PV Tech Power 43 out now: Solar under the shadow of Trump, tackling module glass fractures, the aftermath of the Iberian blackout

By PV Tech
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

The Q3 edition of our downstream solar PV journal, PV Tech Power, is now available to download.

In our cover story, we step into the new normal in the US market, under the shadow of an administration increasingly hostile to renewables. Taking in the changes in the “Big, Beautiful” budget reconciliation bill and its impacts on solar finance, deployment and manufacturing, we spoke to leading policy analysts, financiers, lawyers and market participants about the state of play and the forecast for the coming years. A picture emerged of an industry reeling from a serious blow, but determined to keep fighting and come off the ropes. The mood is uncertain, and the biggest questions are yet to receive answers.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Elsewhere in this edition:

  • Understanding and tackling PV module glass fracture
    David Devir of VDE Americas looks at the origins of today’s supersized PV module glass problem and considers how the industry can engineer a return to reliability
  • The dominance of PV and the shift to back contact
    Radovan Kopecek and Joris Libal examine the technological and economic factors driving PV’s ascendancy, with particular emphasis on potential of bifacial back contact modules
  • The 2,000V transition
    Utility-scale solar is preparing for its next voltage evolution, with 2,000V systems emerging as the successor to the dominant 1,500V standard
  • After the blackout
    Initially blamed for the huge power outage that hit Spain and Portugal in April, solar has now become central to the solution
  • Slashing utility-scale grading costs
    Land grading is becoming a critical focus for project economics. Brett Beattie of Castillo Engineering looks at some of the key areas that can make multimillion-dollar differences to engineering costs
  • Megawatts are not enough anymore
    After an initial rush to deploy megawatts that gave CAISO and ERCOT the lead in US BESS adoption, both markets have become focused on capacity and availability

PV Tech Premium subscribers receive every copy of PV Tech Power as part of their subscription as soon as it’s published, as well as exclusive content on PV Tech, weekly briefing emails and a host of other benefits.

Find out more about PV Tech Premium, including how to subscribe, here.

13 October 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 13-14 October 2026 is our fourth PV CellTech conference dedicated to solar manufacturing in the USA. From polysilicon, wafers, ingots, cells and modules, to critical component suppliers including glass and frames, the event connects every stage of the value chain under one roof. PV CellTech USA also brings together investors, innovators, manufacturers and industry stakeholders to collaborate and strengthen domestic solar manufacturing across the United States.
3 November 2026
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2027. PV ModuleTech Europe 2026 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.

Read Next

July 3, 2026
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$160 million loan to support the deployment of at least 310MW of new solar capacity in Bhutan.
July 3, 2026
Researchers have developed a predictive framework for 2D perovskite design to enable more efficient, stable solar cells.
July 3, 2026
The US is reportedly drafting a ban on Chinese solar inverters over concerns that they pose a risk to the grid.
July 3, 2026
The state of New York has reached 8GW of cumulative installed distributed solar PV, putting the state ahead of its 10GW target by 2030.
July 3, 2026
German solar PV generation has continued to grow in the first half of 2026, reaching a new all-time high of 43.2TWh.
July 3, 2026
Australia's utility-scale solar PV and wind assets generated a combined 4.73TWh in June, an 11% YoY increase, according to Rystad Energy.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
April 20, 2027
Istanbul, Türkiye