Solar developer Alight will own and operate three solar parks under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Sweden. The projects are expected to generate at least 24 GWh combined, providing power to fashion retailer H&M.

Wood Mackenzie says the solar industry has reached a new stage in its evolution and is predicting around 350 GW of global solar installations annually for the next eight years. The research firm is also forecasting challenges for the solar manufacturing sector and long-awaited benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States.

Mitsubishi HC Capital, a Japanese investment firm, has become the second-largest shareholder in Danish renewable energy developer European Energy A/S by acquiring the equivalent of 75 million shares. Knud Erik Andersen, the CEO of European Energy, says the transaction more than triples the company’s equity.

Scientists conducting a five-year research project in southern Minnesota have observed a tripling of insect numbers near two solar facilities built on rehabilitated agricultural land. They say the findings show how habitat-friendly solar could help protect insect populations and improve pollination in nearby agricultural fields.

SolarEdge, an Israel-based inverter manufacturer, says it plans to cut about 900 jobs as part of a restructuring plan “designed to reduce operating expenses and align its cost structure to current market dynamics.”

MBHE, a southern African solar company, says the new partnership with global energy business Puma Energy will enable it to maintain an aggressive growth strategy and access a larger network of commercial and industrial clients into Sub-Saharan Africa.

PV funding activity increased by 42% year-on-year in 2023, driven by strong growth in private market financing and debt financing, despite a decrease in the total number of deals, according to Mercom Capital Group.

The Western Solar Plan, which will govern the leasing of US public land for solar, has been updated for the first time in more than a decade. It has identified 22 million acres (8.9 million hectares) that are best suited for solar development across 11 featured states.

ODE Vlaanderen, a renewable energy association in Belgium, says the Flanders region likely added more than 1 GW of solar capacity in 2023. While the residential market will probably have less orders in early 2024, the organization says it expects strong growth in the large-scale market.

Arab countries are “punching above” their weight in their contribution to academic research on photovoltaics, according to analysis by UNESCO. The region is expanding its global share of scientific publishing across all key energy topics, but it is highest in solar.