China Approves 17.44 GW Power Plan for Qaidam Desert Base, Including Solar, Wind, and Energy Storage Projects

Greece's energy regulator (RAAEY) has initiated the first auctions under the ’Apollo Program‘, tendering 200 MW of solar-plus-storage and 400 MW of wind capacity to lower electricity costs for low-income households. The single-step static auction requires developers to submit bids by March 16, with maximum strike prices set at €80/MWh for solar-storage projects and €75/MWh for wind. Winning projects will secure 20-year Contracts for Difference (CfDs) and must be grid-ready by December 31, 2027. To ensure competition, the regulator mandates a 40% oversubscription rate and limits any single bidder to 25% of the total capacity. A second phase targeting municipalities is expected later this year.

Omani manufacturer United Solar Holding has commenced production at its polysilicon facility in the Sohar Freezone, targeting an annual capacity of 100,000 metric tons, which enough to support 40 GW of solar modules. The milestone follows the closure of a massive debt financing package in mid-January totaling over $900 million, split between a $480 million facility led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and over $400 million from local commercial banks. The project's largest shareholder, Future Fund Oman, has increased its stake to approximately $260 million.

Italy deployed 6,437 MW of new photovoltaic capacity in 2025, a 5% decrease from the 6.8 GW added in 2024, bringing the country's cumulative total to 43.5 GW. The overall decline was driven by a sharp 24% contraction in the residential sector and a slowdown in commercial installations. However, the utility-scale segment surged by 15%, connecting 3.4 GW of new capacity largely due to a wave of previously issued authorizations. This growth was heavily backloaded, with the final quarter alone accounting for 2.4 GW of the year's total, fueled significantly by projects larger than 10 MW.