Opinion & Analysis

Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, powering everything from consumer electronics to electric vehicles, residential PV storage systems, and, more recently, mitigating curtailment in large-scale wind and solar power plants. EVs are driving large-scale demand for Li-ion batteries which will result in substantial volumes of spent batteries in the near future. This scenario highlights the potential for repurposing EV batteries for second-life stationary applications, which could maximise their value before recycling. However, to fully realise this opportunity, several economic, technical, and regulatory challenges must be addressed and resolved.

Energy is not merely a utility for lighting and basic operations; it also functions as a critical instrument of geopolitical influence. When access to power is disrupted or strategically weaponized during times of conflict, the economic consequences can be severe and far-reaching. 

While generation capacity from renewables has grown steadily, and commendable strides have been made to reduce the cost of solar PV cells for example, our ability to store, intelligently manage and distribute that energy still remains a massive challenge. This gap isn’t just a technical bottleneck, but also a strategic vulnerability that requires much attention across the entire renewable energy value chain.

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.

Obsolescent technology, serial defects, maintenance difficulties, and grid connection limitations are all creating unique risk management problems for North American solar.

Building India’s hydrogen economy requires strategic infrastructure planning, targeted investments, and supportive policies. As industrial leaders continue demonstrating the viability of renewable energy transitions, the groundwork for hydrogen infrastructure follows naturally.

Although the suspension of the 24% tariff under Section 301 sends a signal of easing, the retention of the full 10% under Section 201 and the average 83% anti-dumping/countervailing duties means that Chinese solar PV exports to the US still face a combined tax rate of nearly 200%.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world of solar energy as it allows plants to monitor, learn and adapt in real time. Given enormous data collected from several sensors, smart meters, drones, and even weather stations, AI systems utilize machine machine learning algorithms to optimize performance, predict problems and even detect patterns.

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.

With the increasing pressure to decarbonise the energy system while preserving arable land and biodiversity, agrivoltaics is quickly becoming a vital pathway towards sustainable development. A new report from the IEA PVPS Task 13 lays out a compelling vision for how solar energy and agriculture can not only coexist but thrive together.