[Energy Storage: Energy Storage Projects Accelerate Construction In Jiuquan, Gansu Province]

Observ’ER’s annual report shows that France’s small-scale solar market slowed sharply in 2025 after eight consecutive years of growth. Sales volumes for systems below 3kW fell 45.4% YoY to 153.25MW, while the 3kW to 9kW segment dropped 17.6% from 685MW to 564.1MW. Observ’ER attributed the decline mainly to regulatory changes introduced in 2025. Since March, 0-9kW systems have no longer been allowed to sell their full output to EDF OA and can only sell surplus electricity, while the surplus feed-in tariff fell from EUR 0.12/kWh to EUR 0.01/kWh. Self-consumption incentives were also reduced. SMM believes the rapid shift toward self-consumption has weakened short-term project economics for France’s residential PV market, making storage and higher self-consumption rates increasingly important for future demand recovery.

Lebanon’s Electricity Regulatory Authority has launched a tender for up to five grid-connected solar projects with a combined installed capacity of 350MW and 1GWh of battery energy storage. The location and exact capacity of each project have yet to be announced. Selected developers will be responsible for land acquisition or leasing, permitting, design, financing, construction, interconnection, testing, commissioning, and long-term operation and maintenance. The projects are expected to follow an independent power producer model, with expressions of interest due by Aug. 31. IRENA data show Lebanon’s cumulative solar capacity reached 1.505GW by the end of 2025, up from 1.081GW in 2024.

New-type energy storage projects, once included in the database, shall commence substantive construction within 6 months and achieve grid connection within 12 months. Projects adjusted out of the database and re-entered must have obtained an immovable property ownership certificate and commenced substantive construction, and shall achieve grid connection within 6 months. Any project in the database that fails to commence substantive construction within 6 months or fails to achieve grid connection within 12 months without applying for an extension shall be adjusted out of the database.