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Andrea Polini, making the case for the whole-company approach

Sungrow's Andrea Polini: "Bankability counts more than price"

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Sungrow Europe's team leader for technical sales explains how the company is scaling European production, software and infrastructure while strengthening its position on grid integration, cybersecurity and C&I solutions.

At IFA more than 220k visitors are expected.

BLUETTI launches new solutions at IFA 2026

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The showcase reflects the company’s vision of making reliable, intelligent energy accessible across more aspects of everyday life, from professional worksites and balcony solar to home energy management and portable power. Meet BLUETTI at booth H2.2-176 at Messe Berlin.

Grain structure without (left) and with (right) the caesium chloride seed layer, showing larger, more uniform grains after treatment

Germany – HZB achieves 30.3 percent efficiency in tandem cell trial

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A caesium chloride seed layer developed at the institute promotes more even perovskite growth on textured silicon, addressing a defect that had limited performance in solvent-free tandem cells.

The directive points at what's next: faster storage rollout in industrial zones

Croatia clears the way for faster battery permits

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Industrial and commercial operators in Croatia can now build battery storage systems without waiting for municipal spatial plans to catch up, following a new directive from the country's planning ministry.

Leon Zhang (right) is President of LONGi Solar Europe

LONGi Solar: modules and storage from a single source

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CEO Talk: The utility business in Europe is growing and increasingly challenging. Solar fields now come with large batteries, and suppliers must meet standards for grid compliance, safety and security. How is the business changing and what strategy will ultimately succeed? Leon Zhang, President of LONGi Europe, shares his view.

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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)