Bangladesh reinstates 11 solar plants totaling 918 MW after tariff cuts
Bangladesh reinstated approvals for 11 solar plants with a combined capacity of 918 MW after developers agreed to lower tariffs, in a move expected to save the government BDT 11.69 billion ($96.2 million) per year.
EU installs 65.1 GW of solar in 2025
The European Union’s solar fleet has reached 406 GW, surpassing the EU Solar Strategy’s 400 GW goal for 2025, but SolarPower Europe says the sector’s first contraction in a decade is putting the bloc’s 750 GW target for 2030 at risk.
Zimbabwe plans 600 MW floating PV project
Government officials in Zimbabwe have said work on a 600 MW floating solar project on Lake Kariba, the world’s largest artificial lake by volume, will be begin next year, starting with an initial 150 MW phase.
U.S. research finds PV can support bird, bat activities
A pair of research studies led by the Argonne National Laboratory have demonstrated how “ecovoltaic” installations in the midwestern United States are home to more bird and bat activities than nearby fields used for agriculture.
Africa’s largest off-grid solar-plus-storage project comes online in Angola
In Angola, 75.26 MWh of battery storage has begun operating as part of Africa’s largest off-grid renewable energy system to date.
Toshiba ESS tests hybrid wind-solar project with storage in Saudi Arabia
Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp. (Toshiba ESS) has started testing batteries and energy management solutions to stabilize electricity in remote Saudi Arabia through a hybrid wind-solar pilot project. The project will run until May 2028 to evaluate power- and energy-oriented batteries and optimize battery use.
Zambia tenders 25 MW solar project
An engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tender is open in Zambia for a 25 MW solar project. The deadline for applications is Jan. 9, 2026.
Belize opens solar consultancy tender
The government of Belize is seeking a consultancy firm to help implement a 40 MW solar plus 20 MW/80 MWh battery energy storage project. The deadline to submit expressions of interest is Jan. 5, 2026.
How the world’s sunniest region tackles solar module soiling, cleaning
Researchers studying PV panels in Chile’s hyper-arid Atacama Desert found that cemented soiling can cause annual energy losses of up to 9.8%. Their combined field and laboratory work shows that dry cleaning leaves residue that accelerates future cementation, making wet cleaning the more effective long-term strategy despite higher costs and scarce water.
Scatec switches on 273 MW of solar in South Africa
Norway’s Scatec has reached commercial operations of a 273 MW solar project in South Africa, the first to be completed from the country’s fifth bid window of its renewable energy procurement programme and the company’s first in the Western Cape province.
