Iraq is inaugurating its first industrial-scale solar facility in its Karbala region, with a peak capacity of 300 MW, to tackle widespread electricity blackouts. Additional solar projects are underway in Babil (225 MW) and Basra (1,000 MW), contributing a capacity of 12,500 MW to the national plan for solar energy. These projects could supply up to 20% of Iraq’s electricity demand outside the Kurdistan region. Currently, Iraq’s consumption peaks at 55,000 MW, while production reaches 28,000 MW, including 8,000 MW imported from Iran.

China-based Gotion High-Tech plans to invest $5.6 billion in a battery gigafactory in Kenitra, Morocco, with operations scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2026. The facility will produce up to 100 GWh annually, enough to power nearly 2 million electric vehicles, supplying automakers such as Renault and Stellantis for the European and Middle Eastern markets. The factory will be vertically integrated, producing anodes and cathodes.

QatarEnergy signed an agreement with Samsung C&T’s Engineering & Construction Group to develop the 2,000 MW Dukhan solar project, 80 km west of Doha. Scheduled for completion in two phases by mid-2029, the project is expected to double Qatar’s solar capacity and strengthen its renewable energy portfolio. Construction on the Dukhan project is set to start its first phase by the end of 2028, with 1,000 MW to be added to the grid. The project will feature solar tracker technology and advanced inverters that can handle high temperatures, boosting its efficiency and reliability.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved a $74.1 million financing package for a 200 MW wind farm in Ras Ghareb, Egypt, jointly owned by Infinity Power and Masdar. The financing includes an EBRD senior loan of up to $60.7 million, a $3.38 million concessional loan from the Green Climate Fund, and a $10 million investment grant. The project is part of Egypt’s Nexus on Water, Food and Energy program, which targets 10 GW of renewable capacity by 2028.