Vietnam more cost-competitive than India in cell, PV module production, says IRENA
IRENA’s latest report finds that energy use and material intensity across the solar PV manufacturing supply chain will decline through 2030. The analysis also shows Vietnam remains more cost-competitive than India due to lower electricity prices, while high energy and labour costs keep Australia and Germany less competitive.
U.S.-India trade deal reduces solar tariffs
Tariff reductions under the new U.S.-India trade agreement lower import costs for solar modules and energy storage components. Reciprocal tariffs were effectively reduced from 50% to 18%.
WTO finds US clean energy tax credits violate trade rules
The WTO ruled that U.S. clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act violate international trade rules by giving domestic products preferential treatment over Chinese goods. The decision specifically targets the ITC and PTC Domestic Content Bonus Credits.
Fraunhofer ISE developing world’s first medium-voltage solar plants
Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) is developing the world’s first medium-voltage PV plants in Germany to cut material use, reduce costs, and simplify grid integration. They will test 1,500 V and 3 kV string configurations to create cost-effective, voltage-resistant components for large-scale solar.
Solar Steel presents new 2P single-row solar tracker
Spanish tracker manufacturer Solar Steel has introduced an upgraded 2P single-row tracker designed to simplify assembly, improve standardization, and support deployment on complex terrain, including agrivoltaic projects.
GoodEnough Energy starts production at 7 GWh BESS factory in India
India-based energy storage company GoodEnough Energy sazs it has commissioned a 7 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) factory in Noida, with plans to expand capacity to more than 25 GWh over the next three years.
Key takeaways from Abu Dhabi’s World Future Energy Summit
WFES 2026 in Abu Dhabi underscored growing momentum for solar, storage, and C&I renewables across MENA, with batteries emerging as a key enabler for grid stability, agriculture, and data centers. Industry leaders pointed to Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia as key growth markets, highlighting rising interest in AI-driven data centers, solar-plus-storage solutions, and a broadening regional supply chain.
The eyes and ears of the power grid
Sensors are an indispensable tool to inform utility managers of the state of the electricity grid and the occurrence of disruptions of any kind. The IEC provides the standards and conformity assessment that enable them to operate safely and efficiently.
Nextpower, Abunayyan to build 12 GW solar tracker factory in Saudi Arabia
The factory will be located in Jeddah and supply solar trackers across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
Capex-driven strategies can reduce solar LCOE by 20%
An international research group has conducted a literature review of capital expenditure-driven levelized cost of electricity optimization strategies for utility-scale PV systems. Tracking optimization, system voltage escalation, and advanced system design are identified as the most promising cost reduction areas. “The next wave of PV research must be LCOE-native, system-level, and deployment-validated,” a member of the research group said.
