Solar for All

Data from the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaiʻi has been used to identify the youngest planet yet discovered outside our solar system. The finding, reported by Maui Now, highlights the observatory's continuing role in major exoplanet research and offers scientists a rare chance to study planet formation at its earliest stages. Astronomers say such young worlds help refine models of how planets develop.

Some farmers are installing solar panels on their fields and using the same land for agriculture, grazing sheep beneath the panels or growing crops alongside them. The approach, often called agrivoltaics, allows land to produce both food and electricity at once, offering farmers extra income while panels provide shade that can benefit grazing animals and reduce water loss.

Solar and wind generation met a record 80% of electricity demand on Australia's national grid, a new high for the country's renewable energy transition. The milestone highlights how quickly rooftop solar and large-scale wind farms are displacing coal-fired power in Australia. Commentators are citing it as evidence that renewables can carry a large share of a major national grid, though questions remain about storage and reliability as coal plants retire.

An analysis by SolarPower Europe has found that solar and wind generation made Europe's electricity 25% cheaper and saved the continent more than €100 million per day by reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The report frames the shift as 'decoupling from fossil fuel shocks', arguing renewables are now delivering measurable savings for consumers and energy systems across Europe.

Nevada is outperforming expectations on solar energy growth, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The state, long associated with vast desert landscapes and abundant sunshine, is seeing notable advances in solar deployment and capacity. The development is drawing attention as the US pushes to expand renewable energy and states compete to lead the transition away from fossil fuels.

Australia's main electricity grid has recorded 80% renewable energy across consecutive days, with rooftop solar at times supplying more than half of demand. The milestone highlights how quickly household solar and other renewables are displacing coal and gas generation in the national market, drawing attention as one of the fastest energy transitions among advanced economies.

Renewables covered a record 80% of electricity demand on Australia's main grid, according to a report picked up by international outlets. The milestone, driven by solar and wind output, highlights how far the country's clean energy transition has progressed and is drawing attention as an example of high-renewable grid operation.

Retired electric vehicle batteries could be given a second life as large-scale storage units, helping Europe keep the surplus solar and wind power it currently wastes when generation exceeds demand. The approach is being described as a valuable resource for the continent's energy transition, turning battery waste into grid assets that can store clean electricity for later use.

Japan is converting disused golf courses into large-scale solar farms, reusing cleared, open land for renewable energy generation. With many courses closing as membership declines, the sites offer ready-made space for panels without competing with farmland. Observers see it as a practical model for other countries with aging leisure facilities and growing clean-energy targets.

Researchers have reported using solar panels to convert plastic waste into hydrogen fuel, according to a new report. The approach could offer a double benefit: reducing plastic pollution while producing clean energy. Details on how the process works are drawing interest, with the method combining sunlight-driven technology with plastic recycling to generate hydrogen.

A large battery storage facility is being built in Waltrop, Germany, at a cost of around 500 million euros. It will use 800 containers of lithium batteries to store up to 1,800 megawatt hours of electricity and deliver up to 900 megawatts of power, allowing surplus wind and solar energy to be fed into the grid later.

Australia's most powerful battery has been completed and is now operating as what its developer describes as a giant shock absorber for the electricity grid. The project is being discussed as a milestone for the country's renewable energy transition, helping stabilise power supply as coal generation is phased out and more solar and wind capacity comes online.

An agrivoltaics project in Minnesota is showing that farmland can host solar panels while crops continue to grow, according to an Associated Press report. The setup allows farmers to generate electricity and income from the same land they cultivate, and supporters see it as a model for expanding renewable energy without taking farmland out of production.

Researchers report that making perovskite films smoother has pushed a three-layer, or tandem, solar cell to a power conversion efficiency of 30.1%. Reducing surface roughness in the perovskite layer helps the stacked cell convert more sunlight into electricity, a level approaching the performance of top commercial silicon technology and a step forward for next-generation photovoltaics.

Argentina has put its first solar train into service, running on batteries charged by solar power in the Andean region. The initiative is being shared as an example of renewable energy applied to public transport, with coverage from Euronews drawing attention to the use of Andean sunlight as the train's power source and the project's significance for sustainable transit in the country.

Reports highlight India's rapid rise in solar manufacturing, crediting domestic production policies for building a homegrown industry capable of supplying solar panels at scale. India has become one of the world's fastest-growing solar manufacturing hubs, reducing reliance on imported Chinese modules while creating jobs and supporting its clean energy targets. Commentators point to it as a model for how emerging economies can industrialise around renewables.

Scientists have produced solar power from panels placed 10 metres underwater, according to a report by Euronews. The experiment suggests solar panels can work effectively below the sea surface, where water cools the equipment and space is abundant. If scalable, underwater solar could open new sites for renewable energy generation, though costs, maintenance and efficiency underwater remain open questions for the industry.

Indonesia has set out its priorities for turning its 100 GWp solar power ambition into concrete global investment opportunities. The announcement positions the country's large-scale solar expansion as a magnet for international capital, with the government framing clear priorities to make projects investable. Details of the specific measures remain limited, but the move signals Indonesia's intent to court foreign investors for its renewable energy build-out.

Astronomers have picked up radio waves from an exoplanet for the first time, a signal that could indicate auroras similar to those seen on Earth and the solar system's giant planets. The detection opens a new way to study magnetic fields and atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars, and scientists say future observations could reveal more about potentially habitable worlds far beyond our solar system.