Storage Economic offloading of Australian grid-scale solar fell 54% year on year in the September quarter, to 5.9% of availability, as battery charging and daytime demand rose, AEMO says. Network curtailment, however, doubled to a record 281 MW.
Solar An Italian research team tested a 10 kW CO2 heat pump prototype in Rome, finding that higher solar irradiance improved efficiency and heating capacity. The study, published in Applied Thermal Engineering, also developed neural networks to predict performance and assess economic viability across different climates.
Policy China’s NDRC has released revised electricity spot market rules that permit renewable energy plants and on-site storage to participate in the market as a single entity. The proposal, open for public comment until November 18, aims to unify national market operations and replace interim regulations from 2023.
Solar A study by UNSW researchers indicates that east-west ground-mounted solar systems experience up to 40% lower rates of certain degradation mechanisms compared to single-axis trackers. The findings suggest that mounting configuration directly influences module reliability, with thermal effects being most pronounced in southern Australia.
Solar Aiko Solar has approved a CNY 1.15 billion investment to convert its Tianjin PERC facility into a 6 GW All Back Contact cell production line. The upgrade begins in the fourth quarter of this year, with full production targeted for the third quarter of 2027.
Storage TCL SunPower has introduced the X5 hybrid energy storage cabinet, targeting the European commercial and industrial market with a base capacity of 50 kW/100 kWh. The company states the pre-assembled unit can reduce installation costs by up to 60% compared to on-site assembly.
Storage Transaera is testing a rooftop heat pump system using metal-organic frameworks in a Washington D.C. multifamily building. The project, supported by a $125,000 grant, aims to prove independent data on energy efficiency and operating cost reductions.
Policy T1 Energy has received a Department of Commerce waiver allowing the import of 1.725 GW of solar cells to support its Texas-based module assembly. The company states the waiver enables it to meet rising domestic demand without delays while its new cell production facility is under construction.
Markets Average NEM wholesale prices fell 27% to A$63/MWh in the September quarter, the lowest for the period since 2021, even as underlying demand hit a record 25,472 MW. AEMO says rooftop PV, home and grid batteries and more grid-scale solar drove the fall, with gas at its lowest Q3 output since 2000.
Solar Renewable and storage generation supplied a record 80.4% of the NEM in one half hour on 19 September 2026, driven by solar, AEMO data shows. In the Q3 evening peak, grid-scale batteries supplied 8% of generation, beating gas (5.1%) for the first time in any quarter.
Solar Rwanda Energy Group has launched prequalification for a 200 MW floating solar plant on Lake Sake, paired with 800 MWh of battery storage. The project will be developed by an independent power producer under a 25-year power purchase agreement.
Policy Sri Lanka's October 17 blackout began when a Norochcholai coal unit tripped on a grid already carrying heavy solar, and the system operator again told rooftop owners to disconnect. A March 2026 regulator report found under half of rooftop capacity had adopted updated ride-through settings.
Storage An Ember report finds that pairing 3-kW rooftop solar with 5-kWh batteries could reduce daytime grid exports by 85-90%, shifting 1,600-1,800 units to evening use. The analysis highlights a payback period of 9 years without subsidies, which drops to 6.3 years with a proposed 50% battery subsidy.
Policy South Korea’s installed renewable energy capacity has surpassed coal for the first time, reaching 41,040 MW as of October 21. The milestone was driven by consistent annual additions, with renewables growing at a rate four times faster than natural gas.
Policy The future of Victoria's energy efficiency scheme is uncertain as the state election approaches, with the Liberal party offering no indication on its retention. Meanwhile, regulators report a shift in fraudulent activity toward AI-faked documents, prompting increased enforcement actions against accredited businesses.
Solar Panasonic Holdings has advanced its full-scale mass production schedule for glass-based perovskite solar panels from fiscal year 2030 to April 2029. The company began commercial sales of pre-production modules in September 2026, with future manufacturing planned for its Nagahama facility.
Finance Navitas Solar has secured up to $20 million in growth capital from responsAbility’s Asia Climate Fund. The funding supports the first 2.4 GW phase of a planned 3.6 GW solar cell manufacturing expansion.
Finance Snowy Hydro's EBITDA rose 6% to A$756.8 million in 2025-26, released hours after a Snowy 2.0 update allowing for a cost of up to A$25 billion. CEO Dennis Barnes received less than A$2 million for a second year after missing out on short-term variable pay.
Solar WattPower has introduced the 506KTL, a 506 kW grid-forming string inverter designed for utility-scale solar projects. The company says shipments and full production will begin in January, targeting weak-grid stability and higher-voltage system integration.
Policy The Indian government is developing a policy to boost agrivoltaics adoption, aiming for 5 GW capacity in the coming years. Officials emphasize that solar generation must complement, not replace, agricultural cultivation on suitable cropland.
Solar FIMER has launched the PVS990-2000, a 2 MW central inverter platform for utility-scale solar with ratings from 2,000 kVA to 8,000 kVA, 1,500 V DC input and a maximum efficiency of 99% or higher. FIMER has not given a price or availability date.
Storage Sodium-ion storage developer Peak Energy secured $108 million in Series B funding led by GM Ventures to expand domestic manufacturing and fulfill over $1 billion in orders. The company plans to begin production at a new Sacramento facility in early 2027, supporting a growing backlog of grid-scale deployments.
Markets Google and Voltus are going after 1 GW of virtual-power-plant capacity in PJM, ten times their June target, with customers committing to cut demand or supply battery power at peaks through 2040. PJM's peak-capacity costs have risen more than eightfold as data centres add load.
Policy Ember says subsidising batteries for half of PM Surya Ghar’s 10-million-home target could add 15–25 GWh of distributed storage. A 5 kWh battery cuts a 3 kW system’s daytime exports by 85–90%, but lengthens payback from 3.3 to over nine years; a 50% battery subsidy brings it to 6.3 years.
Wind Fortescue is installing the first three 8 MW self-lifting Nabrawind towers at its 133 MW Nullagine wind project, part of more than 2 GW of wind and solar and 4 GWh of batteries for its Pilbara mines. Electric excavators, chargers and haul trucks are arriving ahead of a December push to decarbonise Flying Fish.
Policy UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2026 says current policies put the world on course for 2.8°C of warming this century, while India is one of only six G20 countries on track to meet its 2030 NDC. Emissions must fall 18% by 2030 and 45% by 2035 from 2025 levels; current pledges deliver 5-8% by 2030.
Storage Alinta has cancelled its 900MW Oven Mountain pumped hydro project in northern NSW, citing economic and timing challenges. The decision ends a plan that was granted critical state significance in 2020 and aimed to serve over 600,000 homes.
Storage Fox ESS has introduced the Power Cube, a home battery system featuring integrated heating to maintain performance in cold Australian winters. The launch follows a period of rapid market growth, with installations tripling between February and April.
Markets InfoLink expects global solar demand to fall 13–26% in 2026 to 509–597 GWdc, almost entirely because China’s market drops about 40% after Document No. 136, while demand elsewhere holds near 2025 levels. Cell plants run below 50% utilisation and polysilicon stocks exceed six months of demand.
Policy Rep. Rob Menendez introduced the Socket Full of Sunshine Act, mandating state utility commissions to evaluate plug-in solar rules. The bill pairs regulatory requirements with a $1,000 rebate for low-income households to boost affordable access.
Policy European Energy has secured 30-year agreements with four First Nations groups to advance major solar and battery projects in Queensland. The deals cover Australia’s first gigawatt-scale solar farm, which includes a power purchase agreement with Rio Tinto.
PM Surya Ghar: eligibility, subsidy and how to apply
ALMM explained: List-I modules, List-II cells and the 2028 wafer rule
Maharashtra rooftop solar subsidy: PM Surya Ghar, the SMART scheme and MSEDCL net metering
Rajasthan rooftop solar subsidy: PM Surya Ghar, the ₹17,000 state top-up and 150 free units
Gujarat rooftop solar subsidy: PM Surya Ghar, what happened to SURYA Gujarat, and GERC net metering
Tamil Nadu rooftop solar subsidy: PM Surya Ghar plus the new state top-up, and TNERC net metering
Andhra Pradesh rooftop solar subsidy: free plants for SC/ST homes, BC top-up and APERC net metering
