Poland raises permit-free energy storage limit to 30 kWh
Poland’s lower house of parliament, the Sejm, has passed amendments to the Building Law to remove the requirement for building permits to construct energy storage facilities with capacities of up to 30 kWh.
Colombia sets up state solar panel maker with Swedish state support
Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy says it has created a state-owned solar panel manufacturer with Swedish government backing to supply domestic renewable programs and strengthen local manufacturing.
South Korea mandates solar systems at public parking lots from late November
The South Korean government says all public parking lots larger than 1,000 square meters will be required to install solar power systems from the end of this month, as part of a nationwide policy to accelerate renewable energy adoption in urban areas.
Thailand develops solar plan for community power supply
Thailand’s Ministry of Energy says it is advancing a community solar plan to add up to 1.5 GW of capacity through small ground-mounted projects selling power to local consumers at THB 2.25 ($0.07)/kWh under long-term contracts.
Italy awards 2 GW in agrivoltaic tender backed by EU funds
Italy’s Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) says 747 projects have been selected under the nation’s first agrivoltaic program, backed by €1.7 billion ($1.9 billion) from European recovery funds.
Europe to require grid-forming capability for new storage, renewables above 1 MW
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) says new EU rules will make grid-forming functions mandatory for large-scale storage and renewable plants.
German network operators approve grid connection of 46 GWh of storage at medium voltage level
Last year, German network operators received 9,710 connection requests for battery storage systems planned for commissioning at the medium-voltage level. These requests correspond to a total of 400 GW/661 GWh. At the transmission network level, large-scale battery storage projects with a combined capacity of 51 GW have already been approved for development in the coming years.
California legislation sets new safety standards for battery storage
TWAICE says California’s Senate Bill 283 will shift developers’ focus from hardware redesign to proactive documentation and data-driven safety compliance.
Brazil opens consultation for 2026 battery storage capacity auction
Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy says it has opened public consultation for a 2026 battery storage auction to contract systems of at least 30 MW that can deliver four hours of power daily under 10-year agreements.
The future arrived early: Why our energy cost forecasts need to catch up
While solar modules and batteries have become icons of rapid progress, most energy models are still stuck in the past. A new global analysis shows that the cost of renewable energy has fallen far faster than expected. Solar PV, wind power, and battery technologies have already reached price levels that models once placed many decades ahead – a misplaced pessimism that risks misdirecting billions in climate investment and could distort long-term defossilization strategies.
