Markets

Q4 2025 in South Australia saw grid-connected loads with spot price exposure actually being paid to use electricity about half the time (46%) – and that electricity was overwhelmingly (80%) supplied by renewables. This demonstrates a shift from managing demand to quietly needing it. Particularly in regions like South Australia, there is growing demand for demand.

UK-based consultancy Ricardo, part of the WSP Group, explains how solar PV has compounded at 17% annually since 2016, defining the EU’s clean-energy trajectory. However, straightforward merchant returns are disappearing, and battery storage and grid expertise are now essential.

In 2025, solar and wind dominated global energy growth, delivering around six times more new capacity than all other power sources combined and supplying nearly all new electricity demand. With rapid expansion led by countries like Australia and several European nations, solar and wind are now the fastest-growing and central drivers of the global energy transition.

In the latest article of a new series on solar manufacturing facilities around the world, pv magazine presents Belga Solar’s solar manufacturing facility in Wallonia, Belgium.

A new report from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) estimates that building façades could offer up to 36 GW of technical solar PV potential, representing a significant but largely untapped resource. However, high costs, regulatory complexity, and lower performance compared to rooftop systems limit widespread adoption, currently making façade PV a niche solution for specific building types.

The European Commission has launched the AccelerateEU strategy to address high energy prices driven by the Middle East conflict and its impact on fossil fuel markets. While specific measures for solar, renewables and storage are not yet clearly defined, the package includes the introduction of an Electrification Action Plan by summer.

A U.S. federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against a Department of the Interior policy that required Trump-appointed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s approval for all renewable energy projects on public lands, effectively stalling tens of gigawatts of capacity.

Ireland recorded more than 10,000 applications for solar PV as part of its home energy upgrade program from January to March 2026, an increase of 65% on the same period for last year.

Enercity has begun constructing a 30 MW wastewater-based heat pump in Hanover as part of its shift away from coal-based district heating, replacing capacity from the Stöcken coal plant alongside biomass, power-to-heat, and waste-heat systems.

Peru’s energy ministry has proposed market-based reforms for complementary electricity services to improve grid stability amid rising solar and wind generation.