Solar

Building Renewable Energy in Africa From the Ground Up

RE.Think Energy founder Wangari Muchiri on how demand aggregation, policy and local manufacturing can scale renewable energy in Africa.

Optivolt Raises $32m to Scale Smart Solar Panels

Optivolt has raised a $32m Series A led by VXI Capital to expand manufacturing of smart solar panels with power electronics built into each module.

Ocean Sun membrane-based floating solar system at Kyrholmen, Norway

Tata Power Plans Floating Solar Pilot With Norway’s Ocean Sun

Tata Power will test Ocean Sun's membrane design in a 300 kWp floating solar pilot at the Mulshi reservoir, comparing it with pontoon systems.

Flexible semi-transparent BM10 organic photovoltaic panel with HeiQ Xpectra electrode

Brilliant Matters and HeiQ Target 2028 Launch for Semi-Transparent Organic Solar Cells

Brilliant Matters and HeiQ say their semi-transparent organic solar cells reached 12.04 per cent efficiency, and plan a 2028 launch below $150 a square metre.

Prussian Blue Lifts Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency to 26.9 Per Cent

Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers used Prussian blue to lift perovskite solar cell efficiency to 26.9 per cent, with a certified 22.9 per cent submodule.

California Legalises Plug-In Solar for Renters and Homeowners

Governor Newsom has signed SB 868, making California plug-in solar systems of up to 1,200 watts legal without utility permission from 1 January 2027.

Rune Raises $40m to Put Modular Data Centres on Solar Farms

Spark Capital led a $40m Series A for Rune, which builds modular data centres that plug into solar farms behind the inverter and skip grid connection queues.

CIOC Energy Secures €3m for Solar and Battery Optimisation

Belgian start-up CIOC Energy has raised €3m from CleverNett to grow its battery optimisation platform and trade directly in four European power markets.

Norway Solar Capacity Passes 1GW as Annual Growth Slows

Norway solar capacity has passed 1GW at 1,003MW, yet annual additions are heading for their weakest year since 2021 as large solar parks stay unbuilt.

Aligned Climate Capital Targets $500m For Distributed Solar Fund

Aligned Climate Capital has held a first close on a $500m distributed solar fund targeting construction-ready projects across ten US states.

Africa’s Solar Panel Manufacturing Capacity Set To Quadruple To 3.5 GW This Year

Africa's solar panel manufacturing capacity will quadruple to 3.5 GW in 2026, led by new plants in Egypt and Tanzania geared to US export.

Planted Raises $31.8m to Build Solar Plants With Robots

Planted has raised $31.8m to expand robotic solar construction, as the California start-up targets 100MW of deployment in 2026 and a 20GW pipeline.

Noria Energy Launches a Solar Tracker Built to Float

Noria Energy has launched Airon, a floating solar tracker the company says yields up to 20 per cent more power than fixed-tilt arrays on water.

TAR Raises $120m to Build Off-Grid Data Centre Power in Six Months

TAR has raised $120m to build off-grid data centre power from modular solar and storage, targeting six-month delivery and skipping interconnection queues.

Solar-Plus-Storage Investment Hits Record $25 Billion in First Half of 2026

Solar-plus-storage investment reached a record $25 billion in the first half of 2026, BloombergNEF data shows, while overall renewable spending stayed flat.

UK Publishes First Regional Solar Breakdown as Installations Hit Record

UK solar installations reached nearly 172,000 in 2026 so far, and new regional data shows where rooftop uptake is strongest and weakest.

Plug-In Solar Becomes Legal in Great Britain as Retailers Prepare Rollout

Plug-in solar panels are now legal in Great Britain, opening low-cost home generation to renters and flat-dwellers as major retailers prepare to stock them.