Abu Dhabi unveils solar-plus-storage self-supply policy
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy has introduced a policy designed to support deployment of solar systems for self-consumption, with the first phase of the policy targeting the agricultural sector.
Hithium completes open-door fire test of 6.25 MWh battery system
Hithium has released results from a large-scale fire safety test of its 6.25 MWh “∞Power” battery energy storage system, with an open-door configuration supervised by UL Solutions to assess thermal runaway risk in 1175 Ah cells under maximum oxygen conditions.
TotalEnergies signs 1 GW of solar PPAs for Google’s Texas data centers
The two 15-year power purchase agreements cover a 805 MW and a 195 MW solar project, set for construction this year, that will power data centers in Texas belonging to Google.
The business case for C&I storage
European businesses installed roughly 20 GW of commercial and industrial (C&I) solar in 2024, but only around 1 GW/2 GWh of C&I battery storage. The gap is striking. Both technologies promise lower energy bills, improved resilience, and decarbonization, but batteries are yet to achieve the same commercial traction that solar enjoys. LCP Delta’s Dina Darshini asks why the gap persists.
EU invests €3 billion in decarbonization of buildings, road transport
The ETS2 Frontloading Facility will provide €3 billion ($3.5 billion) to sectors set to be covered by the EU’s new emissions trading system. It will support low- and middle-income households with the deployment of heat pumps and electric vehicles.
Australian state awards 12 GWh of long-duration storage contracts
New South Wales has awarded long-term energy service agreements to six battery energy storage projects totaling 1.17 GW and nearly 12 GWh, lifting the state’s contracted storage capacity to 30 GWh.
US solar market positioned for continued growth in 2026
Affordability, project pipelines secured through safe harbor provisions, and expanding domestic manufacturing capacity are supporting US solar deployment despite policy and trade uncertainty.
United Solar begins production at Omani polysilicon factory
The factory is located in Oman’s Sohar Freezone and will be capable of supporting the production of up to 40 GW of solar modules annually once at full capacity.
NextPower leads Wood Mackenzie tracker rankings as US, China dominate
Wood Mackenzie ranked NextPower as the world’s top PV tracker manufacturer in the first half of 2025, with companies headquartered in the United States, China and Spain occupying all top 10 positions.
‘Today, women leaders are no longer a quota: they are a competitive advantage’
This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Yolanda Hoyos, Chief Technical Officer at Spain’s Blacksalt. She says that inclusion, mentorship, and authentic leadership unlock talent, dismantle bias, and are critical to shaping the future of the energy transition. “When organizations respect individual circumstances, commitment and growth follow naturally,” she states.
