[SMM PV News] New Zealand Streamlines Grid Export Rules to Boost Distributed Energy

The UK government has granted planning approval for the 800 MW Springwell Solar Farm, developed by Luminous Energy and EDF Power Solutions. Scheduled to connect to the grid in 2029, it will become the UK’s largest solar installation to date. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband issued the Development Consent Order (DCO) on April 8, 2026, overriding local concerns regarding agricultural land impact, while a GBP 2 million community funding package was welcomed. Simultaneously, Statkraft is progressing with its 500 MW Mylen Leah Solar Farm proposal. The approval of such large-scale projects marks a significant milestone in the UK’s mission to accelerate decarbonization and secure homegrown clean energy.

Several major European markets recorded their lowest daily average electricity prices of the year last week, driven by decreased demand, higher solar production, and falling gas prices. On April 5, Germany’s price plunged to -€16.34/MWh—its lowest since July 2023—while France also saw negative daily averages. Except for Italy, weekly averages across most European markets stayed below €100/MWh, with Spain and Portugal recording the lowest averages at around €12/MWh due to robust solar output. While supply concerns and storage levels continue to fluctuate gas futures, the surge in renewable energy has significantly exerted downward pressure on power costs.

Australia’s rooftop solar market hit a record 341 MW in March 2026, marking a nearly 20% month-on-month increase. This surge was largely driven by the federal government’s AUD 7.2 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program (CHBP), which has supported approximately 300,000 battery installations. Ahead of a rebate structure shift on May 1, a rush of installations pushed small-scale energy storage to a record 1.6 GWh in March, with average battery sizes reaching a new peak of 40 kWh. SunWiz Managing Director Warwick Johnston noted that rising battery adoption is encouraging larger solar system sizes, fueling overall capacity growth across the country.