The Solar Boom Meets the Grid, EP 295

This week on the Energy Unplugged podcast, Richard Howard, Global Research Director, Aurora is joined by Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, to discuss the state of the global solar industry and the opportunities and challenges that come with its rapid growth.

The conversation explores why solar deployment is experiencing a temporary slowdown in some markets despite continued long-term growth, the impact of China's evolving electricity market, and the growing importance of battery storage in managing curtailment, congestion and system flexibility. Richard and Sonia also discuss how market design, grid investment and regulatory reform will be critical to supporting higher shares of renewable energy in power systems around the world.

Looking ahead, they examine the future role of solar and storage in the global energy system, the evolution of supply chains and recycling, and the increasing importance of distributed energy resources, from rooftop solar to household batteries.

Sonia Dunlop is CEO of the Global Solar Council, the world's solar PV and battery storage industry association, representing companies and national industry associations across every region and market segment. Prior to joining the Global Solar Council, she held roles at SolarPower Europe, Solar Energy UK and the RE-Source Platform, and spent five years with climate think tank E3G. Sonia also worked on the UK government's COP26 organising team and began her career working on renewable energy policy in the European Parliament. She currently serves in a number of leadership positions across the global renewables sector, including as Vice Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance and Vice President of REN21.

You will learn about:

• What's driving the recent slowdown in global solar deployment.

• How battery storage is helping solve grid integration challenges.

• Why flexibility markets and grid reform are becoming increasingly important.

• The growing role of distributed solar and consumer-led investment.