PV modules that convert sunlight into electricity
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
The US has imposed a 15% tariff and set minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products, effective in December, after a yearlong Commerce Department national security review. The order targets Chinese-dominated supply chains, offers incentives to expand domestic production and is prompting pushback from Beijing.
Bloomberg and Al Jazeera reporting show a widening pattern of transshipment and tariff avoidance, with solar-panel routes rerouted across China, Vietnam and Indonesia to dodge duties, while US actions intensify enforcement and scrutiny.
A trio of articles shows solar energy expanding in surprising ways: underwater perovskite cells shown to work at depth, large-scale deployments in Pakistan, and plug-in solar panels for homes in the UK. Together, they depict a solar era driven by cheaper components, new deployment models, and rising consumer adoption.