[SMM PV News] Botswana & Oman Ink Deal for 500 MW Solar-plus-Storage

As of March 31, Italy had 3,670 PV grid connection applications totaling 144 GW, according to the grid operator Terna. Ready-to-build (RtB) solar projects increased to 210 applications representing 9.34 GW. Solar accounts for 62.5% of renewable connection applications and 44.64% of the total 322.67 GW renewable capacity requested. Regionally, Puglia leads in number of PV applications, while Sicily ranks first by capacity at 37.39 GW. Approved PV projects reached 1,139 applications totaling 46.49 GW. Integrated storage requests remained stable, while stand-alone storage declined slightly. Meanwhile, data center connection requests rose to 480 projects totaling 82.63 GW, reflecting rising electricity demand from digital infrastructure.

South Korea has expanded tax incentives for low-carbon solar manufacturing. Under revised rules effective April 1, PV module production facilities with lifecycle emissions of ≤655 kg CO₂/kW qualify for investment tax credits. According to the Korea Photovoltaic Industry Association (KOPIA), the policy covers the entire solar manufacturing chain, including polysilicon, wafer, cell, and module production equipment. The move extends South Korea’s existing carbon-grading system—used in public solar procurement and Renewable Portfolio Standard auctions—into manufacturing investment incentives. The policy aims to encourage domestic producers to adopt low-carbon processes and advanced technologies amid strong import dominance in the market.

Researchers from the Federal University of Ceará and Federal University of São João del-Rei evaluated contracting strategies in Brazil’s Free Contracting Environment (ACL), comparing long-term PPAs with solar PV self-generation for large industrial consumers. Using stochastic modeling, the study found that direct-investment self-generation can reduce costs by up to 32.9% compared with PPAs, with an IRR of 11.8%–18.1% and a discounted payback period of about 10 years. However, self-generation carries higher risks related to capital costs, O&M expenses, solar resource variability, and electricity price fluctuations. Regulatory exemptions—especially discounts on TUSD and other sector charges—play a crucial role in improving project economics and cash flow stability.