During the period from October 30th to November 5th, 2025, the following international news occurred:
1. New Zealand introduces building consent exemption for rooftop solar
New Zealand has announced that building consent is no longer required for rooftop solar installations, streamlining the process and reducing costs by approximately NZD 1,060 per household. The new regulations require projects exceeding 40 square meters or located in high-wind zones to have their structural fixing designs reviewed by an engineer. Concurrently, the government will advance the Fast-Track Approvals Bill for sustainable buildings to further promote solar adoption.
2. Tennet to grant grid access to 6 GW of Dutch battery projects
Dutch transmission system operator Tennet is releasing 9.1 GW of high-voltage grid capacity through time-limited transmission right contracts, with approximately 6 GW allocated to battery storage projects. This model allows users fixed transmission access for 85% of the hours per year, saving up to 65% on grid fees. The current Dutch storage project pipeline stands at 60 GW, with an estimated economically viable storage capacity of 5-7 GW by 2030.
3. Australia’s SolarCloud opens rooftop solar access to renters, flats
Australian startup SolarCloud has launched a rooftop solar sharing model, allowing tenants and apartment residents to purchase shares in commercial PV systems for AUD 139 per panel. Users receive bill credits without needing installation, and the benefits are transferable if they move. This model aims to provide clean energy access for 2.4 million people across Australia unable to install rooftop solar.
4. Nigeria, Longi sign deal to build solar panel factory
China's LONGi has entered a strategic cooperation with Nigeria's Energy Commission, supporting Nigeria in building a solar panel factory with a capacity of 1 GW. This cooperation, based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year, was finalized this month at LONGi's China headquarters. This is Nigeria's latest move to advance local PV manufacturing, following previous plans for multiple GW-scale factories and a proposed ban on solar panel imports to promote local production.
5. Spain provisionally awards €839 million to 11 GWh of energy storage projects
Spain's Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) plans to provide €839 million in funding from EU regional development funds for 144 energy storage projects, covering 2.61 GW / 11.14 GWh of capacity. The funding allocation includes €343 million for solar/wind-plus-storage, €188 million for pumped hydro, €177 million for standalone storage, and €131 million for thermal storage. 124 are battery storage projects. The Andalusia region received the most funding (€374 million). Projects require a minimum capacity of 1 MW, with some funds reallocated from undersubscribed thermal and pumped hydro categories.
6. Australia’s clean energy pipeline grows 24% to 56.6 GW
A report from the Australian Energy Market Operator shows the pipeline for new generation and storage projects in the National Electricity Market has reached 56.6 GW, a 24% year-on-year increase. This includes 26.1 GW of grid-scale battery storage (70% being grid-forming) and 9.4 GW of solar-plus-storage hybrid projects. In the past year, 28 projects (4.7 GW) have commenced operation, reflecting an accelerated shift towards renewable energy in the energy mix.
7. Singapore, China to supply solar-plus-storage power from Indonesia
Singapore's Equis Renewables Asia (ERA) and China National Nuclear Corporation's subsidiary CREI have signed an agreement to jointly develop a 900 MW solar and 1.2 GWh storage project in Indonesia's Riau Islands, expected to be completed by 2029. CREI will lead power generation construction and operation, while ERA handles transmission and offtake coordination. The project, licensed by Singapore's Energy Market Authority, will transmit 400 MW of electricity to Singapore via a subsea cable, supporting Singapore's target to import 6 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035.
8. Tesla Energy output rises 84% to 43.5 GWh with record deployments
Tesla Energy's energy storage deployments in 2025 increased 84% year-on-year to 43.5 GWh, with a record quarterly deployment of 12.5 GWh in Q3, surpassing the full-year 2024 total within the first three quarters. The energy storage business margin was 31.4%, making it the company's most profitable segment. Upon the operational launch of its Houston factory in 2026, global energy storage production capacity will reach 133 GWh. Tesla also plans to restart solar panel production in Buffalo. A strong Q4 performance is anticipated.
9. Saudi Arabia awards 3 GW of solar in sixth renewables tender round
Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) completed the sixth round of the National Renewable Energy Program tender, awarding four solar projects (totaling 3 GW) and one 1.5 GW wind project. Among them, the 1.4 GW Najran solar project, developed by Masdar, achieved an LCOE of $0.0110/kWh, the second lowest globally. The six rounds have cumulatively contracted 43.2 GW of renewable energy projects (12.3 GW operational). The tendered capacity is expected to reach 64 GW by the end of 2025, and the seventh round for 3.1 GW of solar has already been launched.
10. EBRD invests in 1 GW of solar, 1.3 GWh of storage in Uzbekistan
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing $142 million in financing for two solar-plus-storage projects in Uzbekistan led by ACWA Power. The projects combine 1 GW of solar and 1.34 GWh of storage, making them the largest such facilities in the country and region, located in the Samarkand and Bukhara regions, enhancing grid flexibility. The Asian Development Bank and other institutions will co-finance. EBRD's total investment in Uzbekistan has reached $6.2 billion. Uzbekistan's PV capacity reached 2.275 GW in 2024, targeting 25 GW of wind and solar by 2030.
11. Bangladesh tenders 72 MW of rooftop solar
Bangladesh's Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) has tendered a 72.36 MW rooftop solar project under the 2025 National Rooftop Solar Program. The project will install grid-connected systems on nearly 1,900 public buildings in the Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, using a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model, with NESCO purchasing power for 20 years. Bidding opened on October 21 and closes on December 15, aiming for power supply by February. The country plans to achieve 3,000 MW of rooftop capacity on public buildings by 2025 and have renewables account for 20% of its energy mix by 2030.
12. Armenia hits 1 GW solar milestone
Armenia's installed solar capacity has reached 1 GW, achieving the national target four years ahead of schedule. The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure stated that, given the challenges pure solar projects pose to the energy system, subsidy policies will be adjusted starting in 2026 to shift support towards solar-plus-storage hybrid projects, potentially offering subsidies for adding storage to existing PV plants. Solar accounts for 17.2% of national electricity generation. Installed capacity was only 485 MW at the end of 2024. Spain's FRV commissioned a 62 MW plant, the country's largest, in June.
13. Storm systems suppress Northern Europe’s October solar output
Armenia's PV capacity has reached 1 GW, achieving the national target four years early. The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure stated that subsidy policies will be adjusted starting in 2026, focusing support on solar-plus-storage hybrid projects and adding storage to existing power plants. Currently, distributed PV connection capacity has reached 486 MW, and solar power accounts for 17.2% of national electricity generation.