Solar has won the cost battle. But as deployment accelerates, the industry faces a new challenge: making solar work as a core part of the global electricity system.
Recorded live from InterSolar Europe 2026, this special episode of Watt Matters brings together three leading voices from across the solar ecosystem: Jenny Chase from BloombergNEF, Josephine Berg from S&P Global, and Stefan Müller from Enerparc. Together, they explore how the industry is moving beyond cheap panels and rapid growth toward a more complex era defined by grids, storage, market design, flexibility, and long-term project economics.
From negative electricity prices and solar cannibalization to AI-driven efficiency and the rise of storage, the conversation examines what it takes for solar to succeed at scale.
Takeaways:
- Solar’s biggest challenge is no longer cost reduction, but system integration.
- Cheap solar power is reshaping electricity markets around the world.
- Storage and flexible demand are becoming essential for future solar growth.
- Solar developers must adapt to new market realities and revenue models.
- Manufacturing overcapacity remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges.
- Electricity demand growth from AI, data centers, and electrification creates new opportunities.
- Grid constraints and regulation are now central challenges for solar projects.
- Software, automation, and AI will improve project efficiency and economics.
- The solar industry is entering a more mature business phase.
- Collaboration across energy sectors will define the next decade of growth.
Chapters:
00:00 – Solar’s next challenge after winning the cost battle
03:10 – Jenny Chase: Solar’s success and the clean power transition
11:45 – Storage, flexibility, and solving solar cannibalization
17:30 – Why solar manufacturing remains a difficult business
22:40 – Josephine Berg: Solar’s transition into a mature industry
30:15 – New markets, new business models, and the complexity of growth
37:20 – Policy, regulation, and the future electricity system
43:10 – Women in solar and building a more diverse industry
45:20 – Stefan Müller: Building and operating solar in the new era
47:30 – AI, efficiency, and the future of solar project development
59:30 – The next chapter for large-scale solar
To learn more about accelerating solar project success and how PVcase supports developers from design to delivery, visit www.pvcase.com.
Watt Matters by PVcase
At PVcase, we’re on a mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
That’s why we created the Watt Matters podcast - a must-listen series for developers, engineers, analysts, and decision makers shaping the future of large-scale solar.
Each episode tackles the tough realities behind why so many solar projects stall - and what we can do to fix it.
We bring together industry leaders to share strategic insights, practical tools, and real-world experiences.
Learn more at https://www.pvcase.com/