France’s TotalEnergies says it has signed 1.5 GW of on-site solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) with more than 600 industrial and commercial customers in more than 30 countries.

Sri Lanka has launched a tender for 165 MW (AC) of ground-mounted solar, accepting applicants to develop solar plants up to 5 MW ins size, connected to one of 20 selected substations across the country. The winners will sign 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the state-owned Ceylon Electricity Board.

Researchers led by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) recorded an 11% efficiency on 50 cm² large-scale solar panels consisting of optimized roll-to-roll fabricated hybrid perovskite solar cells.

Construction has begun on a $1.35 billion polysilicon production facility in Oman, billed as the first project of its kind in the Middle East. It is scheduled to start operations next year, producing 100,000 metric tons of metallurgical silicon per year.

NatPower UK says it will bring over 60 GWh of battery storage online in the UK by 2040. It has already set aside GBP 600 million ($769.8 million) for the development of substations and says large-scale solar and wind projects will be announced later this year.

Wood Mackenzie says the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in the Asia-Pacific region hit an all-time low in 2023, as utility-scale PV beat coal to become the cheapest power source. It predicts a further drop in costs for new-build solar projects, driven by falling module prices and oversupply from China.

Bernreuter Research says the volume of polysilicon shipments into China dropped 28.5% year on year in 2023 to the lowest level since 2011. It predicts that imports could fall by another 40% this year.

The Indonesian government has ended net metering for rooftop solar installations. The Jakarta-based Institute for Essential Services Reform says this could make it harder for the country to meet its solar deployment targets, as PV installations will become more expensive for households and small businesses.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad, a Kuala Lumpur-based utility, says it plans to install floating solar farms at its hydropower facilities. It targeting 2.5 GW of capacity to support Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap.

Nepal is seeking consultants to expand its power system, which includes building more than 200 kilometers of new transmission lines, upgrading existing ones, and constructing solar and solar-wind hybrid energy systems for remote areas. The deadline for expressing interest is Feb. 27, 2024.