Renewables

Italian energy giant Eni has sold a minority stake in its Plenitude subsidiary to US-based investment company Ares for €2 billion ($2.32 billion).

The new partnership will initially provide financing to help crowd in investment for photovoltaic systems and energy storage in Germany and the United Kingdom.

The US-based company said its new EL18KSLV Side Discharge Heat Pump uses R-454B as the refrigerant and has a size ranging from 2 tons to 5 tons.

China’s solar power capacity has surpassed 1 TW, marking a historic milestone as the country accelerates its energy transition. Around 92 GW of new PV systems were installed in China in May alone, but analysts warn the pace may slow in the second half of the year.

NAtrium Super Ionic CONductor (NASICON) materials continue to show their potential for sodium-ion anodes in high-performance batteries, with fresh research out of India delving more into the materials.

Scientists in China have outlined a mission proposal for the China Academy of Space Technology space solar power (SSP) development program. It includes three solar arrays, microwave power transmission, and laser power transmission. The roadmap predicts this demonstration mission cound be attempted before 2030.

Offshore PV technologies were tested for the first time under the severe wave loads generated by Delta Flume, a 300 m long man-made flume with a wave generator that is capable of producing waves as tall as five meters. The testing is intended to standardize testing and certification processes for offshore floating PV systems.

A 160 kW / 250 kWh standalone battery system installed by Spanish manufacturer Zigor Corporación ensured uninterrupted power for the village of San Vicente del Monte during a major blackout that affected the Iberian Peninsula on 28 April 2025. The system, connected to the low-voltage (400 V) grid, supplied electricity to the entire village for more than five hours.

This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Jessimiela Usidame, Procurement Manager at UK-based Elgin. She says creating equity means making space for women to speak, lead, and shape outcomes at every level. “Still, many women in commercial and project-facing roles must prove themselves — again and again. There’s often an unspoken presumption about what we can’t do, before anyone sees what we can,” she states.

Researchers in Spain have warned that nest-box installations at PV plants are often poorly planned or used for greenwashing, with boxes placed in unsuitable locations, installed incorrectly, or lacking post-installation monitoring.