Policy The Australian federal government has announced the Distribution Connected Acceleration Program to fund 16 battery storage projects, including retrofits. Meanwhile, operators report that co-locating batteries with existing solar farms reduces costs and navigates grid constraints more effectively than standalone builds.
Storage Lunar Energy announced that its California customers saved a median of $543 on electricity bills in August, with the company attributing $199 of that total to its AI optimization algorithms. The home battery provider is also preparing to participate in virtual power plant markets as California regulatory frameworks for grid services evolve.
Policy The U.S. Department of Energy-supported SolSmart program has assisted over 600 local governments in adopting solar energy since its launch in 2016. Independent research indicates that communities receiving SolSmart designation experienced an 18–19% monthly increase in solar capacity compared to non-designated areas.
Policy Ten U.S. states, including California, have legalized small-scale plug-in solar systems this year, subject to a new UL 3700 certification framework. The legislation caps system size at 1.2 kW and prohibits grid export, aiming to lower entry barriers for residential adoption.
Finance Smartgrid Analytics has unveiled Solvyn AURA, an AI-powered platform designed to manage renewable energy dispatch and revenue. The company aims to support over 200 GW of capacity in India within five years, starting with a 1 GWh deployment for BluPine Energy.
Solar A multi-institutional study projects that climate change could increase photovoltaic generation in Sweden by approximately 5% over the 21st century. The research highlights that air temperature and snowfall are as critical as solar radiation for high-latitude PV production.
Solar Exxosqel, a subsidiary of Exxergy, has developed a coating technology in collaboration with Fraunhofer ISC that aims to reduce glass usage in photovoltaic modules by up to 40%. Preliminary laboratory tests indicate the coating can significantly increase the mechanical strength of thinner glass, potentially lowering total module weight by approximately 30%.
Finance Waaree Energies reported a 14.7% year-on-year drop in net profit for Q2 FY27, despite a 23.9% increase in revenue from operations. The company is also acquiring its data centre subsidiaries to expand into digital infrastructure.
Policy The European Commission has launched the T-MED Investment Platform, offering €4.5 billion in guarantee capacity to mobilize up to €25 billion for Mediterranean clean energy projects by 2035. The initiative, part of the Pact for the Mediterranean, targets renewable electricity, hydrogen, and grid infrastructure across the region.
Markets The EIA forecasts that renewable energy will account for 40.4% of total US generating capacity by August 2027. Current data shows renewables already contributing 28.1% of electrical generation in 2026, driven by significant growth in solar and wind output.
![Wind turbine name : NM64/1500 * Nominal power : 1500 kW * Rotor diameter : 64 m [thewindpower.net] Challicum Hills Wind Farm, in Buangor, west of Melb](/img/clean-energy-council-reports-aud-2-8-billion-in-new-australian-renewable)
Markets The Clean Energy Council reports that five generation projects totaling 1.4 GW were commissioned in Australia during the first half of 2026, valued at AUD 2.8 billion. Concurrently, nine battery storage projects with 2.3 GW of capacity came online, contributing to a national pipeline worth $32.5 billion.
Markets Infineon Technologies will invest €1.1 billion to construct the world's first high-volume 300-millimeter gallium nitride power semiconductor facility in Villach, Austria. Production is targeted to begin by the end of 2027, supported by €319 million in European state aid.
Policy Haryana Power Purchase Centre has invited bids for 500 MW of solar PV projects integrated with 250 MW/1,000 MWh of four-hour battery storage. The tender requires developers to build, own, and operate the assets under 25-year power purchase agreements.
Policy The Western Australian government has allocated $10.8 million to assist 8,000 customers in Albany with the decommissioning of a 160 km LPG network. Residents can receive up to $2,000 for electric appliances, while the state covers costs for those switching to bottled gas.
Markets Operational projects now make up almost 40% of standalone European PPA offers on LevelTen's platform, and close to 60% of wind offers, as rising gas prices push buyers to secure power quickly. LevelTen says operational assets carry less development and permitting risk than new builds.
Markets SP Energy has outlined a 4 gigawatt renewable energy project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, designed to serve Element Zero and other industrial customers. The development is staged, with the first gigawatt targeted for construction in 2028.
Policy Connecting 5 GW of data centres to the east coast grid without new generation could raise wholesale power costs by $40 billion across four states between 2029 and 2035, a Smart Energy Council report says. Industry minister Tim Ayres says legislation requiring data centres to procure new renewable generation is coming shortly.
Solar Hoymiles introduced its new MIS 6-in-1 microinverter at REI Expo 2026 in Greater Noida, featuring support for up to six high-power modules. The company aims to expand its distribution and service network in India following extensive local market research.
Storage Torrent Power says its 3,000-MW Karjat pumped storage project in Maharashtra lies about 16 km from the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, outside its eco-sensitive zone, after receiving environmental and forest clearances. The company estimates the 80-year project will avoid 5.85 million tonnes of CO2 a year.
Storage A two-unit building in Bayamón relies on three independent solar and battery systems to maintain power amid frequent grid outages. The installation, completed by Ingenious Solution Services, is currently operating in self-consumption mode while awaiting final certification from the local utility.
Policy Sixteen Norwegian organisations led by Fornybar Norge have asked parliament to use the 2027 budget to revive slowing solar deployment, proposing commercial-rooftop auctions, wider electricity sharing, a solar mandate for new buildings and Enova support for home solar with batteries.
Policy India's grid curtailed 6,825 GWh of renewable energy in the first half of 2026, 1.8 times all of 2025. Aurora Energy Research's substation-level analysis shows transmission delays and uncompensated T-GNA curtailment can make the same project bankable at one Rajasthan node and not at another.
Solar Shakti Pumps launched a new range of high-power bifacial solar modules and an AI-powered inverter at REI Expo 2026. The products are manufactured at its Pithampur facility, with BIS and ALMM certifications currently under review.
Solar Insolation Energy and Caelux have signed a five-year strategic partnership to commercialize 3 GW of hybrid-tandem solar modules. The companies target commercial production and 29% module efficiencies by 2028, focusing on Indian regulatory compliance.
Solar More than 54,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors packed REI 2026 in Greater Noida. The bigger story was overcapacity: over 200 GW of module lines against 50-60 GW of yearly demand, a cell DCR already in force and wafer rules due in 2028.
Solar California's Gritt Robotics is retrofitting standard construction machines with AI control and says it will help three top-10 US solar EPCs install six million panels, about 2.8 GW, in two years, as the industry faces a reported 53,000-worker shortfall.
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.
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
Telangana rooftop solar subsidy: Gruha Jyothi solar plan, PM Surya Ghar and TGERC net metering
Madhya Pradesh rooftop solar subsidy: PM Surya Ghar, MPERC’s 2026 fee waiver and net metering rules
