Markets

Switzerland-based Energy Vault has secured an initial 1.5 GWh of sodium-ion battery supply from Peak Energy to develop integrated storage systems for artificial intelligence-focused data centers.

German researchers found that agrivoltaics costs far exceed agricultural benefits, raising doubts about subsidies and highlighting the need for more cost-competitive system designs.

The Silver Institute has said the amount of silver used for manufacturing is set to fall this year, driven by developments in the solar sector. The institute also says the silver market will remain in deficit for the sixth consecutive year. Philip Newman, Managing Director of independent research consultancy Metals Focus, told pv magazine the fact prices have recovered quite well after the end-January correction demonstrates the underlying strength of investor interest in silver.

Grid capacity constraints in major Australian metropolitan hubs are prompting data center developers to consider regional locations with integrated on-site gas and solar generation, according to renewable energy land brokerage Rok Solid.

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has approved 3 GW of GREW Solar’s G12R module manufacturing capacity under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), enabling deployment in government-backed projects and supporting the company’s planned expansion to 11 GW by 2026.

The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 1.59 GW at the end of December, according to new figures released by the Colombian administrator of the wholesale energy market.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has withdrawn from defending the executive order that paused certain tariffs on imported solar components, leaving private industry groups and companies to continue the appeal. The withdrawal increases legal uncertainty over potential retroactive duties tied to imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Research analyzing surface solar radiation data across the past three and coming three decades finds Europe has gotten sunnier at an average rate of 2.4 W per decade. This increase in solar radiation is anticipated to slow in the next three decades.

Carbon dioxide removal is most likely needed for rebalancing the climate to comply with the 1.5 C target set in the Paris Agreement, as data suggest this level has already been breached on an annual basis. Beneath natural climate solutions and land use change, technological and bio-technical solutions are most promising. Solar PV may play a key role in minimizing area demand and supporting cost optimization even in unexpected places such as Iceland.

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is forecasting Canada’s cumulative solar capacity, which stands at 5.4 GW today, could surge to around 21 GW by 2035, driven by a healthy procurement pipeline across most provinces. Official deployment figures for behind the meter solar installations last year, which are driving Canada’s solar market today, are yet to be finalized.