Romania’s energy authority proposes new grid connection rules
Romania’s energy regulator has proposed new grid connection rules to extend connection agreement terms and set a firm deadline for paying the 5% financial guarantee required to secure a permit, with public consultation open through April 21.
Eskom seeking partners to set up independent renewables unit
Eskom has issued a tender for partners to help launch a standalone renewables division, in a bid to speed up clean energy development in South Africa. The utility says it will evaluate bids based on sector experience, financial expertise, and project delivery record.
European renewables PPA market hit 19 GW in 2024, says Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie says Europe’s power purchase agreement (PPA) market was dominated by solar and wind deals in 2024, with an increase in battery-linked contracts as buyers looked to hedge against negative pricing periods.
Solar cells not exempt from US tariffs despite media reports
Solar cells are not exempt from the recent US reciprocal import tariffs, and recent reporting by major media outlets appears to be a misinterpretation of government documentation.
Belgian grid operator warns of PV overproduction, curtailment in spring
Belgian grid operator Elia says that rapid solar fleet growth is driving earlier seasonal overproduction peaks, raising curtailment risks this spring. It plans to expand flexibility measures to stabilize the high-voltage network.
UK grid connections reform approved to ‘axe zombie projects’, fast-track 65 GW solar deployment
UK energy regulator Ofgem has approved connection queue reforms for Great Britain’s electricity grid. The change could see 65 GW of solar projects enter the fast-track “Gate 2” connections queue. The government claims reform will accelerate renewables and energy storage deployment while unlocking GBP 40 billion ($53 billion) of investment in clean energy and infrastructure.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: PowerChina cancels 51 GW module tender for 2025
PowerChina has scrapped its 51 GW solar module tender for 2025 due to the impact of policy shifts on procurement needs. The tender, which began in November 2024, attracted 58 bids, with average quotes of CNY 0.68 ($0.093)/W for tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules and CNY 0.773/W for heterojunction (HJT) modules.
Global solar module shipments hit 703 GW in 2024
The new edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic (ITRPV), published this week, reports that average PV module prices last year dropped by 33% compared to the end of 2023.
Vietnam publishes feed-in tariffs for large-scale solar-plus-storage
The Vietnamese authorities released the feed-in tariff levels for ground-mounted and floating PV plants, with or without storage.
Key takeaways from SolarEx Istanbul
The 17th edition of SolarEx Istanbul, which took place from April 10 to April 12, was the largest to date. As Turkey’s solar deployment increases, there was discussion on how to manage future installations, develop untapped domestic markets, and secure future investments.
