Eskom, South Africa's state-owned power utility, has launched a request for qualification (RFQ) process to select developers for up to 6 GW of utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects, including solar PV, wind, and BESS. The program aims to deploy a portfolio of renewable energy projects across 2GW of solar PV and 1GW/4GWh of BESS. Qualified developers will participate in subsequent competitive procurement rounds through requests for proposals (RFPs) over the next five years.
Energy Dome, an Italian company, has opened a CO2 battery manufacturing plant in Piacenza, Italy, to expand production of its CO2 Battery technology for international projects. The facility will manufacture key components, including the large domes used in Energy Dome's energy storage systems, with plans to increase total investment to approximately €6.5 million over the next two years. The company aims to triple production capacity and expand its local workforce from 30 employees to between 80 and 90 by 2028.
Several renewable energy companies have reached significant milestones, including PJM fast tracking gas and storage projects, ContourGlobal reaching two major milestones, Northland Power completing Alberta's biggest battery, Voltus raising $225M in a Series D funding round, and Pivot Energy refinancing to support community solar. Doral is also done building its Mammoth Solar project, while Northland Power finishes construction on its largest battery yet.
South Korea plans to replace its renewable quota system with an auction-based "contract market" starting in 2027, where Kepco will sign fixed-price contracts on behalf of various entities. The draft enforcement decree outlines a framework for annual tenders, public-private cost evaluation committees to set ceiling prices, and scoring bids based on price and non-price factors. The new system aims to promote community acceptance, renewable energy contributions, and grid impact while recovering costs through electricity tariffs.
Battery storage is expanding rapidly, reshaping power systems and supporting a more flexible grid, as utilities look for ways to adapt to changing energy demands. The technology has the potential to enable utilities to better manage peak demand, reduce strain on transmission lines, and provide more reliable power supply. As battery storage scales, it's becoming an increasingly trustworthy component of modern power systems.
Southeast Asia's battery storage adoption is hindered by mainly regulatory hurdles, rather than technological limitations. The ASEAN Centre for Energy and the International Energy Agency attribute most of these obstacles to policy and market rules. This suggests that addressing these regulations could be key to increasing the region's BESS deployment.
Power group Engie has commissioned a 142MW/802MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Chile. IPP Grenergy has secured financing for its Oasis de Atacama solar-plus-storage project, which will utilize the existing infrastructure of its fourth stage and expand to 1,769MWh total capacity.
The global energy storage market is expected to grow in scale and complexity, with cumulative capacity forecasted to reach over 7 TWh by 2035. Europe will surpass the US in annual installations for the first time in 2026, driven by government-led tenders and emerging markets like Poland, which has become a global number-one. The utility segment is seeing significant growth due to contracted offtake agreements, with more than three-quarters of all contracts being signed through power purchase agreements and tolling deals.
Egypt's National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and Hyundai Rotem have signed a memorandum of understanding to study the feasibility of a hydrogen-powered tram system for Egypt's New Administrative Capital, with 44 hydrogen-electric tram trainsets proposed for a 28-kilometre route. The study aims to explore the potential of hydrogen power in Egypt's transportation infrastructure. A preliminary feasibility study is expected to be conducted.
Hyroad Energy has launched on-site hydrogen fueling and maintenance services at IMC Logistics' Fontana yard, providing a single partner for energy supply and vehicle upkeep. The depot-based facility simplifies hydrogen supply by aligning with truck dispatch schedules, minimizing downtime associated with off-site refueling. This location makes it an ideal test bed for hydrogen infrastructure in Southern California's key logistics hub.
PV Magazine