GreenSketch AI 3.0 fast tracks solar and battery install design and business
Australian solar distributor OSW Group has enhanced its free solar, battery design and installation business tool, GreenSketch version 3.0 with new AI-powered features, that simplify and accelerate workflows.
Hybrid solar-wind streetlight offers multiple functions
Omniflow has developed a line of hybrid solar-wind streetlights. It offers optional solutions to integrate for security, phone recharging, and Internet of Things applications.
Tunisia accelerates large-scale solar as new players enter market
The Tunisian government says concession and authorization frameworks are advancing multiple PV projects, while new entrants including SoleCrypt plan additional plants, boosting capacity, self-generation, and panel imports.
Germany records growth in solar self-consumption
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) has developed a new way to quantify PV self-consumption in Germany using national register and grid-operator data, amid a steady rise in onsite use as installations and storage capacity expand.
Ofgem approves GBP 10.3 billion investment in UK transmission grid
UK energy regulator green-lights transmission network operator budgets for five-year period. Initial budget of GBP 10.3 billion ($13.7 billion) approved with an upper-bound estimate of GBP 70 billion transmission investment by 2031. At least GBP 44 billion of transmission spend has already been committed, according to the regulator.
SMA launches new containerized medium-voltage substation for large-scale BESS and solar plants
SMA Solar Technology announces the commercialization in Europe of its new MVPS-9200 medium voltage station in a 12-meter containerized version for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and large-scale photovoltaic power plants.
How to build giant solar plants in mountainous areas
Chinese researchers have proposed a new methodology for designing utility-scale solar power projects in mountainous regions. They simulated a 386.4 MW solar farm near Pu’er, a city in southern China located 1,037 meters above sea level.
German startup installs industrial heat pump producing 139 C steam
German start-up SPH has installed its ThermBooster heat pump at Philip Morris International’s Italian factory, producing high-temperature steam at 139 C. The system boosts energy efficiency, cuts gas use by up to 50%, and recovers 20–30% of water from exhaust.
French startup unveils solar canopy for motorhomes
France’s Genelios has developed an 8 kW modular solar canopy for motorhomes, offering manufactured-in-France construction, multiple installation options, and services that include design, monitoring, and maintenance for users across France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.
European Commission opens third hydrogen auction
The EU’s third hydrogen auction is open for applications until Feb. 19, 2026, alongside a pilot auction for decarbonizing industrial process heat. The 2025 edition of the Net-Zero Technologies call is also underway, accepting applications until Apr. 23, 2026. Together, the three funding streams have a budget of €5.2 billion ($6.07 billion).
