Volta Space Technologies leverages government partnerships and funding to develop laser-enabled lunar PV power network
The public-private partnership plans a 2028 demonstration of its LEPTON technology designed to deliver photovoltaic power to the moon’s surface from low orbit.
Solar keeps slimming down while power rises
An international study found that the specific power of commercial silicon solar modules increased from 8.5 W/kg in the early 2000s to 23.6 W/kg today, driven by advances in module design, bifaciality, and temperature management. The researchers highlighted that glass and framing dominate module weight, and considering operating conditions like nominal operating cell temperature and rear-side illumination is essential for accurate PV system design.
New York can’t afford to wait: we need modern meter socket adapter rules now
New York is facing a dual crisis of energy affordability and bottlenecks to new generation interconnection. The New York Public Service Commission can take action to make affordable technologies available to New Yorkers.
Heterojunction vs. TOPCon in perovskite-silicon tandem
Scientists in Australia claim that TOPCon cells are rapidly closing the open-circuit voltage gap with heterojunction counterparts, now under 10 mV, while offering greater wafer tolerance and high industrial scalability. Despite slightly lower efficiency, TOPCon-based perovskite/silicon tandems can achieve a levelized cost of energy comparable to heterojunction-based tandems due to reduced fabrication costs, according to the researchers.
Researchers find higher UV degradation in tracker-based PV systems
New research from the University of New South Wales shows that PV module degradation varies widely with system design and location, driven by UV exposure, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Tropical and desert regions face the highest stress, highlighting the need for climate-specific testing and system design.
Why Chemical and Materials Science Engineers Are the Unsung Heroes of Solar Innovation
For most of the solar industry’s modern history, progress has been framed as a story of physics. Higher efficiencies came from better cell architectures, improved passivation schemes, and optimization of semiconductor performance. That framing was accurate for a long time. As photovoltaic technologies approach their theoretical efficiency limits and global manufacturing capacity reaches unprecedented scale, […]
Terabase Energy invests in automation and engineering to streamline solar construction
Robotic Terafab system and integration of PlantPredict with PowerUQ lean into new technologies.
U.S. startup begins manufacturing grid-scale flywheel ESS
SOSV-backed Qnetic is aiming to raise $20 million in 2026. Over the next two years it will work with the National Lab of the Rockies and other partners on field testing and validating its technology across multiple use cases.
Study finds solar sheep grazing business models outperform agricultural benchmarks
A financial analysis of Ontario-based sheep farming integrated with utility-scale solar reveals EBITDA margins as high as 40%, far exceeding traditional farming returns.
HelioVolta report outlines fire risk from module-level rapid shutdown devices
The report authors contend such devices — which are designed to protect firefighters while they work around rooftop solar installations — actually add significant risk by increasing installation complexity and multiplying potential points of failure by a factor of two to three.
