China TOPCon Cell Prices Fall for Fourth Week as Inventory Pressure Builds
FOB China TOPCon cell prices fell for a fourth consecutive week, according to OPIS data published in pv magazine on June 26. M10 cells dropped 2.44% week-on-week to $0.0440/W, while 210R cells fell 2.17% to $0.0450/W. TOPCon modules also weakened for the fourth straight week. The declines reflect mounting inventory in the cell segment, with wafer production forecast to rise approximately 10% month-on-month in June to around 55 GW, while end-user module demand remains sluggish. China's removal of the PV export tax rebate from April 1, 2026, has also suppressed purchasing, as export buyers stockpiled heavily from H2 2025. Wafer maker operating rates ranged from 50% to 70%. Silver prices declined about 10% over the past six months but remain roughly 80% higher year-on-year. Analysts expect polysilicon output to increase during China's wet season as lower hydropower costs support higher operating rates, and without a meaningful recovery in module demand, supply-chain inventories will face further pressure.
US PPA Prices Could More Than Double After July 4 Tax Credit Cliff, Warns LevelTen
LevelTen Energy warned on June 26 that US renewable energy PPA prices could spike dramatically as the federal wind and solar tax credits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) approach their July 4 expiration. Under OBBBA, utility-scale wind and solar projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026, or achieve commercial operation by December 31, 2027, to qualify for full federal tax credits. LevelTen data shows that 50% of projects on its Most Valuable Projects tracker were already under exclusivity agreements as of June 2026. Developers are modeling baseline PPA price increases of 40% to 50% across all major ISO regions once the ITC and PTC frameworks expire. In the ERCOT (Texas) market, PPA prices could more than double, adding approximately $66.21 per MWh. LevelTen analyst Sarah Wolf noted that PPA prices will follow a one-way trajectory upward into 2028 and beyond. Corporate buyers are urged to lock in tax-credit-eligible projects before the July 4 deadline to avoid the looming no-tax-credit premium.
Argentina's First Large-Scale Battery Storage Auction Draws Bids 41% Below Price Cap
Argentina unveiled financial bid results for its first large-scale battery storage procurement, the AlmaSADI auction, on June 26. The auction targeted 700 MW of capacity and attracted 232 proposals from 37 domestic and international companies, with total proposed capacity reaching 8,230 MW — an oversubscription exceeding 11 times. The lowest bid came in at $7,397 per MW-month, roughly 41% below the $12,500/MW-month price cap, while the weighted average bid was $10,568.4/MW-month. Regional pricing varied significantly, with the Central San Luis region posting the lowest weighted average ($9,916.7/MW-month) and the Northeast region the highest ($11,194.3/MW-month). Battery systems must deliver at least four hours of continuous discharge, deployed at critical grid nodes to provide capacity and operating reserve services. Awards will be determined by CAMMESA based on bid prices and regional capacity limits. Argentina's Energy Secretariat estimates the procurement could support approximately $700 million in investment, marking a milestone for the country's energy storage sector.
Fluence Expands Smartstack Platform with High-Density 10 MWh BESS Option
Fluence Energy introduced a 10 MWh configuration for its Smartstack utility-scale BESS platform on June 24, expanding on the existing 7.5 MWh option with a 33% capacity increase. The new variant achieves a core site-level energy density of approximately 680 MWh per acre and reduces balance-of-plant costs by up to 40%. The split-architecture design separates battery pods (approximately 20,000 kg) and smart skids, with standardized layouts that simplify upgrades. The system uses standard 3XX Ah cells, supports 4-, 6-, or 8-hour discharge durations, and features liquid-cooled thermal management, IP55-rated enclosures, and C3 to C5 corrosion resistance, with an ambient operating range of -30°C to +55°C and automated derating past 50°C. Isolated containment zones prevent pod-to-pod thermal propagation, meeting UL9540, UL9540A, and NFPA standards. Fluence offers a guaranteed 25-year system lifetime and performance structures ensuring up to 99% fleet availability. The Fluence OS7 operating system integrates Modbus, DNP3, and OPC UA protocols, complemented by Nispera asset management and Mosaic bidding optimization software.
Matrix Renewables Secures $1.3 Billion for US Solar and Storage Portfolio
Matrix Renewables, backed by TPG Rise, closed a $1.3 billion financing package on June 26 to support four US utility-scale solar and storage projects totaling 859 MWdc of solar and 167 MWh of battery capacity. The package includes over $970 million in debt facilities — comprising $470 million in construction-to-term loans, approximately $400 million in tax equity bridge loans, and $100 million in letters of credit — plus a $210 million preferred equity investment from D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI). The portfolio spans: the 457 MWdc Tormes Solar project in Texas (under construction, H1 2027 COD), the 86.5 MWh Alamo BESS in California (under construction, August 2026 COD), the operational Gaskell West hybrid facility (143 MWdc solar + 80 MWh BESS), and the Pleasant Valley Solar project in Idaho (261 MWdc). Spanning ERCOT, CAISO, and the Northwest markets, the transaction is one of the largest single-portfolio US renewable financings of 2026, reflecting strong institutional confidence in solar-plus-storage assets. Matrix Renewables manages over 15.5 GW globally.
Sungrow Unveils PowerHarbor All-in-One Residential Battery Inverter
Sungrow launched its first all-in-one residential product, the PowerHarbor hybrid inverter system, at the Smarter E trade show in Munich in June 2026. The system offers 10–30 kW inverter power and uses 314 Ah LFP prismatic cells with modular battery blocks (6 kWh, 9 kWh, 10 kWh) expandable to 120 kWh, with a cycle life of up to 10,000 cycles at 90% depth of discharge. A key innovation is the per-module optimizer design, making each battery module fully independent and intelligently managed — new and older modules can be combined years apart with automatic lifetime balancing. The system supports 1.6x PV-to-battery fast charging and up to 150% three-phase unbalanced output. The companion Energy Bridge device, in a compact circuit-breaker format, enables seamless whole-home backup by automatically disconnecting from the grid during outages. AI-driven energy optimization anticipates solar production and household demand, optimizing for dynamic tariffs and virtual power plant participation. IP66-rated with fanless operation below 35 dB(A) for models up to 15 kW.
EU Restricts Funding for Chinese-Made Inverters Over Cybersecurity Concerns
The European Commission has begun restricting EU funding for solar projects using Chinese-made inverters due to perceived risks of cyberattacks and grid blackouts, pv magazine reported on June 25. The EC has labeled Chinese inverters a 'high-risk dependency.' The policy could affect multiple EU funding programs, including Green Deal funds and national recovery facility allocations tied to solar targets. China dominates the global inverter market, and the restriction will pressure European solar developers to switch to European or non-Chinese suppliers. However, questions remain over whether European manufacturers have sufficient production capacity to scale up quickly enough to meet EU solar deployment targets without causing project delays and cost increases. The move aligns with broader EU efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese clean energy supply chains, following similar restrictions on solar modules and components. This marks one of the first major EU funding restrictions on renewable energy equipment explicitly tied to grid security, potentially setting a precedent for other energy equipment regulations.
US Customs Finds Waaree Evaded Solar Import Tariffs; Company Pushes Back
US Customs and Border Protection issued a final determination on June 23 finding that Indian solar manufacturer Waaree Energies evaded anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on solar imports between 2021 and June 2026 by reporting the wrong country of origin. CBP will require cash deposits of up to 271.28% in anti-dumping tariffs on affected products, citing a 'four-year history of reporting the wrong country of origin.' The investigation stemmed from a January 2025 petition by the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, which noted that US CSPV module imports from India surged over 2,250% between 2021 and 2023. However, CBP also confirmed that Waaree produced enough non-Chinese cell modules to cover its US exports and declined to apply adverse inferences, limiting the ruling to specific products. Waaree responded that the determination covers only a narrow subset of historical entries, is not a final adjudication, and the company will pursue administrative and judicial review. Separately, non-evading Waaree products face 123.04% preliminary anti-dumping tariffs.
Analysis: Who Will Be the US Solar Cell Technology Leaders in 2030?
pv magazine USA published an in-depth analysis by Finlay Colville on June 25 exploring the competitive landscape for US solar cell manufacturing through 2030. Between 2020 and 2025, Chinese companies produced 97% of all global c-Si cells, with Tongwei alone producing over 100 GW in 2025 and Tongwei plus Jinko Solar together accounting for roughly one-quarter of the global total. Western silver paste suppliers DuPont and Heraeus have fully exited the cell metallization space, selling patents and brands to Chinese entities, leaving DKEM and Fusion in control of about two-thirds of the market. The article argues that US manufacturers relying solely on turn-key equipment will not achieve genuine technology differentiation; future leaders must use turn-key lines only as a starting point, rapidly build in-house technology ownership, solve metallization supply chain challenges through alternatives such as copper, and scale to 20 GW or more. Tesla, with its 100 GW ambition, is implicitly positioned as the most likely candidate for this trajectory. The analysis provides context for the inaugural Solar Manufacturing USA event (September 22-23, Austin, Texas).
The Virtual Power Plant Era Has Arrived: US VPP Market Nears 40 GW
Virtual power plants have shifted from experimental concept to mainstream grid management tool, pv magazine USA reported on June 27. As of mid-2025, the total US VPP market approached 40 GW, enough to power roughly 30 million homes under standard conditions. A landmark partnership announced in June 2026 pools the energy-saving capabilities of 9 million American homes, with Renew Home providing 9.0 GW of smart thermostat flexibility and Tesla and Sunrun contributing 7.8 GW of home battery capacity, for a combined 16.8 GW — the largest VPP program in the United States. Participating households earned more than $67 million in direct cash payments in 2025 alone. California leads with 4.66 GW, while western states, eastern territories, and central regions account for 6.2 GW, 6.0 GW, and 4.6 GW respectively. The article highlighted Puerto Rico, where during 2025 grid emergencies, 70,000 Tesla Powerwalls instantly injected power when central plants failed, preventing rolling blackouts. VPPs are emerging as a faster, cheaper alternative to building new centralized infrastructure.
Heliene Debuts 410 W All-Black PERC Module for North American Residential Market
North American solar manufacturer Heliene introduced its 108HC M10 SL All-Black Series module on June 24, designed specifically for rooftop applications. The module features 108 M10 half-cut PERC cells delivering 410 W of output, with an all-black aesthetic suited for residential and light commercial rooftops. The product meets domestic content manufacturing benchmarks, helping developers qualify for Inflation Reduction Act domestic content bonus credits. Heliene operates manufacturing facilities in both Canada and the United States and has been expanding North American production capacity to meet strong US solar demand. The all-black design not only enhances building-integrated aesthetics but also reduces light reflection and improves community acceptance. The product extends Heliene's North American residential and light commercial portfolio, reflecting the strategy of domestic manufacturers to strengthen differentiated competition amid import tariff pressures.
East Asia's Sunny May Lifts Coastal Irradiance Above Average as El Niño Builds
A persistent high-pressure system drove unusually clear skies across coastal East Asia in May 2026, pushing solar irradiance significantly above long-term averages, according to a Solcast (a DNV company) analysis published on June 26. Tokyo saw irradiance approximately 15% above the 2007–2025 average, Osaka was about 14% above — its sunniest May in the Solcast record — and Shanghai rose roughly 13% above average. Seoul recorded a 6% increase, while Taipei and Manila both exceeded 10% above average. The Yangtze Delta region was 6%–10% above average overall. However, a late-month rainband brought heavy rainfall to southern and central China, with 24-hour totals near 100 mm in some areas, leaving inland irradiance near average or slightly below. The gains were primarily driven by reduced cloud cover rather than aerosol reductions, Solcast noted. The sunny conditions also pushed temperatures to record highs in northern China, Mongolia, and Japan, partially offsetting irradiance gains through heat-related efficiency losses. Multiple agencies forecast a strong to very strong El Niño event later in 2026, though May's pattern remained primarily a regional weather phenomenon.