Policy

This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Carol Murphy, Head of Independent Engineering for Onshore Renewables at UK-based OWC. She say, with more women joining the solar sector, it’s easier than ever to connect with peers across roles and organizations. “To any woman looking to enter this field, my advice would be to persevere. No matter the obstacles you encounter, if you’re passionate about a career in solar, there is a place for you,” she states.

Greece is pursuing an ambitious island energy transition program. pv magazine visited the island of Tilos for a firsthand account of how one community has blazed a trail in the energy transition.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) says the building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) industry is facing significant challenges due to a lack of clear testing and certification procedures. It says international consensus and the harmonization of certification processes will be crucial for widespread adoption of the technology.

The fossil fuel rich Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces mounting pressure to diversify its energy mix. While solar is cheap, it faces significant sociopolitical and economic challenges.

Solar installations grew 4% year on year in the European Union in 2024, down sharply from 53% growth in 2023. The slowdown coincides with a decline in solar investment, marking the first such drop this decade. SolarPower Europe now forecasts annual growth of 3% to 7% in solar installations from 2025 to 2028.

The Romanian authorities have allocated 1.52 GW of renewable energy capacity in a procurement exercise, with the lowest bid for PV technology at €0.045 ($0.047)/kWh.

India is likely to follow in the footsteps of China and mandate the inclusion of battery storage capacity for future wind and solar energy projects.

Clean Power 2030 plan unveiled by UK government includes key role for battery energy storage systems (BESS) in providing short-term flexibility. Support for long-duration energy storage (LDES) and changes to standing charges for behind the meter storage also proposed.

The National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) program says in a new report that the UK solar industry could generate 1.2 million tons of waste by 2050. It calls for circular economy measures to meet net-zero and solar deployment targets.

Montenegro’s Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) has upped the ante for its first battery energy storage tender.