The latest renewable energy news includes announcements from GIGA Storage, NLC India, Coal India, Lightsource bp, Contact Energy, and others.
GIGA Storage Secures Grid Connection for 350 MW/1,400 MWh Albatross Battery in Germany
Dutch battery developer GIGA Storage has signed a grid connection agreement with German transmission operator Amprion for its 350 MW/1,400 MWh Albatross battery project in Lower Saxony. The agreement was signed on October 14, 2026, following the project’s achievement of ready-to-build status earlier in the month. The facility will connect directly to Amprion’s 380 kV transmission network near the Merzen substation in Neuenkirchen. The four-hour battery installation will comprise approximately 264 battery units. Commercial commissioning is planned for 2028. The project is being developed with Isenau Projects and will provide electricity storage and balancing capacity. It represents Amprion’s first grid connection agreement for a large-scale battery storage installation.
Rajasthan Awards 2,450 MW Solar and 6,400 MWh Battery Storage Projects at ₹3.42–3.54/kWh
Rajasthan Solar Park Development Company has completed its reverse auction for 2,450 MW of solar generation integrated with 1,600 MW/6,400 MWh of battery storage at Pugal Solar Park. Winning tariffs ranged from ₹3.42 to ₹3.54 per kWh. NLC India Renewables secured 1,000 MW of solar with 2,640 MWh of storage, while Rama Reflection India won 250 MW with 660 MWh. Coal India received a combined 975 MW of solar capacity and 2,540 MWh of storage across two lots. Leo Energies 6 secured 225 MW of solar and 560 MWh of storage. The tender requires four-hour batteries and at least 95 percent monthly storage availability.
Lightsource bp and Contact Energy Open NZ$273 Million, 150 MW Solar Farm in New Zealand
Lightsource bp and Contact Energy have officially opened the 150 MWac/168 MWdc Kōwhai Park solar farm at Christchurch Airport in New Zealand. The project represents an investment of approximately NZ$273 million and covers 230 hectares with around 300,000 solar panels. Annual generation is expected to reach 275 GWh, equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 36,000 households. Construction employed 235 workers at peak activity and involved 66 businesses from the Canterbury region. Christchurch Airport and dairy producer Synlait have signed long-term electricity procurement agreements. Synlait will purchase 25 percent of the project’s output for its Dunsandel and Dairyworks operations. Commissioning began in August 2026.