Solar power

SolarEdge has started shipping US-made residential solar inverters to Europe – a milestone as US solar manufacturers look for export upside amid shifting trade rules, tariffs, and fading domestic manufacturing incentives.

Solar, wind, and batteries are set to supply virtually all net new US generating capacity in 2026, according to EIA data reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, continuing their strong 2025 growth.

Like EVs, solar panels are sold with warranties – but what happens when the warranty runs out? A Swiss university study of solar installations from the 1980s and ’90s found many still generating most of their original power.

EDP Renewables’ new 150-megawatt solar project is now feeding power into Indiana’s grid, as utilities look for more reliable, in-state generation.

There’s no shortage of advice on how to size a home solar and battery system, but most of it assumes a suburban home with city services and outages measured in hours, not days. Rural homes play by different rules, especially during major winter storms. When ice and snow take down lines and your utility prioritizes restoring power to urban neighborhoods, having a home battery isn’t about convenience — it’s about damage control.

NOTE: since most of the US is currently getting hit with a huge winter storm, I’m republishing this list of home batteries as a reminder to be prepared for the next one – particularly for folks who are looking at hours or days without power.

For years, Tesla Powerwall has been the go-to recommendation for homeowners looking for a painless, low-effort experience from their first home solar and battery backup solutions. But with a recent recall on more than 10,000 home batteries over fire safety concerns following a year (or more) of CEO Elon Musk’s political antics, more and more people are beginning to look for alternatives to the trailblazing Tesla tech. The good news: there are plenty of other great home solar battery solutions are there!

Europe’s power mix hit a tipping point in 2025. Wind and solar generated more electricity across the European Union than fossil fuels for the first time last year, according to Ember’s newly released European Electricity Review. Wind and solar supplied a record 30% of EU power, edging past fossil fuels at 29%.

Solar continues to dominate new capacity additions and has held the lead among all energy sources for 26 consecutive months. As a result, installed utility-scale solar capacity now exceeds wind capacity for the first time, according to data released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.

There’s no shortage of advice on how to size a home solar system, but most of it assumes a suburban house with city water and a long list of optional loads. Rural homes play by different rules, and when your water comes from a well, keeping the lights on is optional — but keeping the well’s pump running isn’t.

Here’s what it really takes, in solar and battery terms, to keep your home’s water flowing even when its electrons aren’t.

Solar didn’t just show up in 2025 – it carried the grid. A new analysis from global energy think tank Ember shows that solar power accounted for 61% of the growth in US electricity demand last year, highlighting how central solar has become as power demand accelerates.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive has new rooftop solar, and it’s producing far more clean electricity than its new factory expansion even needs.

Independent power producer Treaty Oak Clean Energy has closed financing and kicked off construction on two solar farms that will add 385 megawatts of renewable energy capacity to Louisiana.

Germany produced 18% of its electricity through solar power in 2025, up from 14% in 2024, a significant leap that meant solar overtook both coal and methane gas in the country’s electrical supply – despite the high latitudes the whole country sits at.

China has brought a massive offshore solar farm online – a full 1 gigawatt of photovoltaic capacity built at sea.

Alphabet is buying energy and data center developer Intersect for $4.75 billion in cash, plus the assumption of debt – a clear signal that securing power, not just servers, has become one of Google’s biggest bottlenecks as AI demand explodes.

During the first 10 months of 2025, solar and battery storage have dominated growth among competing energy sources. Further, all net new generating capacity in 2026 is forecast to be provided by renewable energy and batteries, according to data recently released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.

A former coal mine in western Maryland is now generating solar power – and it’s the largest solar farm in the state. Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) has brought Maryland’s largest solar project online in Garrett County, turning reclaimed coal mine land into a source of clean electricity.

An Angus ranch in southern Oregon has become the test case for a new kind of cattle-friendly solar, hosting RUTE SunTracker’s first commercial project.

As Texas braces for tighter power margins and record demand on the ERCOT grid, Sunrun and NRG Energy are transforming home batteries into a giant virtual power plant. The two companies are integrating more home battery storage into the grid and tapping those batteries when the state needs power the most.

Nailable solar shingle maker GAF Energy has shut down its San Jose, California, research and development and manufacturing hub, which opened in 2021, and moved its headquarters to Georgetown, Texas. Going forward, the company will only manufacture its solar shingles at its Texas factory.

A few weeks ago, we talked about some real-world numbers shared by Redditors who added a rooftop solar system to their homes. Not to be outdone, Electrek readers took to the comments to share their own real-world solar numbers. Here are some of the best!