Solar professionals talk microgrids, repowering and more at NABCEP CE 2026
The annual training conference saw nearly 900 attendees participate in more than 80 training sessions, enjoy several themed events and connect with friends new and old from solar companies around the country.
U.S. energy storage installations reach record 18.9 GW in 2025
Annual deployments grow 52% as utility-scale and residential sectors drive market expansion through year-end, said a report from Wood Mackenzie.
Portable solar expands consumer access while creating new installer opportunities
Portable and plug-in solar systems have gained traction as the newest segment of distributed generation, expanding solar access for renters and urban residents while creating new opportunities for installers and manufacturers adapting microinverter technology to smaller systems.
Doral Renewables closes $900 million financing for Texas solar-plus-storage project
The 430 MWac solar and 340 MWh battery storage facility in Schleicher and Tom Green Counties is expected to reach commercial operation by summer 2028.
California’s SB 886 could make storage a prerequisite for data center interconnection
If passed, SB 886 would require large load users to cover half of their hourly needs with zero-carbon, dispatchable energy resources.
Quino signs joint development deal with Jena for flow battery energy storage
Agreement to optimize Jena’s hardware for Quino’s organic electrolyte.
Solar cyber threats expand, but inverters still stay in the crosshairs
In an interview with pv magazine, Jay Johnson, the CTO of US-based cybersecurity firm DERSec, explains that PV systems face cybersecurity risks that extend far beyond inverters, as demonstrated by a December attack on Polish solar plants where wiper malware targeted substation equipment rather than the inverters themselves. Vulnerabilities often lie in backhaul communication channels like APIs and mobile apps, making layered defenses, network segmentation, and vigilant monitoring essential to safeguard distributed energy resources.
Why battery storage is becoming the engine of AI growth
Data centers are using batteries to run more AI on the same grid connection.
Silver prices find new floor around $70 an ounce
Silver prices have fallen by more than 40% since early January, when they reached an all-time peak of about $120/oz.
Illinois regulators launch investigation into consumer protection against data center costs
Facing applications for new data center capacity that represent a greater total demand than ComEd’s all-time peak, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved a plan to require data center projects to make larger deposits to cover the cost of grid upgrades and ordered an investigation into other methods of protecting utility ratepayers against footing the bill for data center load growth.
