cost Calculator (ACC) rate for community solar. By replacing NVBT with ACC, the CPUC effectively removes...
Large-Scale Solar Surpasses 1 TWac Worldwide
Wiki‑Solar’s latest analysis shows that the world’s utility‑scale solar fleet crossed the 1 TWac threshold in 2025, aggregating 1,008 GWac across 33 leading markets. The record‑setting year added nearly 250 GWac, pushing large‑scale solar to represent about 92% of global utility‑scale capacity. China...
ERCOT Proposes $1,500/MW Incentive for Legacy Texas Storage to Adopt Grid Stability Support
ERCOT has introduced a $1,500 per megawatt incentive, backed by a $25 million fund, to encourage owners of legacy energy storage and renewable assets in Texas to retrofit their inverters to grid‑forming capability. The proposal, presented to the Inverter‑based Resource Working...
Lion Energy Takes Equity Stake in American Battery Factory Aimed at Securing Domestic Battery Supply
Utah‑based Lion Energy has taken an undisclosed equity stake in American Battery Factory (ABF) to lock in a domestic supply of lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells. The partnership gives Lion over 4.5 GWh of offtake from ABF’s planned 5.5 GWh Tucson gigafactory for the...
Batteries Buying “Free” California Solar, Driving up Price
Aurora Energy Research reports that California’s growing battery fleet is buying excess solar power, lifting mid‑day wholesale prices by up to $42 per megawatt‑hour. On March 20, 2026, more than 3 GW of storage injected $10.9 million into the market, translating to an...
“Pry Open” VPP Markets by Ensuring VPP Providers May Access Customer Data, Groups Say
Two nonprofit groups, the Open Markets Institute and Mission:data Coalition, allege that utilities are using exclusive control over smart‑meter data to block independent virtual power plant (VPP) aggregators. They argue that utilities can terminate data access at will, impose exclusive...
Base Power Announces Battery-Free Texas Retail Energy Plan Across Major Utility Territories
Base Power launched the Base Energy plan, a battery‑free retail electricity offering for Texas deregulated customers. The plan delivers flat all‑in rates of 13.2 to 15.7 cents per kilowatt‑hour by leveraging the company’s virtual power plant of installed home batteries....
Arizona Task Force Roadmap Prioritizes Virtual Power Plants and Distributed Solar to Cut Energy Costs
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs’ Energy Promise Taskforce issued a 31‑point roadmap urging rapid deployment of virtual power plants, distributed solar and 2,000 MW of battery storage by 2025 to absorb an anticipated 40% surge in peak demand. The plan streamlines permitting...
Minnesota PUC Approves Utility Battery Program While Deferring VPP Decisions
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s CapacityConnect Phase 2, authorizing up to 200 MW of utility‑owned battery storage. The order obliges Xcel to submit a technical and financial benefits evaluation within 180 days and detailed distributed‑resource estimates by November 2027. While...
Solar Keeps Slimming Down While Power Rises
An international study shows commercial silicon PV modules have tripled their specific power since the early 2000s, reaching 23.6 W/kg today. The rise stems from advances in module architecture, bifacial designs, and temperature‑management strategies, while glass and aluminum frames still dominate...
Vertical Rooftop PV Debuts in the U.S.
Norwegian specialist Over Easy Solar has launched its first U.S. vertical rooftop photovoltaic system, a 100 kW bifacial array installed on a green roof in Queens, New York. The lightweight, ballast‑free design delivers an estimated 100,000‑140,000 kWh per year, matching the output...