The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission issued the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Open Access) Regulations, 2025. This regulation follows the Karnataka High Court’s decision to strike down the previous Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules 2022 and the KERC (Terms and Conditions for Green Energy Open Access) Regulations, 2022. The Court directed KERC to frame new regulations aligned with the National Electricity Policy and the tariff policy and to consider the interests of all stakeholders.

As India accelerates its clean energy goals, financing has become a critical enabler for commercial and industrial (C&I) entities adopting solar. Structured funding options, ranging from MSME-focused bank loans to lease-based and turnkey financing, are making solar adoption more accessible and cost-effective. At the recent C&I Clean Energy Meet hosted by Mercom India in Mumbai, leading financial services companies and solar solution providers came together to share details on obtaining green loans for rooftop and captive open-access solar systems.

Grid Corporation of Odisha invited expressions of interest from consumers with a contract demand of at least 500 kW, expressing their willingness to meet their power demand through renewable energy. The initiative is also intended to assess the extent to which applicants aim to achieve decarbonization goals and comply with renewable purchase obligation targets. Bids must be submitted by May 28, 2025. Applicants having a contract demand of 500 kW or more, operating within Odisha, and sourcing power through Odisha DISCOMs, captive generation, open access, or third-party arrangements with power generators are eligible.

The Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana issued multiple tenders for installing ground-mounted solar projects of a total capacity of 21 MW at 24 locations in the state. The capacities of the individual projects range from 600 kW to 1.5 MW. The projects will be implemented under a build, operate, maintain, and transfer model on a 100% turnkey basis. Bids must be submitted by May 1, 2025. Bids will be opened on May 3, 2025. The scope of works entails the design, installation, testing, and commissioning of the projects at their region’s 33/11kV substations.

Nagpur-headquartered Sunflag Iron and Steel will procure power from an 11 MW solar project being set up by Sunsure Energy’s special purpose vehicle Sunsire Solarpark Thirty Seven in Dhule, Maharashtra. The two companies entered into a long-term power purchase agreement which will enable Sunflag Iron and Steel to source solar power from the under-construction project in captive mode for 25 years.

Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) awarded 2,638 MW of ground-mounted solar projects categorized under the ‘first segment,’ which are installations located on structures that are neither buildings nor noise barriers. The tender, which closed on March 1, 2025, saw high demand, with 420 bids submitted for a total capacity of 3,839 MW, exceeding the tendered volume of 2,625 MW. Of these, 271 bids amounting to 2,638 MW were awarded contracts, while 35 were disqualified.

Germany installed 3.8 GW of solar capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, an 11.62% year-over-year (YoY) drop from 4.3 GW, according to data from the Federal Network Agency, Bundesnetzagentur. Mercom reported that Germany installed 3.7 GW of solar power in Q1 2024, but the Federal Network Agency later revised this figure to 4.3 GW. The drop in installations could be due to the Solarspitzengesetz law that came into force in February. The law has removed subsidies for solar projects when the electricity price is negative in the spot market. The country’s cumulative solar capacity reached 103.8 GW with the recent addition.

Electric vehicle maker Tesla reported a net income of $934 million for Q1 2025, a drop of 39% YoY from $1.54 billion. The decline in profitability was attributed to a broad operational transition involving a global production line switchover for its flagship Model Y and a broader strategic push into artificial intelligence and energy solutions. The automotive revenue decreased largely due to a decline in vehicle deliveries. Tesla delivered approximately 336,681 vehicles in the quarter, a 13% drop from the prior year.