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Live Stream

On June 23 - 24, 2026 the editors of photovoltaik and pv Europe will be reporting live from the exhibition halls in Munich. At The smarter E Europe, we will showcase the most important innovations and highlight the trends for 2026. Our live streaming in both German and English will kick off at 1 pm CEST.
Tip: Use YouTube's reminder function to not miss out!

Latest news

“No compromises on safety” says Marie Isabelle Grote from Denios.

Denios – Power Store for safe C&I storage

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PV Guided Tours: The integrated Power Store sytem from Denios combines a C&I battery unit with a safety container, designed to protect against thermal runaway while enabling tailored design and fast amortisation. Watch the video to learn more.

Wall-mounted and ready: the X1 modular battery system scales from 5 to 180 kWh

Anker Solix adds backup power capability to X1 storage

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The Power Dock Pro energy hub extends the X1 Home Energy System with automatic transfer switching, backup control and modular battery storage in a single unit.

SolarEdge will be at Intersolar in Hall B4, Stand 110

SolarEdge marks 20 years with a clear software-first signal

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The Israeli solar technology company is using its Intersolar anniversary showcase to signal a shift toward fully integrated, software-led energy management across solar, storage and EV charging for both residential and commercial customers.

Five lanes, one podium, no easy favourites

The smarter E Award 2026: Outstanding projects

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From solar-plus-storage in California and utility-scale batteries in Ukraine to agrivoltaics in Germany and green hydrogen in Namibia, the 2026 finalists show how renewable projects are being delivered across very different markets.

Giannis Giannakopoulos, Chief Executive Director, Integrated Utility, of London-listed METLEN

Giannis Giannakopoulos: “Portfolio and aggregator management is essential”

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METLEN's integrated utility chief explains how the group fuses generation, storage, trading and supply into one platform, underpinning decarbonisation, customer affordability and industrial resilience across more than 40 markets.

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What is photovoltaics?

Photovoltaics (PV) refers to the generation of electrical energy from sunlight. At the heart of this process are the solar-active semiconductors known as solar cells, which capture sunlight and convert it directly into electricity.

From a technical standpoint, a PV system or solar installation functions as a generator. Here, individual solar cells are combined into a solar module, which is protected from the elements. These modules are then assembled into a larger solar generator, which can be mounted on rooftopsfaçadesopen ground or specially designed structures. The electricity generated is direct current (DC), which is converted into alternating current (AC) by an inverter. This AC power can be used directly on site or fed into the public grid via the building’s connection. The electricity is typically supplied to the local utility or grid operator.

Larger PV systems installed on open land are often called solar parks. These feed power into the grid via dedicated transformers and switchgear. In many countries special Acts and regulations govern remuneration for solar power, whether via feed-in tariffs or market premiums for direct sales to third parties.

Self-consumption can be increased by using solar power for heating waterroom heating, air conditioning or refrigeration. Battery storage systems help by storing surplus solar electricity for later use. These so-called solar batteries improve system reliability, especially when solar output dips.

Not all incoming sunlight is converted into electricity. The conversion rate depends on the intensity and wavelength of the incoming light spectrum. This ratio between usable electrical output and the maximum available solar radiation is known as efficiency.

The performance of a solar generator or storage system is defined by its output. When multiplied by the number of sunshine hours, this gives the solar yield – the amount of electricity generated per day, month or year. In addition to charging and discharging power, solar batteries are also rated by their capacity, or the amount of energy they can store. Power is measured in kilowatts (kW) or megawatts (MW), while energy and yield are expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or megawatt-hours (MWh). (HS)