Panama to include storage in energy auctions
In an exclusive interview with pv magazine, Panamanian Energy Secretary Juan Manuel Urriola said the government will open the electricity market to private investment and revise regulations to enable energy storage. Urriola also emphasized the importance of long-term planning and transparent bidding to attract developers.
Solar hydrogen could be produced at 4.23$/kg in Saudi Arabia
New research from Saudi Arabia shows that PV, concentrated solar power (CSP), or hybrid PV-CSP systems could significantly reduce the levelized cost of hydrogen. CSP offers higher capacity factors, but PV-driven electrolysis provides the lowest projected cost for hydrogen production.
Cybersecurity as a powerful tool to enable resilient energy storage projects
Compliance with ever-increasing cybersecurity regulations is a challenge for many in the energy storage industry but it creates big opportunities for risk-mitigation. Katherine Hutton and Lars Stephan, from energy storage integrator Fluence, take a closer look at cybersecurity compliance risks and how investors can mitigate revenue losses with a clear strategy.
Spanish lab develops sodium-ion cell with sustainable materials
Spain’s Instituto Tecnológico de la Energía (ITE) has built a prototype sodium-ion battery cell using high-potential materials and a sustainable polymer-based separator, as part of the SOSBAT project to develop alternatives to lithium-ion storage.
China’s SNEC 2025 show highlights PV industry resilience, storage growth
Chinese solar manufacturers showed resilience at the 2025 SNEC PV Power Expo in Shanghai despite a deepening supply glut, as strong demand for energy storage and emerging technologies offset a steep drop in new PV module launches. Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) stayed dominant, while back-contact, perovskite, and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) storage solutions gained traction.
How organic flow batteries could erase the need for critical-mineral dependency
Vanadium flow and lithium-ion batteries both require materials described as critical by the US Department of Energy (DOE).
US battery supplier Powin files for bankruptcy
Oregon-based battery system integrator Powin faces rising tariffs as it imports lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery components from China.
World’s largest 1 MW/100 MWh sand battery commissioned in Finland
Finnish startup Polar Night Energy has commissioned the world’s largest sand battery in Pornainen, southern Finland. The industrial-scale system delivers 1 MW of thermal power with 100 MWh storage capacity, covering up to a month’s summer heat demand and nearly a week’s winter demand for the local district heating network.
Simultaneous optimization of plant design, control unlocks cost-competitive green hydrogen
Achieving cost-competitiveness for green hydrogen produced via water electrolysis using intermittent renewable energy sources remains a significant challenge. Researchers from LUT University in Finland have shown that considerable cost reductions can be achieved by simultaneously optimizing plant control and design, based on specific hydrogen demand targets and local weather conditions.
India offers $631.5 million to support 30 GWh of battery storage
The Indian government has announced viability gap funding (VGF) of INR 54 billion ($631.5 million) to support 30 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS), allocating capacity among 15 states and the state-owned power producer NTPC. The scheme provides INR 1.8 million/MWh and requires projects to be commissioned within 18 months through competitive bidding.
