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1,400 delegates gathered at the historic Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam on 4 and 5 November for the tenth RE-Source

How buyers get a 15-year PPA past the C-suite

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How do you convince a CFO to commit to a fixed electricity price for the long term? At RE-Source 2026, a panel of buyers, sellers and advisers set out what works, what fails and why the internal process often matters more than the deal itself.

The innovative modules come without glass

Peakup Power: stable lightweight modules for roofs with little to spare

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PV Guided Tours: Lightweight modules that offer a solution for load-restricted roofs. Or special technologies that enable durable and flexible solar modules without glass. Is this magic? Let’s find out.

Our guest author Harry Wolkenfelt, CEO and founder of Solarif Group

When digital dependency becomes financial exposure

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Cyber risk in solar and battery storage is now an operational, insurance and financing issue, argues Harry Wolkenfelt of Solarif. Plants can lose revenue without a component failing, as remote access and third-party platforms reshape project risk.

The sun heats water on Lamia’s rooftops, and new rules could make more room for PV

Greece – self-consumption recovers but grid bottlenecks persist

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After a sweeping regulatory overhaul, business is picking up again, though connection problems are still holding many projects back, the 8th Renewable & Storage Forum in Athens heard.

Watch this space – the Refresco roof pre installation of the 18,000-module solar system

UK – Bridgwater factory to carry country’s largest solar roof

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Installers are fitting more than 18,000 modules above the production lines at Refresco while bottling goes on day and night below. The finished array should deliver around 7.5 GWh a year.

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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 rooftops, façades, open 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 water, room 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)