As Europe weighs supply chain dependencies and cybersecurity concerns, Chinese manufacturers are moving beyond TOPCon and back-contact technologies towards a new generation of tandem cell technology, observes Gerard Scheper.
The back-contact specialist has met five or more of the ten benchmarks in energy research firm Wood Mackenzie's global 2026 manufacturer assessment, qualifying for Grade A classification.
The Fraunhofer ISE team in Freiburg has developed a technique using structured coatings and cutouts to create detailed, durable patterns on modules, opening new scope for architecture and design in PV.
The EU wants to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing through legislation allowing member states to link project funding to non-price criteria such as carbon footprint. A new DIW Berlin study warns that the resulting patchwork of national rules is driving up costs and weakening European competitiveness.
Sun.store data show solar module prices climbing across the European market in May, with the PV Purchasing Managers' Index jumping to 70 – its strongest reading since the start of the year.
Featuring a patented shingle matrix developed at Fraunhofer ISE, the Apollon 2.0 delivers 450 to 460 W with enhanced shade tolerance and a 30-year warranty, developed, manufactured and tested entirely in Germany.
Solar Fabrik launches its first coloured module for heritage roofs, Valentin Software updates PV-Sol Premium and GeoT-Sol, Intilion unveils a modular large-scale storage platform, and Longi introduces a fire-resistant rooftop module.
After a punishing downturn, Europe's solar market is finding its footing. European Solar’s Gerard Scheper argues the deeper change lies in the industrial and political reset now taking shape around it.
Aimed at warehouses, data centres and logistics sites, the Hi-Mo X10 focuses on meeting fire safety requirements in rooftop PV installations.
PV Guided Tours: AIKO introduces the third generation of its INFINITE series, with clear advantages and significant improvements over its predecessor. Also debuting is a brand-new PV module that promises to revolutionise plant management through AI-assisted diagnostics, real-time monitoring and smart commissioning. Sound too good to be true? Watch the video to find out!
The Mono S4 Halfcut Chroma Orange is Solar Fabrik's first coloured solar module, with a red-brown finish modelled on RAL 8004 for traditional red tiled roofs and heritage-protected buildings.
The Tersa subsidiary is helping expand installations across the Catalan capital through the "Moment Solar Barcelona" initiative, part of a wider municipal effort to accelerate decarbonisation and local energy generation.
PV on Tour – Sunman Energy presents its ultra-lightweight, semi-flexible solar modules, designed for lightweight roofs and balcony PV systems, and achieving up to 520 watts. Managing Director Nancy Yell lays out the advantages of the technology.
As solar markets place increasing focus on long-term performance, reliability and project bankability, demand is growing for technologies that combine high efficiency with independently verified quality.
CEO Talk: Module technology is evolving rapidly, even amid intense price competition. All the while, customers demand more power from their systems. Back contact cells represent the current pinnacle of development, but there’s more to be achieved. Where is the industry headed? We take a closer look.
PV on Tour: Euronergy’s new lightweight PV modules have cleared key fire safety tests for building approval. Frank Hochmuth of Euronergy and Malte Sulkiewicz of Osnatech explain what sets the panels apart.
A leading figure in European materials research for renewables, Prof Dr Ilija Nasov has spent decades shaping solar technology. He shares his personal route through EU research programmes with PV Europe.
The Austrian manufacturer's latest product removes conductor tracks from the front of the cell, freeing the surface for light absorption and broadening the design options for facades.
The upgraded Vilnius facility produces residential modules up to 455 W and C&I modules up to 510 W in the G12R format, with semi-tempered glass aimed at the German overhead glazing market.
A 200-kilometre urban road test of the Innoptus Solar Team's Infinite Apollo served as final validation for Longi's high-efficiency technology before the American Solar Challenge in July.
Built around a hybrid vacuum and wet-chemical process, the Pero-Si-SCALE laboratory of the Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg gives industry partners a shared platform to test perovskite-silicon designs at full wafer size.
Data from sun.store show pricing pressure across the European PV market held firmly upward last month, particularly in premium and high-efficiency modules. The PV Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) declined, suggesting demand may be moderating after a strong Q1.
The Zhejiang-based manufacturer's All Back Contact modules again lead the April 2026 TaiyangNews monthly update on commercially available high-efficiency solar modules, fending off mounting competition from rival technologies.
Power density on the new bifacial Vision 5.5 series rises to 235 watts per square metre, with three frame and cell-background variants in the line-up.
At Intersolar Europe in Munich, the tier-1 manufacturer is broadening its DeepBlue 5.0 range with new bifacial and monofacial n-type modules for commercial installations and utility-scale projects.
