solar power

Solar and wind generation met a record 80% of electricity demand on Australia's national grid, a new high for the country's renewable energy transition. The milestone highlights how quickly rooftop solar and large-scale wind farms are displacing coal-fired power in Australia. Commentators are citing it as evidence that renewables can carry a large share of a major national grid, though questions remain about storage and reliability as coal plants retire.

Renewables covered a record 80% of electricity demand on Australia's main grid, according to a report picked up by international outlets. The milestone, driven by solar and wind output, highlights how far the country's clean energy transition has progressed and is drawing attention as an example of high-renewable grid operation.

Retired electric vehicle batteries could be given a second life as large-scale storage units, helping Europe keep the surplus solar and wind power it currently wastes when generation exceeds demand. The approach is being described as a valuable resource for the continent's energy transition, turning battery waste into grid assets that can store clean electricity for later use.

Japan is converting disused golf courses into large-scale solar farms, reusing cleared, open land for renewable energy generation. With many courses closing as membership declines, the sites offer ready-made space for panels without competing with farmland. Observers see it as a practical model for other countries with aging leisure facilities and growing clean-energy targets.

A large battery storage facility is being built in Waltrop, Germany, at a cost of around 500 million euros. It will use 800 containers of lithium batteries to store up to 1,800 megawatt hours of electricity and deliver up to 900 megawatts of power, allowing surplus wind and solar energy to be fed into the grid later.

Australia's most powerful battery has been completed and is now operating as what its developer describes as a giant shock absorber for the electricity grid. The project is being discussed as a milestone for the country's renewable energy transition, helping stabilise power supply as coal generation is phased out and more solar and wind capacity comes online.

An agrivoltaics project in Minnesota is showing that farmland can host solar panels while crops continue to grow, according to an Associated Press report. The setup allows farmers to generate electricity and income from the same land they cultivate, and supporters see it as a model for expanding renewable energy without taking farmland out of production.

Researchers report that making perovskite films smoother has pushed a three-layer, or tandem, solar cell to a power conversion efficiency of 30.1%. Reducing surface roughness in the perovskite layer helps the stacked cell convert more sunlight into electricity, a level approaching the performance of top commercial silicon technology and a step forward for next-generation photovoltaics.

Argentina has put its first solar train into service, running on batteries charged by solar power in the Andean region. The initiative is being shared as an example of renewable energy applied to public transport, with coverage from Euronews drawing attention to the use of Andean sunlight as the train's power source and the project's significance for sustainable transit in the country.

Scientists have produced solar power from panels placed 10 metres underwater, according to a report by Euronews. The experiment suggests solar panels can work effectively below the sea surface, where water cools the equipment and space is abundant. If scalable, underwater solar could open new sites for renewable energy generation, though costs, maintenance and efficiency underwater remain open questions for the industry.

Indonesia has set out its priorities for turning its 100 GWp solar power ambition into concrete global investment opportunities. The announcement positions the country's large-scale solar expansion as a magnet for international capital, with the government framing clear priorities to make projects investable. Details of the specific measures remain limited, but the move signals Indonesia's intent to court foreign investors for its renewable energy build-out.

Nevada is seeing unexpected growth in solar energy, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The state, long associated with gambling and desert landscapes, is emerging as a notable player in renewable power, drawing attention to how quickly its solar capacity and clean-energy ambitions are advancing.

The Honnold Foundation, founded by climber Alex Honnold, is expanding access to solar energy in remote and off-grid communities. Forbes reports on the foundation's work funding solar projects that bring reliable electricity to areas lacking grid access. The initiative highlights how renewable energy can reach places that traditional infrastructure has left behind.

The Honnold Foundation, founded by rock climber Alex Honnold, is expanding access to solar energy in remote communities that lack reliable electricity. The foundation funds solar installations in off-grid regions, supporting local partners to deliver clean power. Forbes highlighted the effort, drawing attention to how the climber best known for free soloing El Capitan has channelled his fame into renewable energy philanthropy.

French development finance institution Proparco and Finland's Finnfund have committed $33 million to ERCO, a Colombian solar energy platform. The investment is aimed at expanding solar power capacity in Colombia, supporting the country's transition to renewable energy. Development finance institutions have been increasingly directing capital toward Latin American clean energy projects.

NextPower says demand for solar power and battery storage remains strong despite policy uncertainty and grid connection bottlenecks. The company's outlook suggests the clean energy buildout is continuing through regulatory headwinds, reinforcing confidence among investors and industry watchers that renewables growth will hold up even as permitting and infrastructure issues persist across major markets.

Researchers have reported progress in underwater solar power after completing a 10-metre test, marking a step toward generating solar energy beneath the water's surface. The development points to potential new ways of harvesting renewable energy in oceans and other bodies of water, an area attracting growing interest as demand for clean power expands.

Solar irrigation company SunCulture has secured USD 10 million in financing to scale its operations in Africa. The company provides solar-powered water pumping systems that help smallholder farmers irrigate their land without reliance on rain or costly diesel. The funding is expected to support expansion of its customer base and distribution across African markets, where access to affordable irrigation remains a major constraint on agricultural productivity.

Turkey's Parliament is set to meet all of its electricity needs through solar power sourced from Konya, according to Hürriyet Daily News. The move would make the legislative body fully reliant on renewable energy from the central Anatolian province, a region known for high solar potential. It signals a symbolic step in the country's push toward clean energy in public institutions.

An Ohio solar farm has placed more than 50 beehives on its grounds, hosting roughly 3 million honey bees and turning the energy site into an unlikely pollinator habitat. The project pairs renewable power generation with beekeeping, and coverage highlights it as an example of solar sites being used to support declining bee populations alongside clean energy production.