Printing flexible perovskite solar cells means laying down two layers together, and their molecules bind so strongly to each other that the films come out uneven and break down in heat and humidity. A team led by Southeast University and Soochow University added a decoupling molecule that keeps them apart, which pushed small cells to 26.86% certified efficiency and 30×30 cm modules to 20.15%.

The catch is that the 92.5% retention figure comes from a 25 cm² device that started at 22% efficiency, after 1,044 hours at 85°C and 65% humidity. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is still future work. It was published in Science.

Hi everyone! 👋
I’m exploring ideas for applying AI to the solar panel industry, and I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially from people working in solar energy, manufacturing, engineering, automation, or AI.
I’m interested in finding practical ways AI could improve the entire solar panel lifecycle, from design and production to installation and maintenance.
For example:
Design: Using AI to optimize solar panel design, materials, efficiency, and durability.
Manufacturing: Using AI to improve production processes, reduce material waste, and increase product quality.
Assembly lines: Using computer vision, robotics, and AI to automate assembly, detect defects, and improve production speed.
Quality control: Automatically identifying microcracks, cell defects, and other problems during manufacturing.
Predictive maintenance: Predicting machine failures and production line downtime before they happen.
Process optimization: Using AI to analyze production data and identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities to reduce costs.
Robotics and automation: Finding ways to automate repetitive or difficult tasks in solar panel manufacturing.
Supply chain: Using AI to improve inventory management, material planning, and production scheduling.
My questions:
What are the biggest challenges or inefficiencies in solar panel manufacturing today?
Where do you think AI could make the biggest difference?
Are there any manufacturing processes that are still surprisingly manual or inefficient?
What AI tools, technologies, or applications would you like to see in this industry?
If you could build one AI-powered solution for a solar panel factory, what would it be?
Are there any real-world examples of companies already doing this successfully?
I’m particularly interested in practical, real-world ideas that could be developed into actual products or solutions, rather than just theoretical applications.
I’d appreciate any ideas, experiences, suggestions, or resources. Even small problems that AI could solve would be interesting!
Thanks! ☀️

this one stopped me when i read it.

a few months ago doug ford was threatening to cut electricity exports to the united states as leverage in the tariff dispute. it made headlines. it was a whole thing.

now the IESO, ontario’s grid operator, has signed a deal to import 600 MW of american electricity this winter because ontario doesn’t have enough supply. the winter capacity auction also came up 75 MW short of its 1,200 MW target. and the price hit $725 per megawatt per business day, the highest capacity price ever recorded in ontario’s market. that’s from money.ca reporting this week.

so to be clear: ontario threatened to cut american power, then turned around and bought it because we need it.

this is the supply crunch i’ve been talking about for a while. pickering going offline for refurbishment, bruce units cycling through maintenance, demand growing from EVs and data centres faster than new supply is coming online. the grid is tighter than most people realize heading into this winter.

what this means practically is a few things.

the OEB sets prices based on a 12 month cost forecast. if actual winter costs run higher than what was forecast, the difference surfaces in future rates. so even though the november 1st rate numbers are set, the pressure on the system this winter could influence what the OEB does at the next adjustment.

the winter disconnection ban starts november 15th which means no residential disconnections for non-payment until april 30th. that’s worth knowing if you’re tight on bills.

and the OER dropped from 23.5% to 15.7% on november 1st. the CBC confirmed that for a typical 700 kWh household the rebate was worth $36 per month last year and is now worth $23 per month. that $13 difference is real and it’s going straight back onto bills even though the headline rates went down slightly.

the compounding picture here is that ontario is importing american power at record prices, the rebate cushion got cut, and winter demand is about to spike. for homeowners who have been sitting on the fence about solar or a heat pump this is probably the winter that makes the math undeniable.

genuinely curious what people are planning to do about their heating bills this winter. anyone switching plans, making upgrades, or just hoping for a mild december?

Is this okay? Is the quote reasonable?

Part of me wants the peace of mind of a whole home system where everything just works normally during a blackout. But looking at the capacity required for central HVAC and major appliances, the cost scales up fast. An essential load panel covering the kitchen, internet and lighting would get us through 95% of grid failures without issue.

Im checking out different ways to get this installed. Looking at traditional purchases like Sol-Ark setups but i also saw Palmetto’s energy backup option which lets you lease the battery system without a huge cash drop up front. It seems like a decent middle ground if you want dedicated battery resilience on a manageable budget though youre have to be into an agreement.

Did you go critical loads or whole home? Do you regret not backing up the entire panel?

heard from many sources that Sunergy solar company owes over $350K and not paying.

My utility company just implemented "super off peak rates" where electricity for hours gets dirt cheap. About 3 cents a kwh. This is from 10am to 3pm.

Is there some way I can program my powerwall to power the house at night so that it is dead by 10am and let it charge while electricity is cheap?

I think the netzero app is the only way to do this, is it worth the cost of subscription? And "added wear and tear" on the battery?

I’ve been trying to find a lawyer to help me sue the solar company in New York. If you know someone or have a website recommendation, please let me know. I’ve already done a Google search, ChatGPT and supper lawyers website but I didn’t find any helpful results.

Hello!

I need help with ideas on what I can do with a 216kWh battery bank.

I realized I over did it when I purchased a 216kWh battery bank for my house. I have a 24kW solar panel system that sell to the grid whatever the battery bank is not storing.

I have a pizza oven that pulls 12kw, and two electric cars.

I would appreciate ideas on what doors a 216kWh battery bank opens.

Thanks!

Anyone installed a PV system as per Kahramaa BeSolar program? Did it give any results? How much was the cost? Feedback is appreciated!

For those managing multiple solar PV sites, how do you keep track of projects, inspections, documentation and commissioning as you scale? Are there any software tools you would recommend? Would appreciate any insights

Mine is "panels don't work when it's cloudy."

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to install rooftop solar at my house and wanted to get some advice on whether my terrace is suitable.

\- Site size: 30×40 ft

\- Roof: Open terrace with some neighbouring houses around it

\- Concern: I’m worried that the adjacent houses might cast shadows on the solar panels, especially during certain times of the day.

I'm planning to install 3kw on grid solar

I’ve attached photos of my terrace taken from the west side and from another angle.

Could you please help me understand:

1. Is this rooftop suitable for installing solar panels?

2. Will the neighbouring house on the west side cause significant shading?

3. Which direction and area of the terrace would be best for installing the panels?

If anyone has installed solar on a similar rooftop, I’d appreciate your suggestions and experience.

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I’m from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and I recently installed a 4.32 kW rooftop solar system with 8 × 540 W Waaree bifacial panels and a Solaryaan on-grid inverter. All 8 panels are connected in series to PV1, facing south, with no shading.

In October, my system generally generates around 17–23 units (kWh) per day, but on clear sunny days, the inverter’s peak power seems to reach only around 3 kW.

I’d like to compare my system with other solar owners in Ahmedabad or nearby areas.

What is your solar system capacity (kW)?

Which panel and inverter brands do you use?

How much electricity does your system generate daily in October on a clear sunny day?

What is the maximum power (peak kW) you see around 11 am–1 pm?

Are your panels monofacial or bifacial, and which direction do they face?

If possible, please share a screenshot of your inverter app showing daily generation and peak power. Please hide any personal information, account details, or location data before posting.

I’m trying to understand whether my system’s performance is normal or whether I should ask my installer to investigate.

Thanks!

I have solar panels, battery and grid connection.

1. Now in October electricity goes off in the morning though grid is on.

2. Technician told me that you might have more consumption at night, so on turned both,; small and big fridge off at night and now I do not have this problem in the morning.

3. When this happens in the morning I manually switch it to grid and lights come back. And some time I have restart the battery to get light back.

My question is why it does not do it automatically, if battery is low, it should go to the grid, as grid is on.

What is the problem?

Anyone else struggle with how non-intuitive Shelly's app is? I have spent days trying to accomplish the most simple functions and all WASTED time.

I want to get 3kw solar panel system but the electricity meter is under my grand father names who is no more and won’t be able to change the meter name.

How can I get the solar panel system installed in Delhi.

Should I go for a non subsidised solar system?

We’re building a new house in the Chicago suburbs and want to be able to put up solar panels in the future when money allows. In our area there are strict zoning height maximums, so portions of the roof will be flat to allow usable space in the attic, but most of the roof is sloped since only 25% can be flat (zoning again).

The architect is proposing very slow-slope pyramid roofs in the flat areas to allow for drainage in every direction; he says solar panels have been installed with no problem on roofs like that.

I would appreciate the community’s advice on two questions:

1. Does having a gently sloping pyramid shape limit potential opportunities to add solar panels (or make it more expensive to add panels) compared with building each piece of the flat roofing on a single plane sloping slightly south? In case this is relevant, the flat roof portions are not large. They’re all roughly square in shape, ranging from 35 to 115 square feet.

2. Are there other things we should be thinking about at the design phase to make solar panels easier in the future? For example would we set up brackets before putting the flat roofing material on? Or use metal roofing (though I don’t know how that would blend with the sloping parts of the roof)? Or try to adjust the flat roof sizes in certain ways?

Thanks so much for your suggestions and ideas!!

Newbie here…

What’s your opinion on these for price and quality for the inverter and the battery for an off grid application?

Thought on alternatives and best price suppliers?

Sol-Ark 15K-2P hybrid inverter

Pytes V5 51.2V 100Ah lithium batteries - approximately 30.72 kWh nominal storage

We are comparing to these brands:

Sol Ark Helios

Eg4

Ecowothy.

Thx!!

That tax credit that Lawler voted to end was revived in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 — a sweeping law signed by President George W. Bush.  The clean energy spending package would have allowed homeowners to claim tax credits of between 22 and 30 percent of the cost of qualifying solar, wind, geothermal and battery projects through 2034.

Then on July 4, Lawler voted to move up the expiration of the residential clean energy credit by nearly a decade, from 2034 to 2025.

New York Rep. Mike Lawler lives in a suburban home in the Hudson River Valley with rooftop panels that he leases from Vivint Solar. The panels on Lawler’s house have helped him avoid the impacts of rising electricity costs. Since he began leasing the solar system in 2016, it has saved him “a few thousand bucks,” he admitted.

Lawler indirectly benefited from the investment tax credit, analysts say, because it helps companies reduce the costs their customers pay for leasing rooftop solar systems. After 2027, when the investment tax credit disappears, it could be harder for people to lease panels or buy electricity from community solar projects, according to Zoë Gaston, an analyst at the consulting firm Wood Mackenzie.  “Solar will definitely be more expensive,” she said.

And this does not take into consideration the current rising interest rates and Trump’s tariffs that Lawler supports.

Lawler voted to cut affordable energy incentives in a bill because he says the priority is shrinking costs and yet that bill  would add $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade states the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. 

Republicans’ justification for killing rooftop solar credits are undercut by their continued support for incentives that go to the fossil fuel industry, argued Jesse Lee, a former senior adviser to the National Economic Council.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/20/meet-republicans-who-killed-solar-subsidies-after-using-them-00631344

I have been looking for the right way to pay the solar insatallation cost. Some people are suggesting to pay upfront and some are suggesting solar loans. I am confused if I can still avail PM surya ghar subsidy if take loan from Psu banks. When we get the subsidy amount?

Hi everyone,

I hold a B.S. in Electrical Power Engineering, and just passed my NABCEP PVA exam. I am interested in gaining some hands-on experience in designing solar systems as well as managing projects and I have always been drawn to volunteering and helping others.

I was wondering if you know or can recommend some organizations or NGOs that help develop renewable energy projects worldwide where I can volunteer.

Thank you

Glass makes up as much as 80% of a solar panel’s weight, but thinner glass breaks more easily. A coating from EXXOSQEL and Fraunhofer ISC forms chemical bridges inside surface microcracks, which raises the energy needed to break the glass. In lab tests it made 2 mm samples up to 4x stronger and 1 mm samples up to 7x stronger than untreated glass.

The catch is that these were small lab samples, not full panels. The 30% lighter panel figure is the company’s estimate if glass mass drops 40%, and stress tests on full-size modules are still underway.

I'm in Illinois and I’m trying to figure out why my electricity bills and grid usage have been so high recently. I have solar panels and a battery system installed in April 2025.

In June 2026, the panels were removed, then reinstalled in early July (we got our roof replaced). Since then, my grid electricity usage has seemed unusually high.

Here are the numbers from my power company:

May: 977 kWh imported from the grid

June: 1,512 kWh

July: 2,004 kWh

August: 1,745 kWh

September: 1,512 kWh

For September, I imported 1,512 kWh but exported only 106 kWh back to the grid. My average daily grid usage was 50.4 kWh, compared with 21 kWh/day in September of the previous year.

I haven’t added any new electrical equipment. My AC is older, but an HVAC technician inspected it and said it was functioning normally.

My main questions are:

Could the panel removal and reinstallation have caused a problem with solar production, the inverter, wiring, or battery integration?

What should I check in my solar monitoring app to determine whether the system is producing normally?

Does the low amount of electricity exported to the grid suggest that my panels aren’t producing enough, or could battery usage and household consumption explain it?

What data should I request from the installer to compare system performance before and after the panels were reinstalled?

I realize higher summer AC usage could explain some of the increase, but the elevated usage has continued into September. I’d appreciate any advice on troubleshooting this before assuming the system was reinstalled incorrectly.

Thanks!

Update: I spoke with the solar install people, they concur that something is unusual going on. They are going to send a tech out. It looks like im paying for the powet equivelant of 2 whole houses.....which is odd, and it started the month they reinstalled the panels.