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SMM AICE 2026 Southeast Asia Aluminum Conference

ASEAN Solar Storage Summit 2026

SMM CCAE 2026 15th COPPER INDSTRY ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2026 SMM GRMI RENEWABLE METAL INDUSTRY CHAIN SUMMIT（NINGBO）

ASCC 2026 SMM 8th Automotive Supply Chain Conference & Industry Collaboration Forum

2026 SMM (3rd) South China Non-Ferrous Metals Annual Conference

CLNB 2026 Asia Battery Material Cooperation Forum

Shanghai Metals Expo 2026

APAC (11th) Ni-Cr-Mn Stainless Steel Industry Conference 2026

Indonesia Nickel & Cobalt & EV Industry Conference 2024

Meralco PowerGen Corporation and its partners have inaugurated Phase I of the MTerra Solar project in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, comprising 1.373GW of solar PV and 825MW/3,300MWh of battery storage. Once fully developed, the project will reach 3.5GW of solar PV and 4,500MWh of BESS capacity, making it one of the world’s largest single-site integrated solar-plus-storage projects, according to MGEN. The facility can currently export up to 750MW to the Luzon grid, while all 741 battery units on site have been energized. After grid testing, it is expected to begin supplying power under a 600MW mid-merit PSA with Meralco.

[Solar: Philippines inaugurates Phase I of MTerra solar-plus-storage project]

Malaysia has announced the sixth round of its Large Scale Solar program, offering 2.65GW of solar capacity, including 2.5GW paired with battery energy storage systems. PETRA said LSS6 will be divided into three tender packages: Package 1 will offer 2.2GW of solar with 1.1GW of BESS through open tender; Package 2, reserved for Bumiputera developers, will include 300MW of solar and 150MW of BESS; and Package 3 will offer 150MW of standalone solar projects for Bumiputera companies. PETRA expects the program to attract MYR 13 billion-15 billion in private investment and create 15,000-20,000 jobs during development and construction, with all projects targeted for commercial operation by Dec. 31, 2029.

[Solar: Malaysia launches LSS6 with 2.65GW of solar capacity]

Oman has approved a 6GW integrated solar cell and module manufacturing project as part of a USD 1.744 billion investment package announced by Future Fund Oman. The flagship Orion Solar project will be located in SOHAR Freezone and is expected to become the first integrated solar manufacturing facility of its kind in the Middle East, with annual capacity of 6GW of solar cells and 3GW of modules. Local reports said the project is backed by Chinese investors and is estimated to cost around OMR 220 million. The investment package also includes a 66,000 t/year LFP cathode material project for EV batteries and energy storage.

[Solar: Oman approves 6GW integrated solar cell and module project]

Swissolar data show that Switzerland had installed 338,270 PV systems with a combined capacity of 9.50GW by the end of 2025. New PV additions fell to 1.33GW in 2025 from 1.8GW in 2024, marking the first annual decline since 2017. Solar generation reached nearly 8TWh, up 33.3% year on year, covering around 13.71% of national electricity consumption. The C&I segment contributed the largest share of new capacity at 547MW, followed by single-family homes at 342.9MW and multi-family buildings at 204.4MW. On storage, Switzerland added around 485MWh of lithium-ion capacity in 2025, lifting cumulative lithium-ion storage capacity to 1.38GWh.

[Solar: Switzerland’s new PV additions fall to 1.33GW in 2025]

French PV developer and module manufacturer Reden has announced the closure of its 200MW solar panel assembly facility in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, southern France. Commissioned in December 2024, the plant was intended to help the company control part of the PV value chain, but operations became financially unsustainable amid intense competition from Asian manufacturers and the lack of meaningful European industrial preference in procurement. Reden said initiatives such as the NZIA, Industrial Accelerator Act and Solar Pact have yet to deliver sufficient tangible support for PV manufacturing in Europe or France.

[Solar: France’s Reden closes 200MW module assembly plant]

According to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on July 15, retail sales of passenger vehicles across China reached 443,000 units between July 1 and 12, down 15% year-on-year from the same period in July last year and 1% month-on-month versus early June. Cumulative retail volume for the year stood at 9.144 million units, a 20% year-on-year drop.
New energy passenger vehicle retail sales hit 280,000 units in the July 1–12 window, falling 8% year-on-year and 3% month-on-month. Year-to-date NEV retail deliveries totaled 4.984 million units, representing a 14% year-on-year decline.

CPCA: China's Passenger Vehicle Retail Sales Drop 15% YoY to 443,000 Units from July 1-12

Recently, the group standard *Rules for Cost Estimation of Complete Vehicles in China's Automotive Industry*, led by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) and jointly compiled by 18 major domestic vehicle manufacturers, was officially released.
As China’s first unified set of cost estimation standards for finished automobiles, it resolves the long-standing industry issue of inconsistent accounting calibers and lack of benchmarking basis. It serves as a key measure for the auto sector to curb disorderly price competition and advance high-quality development, as well as a major achievement of the whole industry in reaching consensus and establishing self-regulation norms.

Official Release: Cost Estimation Standards for Complete Vehicles in China's Automotive Industry

At a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on July 15, Mao Shengyong, Deputy Director of the National Bureau of Statistics, stated that preliminary estimates show new growth drivers represented by high-end manufacturing, the digital economy and modern services contributed more than 40% to China’s economic growth in the first half of this year. The economy is clearly shifting toward higher-quality, innovation-driven growth, with this trend accelerating.
In the first six months, the value-added of high-tech manufacturing enterprises above designated size rose 13.3% year-on-year. The aerospace equipment manufacturing sector expanded by 16.3%, while the electronics and communications equipment industry posted a 17% increase. Artificial intelligence-related sectors including integrated circuit manufacturing and intelligent vehicle equipment manufacturing maintained robust growth above 30%.
Green transition also picked up speed. The retail penetration rate of new energy vehicles exceeded 60% for three consecutive months in the first half, lifting lithium-ion battery output by 39.3%. In recent years, the shift from old to new growth drivers has quickened. The expanding new growth engines are becoming the backbone of China’s economy.

National Bureau of Statistics: High-end manufacturing and the digital economy drove over 40% of China's H1 growth.

[Solid-state Battery: Dellner Completes Solid-state Battery PACK Pilot Line] On July 9, 2026, Dellner stated that the solid-state battery PACK pilot line had been completed, and it aims to complete the battery cell pilot line by the end of September 2026.

[Solid-State Battery: Del Corporation Builds Solid-State Battery PACK Pilot Production Line]

[CATL and Alfen Sign Memorandum of Understanding]
CATL recently signed a memorandum of understanding with new energy integrator Alfen N.V. The two parties plan to deploy 5 GWh of Tianheng sodium-ion battery energy storage systems in the Netherlands and other Western European countries starting from 2027. This signing marks the first wave of on-the-ground applications of the Tianheng sodium-ion battery energy storage system in the European market. CATL will take this opportunity to accumulate localized experience in the application of sodium-ion batteries in European power grids, enhance product compatibility with European grid standards, thereby accelerating the large-scale popularization of sodium-ion energy storage technology in Europe and driving the zero-carbon and diversified energy transition in Europe.

CATL and Alfen Sign Memorandum of Understanding

According to feedback from an Indian refinery, the relevant national authorities have issued a directive to prioritise domestic sulfur supply and ban exports, in order to safeguard local availability.
Trade data shows that India's sulfur exports are heavily concentrated on the Chinese market. According to WITS data, in 2024 India's exports of crude or unrefined sulphur totalled approximately US$81.02 million, with a volume of about 805.2 million kg (approximately 805,200 tonnes). Among this, exports to China reached US$78.33 million, with a volume of about 797.2 million kg (approximately 797,200 tonnes), accounting for roughly 99% of India's total sulfur exports. Other major destinations included Tanzania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia, but in very limited quantities.
Previously, Indian industry lobbying groups had repeatedly called on the New Delhi government to ban sulfur exports. Of India's annual sulfur demand of about 2 million tonnes, more than half is met by imports, nearly half of which come from the Middle East. The immediate trigger for this export ban is the severe disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz caused by geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, which has continuously tightened global sulfur supply.

Category	Price Description	Change	Date
Raw Materials	Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate USD/tonne	-437.79	Jul 16
Raw Materials	Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide (Coarse Particles) USD/tonne	-386.59	Jul 16
Cathode material	China Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (EV Type, Powder Compact Density 2.50g/cm³ min) USD/tonne	-105.24	Jul 16
Battery separator	China 9μm Wet-process Separator USD/m²	0	Jul 16
Electrolyte	China Lithium Hexafluorophosphate USD/tonne	+2.72	Jul 16
Electrolyte	China Electrolyte (for LFP Battery) USD/tonne	+0.71	Jul 16

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