US pulling out of ISA throws spanner in works for ties with India

The US' withdrawal from the International Solar Alliance (ISA) could make it difficult for the agency to meet its target of raising $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030, while reducing technology costs and finances, reported ET. It added that this is another move towards dismantling the carefully made three-decade long India-US bilateral relationship.  

The ISA was launched by India and France at the 2015 Paris climate summit. The US joined in 2021. The report said John Kerry, the then special climate envoy, described Trump’s move as a “self-inflicted wound” and a “gift to China.”

CEA 2025 review: India’s power shift enters utilisation phase as renewables surge, coal holds energy backbone

India’s electricity system has moved decisively beyond chronic shortages into a more complex phase of managing utilisation, grid stress and industrial self-generation, as rapid renewable energy growth reshapes, not yet replaces, coal’s role, according to the Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) All India Electricity Statistics-General Review 2025, DTE reported. 

The report said India’s installed electricity generation capacity rose to 441.97 gigawatt (GW) as of March 2024, while total power generation crossed 1,734 billion units (BU), signalling a structural shift in the country’s power mix led by clean energy expansion.

India’s installed electricity generation capacity rose to 441.97 gigawatt (GW) as of March 2024, while total power generation crossed 1,734 billion unit (BU), signalling a structural shift in the country’s power mix led by clean energy expansion, the outlet wrote citing the CEA report. 

Centre grants extra time for solar projects hit by bird conservation

The Centre granted renewable energy developers extra time to commission projects delayed by a Supreme Court case on power transmission lines in habitats of the endangered Great Indian Bustard, Reuters reported. 

The ministry said delays in securing approvals for overhead transmission lines in the bird's habitat areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat will qualify as "force majeure", allowing developers to seek extensions to scheduled commissioning dates.

The decision comes after a December 2025 Supreme Court verdict that ended the long-running case and backed an expert panel's proposal to protect the bird. The panel proposed tighter limits on new wind and large solar projects inside the bird's habitat zones. It also called for undergrounding key power distribution lines and rerouting high-voltage corridors. The court had earlier curbed overhead lines in bustard habitats, prompting developers to hold back projects while they awaited clearances.

India adds record 37.9 GW of solar capacity in 2025

India installed a record 37.9 GW of solar and 6.3 GW of wind capacity in CY2025 (January–December), marking its highest-ever annual renewable energy additions, PV Magazine reported. Compared to CY2024, solar capacity additions rose by 54.7%, while wind installations increased significantly by 85.3%.

The outlet cited data released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), according to which India’s cumulative installed renewable energy (RE) capacity reached 258 GW as of December 31, 2025. Solar energy accounts for approximately 53% of the total RE capacity, making it the largest contributor, followed by wind (21%), large hydro (20%), bio power (4%), and small hydro (2%).

Only 50% of standalone battery energy storage system (BESS) analysed have positive project economics: Mercom  

Just about 50% of standalone battery energy storage system (BESS) projects analysed in India demonstrate positive project economics under modeled assumptions, according to Mercom India Research. The projects assessed were auctioned between July and November 2025.

PV Magazine covered the report that examines the current cost landscape for energy storage in India and compares recent auction bidding with underlying project economics.

China extends anti-dumping duties on solar-grade silicon from US, South Korea

China extended anti-dumping duties on solar-grade silicon from the US, South Korea. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) extended the anti-dumping duties it imposed on solar-grade silicon imports from the United States and South Korea in 2014, PV Magazine reported. 

The duties range from 53.3% to 57% for US producers and from 2.4% to 48.7% for South Korean companies and will remain in force for a further five years.