POWER DIGEST [March 2026]

U.S.-Based Group Acquires South African Solar-Storage Microgrid. U.S.-based Energea in mid-January announced its acquisition of the YO Residence Solar Project, marking a significant milestone as the company’s first microgrid investment and entry into South Africa’s renewable energy market. The company said the fully operational 281.82-kW direct-current (DC) rooftop solar system with 700-kWh battery storage represents a $462,000 investment. The microgrid, located in Sandton’s affluent financial district, serves a 101-unit residential complex and addresses South Africa’s critical load-shedding challenges through integrated battery backup. Energea said the project exemplifies its strategy of acquiring de-risked, operational assets that provide immediate value while advancing clean energy adoption across emerging markets. The project is interconnected to the City Power of Johannesburg distribution network and benefits from comprehensive equipment warranties that transfer with the acquisition, ensuring long-term performance protection. The locally manufactured Freedom Won battery system provides additional operational advantages with established South African support infrastructure. Energea will manage the facility through Hooray Power’s operations and maintenance services, providing comprehensive monitoring, preventative maintenance programs, and safety protocols aligned with South African regulatory standards.

India Renewable Energy Company Announces Major BESS Project Now Online. A subsidiary of India-headquartered Juniper Green Energy in late January said its 100-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Bikaner, Rajasthan, has entered full commercial operation. The independent power producer focused on renewable energy said the project is operated through subsidiary Juniper Green Cosmic. The company in late December had announced the first 60 MWh of storage capacity was online. Juniper Green Energy is owned by Singapore-based family office AT Capital Group, and works across technologies including solar, wind, and energy storage, including hybrid projects. The new BESS is connected to the grid via the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre, from which Juniper Green Cosmic received approval after a period of trial operation. The BESS technology was supplied and integrated by Envision, a Chinese wind turbine, energy storage system, and digital energy services company. Juniper said the 100-MWh BESS offers “significant potential for merchant revenue streams,” which could include peak arbitrage through load-shifting and grid-balancing services, as well as ancillary services market participation. Currently, ancillary services such as frequency regulation in India are delivered through thermal power plants; wider market frameworks to allow batteries to participate are not yet open. Officials said the main opportunities for the Bikaner project appear to be through energy trading and meeting the requirements of commercial and industrial electricity users. Juniper Green Energy also said it has another 400 MWh of BESS nearing completion in Fatehgarh, also in Rajasthan, with commissioning due by summer. Juniper also said it intends to add battery storage to all of its transmission system–connected solar power generation facilities.

Prime Data Centers Will Expand into Finland. U.S.-based data center operator Prime is expanding into Finland with plans for a new development outside Helsinki. Officials with the city of Järvenpää recently announced Prime Data Centers would build a data center in the Vähänummi industrial area in the city. Prime is reportedly developing the project in collaboration with its local partner, Nordic real estate investor Brunswick Real Estate. Officials said the planned data center would represent about a $2 billion investment. “We are pleased to announce the Järvenpää data center project and launch the environmental impact assessment,” said Nicholas Laag, founder and CEO of Prime Data Centers. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, subject to the completion of the environmental impact assessment process and the necessary permits for the project. The project includes a plan for waste heat recovery and possible connection to the Järvenpää district heating network. Prime’s current portfolio is largely centered in the U.S. in California, with campuses also in development in Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; and Phoenix, Arizona. The company announced plans to move into Europe in 2023 with a three-building, 124-MW campus in Saeby, in northern Denmark. Another 40-MW campus is in development in Madrid, Spain. Investors in Prime Data Centers include Macquarie Capital, Ares Management, Siemens Financial Services, Snowhawk, and Nuveen.

UK Renewables Operator Awards Projects in Sicily. UK-headquartered renewable energy group ContourGlobal recently awarded about 80 MW of projects in Italy through FerX and NZIA tenders, confirming the company’s growth strategy in solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS). One project awarded under the FerX tender is for a 37-MW solar PV plant in Sicily, with two projects awarded under the NZIA tender for a total of 43 MW. The company said the tenders are part of the FerX Transitional framework, a mechanism approved by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) to support the development and construction of new renewable energy generation capacity. The awarded projects originate from the LIMES portfolio, acquired by the group in February 2025. ContourGlobal said it plans to launch construction activities in Italy this year for new solar PV projects in Sicily, and to continue upgrading assets already in its portfolio, with the aim of doubling its installed capacity in Italy by 2027. The company also expects to begin construction of its first BESS projects in Italy this year, after reaching 3 GW of BESS capacity in operation worldwide in 2025. ContourGlobal said the company is on track to double its solar PV capacity in Italy by 2027. The company currently operates 71 plants across 14 regions.

India Solar Energy Leader Receives Contract for Modules. GREW Solar, among the leading solar power equipment manufacturers in India, recently announced it has secured a contract from India-based energy group NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. (NTPC REL) for the supply of high-efficiency solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The company said the order amounts to 1,464.5 MW across multiple locations in Uttar Pradesh. The cumulative contract is valued at about $223 million, marking one of the largest module supply partnerships under NTPC REL’s current renewable energy program. GREW Solar said it would supply advanced, high-efficiency solar PV modules across multiple sites. The company said the project will play a pivotal role in supporting NTPC REL’s renewable energy expansion, while advancing India’s long-term clean energy transition and decarbonization objectives. GREW Solar, founded in 2022, said it wants to expand its manufacturing footprint to keep pace with the rising national demand for high-performance solar modules. The company is currently expanding its Dudu plant to 11 GW of manufacturing capacity, making it one of India’s largest artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, integrated solar PV module manufacturing plants.

ENGIE Completes Acquisition of BESS at Decommissioned Coal-Fired Plant in Australia. France energy giant ENGIE in late January said the company was taking full control of a 150-MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Australia. ENGIE has operated the Hazelwood project for more than two years, and has now bought out its minor partner and project builder Eku Energy. The project at the site of the former Hazelwood coal mine and adjacent 1,600-MW coal-fired power plant, which was closed in 2017, came online in 2023. Eku Energy is a battery-focused spinoff of Macquarie Group. ENGIE said it likely will expand the site with a second battery. The company is currently building its second big battery project, the 200-MW, two-hour duration Pelican Point unit in South Australia, next to a large natural gas–fired power station. The company said it also plans more large-scale BESS projects, along with several solar and wind power installations. Eku continues to operate the 200-MW, two-hour duration Rangebank facility in Victoria in Australia, and has announced plans for at least another eight units in Australia and New Zealand. Eku said it wants to focus on projects where the company would be the majority owner and operator.

—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.