Solar

Boom in solar farms and home installations in first half of 2026 began shortly after start of US-Israel war against IranGreat Britain has recorded more new solar power installations in the first half of this year than in any six-month period since 2011, as households turn to rooftop panels to help cut their energy bills.An analysis of the government’s official figures shows that Great Britain added 142,536 solar installations in the first six months of the year, putting it on track to top last year’s record solar additions. Continue reading...

• India's first solar mission, Aditya-L1, is conducting specialized research to study the solar corona, solar wind particles, and near UV signatures on the solar disc. • The observatory is specifically designed to analyze solar magnetic fields, including the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). • By positioning the spacecraft at the Sun-Earth L1 point, the mission ensures a continuous, unobstructed view of the Sun for dedicated solar physics observations.

• Astronomers may have discovered the first confirmed exomoon, marking a significant milestone since the first exoplanets were identified in the 1990s. • Despite the cataloging of over 6,000 exoplanets, scientists have previously struggled to confirm any moons orbiting these distant worlds. • This discovery is particularly notable because the potential exomoon appears to be unlike any satellite found within our own Solar System.

• Astronomers may have detected the first exomoon, a moon orbiting a planet outside our solar system, though the nature of the object remains debated. • The discovery centers on a celestial system that defies traditional definitions of "planet" and "moon," suggesting a configuration unlike anything seen in our own solar system. • This finding is significant because it challenges current astronomical classifications and could reshape the scientific understanding of planetary formation and orbital dynamics.

Law change means renters and flat owners may be able to cut bills as energy costs soar amid Iran warBritish households will be able to buy plug-in solar panels later this summer after the government changed the law so the UK’s biggest retailers could bring them to market for the first time.People across the country will be able to join the millions across Europe generating their own electricity using “balcony solar panels” from 27 August, according to legislation passed last week. Continue reading...

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully awoken from a 321-day hibernation period. • The spacecraft is reported to be in "good health" as it resumes its mission at the edge of the solar system. • This reactivation allows the record-breaking probe to continue conducting unprecedented science and data collection in deep space.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully awakened from a period of hibernation to resume its mission. • The probe is now continuing its journey to explore the fringes of the solar system, targeting previously unmapped regions. • This mission is critical for gathering data on the outer reaches of our solar system and understanding the environment beyond Pluto.

Dunedin will be the focal point, having last experienced such an eclipse in 1163 – before any humans reached New ZealandHotels are booking out two years in advance in the New Zealand city of Dunedin as it prepares for the region’s first total solar eclipse in more than 850 years.At 4.17pm on 22 July 2028, the moon will pass in front of the sun, casting a roughly 100km-wide shadowy band across parts of southern New Zealand. Everywhere within that band – from tourist hotspot Queenstown in the west to Dunedin city in the east – will be plunged into daytime darkness for 2 minutes and 51 seconds. Continue reading...

Timing of Devon switchoff ‘could not be worse’, says board, as members face an estimated £2m in lost revenue Britain’s biggest community solar project has been forced to shut for the duration of its first summer by the government’s energy system operator to avoid overloading the local grid with renewable energy.The north Devon solar farm was ordered to shut weeks before record high temperatures across Europe led to power supply warnings, due to concerns that the large amount of rooftop solar in the area could destabilise the power grid by triggering a “thermal overload”. Continue reading...

• Researchers from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed the world's first neurodynamic chip based on phase-change memristors. • This breakthrough in neuromorphic computing allows hardware to process information similarly to biological brains, utilizing massively parallel and event-driven architectures. • The technology is significant because it offers orders of magnitude more energy efficiency compared to the GPUs currently dominating the AI industry.

• Scientists at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) are developing a new solar wind forecasting method to locate the first plasma boundary of the outer heliosphere. • The team is combining this forecasting approach with analytic and numerical heliosphere models to map the region's characteristics. • This research is critical for NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which is currently traveling toward this mysterious boundary of the solar system.

• NASA has launched a rescue mission to save the Swift telescope, which is rapidly losing altitude and falling toward Earth. • The telescope, originally launched in 2004, is experiencing an accelerated orbital decay caused by recent intense solar storms. • This mission is critical because Swift provides essential data on gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy cosmic events.

• NASA has issued Amendment 60 to extend the final 2025 due date for the C.2 Solar System Science proposal solicitation. • The program seeks research, data analysis, and tool development to support investigations into the solar system, including data from missions like the Juno spacecraft. • This extension allows scientists and researchers more time to submit proposals for critical data preservation and analysis of planetary bodies.

• Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe a unique gas giant exoplanet orbiting a dead star. • The discovery provides a rare glimpse into the final stages of a planetary system's life cycle after its host star has ceased nuclear fusion. • This observation is significant because it serves as a "time machine," allowing scientists to predict the eventual fate of our own solar system.

• Astronomers utilizing data from the New Horizons spacecraft have discovered that solar winds gradually slow down as they travel toward the edge of the solar system. • The research indicates that the solar wind speed decreases by approximately 13% to 15% within the outer heliosphere. • This deceleration occurs because the solar wind picks up and interacts with interstellar material as it moves further away from the Sun.

• Several high-profile stocks, including HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, YES Bank, and Afcons Infra, are expected to be in the spotlight on Tuesday, June 30. • Other companies likely to see increased market activity include RITES, Concor, SW Solar, KEC International, and SJVN. • These stocks are being monitored by investors as key drivers of market sentiment and trading volume for the day.

• Malaysia will monitor several key economic indicators this week, specifically the June manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and Bank Negara Malaysia’s May banking statistics. • The S&P Global manufacturing PMI surveys, scheduled for release on Wednesday, will provide critical data for Malaysia and other major Asian economies including India, South Korea, and Vietnam. • Legal focus remains on two high-profile court cases: the final verdict for Syed Saddiq regarding his CBT charges and the appeal hearing for Rosmah Mansor's solar graft case.

• NOAA has officially transitioned the Space weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness – 1 (SOLAR-1) observatory into operational service. • As the first U.S. satellite dedicated exclusively to continuous space weather observations, SOLAR-1 provides critical data from the L1 Lagrange point. • This milestone enhances national resilience by improving the ability to monitor and predict solar events that can disrupt communications and power grids.

Solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May even as Trump boosts coal over clean energyEven as Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the US and remains the leading source of new power.Data released Wednesday by global energy thinktank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (Seia) and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy. In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, or 12.8%, Ember said. Coal supplied 12.2%, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever. Continue reading...

Australia leads world in residential solar per capita with 22GW installed but commercial and industrial sector has deployed only a quarter of thatGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s revolution in rooftop solar has left behind commercial and industrial buildings where installations have lagged far behind homes, according to new analysis.Australia leads the world in residential solar on per capita terms, with 22GW installed as of last December. But businesses have only installed about a quarter of that – 5.6GW – despite consuming more electricity than households, a report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has found. Continue reading...

• The sun released three colossal solar flares within a 24-hour window, triggering radio blackouts across various regions of Earth. • These powerful eruptions have increased the likelihood of geomagnetic storms, which may produce vivid northern lights (auroras) throughout the current week. • This activity is significant as it demonstrates the sun's current volatility, directly impacting satellite communications and terrestrial radio signals.

• NASA released observations from the James Webb Space Telescope regarding interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, captured in December 2025. • The data reveals that the comet's composition is fundamentally different from any objects previously observed within our own Solar System. • This discovery is significant as it provides rare insight into the chemical makeup of other star systems and the materials that travel between them.

More Americans are using small solar panels in their back yards or balconies as a clean way to cut their electric billsIf you feel like your electricity bill just keeps climbing, you aren’t imagining it. Since 2020, US residential energy prices have surged by about 30%, making power the largest household energy expense behind gasoline, according to the US Energy Information Administration.But for residents like Alex Curtis, the days of feeling powerless against rising costs are coming to an end. Curtis is waging a war on his electric bill, and his new weapon of choice is a lightweight, thin-film solar panel. Continue reading...

Owners’ lack of motivation due to ‘split incentive’ is main reason rental properties are missing out on energy upgrades, research findsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRenters make up nearly a third of Australian households, yet many are missing out on energy upgrades – such as insulation, appliances and rooftop solar – that could slash their power bills and improve home comfort.The problem, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), is landlords’ lack of motivation. Continue reading...

• Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle announced recent research findings on May 6, 2026, addressing multiple areas including improved outcomes for stem cell transplants and newly explored connections between solar jetlag and liver cancer development. • The research represents efforts to expand the range of cancer treatment targets beyond conventional approaches, with implications for patient outcomes across multiple cancer types. • These findings contribute to the broader understanding of both cellular and environmental factors influencing cancer development and treatment efficacy, potentially informing new therapeutic strategies.

The injunction pauses policy giving senior Trump official direct sign-off on federal clean energy projectsA federal judge in Massachusetts on Tuesday struck down several Trump administration actions slowing down development of clean energy, including a requirement that all solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters be personally approved by the interior secretary, Doug Burgum.Denise J Casper, chief judge of the US district court for Massachusetts, ruled that a coalition of plaintiffs representing wind and solar developers were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims that the administration’s actions violate federal statute and will cause irreparable harm if the court did not intervene. Continue reading...

Move marks government’s most radical attempt to weaken impact of soaring wholesale gas prices on electricity costsClean energy generation exceeded rise in global electricity demand in 2025The government has confirmed plans to move older wind and solar farms which make up almost a third of Great Britain’s power market on to fixed-price contracts to help protect households and businesses from future gas market shocks.Under the plans, first revealed by the Guardian, renewable energy projects that earn subsidies on top of the market price will be asked to sign up to contracts that pay a set price for electricity as part of the government’s plan to “delink the price of electricity from the price of gas”. Continue reading...

Record high set on Monday and raised on Tuesday, with 14.4GW of electricity generated in sunny spring weatherBritain’s sunny spring weather powered the grid to new solar energy records on two consecutive days this week.Solar farms in England, Wales and Scotland generated 14.1 GW of low-carbon electricity at lunchtime on Monday, surpassing the previous high of 14GW in July last year. Continue reading...