Markets

Complete Solaria says it acquired SunPower’s assets for $45 million after its bankruptcy, then sold its shingled module patents to Maxeon, which is now owned by China’s TCL Group.

Enphase Energy has posted $356.1 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2025, falling short of expectations. The solar microinverter and battery storage provider says it has lowered its margin outlook due to rising tariff pressures.

Off-grid solar investment fell 30% in 2024, with early-stage firms and productive-use tech hit hardest, says Gogla. The global association for the off-grid solar energy industry adds that scale-ups attracted 77% of the nearly $300 million invested, signaling stronger commercial viability among mature players.

Chinese manufacturer Das Solar says it will open its first European PV panel assembly plant in Mandeure, eastern France, by the end of 2025.

Government-run Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is tendering for the provision of technical and advisory support services for its grant programs aimed at organizations in Ireland planning to decarbonize. The tender follows a report by the SEAI that showed Ireland has a limited market for industrial heat pumps and called for greater outreach and support for businesses to install the technology.

Austria has opened applications for its €60 million ($68.3 million) rooftop PV rebate program for 2025, with a second-round “Made in Europe” bonus offering 20% more funding for projects using European-made components, says OeMAG.

Dutch energy storage firm Return has started construction on the 100 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system in Waddinxveen, which will be the first project of the size to connect to the TenneT Netherlands high-voltage network in 2026. Vattenfall will manage and optimize half of the system’s capacity under an eight-year contract.

The Japanese government says it has opened applications for a subsidy initiative aimed at cutting costs for renewable heat and industrial waste heat systems. The program supports equipment upgrades that lower emissions and improve energy efficiency.

AleaSoft Energy Forecasting’s latest analysis finds most major European electricity markets recorded negative prices during the third week of April, particularly over the Easter weekend. The Portuguese and Spanish markets saw zero or negative prices across each day last week.

Wood Mackenzie warns that policy uncertainty could significantly alter its projections for US solar industry growth. The research firm says the US solar industry will add 502 GW (DC) of capacity over the next decade, with annual installations surpassing 40 GWdc through 2035.