Policy

US solar developers Soltage, Origis Energy, and rPlus Energies have secured more than $1 billion in financing across three major deals, signaling sustained investor confidence in utility-scale solar and storage despite US policy uncertainty. The transactions back more than 1.4 GW of solar and 1.8 GWh of battery capacity.

Australian battery tech startup Voltavate has secured AUD 850,000 ($535,000) in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by global investment firm Artesian.

Grid companies LEW Verteilnetz and Bayernwerk have launched a pilot project to feed renewable energy into the electricity network in a more grid-friendly manner. One of the energy storage sites to be used in the project will come from Green Flexibility.

The Ukrainian government is launching a €2 million ($2.3 million) pilot project with the municipality of Grafenwörth, Austria, to expand solar infrastructure and enhance local energy resilience.

New research from Hong Kong confirms that rooftop PV systems significantly contribute raise daytime temperatures in urban environments. The scientists explained that, although their findings highlight important urban resilience considerations, they should not detract from the broader benefits of PV systems for energy sustainability and carbon reduction.

Researchers at Deakin University have launched a first-of-its-kind project exploring how Australian households and small businesses with solar and or battery systems can sell their excess clean energy to others without the technology.

Liquid insulation is one of the ways of ensuring transformers – which convert electric power from high voltages to lower voltages – remain safe. Mineral oil, however, has been the main insulating liquid in industrial power systems to date and sustanaible alternatives are strongly needed.

Cyprus curtailed more than half of its potential renewable power in early 2025, including record residential solar cuts, as grid limits and a lack of storage strain its energy transition. Without swift investment in flexibility, analysts warn the country risks eroding public trust and delaying decarbonization.

US solar manufacturing ramped up sharply in the first quarter of 2025, supporting record levels of new capacity as solar and storage made up 82% of additions to the grid. But proposed legislation and rising import tariffs could cloud growth prospects.

US residential solar lender Mosaic has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid rising interest rates and policy uncertainty, joining a wave of financial distress sweeping the sector. The company, which backed more than $15 billion in home energy loans, will pursue a court-approved restructuring backed by existing lenders.