Policy

Solar Ireland told the Irish government that the Private Wires Bill’s proposed definition of private wires could bring rooftop solar installations within a full electricity licensing requirement, which would place significant additional demand on the energy regulator and slow down installations.

Longi says it has ranked first in a recent 800 MW PV module tender in China’s Gansu province, while Canadian Solar says the first 2 GW phase of its US heterojunction (HJT) cell factory is set to begin pilot production in March or April.

This March, Women in Solar+ Europe (WiSEu) is launching its International Women’s Day 2026 campaign: “Beyond 10X: Leadership Without Double Standards.” Inspired by a reflection from Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár: “I had to prove myself 10 times more than if I’d been born as a boy”, the campaign invites professionals across the solar plus industries to reflect on how leadership is evaluated and how subtle double standards can shape career trajectories.

Estimates indicate Japan added between 5.8 GW and 6 GW of solar last year, likely taking the country past 100 GW of cumulative solar capacity. Last year’s installations were led by the commercial and industrial market, while the residential sector also saw increased demand.

The Industrial Accelerator Act says solar projects awarded through public procurements or other public support schemes would need to feature Europe-made solar inverters and cells within three years after the act becomes law. For battery energy storage systems, similar requirements would be introduced using a phased approach from one year after the act enters force.

Greece’s solar producers are facing rising curtailments that are cutting revenues and driving interest in energy storage, even as regulatory and financing challenges slow deployment.

The Iraqi Customs Authority has cut customs duties on solar energy systems from 33% to 5% – covering PV panels, inverters, cables, and lithium batteries – to accelerate solar adoption, following financing support from the Central Bank of Iraq.

Argentina’s Energy Secretariat has opened a national and international tender for battery energy storage systems (BESS) at grid-constrained nodes outside the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, targeting about $700 million in investment.

The United Kingdom is inviting AI and energy specialists to identify datasets that could make its energy system more efficient, secure and digitized.

South Korea has passed legislative amendments to limit the ability of local authorities to impose separation distances on solar projects, removing a major permitting barrier for PV developers.