Opinion & Analysis

Energy storage for homes—anchored by hybrid inverter systems—will lead the next phase of solar growth in India. Not as an upgrade, but as a necessity for a nation building toward energy independence by 2047.

The federal government has unveiled new details of its plan to create a $1.2 billion critical mineral reserve. Three minerals will initially be the focus: antimony, gallium and rare earths (a group of 17 different elements).

Once considered isolated incidents, spontaneous glass breakages in solar modules are becoming more frequent, highlighting the limits of some manufacturing choices and the need for closer quality control.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Setting up solar projects in harsh terrains is more than an engineering challenge—it is a test of planning, adaptability, and execution discipline. As India’s solar capacity continues to expand, the next 100 MW of installations will increasingly come from regions where conditions are difficult but potential remains high.

A new generation of sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery cells has been launched as an alternative to the virtual monopoly of lithium-ion (Li-ion). Although the technology is unlikely to displace significant Li-ion market share, recent improvements make Na-ion a viable solution for certain niche applications, with potential for wider usage if cost becomes competitive.

Smart grids represent a fundamental shift in how electricity networks are planned and operated. By leveraging digital technologies, real-time communication, and automation, smart grids enable utilities to respond dynamically to changing grid conditions. For India, this transformation is critical to maintaining reliability while integrating large volumes of solar and wind power. 

High solar irradiation, expanding wind corridors, improving transmission infrastructure, and declining storage costs position India to be one of the largest contributors to incremental global renewable capacity additions by 2030. This also strengthens India’s role as a long-term hub for renewable project execution talent.

Every additional EV, wind turbine, transmission line, or storage system intensifies pressure on supply chains that are already concentrated and geopolitically sensitive. Competing solely on mining is neither sufficient nor sustainable.

Global solar growth is flattening in major markets as oversupply from China and India drives prices down and shifts competition from sheer volume to execution, policy alignment, and system integration. Across the U.S., Europe, and China, energy storage is becoming essential for project viability, making PV-plus-storage and strong EPC partnerships the new basis for winning projects in 2026 and beyond.