TaiyangNews will be back with another virtual conference on April 22, 2026, this time on the interesting topic of Perovskite Tandem Solar Technology. Key industry stakeholders working on silicon-perovskite tandem technologies will be in attendance at the 1st edition of the TaiyangNews Virtual Conference on Next-Generation PV Technology 2026. Join in with free registrations open here.
The panel discussion, moderated by TaiyangNews Managing Director Michael Schmela, explored how residential and C&I rooftop solar can advance in mature markets, with speakers highlighting policy stability, storage growth, and smarter energy systems as key drivers. EUPD Research Data Manager Ali Arfa said policy volatility and shifting incentives in Europe have led to a 'wait-and-see' approach among prosumers, even as storage adoption rises. He also noted that installers increasingly demand financially stable brands and stronger after-sales support. Wood Mackenzie’s Principal Analyst, Distributed Solar, Europe, Juan Monge, pointed to supportive policies such as the UK’s new plug-in solar regulations, while emphasizing that self-consumption and storage economics will increasingly drive residential solar adoption as retail electricity prices rise. From a technology perspective, Hoymiles RESS Global Sales Director Mark Guan forecasts that future product development will focus more on software, intelligence, and user experience than on hardware alone. On the manufacturing side, JA Solar Head of the Module Product Management Department, Xiao Qin, said that his company is expanding into storage and considering broader integrated solutions, reflecting growing demand for more comprehensive rooftop energy systems. Throughout the discussion, panelists agreed that clearer policy frameworks, stronger industry communication, and smarter, more integrated technologies will be critical to unlocking the next phase of rooftop solar growth in mature markets.
Ali Arfa, Data Manager at EUPD Research, shared insights from the Prosumer & Installer Monitor, identifying 3 major technology trends in the residential energy market: more compact storage systems, growing adoption of plug-in systems, and stronger system integration. The data also shows rising demand for energy storage and self-consumption as key drivers. One key highlight was that while storage previously followed PV installations, Arfa noted the trend is shifting, with PV increasingly being installed alongside storage, and installers giving greater priority to battery systems.
Jonas Ding, Europe Technical Product Director at GoodWe, discusses the company’s integrated residential energy solutions designed to support the growing role of energy prosumers amid volatile energy prices and concerns about grid stability. He said that GoodWe’s ecosystem connects solar PV, energy storage, heat pumps, and EV chargers through an all-in-one storage and wallbox solution with smart energy management. The system prioritizes PV → load → battery → grid, helping maximize solar self-consumption and potentially reduce household electricity bills by up to 30%.
Ryan Zhao, JA Solar’s Head of the Solutions Department, Energy Storage Business Unit, presented an economic analysis showing that solar-plus-storage systems can improve investment returns for C&I projects. The comparison of a standalone solar system with a solar-storage setup – charging from PV surplus and discharging during peak tariff periods – showed a higher IRR and a shorter payback period of about 4.08%. Zhao also outlined the company’s storage portfolio, including JAGalaxy for utility-scale, JAPlanet for C&I, JAStar for residential applications, and JANebula for digital energy management. He said that JA’s products can integrate with any other source, like wind or hydro (representing it as X), for various scenarios.
Xian Qin, Head of Module Product Management at JA Solar, lists the key features of the company's DeepBlue 5.0 module, highlighting improvements in power generation and reliability. He said that the module’s optimized circuit design delivers 34% higher generation under shading compared with conventional half-cell modules and about 2.5% higher lifetime energy output. With up to 670 W power and 24.8% efficiency, DeepBlue 5.0 also features a full-screen front design, improved encapsulation, and a reinforced structural platform to support long-term performance and project bankability.
Mark Guan, Global Sales Director at Hoymiles, showcased the company’s recent launch – HiOne All-in-One home battery energy storage system (BESS). Designed to simplify installation and improve user experience, the system integrates the inverter, battery, and energy management system into a single unit, reducing space requirements and enabling whole-home backup during grid outages. Built with 314 Ah battery cells and cell-level monitoring, HiOne offers over 8,000 life cycles and up to 98.5% maximum efficiency, he claims. The stackable design allows 2 people to install the lightweight battery modules easily, with setup and commissioning possible in about 15 minutes. The system also supports flexible expansion, according to Guan.
Fabrice CHAPPAZ, WEU Solution Manager at AIKO Solar, said rising silver prices and supply-demand imbalances in the futures market have increased PV module manufacturing costs and created uncertainty in module supply. As AIKO’s ABC Copper Interconnection technology replaces silver busbars with copper grid lines and ribbons, it reduces reliance on silver while improving module reliability. He claims that this technology has shown lower power loss than traditional TOPCon solar cells and other silver-busbar back-contact cells when microcracks occur.
Wood Mackenzie Principal Analyst Juan Monge said Europe now has more experience using policy tools to manage natural gas price shocks than in 2022, though the impact on power prices may be lower today as energy systems become more decarbonized. He added that tighter public finances and a changing political landscape in the European Parliament mean fewer large subsidies, like those under NextGenerationEU. This will make future solar growth more market-driven, with stronger momentum in rooftop solar.
Juan Monge, Principal Analyst for Distributed Solar in Europe at Wood Mackenzie, says European power markets that are more exposed to natural gas prices could see faster growth in residential and C&I solar PV installations in 2026 and 2027. He adds that rising gas and petrol costs may accelerate electrification trends and increase electricity demand, creating longer-term impacts on the region’s energy system.
Wood Mackenzie’s Juan Monge expects Italy to be among the most affected countries in Europe if the Middle East crisis persists, due to its high dependence on natural gas. As a result, the firm projects the country’s distributed solar PV capacity to grow by about 140% cumulatively by 2035. The growth will be supported by policy incentives, including a reduced VAT of 10% – down from the standard 22% national rate – and the Ecobonus 50% tax credit, which covers the full installation costs for primary residences.
The TaiyangNews Virtual Conference on Smarter Solar for Homes and Businesses is now underway, with Managing Director Michael Schmela opening the session. He notes that solar is increasingly seen as a simple, fast energy solution, especially as tensions in the Middle East push up oil and gas prices. Schmela added that rooftop solar enables decentralized power generation, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Stay tuned till the end as TaiyangNews Managing Director Michael Schmela takes the floor as moderator for a panel discussion on how to bring residential and C&I rooftop solar to the next level in mature solar markets. EUPD Research’s Ali Arfa, Wood Mackenzie’s Juan Monge, Hoymiles’ Mark Guan, and JA Solar’s Xiao Qin join the panel.
Take a look at the interesting lineup of presenters and their subjects covering the entire gamut of residential and commercial solar – the key pillars of the solar sector. Experts will delve into how distributed and smart solar solutions contribute to the resilience of solar systems amid volatile energy prices, regulatory challenges, and geopolitical uncertainty.
TaiyangNews kicks off virtual conferences in 2026 with Smarter Solar for Homes and Businesses. Join in from anywhere in the world as we bring together stakeholders from across the board to discuss rooftop PV and battery market trends and technology innovation for self-consumption and grid services. If you haven’t already, register for free here NOW, as we begin sharp at 09:30 a.m. CET.