Looking back at 2025, much of our time was spent figuring out what the latest tariff, policy and other regulations meant for the solar industry. But we also worked on plenty of projects not related to the bureaucracy, including visiting a solar lambing operation in Georgia, reporting on the solarization of the setting of one of our favorite shows and exciting onshoring of crucial solar component manufacturing.
While the following stories may not have made this year’s top 10 most-read list, we think they’re definitely worth your time.
Tariffs, rampant industry hurdles force American solar manufacturer out of business
Although New York-based SunTegra carved a place for itself in the high-end residential market and managed to run a successful business over the last decade navigating Chinese tariffs, a pandemic and scaling domestic manufacturing of a nontraditional solar product, the past year pushed it over the edge.
Apple TV+’s Severance headquarters powered by longest PV skylight in the U.S.
The stark, brutalist building that Mark S. enters every day to transition to work as his “Innie” on Apple TV+’s hit show Severance is actually the former headquarters of Bell Labs, with roots to the invention of the first commercial solar cell. Now, that building is powered by the longest PV glass skylight in the United States.
Permanent sheep flock leaves Georgia solar project’s land healthier than before
Solar Power World editors traveled to Georgia to witness (and somewhat help out with) lambing season at Silicon Ranch’s co-located solar project and sheep husbandry operation. The newest members of the flock will soon help maintain the solar site’s vegetation.
The US is making solar wafers again at Corning’s Michigan plant
With incredible speed, Corning announced that it brought its Michigan silicon ingot and wafer factory online after publicly revealing the plans in October 2024. The move makes Corning the first wafer factory to come online in the United States in over a decade.
Chest physicians say climate change is bad for lung health, so they install solar on HQ
“The solar installation at CHEST headquarters reflects our continued commitment to social responsibility and to advancing lung health,” said Robert Musacchio, PhD, CEO of CHEST. “By lessening our reliance on conventional energy sources, we are addressing one of the leading contributors to air pollution, which is closely linked to respiratory disease.”
After almost a decade, rapid shutdown of solar arrays is still being debated
The magic of solar panels — that they generate energy simply using rays from the sun — also makes them tricky to turn off when things go wrong. Rapid shutdown rules aim to address this problem, but they’re not without their own faults.
Burned by the federal government, solar advocates turn focus to state policy
The Trump Administration’s attack on renewables rocked the solar industry this year. Instead of abandoning all hope, solar advocates are shifting focus to state action.
Employee-owned PV contractors are reshaping company dynamics
Solar installation can be a mission-driven business, and certain solar contractors take that notion a step further by also making their business operations mission-driven through employee ownership.
PA contractor manages projects in all markets thanks to net-metering win
After the founder of Moore Energy passed the solar installation company down to his two sons, they were looking to take the company in a new and expanded direction. A Pennsylvania Supreme Court net-metering decision in 2021 made space for just that.
Residential solar contractors brace for market turbulence
The residential ITC sunsetting December 31, 2025, threaten the extra momentum residential solar has enjoyed since late 2022 when the IRA was passed. Despite that, contractors in the game long enough know that this isn’t the first time solar subsidies have disappeared.
