[SMM PV Flash] ORIX Starts Construction on 589 MWh of Japanese Grid Storage with External Capital

Indian solar PV component manufacturer Vishakha Renewables has submitted draft papers to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), aiming to raise INR 12.5 billion (approx. $149 million) through a fresh issue of shares. The net proceeds will primarily be used for debt repayment and expanding production lines for solar components, including solar glass and encapsulants. This move reflects how India's domestic PV supply chain is accelerating capital market access to scale alongside growing domestic module manufacturing capacity.

A bipartisan bill aimed at expediting the permitting process for energy projects was recently introduced in the US Senate. The bill proposes to accelerate authorization and environmental reviews for energy projects and transmission lines. While this initiative is expected to significantly ease backlogs in interconnection queues, certain compromise provisions have raised concerns across the clean energy sector. The final implementation of this reform will directly impact the deployment pace of mid-to-long-term solar PV and energy storage systems across the US.

The South Korean government recently announced a national grid overhaul plan, aiming to replace rigid grid connection caps with battery energy storage integration and competitive allocation of connection rights. This comprehensive infrastructure upgrade is designed to clear hurdles for integrating over 100GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. The measure will effectively alleviate regional transmission bottlenecks and provide foundational support for the large-scale deployment of mid-to-long-term PV projects in South Korea.