Author: solarenergy

Leadership reveals itself most clearly under pressure. Not when everything goes according to plan, but when decisions go against us, frustration mounts and the outcome we’ve been working toward begins to disappear. The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina was a powerful example of this. It showed what collective leadership can achieve, but also how a lack of responsibility and emotional control can turn a difficult situation into defeat. This wasn’t just a lesson about football. It was a lesson for every leader and organization dealing with pressure, uncertainty and change. The collective is greater than the individual Spain’s…

UK independent power producer (IPP) Elgin Energy has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 112.6MW solar PV portfolio with renewable asset optimization company Erova Energy Group.The agreement between Elgin and Erova includes three British solar energy projects where construction began earlier this year: the 61.9 MW Thorpe plant in Staffordshire, the 26.2 MW Aston Flamville Park in Leicestershire and the 24.5 WM Maes Mawr project in Glamorgan.Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), in addition to operations and maintenance (O&M) services, on all three projects are being delivered by Metlen, the company that acted as EPC contractor for the…

China has released the full texts of three mandatory national standards that impose restrictions on energy consumption and efficiency in the photovoltaic production value chain. The standards were approved on June 27, published in full on July 22 and will come into effect on January 1, 2027. They cover the production of polysilicon and germanium, the production of monocrystalline silicon and the efficiency of crystalline silicon modules and inverters. The most important changes appear in GB 29447-2026, the revised energy consumption standard for polysilicon and germanium production. The final version is stricter than the draft released for public consultation in…

Global renewable infrastructure operator Schroders Greencoat has selected Ireland-based asset manager EnergyPro as the technical asset manager for its portfolio of 27 solar PV projects in the UK.The operating portfolio includes locations in Dorset, Somerset, Norfolk and Oxfordshire, the companies said, but did not specify which of them Schroder’s assets the agreement includes.EnergyPro manages the assets as an extension of an existing partnership with Schroders Greencoat, and already offers its services to Irish wind energy in Schroders’ portfolio.It is a significant expansion of EnergyPro’s asset management portfolio, which previously managed just three assets in England.Statkraft acquires FID for two British…

Hybrid power purchase agreements (PPAs) that combine renewable generation with battery energy storage systems (BESS) are gaining traction in Europe, despite requiring higher prices than standard solar PPAs. According to the European PPA Price Index for Q2 2026 compiled by LevelTen Energy, the additional value offered by hybrid structures is encouraging more corporate buyers to consider them over conventional arrangements. The report shows that the P25 price for solar PPAs in Europe increased by 2.8% in the second quarter, marking the first quarterly increase after a year of consecutive declines. Wind power PPAs, meanwhile, fell 1.6%, continuing the downward trend…

French utility Engie has deployed 100 MW battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Scotland.Each BESS site consists of two projects in Cathkin (near East Kilbride) and Broxburn (west of Edinburgh), has a capacity of 50 MW/100 MWh and will provide high-speed network services and support the 24-hour integration of renewable energy sources.Engie’s AI-driven optimization platform, Orus, will power the BESS projects’ dynamic response to the grid. According to the utility, the two-hour storage duration will play a crucial role in balancing supply and demand by releasing the stored excess energy into the grid when necessary.The start of operations at the…

Argentina added 40.9 MW of distributed generation capacity in the first half of 2026, increasing its cumulative installed capacity by 34.5%, from 118.6 MW at the end of 2025 to 159.5 MW in June. During the same period, the number of user generators increased by 25.8%, from 3,762 to 4,734, according to the latest report from the country’s Secretariat of Energy. The country now has 159.5 MW of cumulative installed distributed generation capacity across more than 4,700 projects that have completed installation, connected to the grid through bi-directional meters and achieved user-generator status. In June alone, Argentina added 186 user…

Plans to bring plug-in solar panels to the UK market are progressing, but the electricity industry is urging some caution from the government.The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) said it supports the government’s decision to introduce changes to the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations (PSSR) 1994 to allow more UK homes to use plug-in solar panels and the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification (IPS).ECA deputy technical director Gary Parker said: “We are saying very clearly to the government: don’t put speed before safety.”The trade body warned that the technology will only be useful “if regulations are strict, products are…

Cornwall Insight has cut its energy price cap forecast in October following the abolition of VAT on UK electricity bills, although the new government’s wider energy approach remains unclear.The expected price ceiling for an average household will be £1,699.59 from October to December 2026, according to Cornwall Insight, up from £1,906.27 in the previous forecast. The fall includes both the abolition of VAT on electricity costs, which stands at 5%, and Ofgem’s adjustment to its assessment of a “typical household” to reflect lower domestic energy consumption in recent years.Despite the abolition of VATThe October cap will still be around 2%…

Commercial energy supplier SmartestEnergy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with European solar developer Greentech for a solar PV project in Kent.The two companies have signed a 15-year Contracts for Difference (CfD) PPA for the 26 MW Chalkpit Solar Farm in Guston, Kent. The agreement covers the pre- and post-commissioning phases of the 25-hectare project’s lifespan, which SmartestEnergy says provides “revenue security throughout its lifecycle.”SmartestEnergy won the contract through a competitive bidding process, which will now see it purchase power from Greentech’s first renewable energy source in Britain.The company said the deal “marks a foundation for future collaboration” and…