Key Trends

• The Iran war energy price shock continues to reinforce the economic case for renewables, with French and European coverage highlighting solar’s role in reducing fossil fuel dependency, whilst a Le Figaro piece documents that renewable energy generated €2.1 billion in local fiscal benefits across France in 2024 alone.
• Grid integration and curtailment remain a structural constraint in key growth markets, with Brazil reported to have already curtailed almost 3 GW of average solar and wind output in 2026, even as Portugal is held up as a counterpoint by deploying 1.15 GW of pumped hydro storage across three mountain dams to absorb renewable generation at scale.
• Australia’s solar market shows improving operational conditions, with the country’s largest solar farm owner posting a revenue surge attributed to both higher output and easing curtailment, whilst a consented 300 MW battery project changes hands — signalling continued investor appetite for storage-linked assets.
• Environmental co-benefits of solar are receiving renewed policy attention in the UK, with Natural England’s leadership publicly rejecting the framing of solar versus nature as a false choice, citing Cambridge University research showing measurable improvements in bird populations on well-managed solar farm sites.
• Nigeria’s solar sector is navigating a dual-sided maturation, with REAN commending new mini-grid and net-billing regulations from NERC as a positive policy step, whilst a separate BusinessDay analysis warns that rapid solar growth is exposing local developers to underinsurance risks.

For more than a century, the production of green electricity and biogas has been reshaping landscapes and contributing to the dynamism of regions … In 2024, according to a study conducted by Colombus Consulting for the Syndicat des énergies renouvelables (SER) , renewable energies generated €2.1 billion in local fiscal benefits—comprising €1.2 billion in direct taxation, €462 million from the portion of collected VAT remitted to local authorities, and finally, €443 million attributable to the value chain.

REAN commends NERC on mini-grid regulations, net billing initiative (Nigerian Tribune)

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) has lauded the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the mini-grid regulations 2026 and the draft net-billing framework for renewable expansion in the country.

Natural England boss says pitting solar against nature is ‘false choice’ (Utility Week)

The head of the government’s nature watchdog has praised solar farms for delivering “significant” conservation benefits … “Solar farms, managed well, can boost nature and support farming, as well as generating clean, affordable electricity,” said Chris Hewett, CEO of Solar Energy UK, pointing to recently published Cambridge University research that shows significant improvements in bird populations on solar farms compared to surrounding arable land.

Regional Developments

• Solar boom exposes local firms to insurance blind spots (BusinessDay)
• African Rainbow Energy Acquires Majority Stake In SOLA Group To Expand South Africa’s Renewable Energy Portfolio (Solar Quarter)
• Nigeria’s solar boom is about to get more expensive (Businessday NG)
• Mozambique relaunches tender for a 30 MW solar project financed by the European Union (Strategic Energy)
• Toyo denies Ethiopia duty evasion, confirms 4 GW ramp and US cell plant (pv magazine)

 North America 

• Enel buys 270 MW U.S. solar portfolio for $140 mln, expands in three new states (Reuters)
• RFP alert: DTE Energy opens bidding for 1 GW of solar and wind capacity (pv magazine)
• As IPO nears, Arava Power commits to largest US solar investment yet (CTech)

 Latin America

• Andes Energy targets 150MW Colombia solar expansion (BN Americas)
• Mexico launches new call for CFE renewable and storage partners (BN Americas)
• Iberdrola completes first phase of Noronha Verde project in Brazil (Energy Global)
• Brazil has already cut almost 3 GW of average solar and wind energy by 2026. (Canal Solar)
• Event “Black Box of the Solar Market” will bring together integrators and entrepreneurs in São Paulo. (Canal Solar)

 Asia

• Korea to build at least 10 solar power complexes for renewable energy expansion (The Korea Times)
• MoF approves scheme for floating solar battery storage (The Economic Times)
• Why India’s Solar Grid Has Flexibility Problem (Outlook Business)
• GameChange Solar partners with First Solar on India-made offering (Renewables Now)
• Buyer pressure, lower electricity costs drive small entrepreneurs to solar (The Business Standard)
• Singapore’s Vena Energy starts P24-billion Philippine solar projects (Manila Bulletin)
• Vietnam proposes 270MW new floating PV capacity (PV Tech)
• Thailand opens investigation into faulty solar installations (pv magazine)

 Australia

• ClearVue clears key hurdle for global solar tech rollout (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Enervest snaps up 300-MW consented battery project in Australia (Renewables Now)
• Australia’s biggest solar farm owner posts revenue surge as output jumps and curtailment eases (The Cool Down)

 EU & UK

• EU solar recycling only viable under strict policy, say researchers (pv magazine)
• MaxSolar brings live 37.6-MW solar park for German utility (Renewables Now)
• Germany adds estimated 1.16 GW of solar in April (Renewables Now)
• While Brazil is still discussing how to store solar and wind energy, Portugal has set up three dams in the mountains to function as a giga battery of 1.15 GW and store renewable energy on a large scale. (Click Oil & Gas)
• Portugal to Popular Travel Destinations: Solar Installations Raise Environmental and Tourism Concerns – Travel And Tour World (Travel & Tour World)
• Solar power plants in Portugal cause serious structural impacts (The Portugal News)

• How big can solar go? These 3 projects show us the gigascale future (Canary Media)
• NTU team creates ultra-thin solar cells that may one day be used on windows (The Straits Times)

• @Artemisfornow shared on X a post critical that the UK has “U TURNED on its pledge to ban slave labour from its renewable supply chains, ….even though it enshrined that pledge in law,” garnering 1.3K likes
• Climate skeptic X account @PeterDClack shared on X a lengthy post critical of solar ‘e-waste’ suggesting: “This isn’t just a pile of debris – it’s the future of green energy waste hidden in plain sight.” The post garnered 6.1K likes.