TCL Zhonghuan Converts 20 GW TOPCon Cell Capacity to Back-Contact
Chinese solar manufacturer TCL Zhonghuan has received board approval for a CNY 2.6 billion ($382 million) capacity upgrade project to convert 20 GW of existing TOPCon cell capacity into back-contact (BC) cell production lines—6 GW at Quzhou and 14 GW at Xinzhou—plus upgrading 25 GW of TOPCon module capacity into BC module lines across five sites. BC cell and module lines are expected to begin ramping up from Q3 2026, with full production by Q1 2027. Separately, Datang Group's 2026–2027 framework procurement covers 11 GW of PV modules (6 GW TOPCon, 1 GW HJT, 4 GW BC) and 9.5 GW of inverters, with BC module bid prices ranging from CNY 0.790–0.812/W and TOPCon from CNY 0.705–0.800/W.
Longi Starts 21 GW Back-Contact Cell Production with Copper Alloy Metallization
Longi has commenced production at a 21 GW back-contact (BC) cell manufacturing line at its Xixian base in Shaanxi province, marking the first gigawatt-scale deployment of its Alloy Contact Matrix (ACM) metallization technology that replaces conventional silver paste with a copper-based alloy. ACM features a nanoscale barrier layer preventing copper diffusion, copper alloy material improving oxidation resistance, and a matrix-style point-contact structure reducing metal-silicon contact area and recombination losses. Certified by Germany's ISFH, the cell achieves 27.6% efficiency and 672 W module output (TÜV Rheinland certified). The primary commercial driver is cost reduction, as silver paste remains the largest non-silicon cost in BC cells. Longi has not yet disclosed production yield or long-term outdoor reliability data.
UK Approves PV Projects Totalling 1.2 GW
The UK government granted development consent orders for three major solar projects totalling 1.2 GW within five days, all including co-located battery energy storage systems. The 740 MW One Earth Solar Farm near Lincoln (PS Renewables/Perigus Energy), the 320 MW Peartree Hill Solar Farm in East Yorkshire (RWE), and the 150 MW Dean Moor Solar Farm in West Cumbria (ib vogt/Firma Energy) were approved through the National Significant Infrastructure Planning process required for English solar projects ≥100 MW. Approvals come just before the eighth Contracts for Difference allocation round opens for bids on July 20. The UK aims for at least 45 GW of deployed solar by 2030, up from 22.6 GW as of May 2025.
Argentina Awards 700.5 MW of Battery Storage Across Critical Grid Nodes
Argentina's Energy Secretariat formally awarded 20 BESS projects totalling 700.5 MW under the AlmaSADI tender through Resolution 155/2026, representing an estimated $700 million investment. Projects span seven regions: Buenos Aires province (185 MW), Northwest Argentina (150 MW), Chaco-Formosa (161.5 MW), Misiones-Corrientes (50 MW), Entre Ríos (50 MW), Santa Fe (36 MW), and the Pampa region (68 MW), awarded to five developers led by Genneia (7 projects) and DQD Energy (8). The tender attracted 235 technical bids totalling 8,338 MW—over 11 times the 700 MW target. This follows the AlmaGBA tender which awarded 713 MW for the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, collectively designed to provide rapid demand response, dispatch flexibility, and grid reliability across transmission-constrained regions.
Brazilian Grid Operator Warns Curtailment Could Reach 40 GW by 2030
Brazil's National Electric System Operator (ONS) published its 2026–2030 Medium-Term Operation Plan warning that wind and solar curtailment could reach 40 GW annually between 2027 and 2030, driven by renewable surpluses during peak solar hours coinciding with lower demand and transmission bottlenecks. A sensitivity analysis showed adding 4 GW of new load would reduce curtailment by less than 800 MW. ONS forecasts peak demand at ~129 GW by 2030 (+17% vs 2025), total installed capacity 269 GW, centralized wind/solar approaching 60 GW potentially rising to 77 GW, and distributed generation surpassing 43 GW. Planned transmission investments total BRL 28.1 billion (~$5.45 billion) including 5,301 km of new lines. ONS calls for BESS deployment, demand response, and better alignment of renewable expansion with demand growth.
Unigrid Unveils Sodium-Ion Residential Energy Storage Systems
California-based Unigrid launched Na+Casa, its first residential energy storage system using proprietary sodium chromium oxide (NaCrO₂) cathode technology, claiming 10,000-cycle lifespan at 100% depth of discharge (over 27 years of daily cycling) with some commercial products rated beyond 30,000 cycles. The wall-mountable unit weighs 108.9 kg, measures 477 × 869 × 269 mm, and provides 9.25 kWh usable energy with nominal voltage 46.4 V. It supports charging from −20°C to 60°C and discharging from −40°C to 60°C, eliminating lithium-ion fire risks. Standard charge/discharge current is 50 A with 200 A pulse capability. UN 38.3 transport certification secured; CE and UL 9540/1973 pending. European installations are underway with a US launch planned by late 2026. Unigrid targets 1 GWh annual cell production in 2026.
Grid Expansion, Storage, Flexibility Lag Behind Europe's Renewables Growth
A European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) report warns that grid expansion, electricity storage, and flexibility measures are failing to keep pace with renewable capacity growth. Variable renewables reached 30% of EU electricity generation in 2025, but growth from 2020–2025 was far too slow to meet the 58% target by 2030. Key obstacles include curtailment and flexibility limitations that prevent renewable share from rising proportionally with installed capacity. Annual distribution grid investment growth of 12–25% is needed. Smart meter roll-out is lagging, blocking demand-side flexibility, while many capacity mechanisms still favor gas plants over batteries. Lead author Eike Velten stressed that dynamic tariffs are useless without smart meters. An earlier Ember report identified a ~120 GW shortfall between planned renewables expansion and available grid capacity across most EU member states.
Software Can Unlock 300 GW of Capacity on U.S. Grid Without New Power Plants
Advanced grid-scanning software can unlock 300 GW of hidden capacity on the existing U.S. grid within 3–5 years without building new power plants or transmission lines, according to GridCARE CEO Amit Narayan on the Energy Empire podcast with Jigar Shah. The U.S. grid operates at only ~33% capacity due to decades-old N-2 contingency planning covering 100 million possible failure combinations across ~10,000 system parts. A Duke University analysis by Tyler Norris found that if large loads accept curtailment for just 0.25% of the year (~2 peak-stress hours), the grid can absorb nearly 100 GW of new demand. Proven results include National Grid (NY) identifying 650+ MW, Portland General Electric unlocking 400+ MW for six data centers years ahead, and PJM reviewing 811 generation applications (220 GW) in under an hour. The key challenge is institutional trust—utility planning departments use static models that ignore flexibility resources operations teams already deploy.
Switzerland Deploys 1.33 GW of Solar in 2025
Switzerland installed 1.33 GW of new solar PV capacity in 2025, down from 1.8 GW in 2024—the first annual decline since 2017—bringing cumulative installations to 9,498.6 MW across 338,270 systems per Swissolar data. Solar generation reached nearly 8 TWh, covering 13.71% of electricity consumption, a 33.3% year-on-year increase. By segment, commercial/industrial led with 547 MW; single-family homes added 25,562 systems (342.9 MW, average 13.4 kW); multi-family buildings 5,800 systems (204.4 MW); agricultural buildings 110 MW; public buildings 65.6 MW; and ground-mounted just 33.3 MW across 50 installations. Battery storage surged 70% YoY with 27,775 new systems totalling 485,000 kWh, reaching cumulative 1.38 GWh across 93,500 systems. Swissolar attributed the PV slowdown to energy market and federal policy uncertainty, calling for additional self-consumption and local electricity model incentives.
China Polysilicon Prices Fall as Output Rebounds, Oversupply Persists
China's mono-grade polysilicon price fell 2.12% week-on-week to CNY 32.286/kg ($4.75/kg) per the OPIS Global Solar Markets Report. A leading producer secured sales at ~CNY 32/kg establishing a benchmark, while smaller suppliers negotiate below this level. Domestic output rebounded significantly: June ~93,000 MT (vs ~85,000 MT in May), August forecast potentially exceeding 110,000 MT returning to 2025 levels. Hydropower-rich rainy season drives increased production with 50,000–60,000 MT expected, keeping prices below production costs. China released three mandatory national energy efficiency standards effective January 1, 2027: Siemens-process polysilicon thresholds at 5.0/5.5/6.4 kgce/kg and FBR granular polysilicon at 3.6/4.0/5.0 kgce/kg by grade. Industry estimates ~30% of existing capacity could be affected, but ~2 million MT/year (~900 GW annual module production equivalent) would remain operational, meaning structural oversupply persists despite tighter regulations.
Ivory Coast Switches On 52 MW of Solar
The 52 MW Ferké solar power plant in Ivory Coast’s northern Tchologo region has been officially inaugurated. The XOF 41 billion ($71.5 million) facility spans 70 hectares with over 73,000 panels, generating 90 GWh annually to power more than 370,000 households, schools, health centers, and businesses. Developed by PFO Africa under a February 2024 concession agreement, this is Ivory Coast’s second operational solar plant after the 37.5 MW Boundiali project (April 2024). Pipeline projects include 50 MW Kong and 52 MW M’Bengue (both by end-2027), plus a 50 MW Amea Power project under construction. Deputy Prime Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara stated solar represents a “real opportunity” to reduce energy costs, accelerate rural electrification, create jobs, strengthen energy sovereignty, and support sustainable development. National targets aim for renewables reaching 46.3% of the energy mix by 2035, with solar exceeding 1.3 GW.
Heatwaves Cause Hourly PV Losses Up to 90% in Iberian Peninsula
A University of Évora study reveals Iberian heatwaves can cause severe short-lived yield losses in PV plants reaching up to 90.4% hourly. Researchers analyzed three plants—Zebro in Portugal (37.06 kW) and Ariza (15 kW) and Amibil (64.5 kW) in Zaragoza, Spain—across four extreme heat events between 2024–2025, validated against ERA5-Land reanalysis data (correlation up to 0.95 for temperature, 0.98 for GHI). Crystalline silicon module efficiency drops 0.3–0.5% per degree Celsius above 25°C, with module temperatures exceeding 70°C during heatwaves causing accelerated degradation and inverter thermal derating. The largest daily loss was 17.6% at Zebro during the 2025 Portuguese heatwave, though performance typically recovered within a day. Critically, PVsyst simulations using Typical Meteorological Year data systematically overestimate generation during extreme heat, revealing a growing “Energy Not Served” gap. Researchers urge the European solar sector to shift from maximizing annual generation toward improving resilience against recurring extreme heat events.