What's Hot in Solar Technology - Latest Product Trends in Rooftop and Utility-Scale PV Systems

Ussama Rai is a senior engineering and business development leader with over two decades of multidisciplinary experience shaping the global energy transition. As Chief Technology Officer within the Global Key Accounts Department at Huawei, he operates at the intersection of innovation and large-scale deployment, driving the advancement of resilient, low-carbon power systems. His career spans established European markets and rapidly expanding regions across the Middle East, Far East, and South America, equipping him with a distinctive global perspective that combines technical depth with strategic execution. His expertise ranges from advanced CHP systems to utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Photovoltaics, where he focuses on enabling renewable integration and enhancing grid stability in increasingly complex energy networks.Recognized as both a technical authority and strategic advisor, Ussama is frequently consulted on BESS market dynamics, grid integration, and utility-scale energy solutions, supporting organizations in optimizing performance, reliability, and sustainability. His professional credentials include Chartered Fellow of Engineers Australia, Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and Chartered Member of the Chartered Management Institute and various other prestigious Engineering organisations. He holds a first-class degree in Mechatronics Engineering and a Master's in Electrical Engineering and has recently submitted his PhD thesis at Imperial College London, UK. Beyond his professional work, he maintains a strong interest in history, geopolitics, and emerging technologies, and is an avid traveler who speaks four languages.

Dr. Markus Fischer is Vice President R&D Operation at Hanwha QCells GmbH, Germany. He has 30 years of experience in the semiconductor and crystalline Silicon Photo Voltaic industry. He joined QCells in 2007 after working in different engineering and management positions with Siemens, Infineon, Philips, and NXP.As Vice President R&D Operation, he is responsible for the Q Cells cell pilot line to support global cell technology development activities as well as for supporting the implementation of new process technologies and new production equipment for current and future c-Si solar cell concepts at Hanwha Q Cells production sites.Since 2010, Dr. Fischer has been co-chairman of the International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic (ITRPV). In this function, he has been leading the publication of the ITRPV annual reports and spreading the results at international conferences and workshops.Dr. Fischer studied solid-state physics at the Dresden University of Technology and received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 1997 from the University of Stuttgart.

Dr. Alex Li serves as the Senior Director of Global Product Planning and Marketing at LONGi. Holding a Ph.D. in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), he brings extensive technical knowledge to his leadership role, seamlessly translating advanced engineering innovations into market-leading solutions. By bridging the gap between technical innovation and commercial application, Dr. Li is dedicated to driving product excellence and delivering high-performance solar solutions to the global renewable market.

Philipp Kunze Managing Director, BayWa r.e. Projects Greece IKE Head, Segment Support Projects: Hybrids & Storage, BayWa r.e. Projects In his current position Philipp drives project development in Greece and the topics of hybrid power plants and energy storage across the global organisation of BayWa r.e.. Prior to this Philipp was one of the Founders and CEO of OneShore Energy, a company focusing on PV diesel hybrid systems for islands and large scale off-grid power plants which was taken over by BayWa r.e.. Before he worked in various positions both in the US (CA) and Germany for NexTracker, Solaria Corp, Invest in Germany (now GTAI) and Monitor Company (now Deloitte Consulting). He also gained experience in investment and retail banking with UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland) and HypoVereinsbank. Philipp led the task force for start-ups and innovative business models at the Berlin-Brandenburg Energy Network and served as member of the Industry Advisory Committee of the Solar Europe Industry Initiative. He studied at London School of Economics in London and ESADE in Barcelona and holds a M.Sc. degree in Management. Philipp speaks German, English, Spanish, French, Italian and Greek.