Storylines
Storylines: the longer arc — signals stitched into continuity across days and weeks.
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Battery storage scale-up: global milestone, NSW contracting, China’s 12.8 GWh cluster
A set of updates across major markets underscores accelerating scale in battery energy storage. Rystad Energy data reported by pv magazine says global operational BESS capacity has surpassed 250 GW—overtaking pumped hydropower storage for the first time—and projects global additions exceeding 130 GW/350 GWh in 2026.
Details
- Rystad-linked reporting frames 2025 as a capacity inflection point
- NSW contracting and approvals indicate near-term buildout momentum
- China’s grid connection of a 12.8 GWh cluster provides a high-visibility milestone
Live storylines from the latest runs. Sorted by momentum.
Solar capacity milestones collide with policy-driven contracting headwinds
Solar’s buildout momentum is showing up in capacity milestones—most notably in the US, where installed solar capacity has overtaken wind, and in Australia, where rooftop PV reached 28.3 GW by end-2025.
Details
- FERC-referenced data marks a new US capacity ranking milestone
- Pexapark outlook frames 2025 as a turning point for US PPA contracting conditions
- End-2025 tallies in Australia and Indonesia quantify rooftop and C&I-driven expansion
Tesla rolls out U.S.-made residential solar panels to complete its home energy ecosystem
Tesla has introduced new residential solar panels and a mounting system positioned as the missing piece in an all-Tesla home energy package. pv magazine reports the panels (TSP-415 and TSP-420) are assembled at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York, and are intended to pair with Tesla’s inverter, Powerwall, EV...
Details
- Tesla is launching new panel models (TSP-415 and TSP-420) alongside its existing inverter and Powerwall
- Multiple outlets report renewed focus on rooftop solar and activity at the Buffalo factory
- The company is positioning the panels as completing its residential energy ecosystem
Court rulings allow US offshore wind projects to proceed despite stop-work order
US offshore wind projects are moving forward again after federal court rulings weakened the Trump administration’s stop-work order. Canary Media reports a judge cleared the 924-MW Sunrise Wind project to proceed, while other coverage says multiple projects have resumed construction or received the green light to do so.
Details
- A judge ruling on Sunrise Wind adds to a string of decisions affecting multiple projects
- Outlets report construction resuming or approvals to proceed after the December halt
- The story is developing as legal challenges play out in real time
PPAs diverge as flexibility scales: US solar prices rise; Europe contracts BESS; VPP actio
Signals from three reports suggest procurement is evolving toward flexibility alongside traditional PPAs. LevelTen Energy data show US solar PPA prices rose 3.2% in Q4 2025 (second straight quarterly increase) amid a “post-OBBBA” environment, while wind PPAs fell 1% quarter-on-quarter.
Details
- Q4 2025 PPA pricing data highlight ongoing US procurement uncertainty
- 2025 European contracting shows rapid scaling of BESS flexibility agreements
- 2025 state/utility actions indicate accelerating VPP program formation
EU battery storage scales in 2025 as Sungrow debuts PowerTitan 3.0 in Europe
Coverage of SolarPower Europe’s EU Battery Storage Market Review 2025 says EU countries set a record for battery storage deployments for the 12th straight year in 2025, but still need to accelerate to meet clean energy goals.
Details
- SolarPower Europe’s EU Battery Storage Market Review 2025 was published this week
- Sungrow has now showcased PowerTitan 3.0 to European developers
- Multiple outlets covered the European debut and configuration details
Solar snapshots: high penetration in Chad, scale-up in Senegal, steady additions in Chile
New PV capacity updates underscore divergent solar pathways. Chad’s installed solar capacity is reported at 110 MW, with solar supplying 36.7% of electricity generation amid 12% electrification.
Details
- Same-day country updates published with fresh capacity and generation-share figures
- Multiple markets report both installed base and near-term project pipelines
- New data points sharpen comparisons across very different power-system contexts
C&I solar-plus-storage: bundled platforms and modular BESS launches
A set of C&I-focused launches highlights continued momentum in behind-the-meter solar-plus-storage packaging and modular BESS design. SolarEdge is pairing its commercial inverters and power optimizers with Socomec BESS and the SolarEdge ONE EMS as a streamlined C&I solution.
Details
- Multiple C&I storage product announcements landed within the same news cycle
- Near-term commercialization timelines are being signaled (e.g., SMA targeting Q2 2026 in Europe)
- Policy and operational drivers (self-consumption, outages) are being used to frame C&I demand
EV sales pulse: 2025 US share shifts and Australia’s January 2026 plug-in start
CleanTechnica publishes a small cluster of EV adoption reads spanning the US and Australia. One post compiles 2025 US battery-electric market-share results, reporting Tesla at 46% (down from 49% in 2024), with GM at 13% and Ford at 7%.
Details
- CleanTechnica says 2025 US EV numbers are now compiled and ready for analysis
- January 2026 Australia sales provide an early-year plug-in penetration read
- Multiple related posts in a short window reinforce the same adoption theme
Batteries dominate Australia’s record pipeline as China posts 2025 storage surge
Australia’s grid connection and investment pipeline is hitting new highs, with batteries emerging as the dominant technology in development and a large share of newly reaching full output.
Details
- AEMO’s latest quarterly/scorecard updates show record pipeline and Q4 commissioning
- Multiple Q4 projects reached full output in the NEM, led by battery projects
- China’s end-2025 totals provide a fresh benchmark for storage growth
Enphase cuts ~6% of workforce as U.S. residential solar credit expires
Enphase Energy says it is reducing its global workforce by about 6% (around 160 employees) as it prepares for lower near-term U.S. residential solar demand following the expiration of the federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit (25D) on Dec. 31, 2025.
Details
- Enphase announced workforce reductions affecting ~160 employees
- Company cites the end of the 25D residential solar tax credit
- Restructuring targets lower operating expenses by Q3 2026
CleanTechnica frames December as a record month for global plug-in EV sales
A three-part CleanTechnica leaderboard package argues December was a record month for global plug-in registrations (over 2.1 million), with BEVs (+13% YoY) and PHEVs (+6% YoY) rising.
Details
- Year-end (December) data resets market narratives and leaderboards
- CleanTechnica published a coordinated set of market, model, and OEM ranking posts
- December is positioned as a record month in CleanTechnica’s dataset
LG Energy Solution pairs US market-share target with 5 GWh Qcells storage deal
LG Energy Solution is signalling a stronger push into US energy storage in 2026, including a stated goal to capture 50% of the market while keeping global battery cell production around 300 GWh and shifting more supply toward ESS applications.
Details
- New multi-year 5 GWh supply agreement ties storage volumes to near-term project pipelines
- Company messaging highlights 2026 production and market-share objectives
- US utility-scale storage demand is a focal point in both items
U.S.-India trade agreement reported to cut tariffs on Indian solar imports to 18%
Two industry reports say a U.S.-India trade agreement will reduce tariffs on Indian solar imports, with the export tariff cited at 18% versus prior levels reported as up to roughly 50%. pv magazine USA adds that the change includes rescinding a penalty tariff and applies to solar modules and energy storage...
Details
- Both outlets report the agreement on Feb. 3, 2026.
- Tariff levels are described as changing immediately for Indian solar exports.
- Developers and importers may reassess procurement under the new rates.
Metals rally framed as macro-driven; copper move linked to power infrastructure spend
Reports highlighted a sharp metals rally, with US dollar weakness cited as a key tailwind. pv magazine said silver hit a new all-time high of $, attributing the move to dollar weakness, heightened geopolitical tensions and momentum from gold.
Details
- Silver was reported hitting a new all-time high ($ )
- Copper was reported reaching a new all-time peak on the LME
- Both reports cited US dollar weakness as a key factor
US storage financing tops $2bn as data-centre growth reshapes revenue models
Two reports point to strengthening momentum in battery energy storage: pv magazine USA details more than $2 billion in newly announced financing across early-2026 transactions, led by Aypa Power’s $1.5 billion facility (plus a $500 million accordion feature).
Details
- Multiple major US storage financing announcements landed in early 2026
- Data centre capacity is surging, prompting reassessment of storage’s role and revenues
- Financiers are discussing evolving commercial models for storage-backed grid support
Solar Insure launches SI-Commercial warranty and expands approved vendor list
Solar Insure launched SI-Commercial, an insurance-backed warranty product for commercial solar projects up to 2 MWdc, and expanded its Approved Vendor List for commercial equipment suppliers.
Details
- Commercial solar growth increases focus on long-duration O&M and risk coverage
- Vendor-list expansion signals a push to standardize bankable equipment stacks
- New product launch positions Solar Insure beyond residential-focused offerings
Estonia’s 100 MW/200 MWh Hertz 1 battery starts operations in Kiisa
Trade outlets report that the 100 MW/200 MWh Hertz 1 battery energy storage project in Kiisa, Estonia, began operation on Feb. 3 and has been inaugurated as the first of two equal-sized projects under the Baltic Storage Platform JV (Evecon, Corsica Sole and Mirova).
Details
- Hertz 1 began operation on Feb. 3
- Commissioning follows a recent testing fault tied to a regional grid disturbance
- Developers inaugurated the first of two planned equal-sized BESS projects
FERC-based tallies: U.S. solar edges past wind in total installed capacity
FERC-based reporting for November 2025 shows solar extending its run as the top source of new U.S. generating-capacity additions for a 27th straight month.
Details
- November 2025 FERC data extends solar’s 27-month lead in new capacity additions
- Coverage flags the point at which total solar capacity surpasses wind
- Multiple outlets are consolidating the same FERC-based milestone into a clear narrative
Solar pricing pressure spans PPAs and cells as policy and input costs bite
Solar pricing pressure is showing up in both contracting and components. LevelTen Energy’s Q4 2025 PPA Price Index shows North American solar PPA prices rising again, amid a shifting tax-credit landscape and “post-OBBBA” regulatory uncertainty.
Details
- LevelTen reports a second straight quarterly rise in Q4 2025 solar PPA prices
- OPIS flags a fourth consecutive weekly increase in China TOPCon cell prices
- Both updates cite uncertainty (tax credits, export rebates) as a pricing factor