Global Solar Energy News
Solar energy continued to expand worldwide during September 2026, with new utility-scale and rooftop solar projects, growing photovoltaic capacity, and major developments across global solar markets. From large solar power systems to distributed generation, the month's activity reflects the continuing role of photovoltaic technology in the global transition toward renewable energy.
September also brought important developments in solar markets and policy, PV manufacturing, and next-generation solar technology. New policies are reshaping rooftop solar deployment, manufacturers are expanding production capacity, and advances in high-efficiency solar cells, artificial intelligence, robotic automation, floating PV, and panel cleaning are improving how photovoltaic systems are designed, installed, monitored, and maintained.
This monthly solar energy update does not attempt to list every headline published during September 2026. Instead, ECAICO highlights the month's most significant developments in solar projects, markets and policy, manufacturing, and technology, focusing on updates that provide practical and technical value to engineers, energy professionals, and readers following the development of the global solar industry.
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| Global solar energy developments in September 2026 across projects, markets and policy, and solar technology. |
Solar Projects and Global Deployment
September 2026 brought significant progress in solar energy deployment across utility-scale and distributed photovoltaic markets. Major project financing, newly commissioned solar plants, rising national PV capacity, and large rooftop programs highlighted the continued expansion of solar power worldwide.
1. EU’s Largest Solar Project Reaches Financial Close
Rezolv Energy secured financing of up to €561 million for the planned 1.3 GW Dama solar project in Arad County, western Romania. The financing allows the project, described by the developer as the European Union’s largest onshore renewable energy project, to move into construction.
Once fully operational, the solar plant is expected to generate around 1.8 TWh of electricity annually, enough to cover the electricity consumption of more than 280,000 households. Commercial operation is currently expected during the second half of 2028.
2. Cuba’s Solar PV Capacity Exceeds 1.4 GW
Cuba reported installed solar PV capacity of approximately 1.42 GW across 144 photovoltaic plants, marking an important milestone in the country’s renewable energy expansion. The country expects its total installed solar capacity to exceed 1.5 GW by the end of 2026.
Solar deployment is also expanding beyond centralized power plants into distributed generation and solar-powered water pumping. According to figures reported in September, renewable energy sources now account for 21.4% of Cuba’s electricity generation.
3. Zambia Commissions 100 MW Maamba Solar Project
Zambia commissioned the 100 MW Maamba solar energy project in the country’s Southern Province. Developed by Maamba Solar Energy Limited, the grid-connected plant represents another major addition to Zambia’s rapidly expanding utility-scale solar portfolio.
The project is backed by a 20-year power purchase agreement with national utility ZESCO at a tariff of $0.078/kWh. Its commissioning follows several other large solar projects entering operation in Zambia during 2026.
4. Azerbaijan Inaugurates 100 MW Gobustan Solar Plant
Azerbaijan inaugurated the 100 MW Gobustan solar power plant in the Garadagh district of Baku. The project is particularly significant because it is the country’s first solar plant developed through a competitive renewable energy auction.
The facility is expected to generate around 200 GWh of electricity annually. Its commissioning increased Azerbaijan’s operational solar capacity to approximately 378.2 MW, while additional large-scale photovoltaic projects remain under development across the country.
5. South Korea Forecast to Add 3.5 GW of Solar in 2026
South Korea is expected to install around 3.5 GW of new solar capacity in 2026, according to a report from the Export–Import Bank of Korea. This would exceed the approximately 3.1 GW installed during 2025 and indicates continued growth in the country’s solar market.
The expansion is being accompanied by efforts to strengthen the distributed power grid and increase its ability to integrate distributed renewable energy resources. South Korea is also pursuing large-scale, rooftop, agrivoltaic, floating, and other solar applications as part of its longer-term renewable energy plans.
6. Delhi Targets 230,000 Homes with Rooftop Solar
Delhi approved an expanded residential solar initiative targeting around 230,000 households by March 2027. Eligible households consuming up to 400 units of electricity per month can receive rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW with zero upfront installation cost, subject to technical feasibility.
The revised policy targets approximately 500 MW of additional rooftop solar capacity across Delhi. A dedicated registration portal was also launched in September, moving the initiative from policy approval toward household participation and large-scale distributed solar deployment.
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| September 2026 solar deployment highlights include major projects, national PV capacity growth, solar forecasts, and rooftop solar targets. |
Solar Markets, Manufacturing and Policy
September 2026 brought important changes across solar energy markets, government policy, procurement, and photovoltaic manufacturing. New rooftop solar frameworks, major module tenders, regional market forecasts, and expanding production capacity showed how solar industry growth is increasingly shaped by both policy decisions and stronger manufacturing supply chains.
1. Thailand Plans Up to 10 GW of Rooftop Solar
Thailand unveiled its draft Power Development Plan 2026, targeting a 50% share of clean energy within 10 years while creating the conditions for significant expansion of distributed solar power. The plan includes procurement of up to 10 GW of rooftop solar, supported by smart-grid development and energy storage.
The government also plans to expand direct power purchase agreements and increase household participation in the electricity market. Thailand had approximately 3.3 GW of rooftop solar capacity at the end of 2024, making the proposed target a substantial expansion of the country's distributed photovoltaic market.
2. Sri Lanka Replaces Net Metering for New Rooftop Solar
Sri Lanka discontinued net metering for new rooftop solar systems, requiring new grid-connected installations to operate under the country's Net Plus feed-in tariff mechanism. New agreements and extensions under the scheme will be limited to a maximum period of 12 years.
The policy change comes after rapid growth in distributed solar, with rooftop PV capacity reaching approximately 1.94 GW across 108,979 connections at the end of 2025. New systems must also use smart meters that allow electricity distributors to remotely monitor solar generation and other system data.
3. Norway Proposes Faster Connections for Small Solar Systems
Norway's energy regulator proposed an “inform and install” process designed to simplify grid connections for small renewable energy systems, including residential solar PV. Under the proposal, grid companies would have one month to raise operational concerns after being notified of a planned installation.
The simplified process would cover systems up to 6 kW for single-phase connections and 11 kW for three-phase connections. The proposal follows Norway surpassing 1 GW of installed solar capacity, although residential PV deployment has slowed during 2026.
4. Sub-Saharan Africa's Off-Grid Solar Market Could Grow 450%
Wood Mackenzie forecasts that off-grid solar capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa could increase by 450% by 2035. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya are expected to be among the principal markets driving this expansion, with applications ranging from household electrification to commercial, industrial, and mining loads.
The analysis identifies financing as the largest barrier to achieving the forecast growth. High borrowing costs, currency risks, and limited access to capital continue to challenge solar deployment, while pay-as-you-go, leasing, and solar-as-a-service models are helping expand access to off-grid photovoltaic systems.
5. China Energy Engineering Launches 15 GW Solar Module Tender
China Energy Engineering Corp. launched a 15 GW solar module procurement program for 2026, making it one of the year's largest centralized module tenders announced by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. The procurement covers modules for both self-invested projects and engineering, procurement, and construction activities.
The tender includes separate procurement lots for TOPCon, heterojunction (HJT), and back-contact (BC) solar technologies. While TOPCon is expected to represent the largest share, dedicated HJT and BC procurement provides an important large-scale market opportunity for competing high-efficiency photovoltaic technologies.
6. Websol Plans 4 GW Solar Cell and 4 GW Module Facility in India
Websol Energy System received approximately 54.2 acres of land at Falta Industrial Park in West Bengal for a new integrated solar manufacturing facility. The planned plant will have 4 GW of solar cell capacity and 4 GW of solar module capacity.
The project is planned in two phases of 2 GW each and will expand Websol's existing manufacturing presence in West Bengal. The development reflects India's continuing effort to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing as photovoltaic deployment grows across the country.
7. SMA Opens 60 GW Inverter Factory in Germany
SMA inaugurated a new highly automated inverter factory in Niestetal, near Kassel, with an annual production capacity of more than 60 GW. The facility represents an investment of approximately €80 million and will manufacture power-conversion equipment for utility-scale solar, battery storage, hybrid energy systems, and other high-power applications.
The factory produces central and string inverters as well as SMA's modular Sunny Central Flex platform, which integrates power conversion and medium-voltage equipment. Advanced automation and flexible production lines are designed to support growing demand for large-scale solar and energy infrastructure.
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| September 2026 solar market highlights include rooftop solar policy, major module procurement, expanded PV manufacturing, and new inverter production capacity. |
Solar Technology and Innovation
September 2026 delivered important advances across solar cell efficiency, photovoltaic diagnostics, panel maintenance, automation, and floating solar systems. Research into tandem and silicon cell technologies continued to improve conversion efficiency, while artificial intelligence and robotics are increasingly being applied to the installation, inspection, cleaning, and operation of solar power systems.
1. Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cell Reaches 34.0% Efficiency
Researchers from Soochow University and LONGi developed a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell with 34.0% efficiency using a zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) interfacial strategy. The approach improves the interface between the transparent conductive oxide and self-assembled monolayer, helping suppress recombination and leakage while maintaining efficient charge extraction.
The tandem device achieved an independently certified open-circuit voltage of 2.014 V and retained approximately 84% of its initial efficiency after 2,000 hours. The results demonstrate how nanoscale interface engineering can simultaneously improve efficiency, voltage, and operational stability in tandem photovoltaic cells.
2. Copper-Contacted TOPCon Solar Cell Achieves 24.3% Efficiency
A research team led by Georgia Tech developed an n-type TOPCon solar cell using screen-printed copper rear contacts combined with laser-enhanced contact optimization (LECO). The copper-contacted cell achieved 24.3% efficiency, closely approaching the 24.5% efficiency of a comparable silver-contacted reference cell.
The approach could help reduce the photovoltaic industry's dependence on expensive silver metallization. LECO reduced the rear copper contact resistivity to 19.7 mΩ·cm², while microscopy showed that copper remained confined within the rear polysilicon layer, supporting the potential for lower-cost high-efficiency TOPCon manufacturing.
3. MoOₓ-Based Heterojunction Solar Cell Reaches 24.9% Efficiency
Researchers at Beijing University of Technology developed a silicon heterojunction solar cell using a PMA/MoOₓ hole-selective contact that achieved a power conversion efficiency of 24.9%. An ultrathin phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) interlayer approximately 1 nm thick was inserted between the silicon and molybdenum oxide layers.
The interlayer improved carrier transport and interface passivation while reducing contact resistance. Compared with a control device without the PMA layer, contact resistivity fell by 24%, while open-circuit voltage increased from 713 mV to 730 mV.
4. AI Maps Solar Module Power Losses from a Single Image
An international research team developed an AI-assisted diagnostic method capable of estimating photovoltaic module power losses from a single electroluminescence image. The method combines machine-learning identification of degradation mechanisms with a physics-based reconstruction model to map electrical losses across individual cells and modules.
Testing on 300 field-retrieved solar modules produced an overall power-estimation error of around 0.5%. The researchers also demonstrated the technology using drone-based imaging at a 186 kW solar farm, indicating potential for faster inspection and maintenance of large photovoltaic plants.
5. Electrostatic Solar Panel Cleaning Achieves 96.36% Dust Removal
Researchers in China developed a transparent conductive coating designed for non-contact electrostatic dust removal from photovoltaic panels. The bilayer film combines single-walled carbon nanotubes with magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), providing electrical conductivity while reducing surface roughness and dust adhesion.
Testing showed an electrostatic dust-removal rate of up to 96.36%. An 80 nm MgF₂ coating provided the best overall balance between optical, electrical, and cleaning performance, demonstrating a potential approach for reducing water use and mechanical cleaning requirements in dusty solar installations.
6. TrinaTracker Launches AI-Powered Solar Installation and Cleaning Robots
TrinaTracker introduced two robotic systems designed to automate photovoltaic construction and maintenance. The Buildex installation robot uses AI vision and industrial 3D cameras to pick, transport, align, and position solar modules, while the Aurora robot performs automated cyclic panel cleaning.
According to TrinaTracker, Buildex can install up to 90 solar modules per hour, approximately three to four times faster than manual installation. The technologies illustrate the growing use of robotics and artificial intelligence to reduce construction time, improve safety, and lower long-term operation and maintenance costs.
7. Single-Axis Tracker Brings Solar Tracking to Floating PV
Noria Energy launched the Airon single-axis tracker, designed specifically for floating photovoltaic installations. Unlike conventional floating PV systems that commonly use fixed-tilt mounting, the system adapts horizontal single-axis tracking for operation on water while accommodating wind, waves, and changing water levels.
Noria Energy says the tracker can generate up to 20% more electricity than conventional fixed-tilt floating PV systems at a comparable installed cost. The first commercial pilot is planned for late 2026, with deliveries of the fully certified system scheduled to begin in mid-2027.
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| September 2026 solar technology highlights include 34.0% tandem cell efficiency, AI diagnostics, advanced panel cleaning, and floating PV tracking. |
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Summary
September 2026 showed continued growth in global solar energy deployment, with major utility-scale projects, expanding national photovoltaic capacity, and new rooftop solar programs. Developments across Europe, Cuba, Zambia, Azerbaijan, South Korea, and Delhi demonstrated how solar power continues to expand through both centralized and distributed generation.
At the same time, changes in solar markets, policy, and manufacturing are influencing how quickly photovoltaic systems can be deployed. New rooftop solar frameworks, large module procurement programs, and expanded manufacturing capacity in Asia and Europe reflect the growing scale and maturity of the global solar industry.
Technology also continued to advance, with higher-efficiency solar cells, AI-based diagnostics, electrostatic panel cleaning, robotic installation and maintenance, and new floating PV tracking systems. Together, these September developments show how improvements in deployment, manufacturing, digital technology, and engineering are shaping the next generation of solar energy systems.
FAQs
Q1: What were the major solar energy developments in September 2026?
A1: September 2026 included major solar project financing and commissioning, expanding rooftop PV programs, new solar manufacturing capacity, policy changes, and advances in high-efficiency photovoltaic technologies.
Q2: Which solar technologies showed important advances in September 2026?
A2: Key developments included perovskite-silicon tandem cells, TOPCon and heterojunction solar cells, AI-based PV diagnostics, electrostatic panel cleaning, robotic installation and maintenance, and floating PV tracking systems.
Q3: How are solar markets and manufacturing changing globally?
A3: Solar markets are expanding through new rooftop policies, large module procurement programs, simplified grid connections, and increased manufacturing capacity for solar cells, modules, inverters, and other photovoltaic equipment.
Q4: What was the highest solar cell efficiency reported in this September 2026 update?
A4: The highest efficiency highlighted in this update was 34.0% for a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell developed by researchers from Soochow University and LONGi.