[SMM PV News] Zambia Launches 'CFIP' to Procure 300 MW of Solar

'Agratas', the global battery business of the Tata Group, has completed the steel frame for its battery manufacturing facility in Sanand, India, marking a major milestone toward its 2027 production target. The first phase of the project features an annual production capacity of 20 GWh, focusing on advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. Executed by Tata Projects Ltd., the massive structure spans 105,000 square meters and utilized over 24,000 tonnes of steel. The company is now pivoting towards developing the necessary systems, processes, and a skilled workforce to deliver world-class batteries to the global market.

Malaysia's cumulative solar capacity reached 5,777 MW by the end of 2025, adding roughly 1,448 MW over the year, according to 'IEA-PVPS' data. This growth was primarily driven by the country's large-scale solar ('LSS') and net energy metering ('NEM') schemes. In early 2026, Malaysia replaced the 'NEM' with the Solar Accelerated Transition Action Program ('ATAP'), which removes quota constraints to boost rooftop solar adoption but focuses strictly on self-consumption without export benefits. Meanwhile, data centers are spurring mega-projects, including a 1.5 GW solar-plus-storage initiative, though the government has recently restricted new non-AI data centers to manage energy resources.

Recent 'EIA' data shows rooftop solar now makes up 20% of Puerto Rico's power capacity (1,456 MW), surpassing natural gas as the second-largest source. Between 2016 and 2025, distributed solar accounted for 81% of all new capacity. To combat frequent grid outages, residents have deployed over 171,000 battery systems (2,864 MWh), with many joining grid operator LUMA's virtual power plant ('VPP') program. Despite this progress, new legislation extended the territory's sole coal plant to 2032 and removed interim renewable targets, though the 100% goal for 2050 remains.