Solar Sector News Roundup - August 25, 2025

Global solar developments accelerated on August 25, 2025, spanning infrastructure finance, technology deployment, and industry partnerships in the Pacific, Africa, Asia, and North America.

ADB and Sun Pacific Energy Back Samoa Solar Expansion

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a US $2.8 million loan with Sun Pacific Energy Ltd to upgrade and expand the Upolu Solar Farm in Samoa. The funding will install higher-efficiency photovoltaic panels, boosting annual clean energy output by 9.6 GWh and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 1,944 tons.

Huawei and Ethio Telecom Debut Solar-on-Tower in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s largest operator, Ethio Telecom, together with Huawei, launched Africa’s first commercial “Solar-on-Tower” sites in Addis Ababa. The integrated photovoltaic panels atop telecom towers provide up to four hours of renewable power per site-reducing diesel generator runtime by 40 percent-paving the way for greener urban ICT infrastructure in land-constrained settings.

Gamuda and Gentari Plan 1.5 GW Solar PV in Malaysia

Malaysian construction giant Gamuda and clean energy specialist Gentari announced a joint venture to develop 1.5 GW of renewable capacity-primarily solar photovoltaic installations paired with battery storage-to supply hyperscale data centers. The collaboration aims to meet expected data center power demands exceeding 5 GW by 2035 and to secure a reliable, low-carbon energy supply for Malaysia’s digital economy.

Floating Solar and Major Financing Deals in North America

  • Third Pillar Solar, backed by Glentra Capital, will explore up to 500 MW of floating solar deployment on the Texas Reservoir System under a proposed US $700 million investment, potentially conserving 15 percent of freshwater currently lost to evaporation.
  • Israel’s Enlight Renewable Energy secured a US $350 million mezzanine loan from Bank Leumi Le-Israel for US solar and storage projects, alongside a US $53 million domestic content adder in tax equity credits for its Atrisco Battery Energy Storage System.
  • SolAmerica Energy closed a US $100 million revolving credit facility with Deutsche Bank to finance distributed solar projects and equipment procurement.
  • OCI Energy sold its 100 MW Lucky 7 Solar Project in Texas to Sabanci Renewables, targeting commercial operation by 2027 amid surging solar demand tied to data center growth.

Stay tuned for further updates on how the solar industry continues to evolve across diverse markets and technologies.