During the period from July 3rd to 9th, 2025, the following international news occurred:
1. China to deploy 253 GW of PV for desert control in arid north
China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and two other ministries jointly issued the "Photovoltaic Desert Control Plan (2025-2030)," proposing to deploy 253 GW of solar capacity in northern and northwestern regions to combat desertification across 670,000 hectares, with a focus on the "Three Norths" areas. The plan prioritizes development along the edges of eight major deserts including the Taklimakan, adopting a "power generation above panels, ecological restoration below" model to synergize energy production and environmental rehabilitation. This approach reduces afforestation costs from 12,000 yuan per mu to 1,800-3,000 yuan, with projects like Kubuqi already generating over 1 billion yuan in annual revenue. The plan mandates strict ecological protection measures, complementary energy storage and hydrogen facilities, and inclusion as a key initiative in the 15th Five-Year Plan.
2. Türkiye installed around 2.8 GW of solar in first five months of 2025
Data from Türkiye's Ministry of Energy shows the country added around 2.8 GW of solar capacity in the first five months of 2025, reaching a cumulative total of 22.648 GW by the end of May. Commercial and industrial projects were the primary growth drivers, contributing over 7.6 GW in the past 12 months. The country's total renewable energy capacity stands at 72.492 GW, with solar accounting for 31% and hydropower nearly half. Currently, wind and solar power can meet the annual electricity demand of all households nationwide. The Energy Minister stated that Türkiye plans to hold auctions for at least 2 GW of wind and solar projects annually, estimating an $80 billion investment requirement to achieve its 2035 target of 120 GW for wind and solar. The latest solar auction recorded an average price of $0.0325 per kilowatt-hour.
3. Sunkind partners with JA Solar for 6.4 GW of PV manufacturing in India
India's Sunkind Energy has entered a strategic partnership with JA Solar to establish 2.4GW solar cell and 4GW module production manufacturing bases. JA Solar will provide TOPCon cell technology and production support to facilitate the development of India's local PV manufacturing. Sunkind's founder stated that this move will accelerate India's renewable energy self-sufficiency. Since its establishment in 2019, the company has completed 150MW EPC projects and is now expanding into battery modules, energy storage and electric vehicle infrastructure fields. As of the first quarter of 2025, JA Solar's cumulative global shipments have exceeded 280GW.
4. Guyana launches net billing scheme for rooftop PV
The Government of Guyana has introduced a net billing program for rooftop photovoltaic systems up to 100 kW, with larger systems subject to approval based on user’s maximum demand and grid-connection requests. The scheme is implemented by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and Guyana Power and Light (GPL) through standard contracts; users' excess electricity can be deposited in the Energy Credit Bank, and that unused within 12 months will be paid at 90% of the electricity price. Additionally, the government has approved $4.2 million to upgrade solar systems in 21 Amerindian villages. Earlier this year, GEA tendered for solar arrays with storage to be installed in public buildings across four regions. With solar capacity reaching 17 MW by the end of 2024, the program aims to promote the development of distributed generation and reduce reliance on the power grid.
5. UAE launches 60 MW solar plant to power gas complex, grid
The Emirate of Sharjah in the UAE launched its first utility-scale solar power plant—the 60 MWp SANA facility— co-developed by Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF. It supplies electricity to the Sajaa gas processing complex while feeding surplus power into the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) grid. The plant includes 98,000 solar panels and 13,000 single-axis trackers, reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by 66,000 tons, and Emerge will operate and maintain it for 25 years. Adopting a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the project is among the first facilities in the Middle East to integrate solar energy with oil and gas operations, marking a significant step by Sharjah National Oil Corporation towards carbon neutrality.
6. UK government unveils solar roadmap, outlines steps to 47 GW by 2030
The UK government has released its Solar Roadmap, planning to increase photovoltaic installed capacity from the current 19 GW to 45-47 GW by 2030. The policies include 72 measures such as reforming the Contract for Difference (CfD) mechanism, promoting the rooftop solar revolution (including a £13 billion household heating scheme), studying the safety of balcony-mounted solar panels, and assessing the potential of solar canopies in parking lots. The government expects to achieve the target through grid reforms, skills training and supply chain optimization, while also considering extending power purchase agreement (PPA) terms to over 15 years to accelerate deployment. It is estimated that under the most optimistic scenario, the installed capacity could reach 85 GW by 2035.
7. France releases new FIT rates for PV systems up to 500 kW
France's energy regulatory CRE released the feed-in tariff (FIT) rates for rooftop solar PV systems up to 500 kW for July-September 2025. Among them, systems ≤3 kW and 3-9 kW will no longer receive FITs, transitioning to net metering for surplus electricity only, to encourage self-consumption. FIT rates are set at €0.1243/kWh for 9-36 kW systems, €0.1081/kWh for 36-100 kW, and €0.0886/kWh for 100-500 kW. Installation subsidies range from €0.08-0.18/W, while net metering compensation for surplus power from ≤100 kW systems varies between €0.04-0.0731/kWh (based on month and system size).
8. Belgium expected to reach 33.6 GW of PV capacity by 2035
Belgium grid operator Elia's latest report predicts that the country's PV capacity will increase from 12.6 GW by end-2025 to 22.5 GW in 2030, and reach 33.6 GW by 2035. The report attributes this growth to declining PV costs, while offshore wind power faces structural challenges. To ensure power supply security, Belgium will require new capacity starting from 2028 and develop energy storage through the Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM). PV capacity reached 12 GW at the end of 2024, accounting for 13% of electricity consumption. The country’s three regions each have their own regulatory frameworks for renewable energy, and the transformation of the power system requires the Capacity Remuneration Mechanism to ensure supply.
9. Solar surpasses 10% of U.S. electrical generation for a full month for the first time
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in April 2025, solar power generation surpassed 10% of U.S. electrical generation in a single month for the first time, reaching 10.64%. Combined with wind power, it accounted for nearly 25%, while carbon-free electricity accounted for 49.3%. Over the past two years, the U.S. has added 90GW of new PV installations, with total installed capacity reaching 236GW. California set a record with 42% solar power generation, while Texas increased from 8% to 11%. Despite Congress discussing cuts to clean energy tax credits, solar power generation still increased by 52% compared to the same period in 2023 and by 26% compared to 2024.
10. Largest UK solar plant goes online
The UK's largest solar power station, the 373 MW Cleve Hill Solar Park, has entered commercial operation and can now supply the grid at full capacity. Its capacity is more than four times that of the UK's second-largest operational project. The project developer Quinbrook stated that its accompanying 150 MW/300 MWh energy storage system is still under construction; it obtained approval as a national major infrastructure project in 2020. It received funding under the CfD scheme in 2022, and signed power purchase agreements with Tesco (65% of capacity) and Shell Energy (35% of capacity) in 2024, securing £218.5 million in loans and £2 million in VAT funding, marking it the largest solar-storage project financing in the UK.
11. Israel requires PV systems on new residential, commercial buildings
Israel introduced new regulations requiring that new non-residential buildings with roof area exceeding 250 square meters and new detached residential buildings with roof area over 100 square meters must install PV systems; residential buildings must have a minimum installed capacity of 5kW, while new residential buildings with roofs area over 250 square meters must be prepared for PV installation. The policy aims to align with the "100,000 Solar Roofs Program" and is expected to add 3.5GW of installed capacity by 2040. The Israeli government plans to have 30% of electricity come from renewable energy by 2030; it added 900MW of new PV installations in 2024, with total installed capacity reaching 5.36GW. The Energy Minister stated that it will be expanded to all eligible buildings in the future.
12. Spain PV prices to fall amid curtailment, weak demand
Spain's solar capacity has grown from 11.74 GW in 2020 to approximately 34 GW, but since April 2022, 2.9% of PV output has been curtailed, with 2.5% without compensation, resulting in losses exceeding €107 million. Negative electricity prices have emerged since April 2024, accounting for 5.5% of operating hours. Prices of PV projects have plummeted: prices of RtB projects dropped from over €150,000/MW to €30,000-90,000/MW, while operational projects fell to €550,000-780,000/MW due to factors such as curtailment, stagnant demand, and asset oversupply. Projects with reasonable PPAs and hybrid energy storage remain in focus; new regulations may bring a turnaround, with early signs of market recovery. The CEO of nTeaser stated that after short-term challenges, a more sustainable market ecosystem will be established, and energy storage has become a strategic necessity rather than a bonus in new projects.
13. Norway exempts solar power sharing in industrial zones from grid fees
The Norwegian government has introduced new regulations, allowing renewable energy projects under 5MW in industrial zones to share surplus electricity, and exempting them from electricity taxes and grid fees, starting from January 2026. The policy applies to businesses sharing infrastructure within the same industrial zone, excluding urban commercial buildings. The Energy Minister stated that this move will enhance the economic viability of PV systems and promote local consumption. Norway added 148.68MW of new PV capacity in 2024, with cumulative installed capacity exceeding 750MW. Studies show that the technical potential of rooftop PV on buildings in the country reaches 31GW.
14. C&I segment driving Turkey’s new solar boom
The commercial and industrial (C&I) segment in Türkiye is driving a surge in PV installations, with approximately 2.6 GW of new PV capacity added in the first five months of 2025 (official data shows 2.8 GW, including 0.2 GW of unregistered projects from previous years), of which 2.1 GW are "unlicensed" systems for C&I self-consumption, while 0.5 GW stems come from large-scale auction projects. The net metering policy implemented in 2023 and rising electricity prices (25% for residential users, 10% for C&I users) are key driving factors. Cumulative capacity reached 22,648 MW by end-May, with over 7.6 GW added in the past 12 months, and an estimated 5 GW of new capacity to be added in 2025. The government plans to reach a cumulative installed capacity of 22.6 GW by end-2026.
15. Sinopec launches China’s first commercial offshore floating PV project
Sinopec has completed China's first commercial offshore floating PV project (7.5MW) in Qingdao, with an annual power generation of 16.7 million kWh, which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 14,000 tons. The project adopts three innovative technologies: salt corrosion-resistant materials, anchoring system capable of withstanding Category 13 winds and waves, and low-maintenance inspection channels, increasing power generation efficiency by 5%-8%. This is an important practice of Sinopec's strategy of integrating renewable energy and hydrogen, with plans to expand the project to 23 MW. In 2023, the company completed the world's largest solar-hydrogen project in Xinjiang.
16. Hurricane, haze impact June’s solar production across Mexico, eastern U.S.
North America's solar power generation faced significant weather-related disruptions in June: Mexico experienced its earliest-recorded hurricane "Erick," reducing central irradiance by 30% compared to typical June levels; the U.S. Midwest and East saw irradiance 20% below average due to Canadian wildfire smoke and persistent cloud cover, while high-pressure systems boosted Western irradiance by 10%. Solcast satellite data revealed stark regional performance variations, with Mexico also suffering widespread blackouts. Over 350 companies utilize this data to manage more than 300 GW of global solar assets.