Policy

China has been an undisputed leader in the battery energy storage system deployment by a far margin. The nation more than quadrupled its battery fleet last year, which helped it surpass its 2025 target of 30 GW of operational capacity two years early. ESS News sat down with Ming-Xing Duan, secretary of the Electrical Energy Storage Alliance (EESA), to discuss the latest market trends.

NHPC Ltd. has issued a tender inviting developers to set up 1.2 GW of grid-connected PV projects, with an option for an additional 1.2 GW under a “greenshoe option.” Bidders must submit their proposals by Nov. 4.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) says solar records were broken across the United States in 2023, as international trade issues decreased and financial certainty increased, driven by the implementation of the US Inflation Reduction Act.

A new policy paper from the African Policy Research Institute (APRI) recommends that Africa adopt a regionalized PV strategy to successfully integrate into the global solar value chain. It warns that without a coordinated approach, individual countries are unlikely to integrate into the global market.

The UK government has unveiled a cap-and-floor scheme to kick start investment in long-duration energy storage. The first round of applications is scheduled for 2025.

Researchers from China found that big solar power plants have a positive positive impact on the ecological environment of desert areas. Their testing was conducted at a 1 GW solar park located in China’s northeastern Qinghai province.

The Czech government is trying to retroactively reduce feed-in tariffs (FITs) granted for PV projects between 2006 and 2013. The local solar sector has criticized the move, claiming that it could incite panic among investors.

Ten large-scale solar farms planned for New Zealand’s North and South islands are among 22 renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of 3 GW that have been listed for inclusion in the government’s “one-stop shop” fast-track approvals process.

New research from India shows that rooftop PV system may have “unintended” consequences on temperartures in urban environments. Rooftop arrays, for example, may potentially lower nighttime temperatures by up to 0.6  C.

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Elina Kivelä, chief of staff at Sweden’s Turn Energy. She says companies should implement mandatory physical training, daily wellness hours, great parental leave benefits, health check-ups, and a hybrid work model. “This is crucial for balancing family life, something we know women often struggle with the most,” she states.