solar
Researchers discover photovoltaic properties in zinc-based film
Research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has found zinc-phosphate-hydrate (ZPH) films are capable of producing electricity from light. The coating’s photovoltage was amplified when anthocyanin, a natural dye found in blackberries, was added. From pv magazine Global A research team at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) has discovered that zinc-phosphate-hydrate (ZPH) films coated onto metals […]
Operational issues hit returns in one in five battery storage projects, report finds
A recent report from battery intelligence firm Accure reveals that while most battery energy storage systems (BESS) operate reliably, nearly 19% of projects experience reduced returns due to technical issues and unplanned downtime. From ESS News BESS are fast becoming central to the global energy transition, but the sector still faces significant operational and financial […]
Zombie apocalypse-ready solar + storage kit
JDEnergy introduced its eBlock 100C, eStation MV-6880, combined control systems, and the milestone deployment of its 20,000th energy storage block. Exhibiting at its booth at the RE+ trade show, battery integrator JDEnergy focused on the gear: specifically, how its products integrate, how they’re installed, and how control systems can be streamlined by removing unnecessary components. […]
EcoFlow launches energy management system providing whole-home backup
Global energy company EcoFlow’s latest product, Gateway, is a wall mounted hardware system that can be installed indoors or outdoors and is compatible with third-party inverters and diesel generators as well as EcoFlow’s own extensive product suite. From ESS News EcoFlow has launched a new home energy management system to help householders manage their energy usage. The […]
Solar pricing needs a reality check
Sustainable projects depend on prices — and suppliers — that hold up under compliance, delivery and long-term performance requirements. At RE+ in Las Vegas, one of the dominant themes was pricing across the solar supply chain. Numbers were being shared that sounded almost too good to be true and, in many cases, were. Some offers […]
Corporate buyers are the core engine driving the U.S. renewable energy transition
Corporate buyers have led to the voluntary procurement of over 40% of the total capacity of U.S. solar and wind projects from 2014 to 2024. A report from the Clean Energy Buyers Association shows how corporate procurement drives the renewables market and mitigates project financial distress. Over the past ten years in the United States, […]
Community solar may have peaked in 2024, said Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie reported a 36% decline year over year for the first half of 2025 and forecasts 12% annual contraction through 2030. After a record year for installations in 2024, community solar dropped 36% year-over-year for the first half of 2025, said a report from Wood Mackenzie and the Coalition for Community Solar Access. The […]
California hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and battery storage facility is now online
The Calistoga Resiliency Center offers long-duration emergency microgrid services during service interruption from wildfires and severe weather events with a combination of hydrogen fuel and lithium-ion batteries. A 293 MWh hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and battery-based energy storage system (BESS) facility has become operational north of San Francisco, Calif. The Calistoga Resiliency Center, a joint […]
Efficiency first: How commercial real estate owners can thrive with solar
Amid soaring demand and shrinking solar subsidies, taking an efficiency-focused approach to energy management can offer a pathway to project success. America’s commercial real estate (CRE) portfolios are under a two-sided squeeze. On one side, electricity demand is exploding as data centers, reshored manufacturing, and fleets of EV chargers are plugged into buildings never designed […]
The era of cookie cutter solar has come to a close. Did it ever start?
Once shorthand for fast, uniform installs, “cookie-cutter solar” is giving way to site-specific, storage-integrated systems. System design has long been a critical point of differentiation for many solar installers, though some prioritize quicker, cheaper installs by relying on more standardized designs. By now, many solar experts agree that the industry has moved beyond that type […]