Physical bilateral contracts from wind and solar increase wholesale power prices during high-penetration phases in Spain's electricity market. This effect reverses the price-suppressing impact of renewables observed earlier, showing a regime-dependent shift where renewable contracts have a positive impact on spot prices during normalization phases. The study analyzed 52,260 hourly observations spanning January 2019 through December 2024 to reach this conclusion.
Researchers from the University of Hohenheim in Germany are exploring whether large-scale solar power plants can induce rain in deserts through their designs. They propose that photovoltaic parks with optimized design could influence climate processes in coastal desert regions and potentially enhance rainfall by creating thermally driven updrafts and interacting with moisture-bearing sea breezes. The project aims to investigate this hypothesis on the Arabian Peninsula over three years, funded by the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science.
Iberdrola Australia has submitted a 1,000MW battery energy storage system to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) in Australia. The system will have an estimated capacity of 1GW, although the exact figure is slightly higher at 1,000MW.
Australia's New South Wales secured 2,128MWh of energy storage capacity through a firming project tender to address summer power shortages. The projects will strengthen electricity supply during periods of peak demand and system stress in the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong region. Two projects were contracted as part of the seventh infrastructure tender.
Australia's energy minister Chris Bowen announced that starting July 1, certain customers will receive free electricity for three hours each day as part of the country's Solar Sharer Offer program to shift customer use to times with excess solar power availability. The program aims to reduce energy demand at night and increase it during the day when solar power is abundant. The move is seen as a key step in Australia's efforts to rapidly advance clean energy and meet its climate change goals.
US natural gas supply is expected to reach a record 117 billion cubic feet per day this summer, driven by growing demand from LNG exports, data centers, and industrial activity, which will lead to a record power burn. The growth in gas demand is largely due to coal retirements and the increasing reliance on natural gas for power generation. This increase in gas demand will leave less gas available for storage.
Sunraycer Renewables has closed a $901-million project financing facility to support three Texas-based solar power projects, demonstrating significant investment in the renewable energy sector. The company will develop and operate these solar projects, contributing to the growth of clean energy production. This move underscores the increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce a new framework for nuclear power, aiming to reintroduce it into Italy's energy mix in the coming months. The move follows a period of decreased public support for nuclear energy after a series of accidents and safety concerns.
Richardson Electronics is partnering with Chinese lithium battery company Gotion to produce large-scale battery energy storage systems in the United States, leveraging Gotion's existing manufacturing site in Manteno, Illinois. The partnership will also utilize Richardson's contract manufacturing site in LaFox, Illinois. The collaboration aims to build localized battery production capacity for a long-term commitment.
PV Magazine