AGP Executive Report

Grid & renewables buildout: Malaysia’s Sabah is pushing the SSML transmission project to stabilize electricity and cut disruption risks as manufacturing, oil & gas, tourism, agriculture, and data centres expand. Policy & permitting: Bangladesh plans “automatic” business licence approvals if agencies don’t respond within seven days, aiming to speed investment. Solar in the spotlight: India approved INR 531 crore under PM-KUSUM for 553 Rajasthan solar providers, backing nearly 598 MW of decentralized farm-linked generation. Wind momentum: India’s MNRE will host Global Wind Day 2026 in Goa to accelerate wind deployment, manufacturing, and grid readiness. Climate stress on power: Kerala’s hydro reservoirs sit near 21% storage as El Niño raises the odds of weaker monsoon and more power purchases. Energy security via infrastructure: Nepal targets 5,335 MW capacity next fiscal year, prioritizing transmission expansion and adding solar and small hydropower, while opening transmission, distribution, and trading to private firms. Lunar power tech: ISRO and India’s atomic energy department are developing artificial heating so future lunar landers can survive 100–200 days, not just ~14. Weather disruption: Heavy rain and winds knocked out power in India’s Nellore district, with crews restoring service after lines were hit. Nuclear planning: Armenia says it’s not rushing an SMR supplier decision, pointing to possible plant life extensions to at least 2036. Hydrogen engine milestone: A “world’s first” large-scale hydrogen engine began generating electricity.

Wind Power Expansion: SunZia’s 3,650 MW wind farm in New Mexico is set to start commercial operations this month, with 916 turbines and power tied into transmission for Arizona and California. Solar Growth Under Pressure: US solar momentum is being slowed by federal permitting gridlock, with SEIA/Wood Mackenzie warning that delays could stall growth even as solar and storage dominate new builds. Global Cost Trends: China’s wind and solar generation costs are projected to fall more than 20% over the next decade, reinforcing renewables’ push into data centers and flexible industrial demand. Climate & Food Risks: El Niño’s return raises the odds of below-normal monsoon rains, threatening water and crop yields across India’s rain-fed agriculture. Policy & Budgets: Bangladesh’s FY27 budget adds renewable energy tax and customs relief for solar and EVs, while business groups warn implementation and energy bottlenecks could still weigh on growth. Grid Reliability & Storage: Ember reports wind and solar overtook gas in April, and separate coverage highlights storage buildouts—from Bulgaria’s “battery” push to new solar+storage financing in Arkansas. Local Clean Power Wins: Hawaii’s BYU-Hawaii moves toward a campus solar buildout aiming for 100% solar electricity, and an off-grid wellness center in Canada earns top sustainable tourism recognition. Offshore Wind Legal Fight: A US court fight over offshore wind pauses appears to be shifting as the Justice Department seeks to dismiss an appeal, keeping the industry’s legal uncertainty front and center.

Hydropower Governance: Nepal is moving to revoke generation licenses for 38 hydropower projects (1,388 MW) that stalled after PPAs, part of a “License Raj” push to force progress. Grid & Storage: Moldova used solar-plus-storage plants to provide balancing services for the first time, cutting output to stabilize the grid as renewables top 1 GW. US Solar Breakthrough: Ember reports solar beat coal in the US for the first time in May (12.8% vs 12.2%), with record solar output and coal’s continued decline. Asia Electrification: A new report says Asia is electrifying faster than the West, with South Asia overtaking the US in solar’s share and Asia dominating clean-tech manufacturing. Solar Under Fire: Russian missiles damaged a solar power plant in Odesa, while strikes also hit residential areas. Policy Targets: Bangladesh set a goal of 5,000 MW solar by 2030, framing renewables as essential for energy security and export competitiveness. Central Asia Economy: EBRD says Tajikistan’s growth is being boosted by investment and rising electricity generation tied to major hydropower like Rogun. Clean Energy Finance: UNDP and Egypt discussed sustainable finance tools to accelerate renewable adoption in industry. Local Solar Benefits: A UK heritage railway in Kent installed solar via a community deal, cutting costs and emissions. Energy Storage Investment: Serbia is treating batteries as core infrastructure, not add-ons, as renewables expand.

Offshore Wind Push (France): France is set to publish specs for a mega 10 GW offshore wind tender (11 projects), mixing 5 GW fixed-bottom and 5 GW floating sites, with a target weighted average price around €100/MWh. Distributed Solar (California): California’s Assembly Utilities panel advanced “balcony solar” via SB 868, a plug-in solar bill aimed at cutting red tape after net metering fights. Grid Reliability (U.S.): A warning on PJM’s looming capacity crunch by June 2027 ties rising demand from data centers and electrification to higher blackout risk. Portable Solar (China): Chinese makers like BLUETTI, EcoFlow and Jackery dominate fast-growing solar generator demand as extreme weather boosts resilience. Renewables vs Fuel Shocks (Cambodia): Cambodia says hydro and solar have kept electricity prices near pre–Strait of Hormuz levels despite higher diesel and LPG costs. Battery + Solar Buildout (U.S.): Cypress Creek secured $3.5B for Arkansas solar-plus-storage, adding 1.63 GW solar and 1.9 GWh storage. Wind Expansion (Philippines): Bago City broke ground on a 150 MW wind project to strengthen the Visayas grid. Hydropower Licensing Crackdown (Nepal): Nepal’s energy ministry panel recommends revoking licenses for 38 hydropower projects stalled after PPAs. Solar Policy (India): Karnataka’s regulator proposes new distributed solar rules, including storage requirements for larger systems and updated metering/participation terms. Energy Security (Pakistan): Pakistan’s LNG import volumes fell 29.7%, delaying new terminal decisions as solar and other alternatives gain share. Data Centers + Power (U.S.): Reports highlight how grid strain and generator reliance are worsening local air impacts around data center growth.

US Power Shift: Ember data shows solar hit 12.8% of US electricity in May, beating coal (12.2%) for the first time—while SEIA/Wood Mackenzie say solar plus batteries drove 91% of new capacity in Q1 2026, even as coal gets political backing. Grid Reliability Watch: A new warning flags PJM’s spare capacity could fall to 14% by June 2027, raising blackout risk as demand rises from data centers and electrification. Wind Build-Out: Prozeal Green Energy won an INR 2,000 crore ONGC award for 250 MW captive wind, and Bago Negros Energy Corp broke ground on a 150 MW wind project in the Philippines. Policy Push for Solar: Bangladesh set a 0% tax rate for solar components and offered rebates to cut consumer bills, while Pakistan reported capacity growth to 49,651 MW with net metering adding 7,319 MW. Storage & Hydropower: CEZ plans its fourth Czech pumped-storage plant at Orlík, and modelling warns Australia’s Snowy 2.0 deep storage is key to avoiding reliability gaps. EU Cross-Border Renewables: The Commission launched the €25bn T-MED Mediterranean scheme to fund renewables, grids, and clean-tech across the region.

Grid Reliability Watch: A new warning flags PJM’s emergency peak capacity risk by June 2027, with Goldman projecting spare margins could fall to 14%—raising the odds of blackouts as demand climbs from data centers and electrification. Permitting Clash: Washington’s Supreme Court will weigh whether regulators properly approved the Horse Heaven wind/solar/battery project, with opponents arguing environmental and tribal impacts were mishandled. US Power Shift: Ember reports solar hit a record 12.8% of US electricity in May, overtaking coal for the first full month on record. Storage Buildout: EdgeMode agreed to buy a 51% stake in Spain’s Ibersun Generación to launch a utility-scale BESS platform, adding 52 MW to its pipeline. Local Energy Politics: Jackson County commissioners debated AI data center limits after residents cited water and grid strain. Diesel Relief: Kenya signaled near-term diesel price cuts to ease business costs. Renewables Pipeline: India’s Juniper Green Energy commissioned 305 MWp in Gujarat, while Nigeria eyes 209,000 MW by 2050 with major solar projects underway.

Grid Reliability Warning: A new analysis says PJM could run out of emergency peak power by June 2027 as spare capacity shrinks and demand rises from data centers and electrification. Solar + Storage Momentum: Waymo says retired robotaxi batteries can be repurposed for grid-scale storage, pairing EV hardware with solar surplus. Project Finance: The Netherlands’ Westermeerdijk solar park (148 MWp) has reached financial close, using semi-transparent panels to protect soil under arrays. Energy Policy + Pricing: Sri Lanka’s PM told Parliament energy storage will be introduced to better use renewables and stabilize the grid as wind/solar targets scale. Renewables Expansion Plans: Poland approved an updated energy and climate strategy aiming for renewables to reach about half of power by 2030 and roughly two-thirds by 2040. Hydropower Reality Check: Tajikistan says it uses only a slice of its hydropower potential, even though hydropower already dominates its electricity mix. Local Clean Energy Buildout: Delhi’s LG approved land for a 66 kV solar pooling substation and a metro lift at Rohini West. Climate Risk: Zurich warns up to 75% of Southeast Asia’s planned renewables could face climate-related disruption by 2030.

Grid Reliability Warning: PJM is projected to run out of emergency peak power by June 2027, with spare capacity dropping to about 14%—a structural stress test driven by data centers, EVs, and electrification. Clean Power Tech Leap: China Energy Investment tested green hydrogen co-firing (50%) and pure hydrogen combustion in a coal boiler, cutting coal use and emissions while targeting lower nitrogen pollution. Offshore Renewables: China’s Fujian offshore solar farm—built over tidal flats—pairs with wind to use coastal space more efficiently, while Uzbekistan reports 2026 solar-plus-wind output up 28% year-to-date. Hydropower Under Pressure: Colorado River managers face “cool water” releases to protect fish, but hydropower tradeoffs and rising costs complicate decisions as reservoirs shrink. Data Centers vs Power: Seattle imposed a one-year moratorium on new large data centers over AI-driven grid and water concerns; Oklahoma towns weigh similar fights. Solar Rollouts: Bangladesh’s Padma Bridge service area says a 2.49 MW solar plant cut bills to near zero for June; South Africa’s Tiger Brands switched on solar at seven factories. Transmission Reality Check: New York and Massachusetts’ Quebec-to-US HVDC hydro lines have already seen early flow interruptions amid drought curtailments. Solar Manufacturing: Qcells started solar cell production in Georgia, aiming for large US output. Policy Watch: New Hampshire may treat solar as “impervious cover,” raising stormwater permitting costs unless exceptions apply.

Defence Solar Push (India): India’s Ministry of Defence has approved a first-of-its-kind 250 MW solar-plus-BESS project on 850 acres of unused defence land in Sitapur, with NTPC set to develop it via competitive bidding—aimed at boosting reliability for defence infrastructure and cutting long-term power procurement costs. Distributed Solar Tax-Safe Harbor (US): PowerBank says it has secured IRS “safe harbour” for 8 distributed solar-and-storage projects totaling about 30 MW DC and 31 MWh in New York and Pennsylvania, helping them stay eligible for federal Investment Tax Credits. Corporate Clean Power (US): Meta signed a 180 MW solar PPA with Zelestra for Texas’s Palmera Solar Plant, adding to a growing portfolio of Meta-backed renewables. Grid Resilience Finance (Africa): Zambia committed up to $275 million over 15 years to modernize electricity distribution, linking sovereign bond buyback financing to a grid resilience program. Renewables Policy in Europe: The European Commission approved Italy’s €23bn renewables state-aid scheme supporting onshore wind, solar, hydropower and sewage gas, targeting 37.15 GW added capacity by 2030. Hydropower Build-Out (Nepal): Construction has begun on Nepal’s 180 MW Kaligandaki Gorge hydropower project, with a planned four-year timeline. Hydrogen Pilot (Nepal): Butwal Power Company inaugurated a 50 kW green hydrogen pilot using renewable hydropower and electrolysis, supported by the World Bank and UK funding. Energy Stress Warning (US): A new report warns Lake Mead could approach a “system crash,” raising alarms for drought-hit states.

Renewables Policy Shock (Serbia): More than 60 Serbian power plants have lost their 12-year privileged feed-in tariff status since 2022, led by small hydropower (28 plants, ~23 MW) and a wave of solar (27 plants, 3.6 MW), raising fresh questions about how these assets will compete without guaranteed prices. Grid + Power Quality Reality Check (Philippines): Solaren says many factory losses aren’t from lack of solar supply, but from voltage instability, harmonics, and phase imbalance—pushing industry to audit power quality before adding generation. EV Charging Push (Namibia): Namibia’s Works and Transport ministry launched a pilot EV charging station at its Windhoek HQ, aiming to map a nationwide charging network. Solar/Wind Legal Win (US): A federal judge struck down IRS guidance that tightened when wind and solar projects “begin construction,” a key eligibility trigger for expiring tax credits. Corporate Clean Power Deals (Malaysia/El Salvador): DayOne signed for 1.5GW solar plus 2.2GWh storage via TNB; El Salvador advanced a Kuwait-backed solar plant expected to generate ~20,000 MWh annually. Energy Security via LNG (New Zealand): NZ selected two bidders for an LNG import terminal to start in 2028, targeting winter backup as gas supply declines. Business Tariff Warning (South Africa): Consumer-facing advice in SA flags that renewable tariffs can still cost more at night, especially for firms needing 24/7 power.

Middle East Energy Security: With Strait of Hormuz disruption driving “me-first energy,” the world is accelerating domestic supply and renewables—while oil and gas prices spike on renewed conflict risk. Grid & Storage: Australia’s fast-growing battery fleet is helping decouple local power prices from global shocks, and BMI warns grids are the next bottleneck for renewables unless investment and flexibility keep up. Battery Market Signals: CATL expects stationary energy storage to hit 50% of its 2030 sales, underscoring the shift from EV-only demand. Renewables Buildout in Asia & Africa: Philippines offshore wind bidders narrowed to nine for infrastructure evaluation; India’s rooftop solar keeps expanding via captive and commercial projects; and Africa’s solar power pools face rising synchronization risk as climate change makes low-output days line up. Project Finance & Policy: Italy won €23bn EU-approved state aid for renewables; Maharashtra’s BESS fight continues after APTEL challenged a post-bid condition, while the state also moved ahead with RTC renewable procurement. Local Solar for Industry: Ondo’s “Lucky Light” plan targets solar-plus-storage for 1,000 businesses, and Uttar Pradesh sees its first 15 MWp captive solar for manufacturing. Data Centers & Power: Lesotho is in talks for a 1.2GW hydropower plus AI data center project, and Equinix faces Cape Town scrutiny over water and environmental impacts.

Energy Security & Policy: Bangladesh’s special parliamentary committee is pushing a 12-point fix for fuel shocks—bigger strategic reserves (at least three months), diversified import sources, and full automation plus digital monitoring of the fuel supply chain, alongside faster pipeline and refinery expansion. Renewables Incentives: A new national budget in Bangladesh is set to add tax breaks for solar—full income-tax exemption for solar earnings until 2035 and a 5% rebate tied to electricity bills—plus reduced advance tax for EVs. Grid Stress Drives Solar Spending: Nigeria’s federal MDAs reportedly spent N220 billion on solar installations in 15 months as the grid falters and tariffs and fuel costs climb, with agriculture the biggest spender. Solar for Water Access: Tonga’s solar-powered desalination project is delivering up to 4,300 litres/day of fresh water to Hunga and Matamaka, cutting reliance on costly boat deliveries. EV Charging Build-Out: Nepal’s EV push needs at least 10,000 charging stations by 2030, up from about 1,000 today, with major gaps in infrastructure and skills. Data Centres Strain Power: Thailand is weighing new generation capacity as data-centre demand threatens reserve margins, while intermittent renewables can’t be counted on for reliability. Cross-Border Power & Integration: ADB is preparing a $10m technical grant to kick-start its Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative, aiming to expand cross-border electricity trade and speed renewable integration. Tech Watch: China’s “Zhuri” space-based solar effort reports kilowatt-level wireless power transfer to multiple moving targets, advancing the “space power bank” concept.

Bangladesh Energy Security: A special parliamentary committee urged Bangladesh to expand strategic fuel reserves to at least three months, diversify import sources, and roll out full automation and digital monitoring across the fuel supply chain, alongside tougher anti-smuggling rules and faster LNG/renewables buildout. Renewables Targets: Bangladesh also reiterated a plan to reach 30% of electricity from renewables by 2040, with policy support for grid solar, rooftop solar, floating solar, and private-sector participation; meanwhile, Malaysia is on track to beat its 2040 renewables target by 2031. Regional Power Diplomacy: India and Nepal moved to operationalise cross-border digital payments, while Afghanistan’s CASA-1000 transmission project continues toward moving 1,300MW of Central Asian hydropower to South Asia. Grid & Storage Reality Check: Estonia saw sharp electricity price swings tied to weaker winds and declining hydropower support, highlighting how storage and dispatchable backup shape renewable economics. Water Stress vs Clean Tech: Chile’s megadrought is colliding with data center growth, with activists warning wetlands are drying as server farms expand. Energy Politics & Tradeoffs: Trump’s wartime powers are funding coal plants and an export terminal, even as EU LNG imports keep falling and some countries pivot toward more gas demand reduction. On-the-ground Solar: Odisha inaugurated a 485 kWp rooftop solar plant at Lok Bhavan, adding to a 635 kW campus total. Hydropower Ecology: China is stepping up fish restoration and river connectivity in the upper Yangtze to protect biodiversity alongside hydropower development.

Energy Security & Oil: India is revisiting the Ashoknagar oil field in West Bengal, aiming to boost domestic crude output and blunt the impact of West Asia supply shocks. Climate Risk & Power: Asia braces for drought and heat stress tied to El Niño, with knock-on effects for agriculture, water, and power grids. Solar in Practice: The Philippines’ PRO-8 in Leyte switched on a 48-kW solar system to cut electricity costs and improve resilience for public safety operations. Grid Storage Politics: In Washington state, Snoqualmie residents protest a proposed large battery facility, pushing a moratorium as communities worry about fire risk and siting impacts. Hydropower Pipeline: Pakistan’s water and hydropower funding debate heats up as officials warn a low PSDP allocation could delay major dams and reservoirs. Policy Push for Renewables: Bangladesh civil society urges a near-zero tax on renewable equipment and a Tk 25,000 crore green revolving fund to speed clean energy deployment. Regional Clean Energy Wins: Zimbabwe’s Centragrid Solar Plant adds 25 MW to the grid, while Abu Dhabi reiterates its push for cleaner power and water systems by 2035. US Gas Watch: US natural gas prices slip as output rises and LNG export maintenance lingers, even as summer demand expectations build.

Solar in public services: Philippines’ PRO-8 police office in Palo, Leyte switched on a 48-kW rooftop solar PV system as the first phase of a multi-stage solar power energization plan aimed at cutting electricity costs and emissions. Grid-scale storage procurement: India’s APTEL quashed Maharashtra’s MERC approval for a 2,000 MW/4,000 MWh BESS tender, saying a post-bid Ministry of Power condition materially changed tender terms and undermined competitive bidding. Hydrogen corridor push: Dutch gas infrastructure operator Gasunie backed Oman’s hydrogen trade corridor to Northwest Europe, including work to build Oman’s hydrogen transport network and share CCUS know-how. Renewables for affordability: Liberia commissioned its first grid-connected 20 MWp solar plant, cutting power costs from 28 cents to 3 cents per unit. Energy security under pressure: A new Colorado River warning says Lake Mead and Lake Powell could reach “system crash” conditions unless water use drops fast. Fuel-price squeeze: US boaters are adjusting summer plans as gasoline and diesel costs stay elevated amid geopolitical shocks. AgriPV momentum: Odisha is scaling climate-resilient agrivoltaics, launching reports and planning tools to pair farm income with solar generation.

Fuel Costs & Summer Boating: U.S. boaters are weighing higher gasoline and diesel prices amid Iran-war pressure, with ethanol-free fuel often costing far more than regular. Hydropower Contracting: Hindustan Construction Company won a Rs 127 crore Bhutan hydropower contract for Wangchhu diversion works, a sign of continued large-hydro momentum in Bhutan. Clean-Energy Consumer Push: Pakistan launched its first consumer-focused One-Stop-Shop for solar and other renewables, aiming to simplify financing and trusted provider choices. Coal Accountability: Telangana’s BRS leader KTR demanded a probe into alleged disappearance of ~40 lakh tonnes of coal worth Rs 1,600 crore from Singareni. Data Centers vs Water: Fayetteville, Arkansas drafted tighter data-center rules to manage water use and prioritize residents, citing state limits on outright bans. Storage Tech Spotlight: Cyprus-based testing is set for underwater compressed-air storage that claims big electricity bill savings. Colorado River Planning: With no seven-state deal, federal managers will use a 10-year framework with updates every two years. Solar Procurement: India’s Engineering Projects India floated an EPC tender for up to 250 MW grid-connected solar in Rajasthan.