Markets

Amea Power has started the construction of a 120 MW solar plant in northeastern Tunisia. Once operational, the plant is expected to generate 222 GWh of clean energy per year.

If solar-powered irrigation pumps can be rolled out in a responsible manner at scale, the impact on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa could be transformational.

The authorities in Ireland have opened a €20 million ($21.5 million) fund for energy research and innovation. It will support projects contributing to the nation’s clean energy transition, such as heat decarbonization and energy storage.

Engie and UAC Berhad have signed a 20-year solar power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 7.35 MW solar array in Malaysia.

Despite this growth, fossil fuels dominate U.S. electricity. A 3% increase in total electricity generation across the U.S. is expected to be served primarily with solar, said a report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) says total investment in the off-grid solar sector stood at $425 million in 2023, down 43% year on year. It says the industry needs to address a lack of early-stage financing to meet development and climate targets.

Prices in the majority of major European electricity markets fell during the first week of May, according to analysis from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting. The exception was in the Iberian market of Portugal and Spain, but prices remain lower there than anywhere else.

Spanish developer Solaria says it bought 435 MW of solar modules from an undisclosed supplier for €0.917 ($0.99)/W. Kiwa PI Berlin confirms that average solar module prices for large-scale PV projects in Spain are now around €0.10/W.

The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation in Malaysia is teaming up with private and public partners in the country to offer citizens financial incentives and discounts when adopting solar. It follows a government rebate scheme introduced in April.

The Japanese authorities selected 30 battery storage projects in the procurement exercise. The selected developers and plant owners will be awarded a 20-year fixed revenue.