Patrick Jowett
Wood Mackenzie warns of upstream sector impact from delayed transition
Wood Mackenzie says that a 30% increase in upstream spending will be needed to meet stronger oil and gas demand under a delayed energy transition. The research firm warns that this scenario could strain supply chains, inflate costs, and push Brent crude prices above $100/barrel by the 2030s.
MENA region hits 24 GW (AC) of total solar capacity
The Middle East Solar Industry Association’s (MESIA) latest report says solar capacity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region grew by 25% in 2024, with local manufacturing and energy storage also accelerating.
Africa adds 2.5 GW of solar in 2024
The African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) says utility-scale projects dominated Africa’s new solar additions in 2024, with storage installations surging tenfold.
Taiwan to add 8.2 GW of solar, offshore wind by end of 2026
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) has launched a wind and solar energy improvement plan in a bid to reach an existing target of 20 GW of deployed solar by the end of next year.
Solar accounts for 11.9% of Belgium’s 2024 electricity mix
Belgian electricity system operator Elia says solar was the leading source of renewable energy in Belgium’s electricity mix in 2024. Total solar energy generation in the country reached new highs last year, totaling 8.3 TWh.
Romania’s Electrica launches solar tenders
Romanian utility Electrica Group has launched two solar tenders, including a 62.5 MW project open for applications until Jan. 31 and a 77.6 MW project open until Feb. 17.
Ukraine adds over 800 MW of solar in 2024
The Solar Energy Association of Ukraine says the country installed 800 MW to 850 MW of solar capacity in 2024, driven mainly by business and residential installations.
Higher gas prices drive some European electricity prices upwards
AleaSoft Energy Forecasting says TTF gas futures hit their highest settlement price since October 2023 in early January 2025, driving up electricity prices in several major European markets.
Czechia approves new laws for agrivoltaics
The Czech government has approved new legislation for agrivoltaics. The measures extend the amount of crop types that agrivoltaics can be deployed on and defines two categories of permissible agrivoltaic systems.
Sweden adds 1 GW of solar in 2024
Sweden installed about 1 GW of solar in 2024, matching 2022 levels after a record 2023.
