World

Analysis from BloombergNEF finds the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of a typical fixed-axis solar farm increased by 6% year-on-year in 2025 to stand at $55/MWh, but innovation and competition are expected to see costs fall by 30% through to 2035.

A global study finds climate change will sharply increase high-temperature risks, accelerate degradation, and raise costs for rooftop PV, with economically disadvantaged regions hit hardest. Researchers warn current IEC standards underestimate future risks, urging urgent updates to avoid stranded assets and rising electricity costs.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme says second-life PV modules have the potential to reduce waste and extend the value of solar assets, but their market today remains underdeveloped and requires advances in technical qualifications, scalable reuse infrastructure and supportive policy frameworks.

Sydney-based critical infrastructure digital twin modelling company Neara has closed a $90 million Series D funding round to accelerate its focus on solving global infrastructure challenges.

Rystad Energy says it expects global battery energy storage system (BESS) additions to exceed 130 GW/350 GWh in 2026, led by Australia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

The past three years have been the world’s hottest on record. In 2025, Earth was 1.44°C warmer than the long-term average, perilously close to breaching the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5°C.

Conceived for stationary energy storage, the proposed sodium-ion battery configuration relies on an P2-type cathode material and an hard carbon anode material that reportedly ensure full-cell performance. Electrochemical testing revealed initial capacities of 200 mAh/g for the cathode and 360 mAh/g for the anode with capacity retentions of 42% and 67.4% after 100 cycles.

A new report from Wood Mackenzie identifies five key trends the global research and consultancy group expects will define the energy storage industry in 2026, including supply chain restructuring and the rise of non-lithium batteries.

Space-based solar could power AI more efficiently than on Earth, with full-scale deployment possible in two to three years, Elon Musk says SpaceX’s Starship launch vehicle and its reusable rockets aim to sharply reduce space access costs, enabling solar-powered AI satellites and potentially large-scale extraterrestrial energy infrastructure.