US steel crunch puts solar deployment plans at risk
With US domestic steel mills booked solid through 2025, a sudden doubling of tariffs on imported steel has created a critical bottleneck for American industries. The move, which hits specialized Indian steel particularly hard, is now delaying projects for builders and renewable energy developers who rely on steady, affordable supply.
NEDO outlines R&D concepts to expand solar adoption in Japan
Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has launched a 2025–29 project with 24 themes to advance the development of next-generation solar cells, site-specific systems, grid stability, and recycling in line with its carbon neutrality goal.
Azerbaijan, Chinese PV firm plan export-focused solar factory in free zone
Azerbaijan and Chinese solar manufacturer Sichuan Sunsync have revealed plans to build a solar panel factory in the Alat Free Economic Zone, south of Baku.
Japan to launch platform linking aggregators with FIP operators
Japan plans to launch an online platform by September 2025 linking aggregators with feed-in premium (FIP) operators to support grid integration, streamline solar battery installations, and improve planning and forecasting for renewable projects.
Sumitomo Heavy unveils reactive plasma tech for thin-film perovskite PV
Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI) has developed a new reactive plasma deposition (RPD) method to form ultra-thin tin oxide electron transport layers (ETL) for perovskite solar cells. It claims this enables low-temperature mass production with minimal substrate damage.
California farmers expand revenue with vertical solar, strawberries
California farmers face mounting economic pressures, including high electricity prices. Do agrivoltaics offer a solution?
Activ8 Energies acquires Low Carbon Energy to expand UK solar portfolio
Activ8 Energies, 50% owned by SSE Airtricity, has acquired all shares of UK-based Low Carbon Energy (LCE) to strengthen its commercial and industrial (C&I) solar portfolio in the United Kingdom.
South Korea urges US to exempt firms from polysilicon tariffs
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) is urging the United States to exempt its companies from Section 232 polysilicon tariffs, warning that restrictions could disrupt $2.8 billion in US solar investments.
Sumitomo Electric supplies flow battery for AI-led smart energy trial in Japan
Sumitomo Electric Industries has installed a vanadium redox flow battery at Osaka Metropolitan University as part of a trial to optimize solar use and energy storage with AI. The project combines the battery with Kansai Electric Power’s cloud-based control platform.
Global electricity demand to rise in 2026 as renewables lead, says IEA
Global electricity demand is set to rise more than 3% per year through 2026, driven by growth in Asia and greater use across industry, data centers, and transport, with renewables, gas, and nuclear meeting most of the increase, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).
