European Energy has completed the sale of its Jonava renewable energy project in Lithuania to Energix – Renewable Energies. The massive hybrid development features a planned capacity of 470 MW, integrating 140 MW of onshore wind, 330 MWp of solar PV, and 320 MWh of energy storage. Construction is slated to begin shortly with full commercial operations targeted for 2027. This divestment highlights the company’s "develop-and-flip" model, successfully de-risking large-scale, grid-stable assets to recycle capital into its global pipeline of wind and solar projects.

The United States currently operates no domestic nickel smelters, leaving North America entirely reliant on just two remaining pyrometallurgical facilities in Canada. Compounding this critical supply chain vulnerability, a recent report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace projects that the US will face a massive annual nickel deficit of approximately 741,987 tonnes by 2035. To address this severe shortfall, awaruite (a naturally occurring nickel-iron alloy) is emerging as a strategic solution. Because awaruite concentrate can bypass traditional smelting and be directly converted into nickel sulfate, it is favorably positioned to qualify for the US Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, helping to secure domestic defense and EV battery supply chains.

In late March 2026, the Philippine DOE mandated the expedited grid integration of 22 renewable energy projects (1,471 MW) by April 2026 to mitigate fossil fuel price volatility stemming from Middle East conflicts. This emergency deployment is heavily concentrated in solar PV, with 12 projects accounting for a dominant 1,284 MW of the total capacity.

SMM March 31 News: Raw material side, lithium carbonate prices fluctuated this week, cobalt sulphate prices dropped slightly, and nickel sulphate prices were temporarily stable.

SMM March 31 News: For Lithium battery recycling, the purchase volume of black mass by downstream hydrometallurgy recycling enterprises, up 48% MoM,

Markets frequently mistake an industry's sudden breakout for its origin. China's long-duration energy storage (LDES, ≥4 hours) sector did not abruptly emerge in 2026. Following policy incubation (2023-2024) and initial scaling (2025), 2026 marks a definitive inflection point, driven by a validated, closed-loop business model and exponential growth in grid-connected capacity.

For almost four weeks, the war against Iran has kept the world on edge – a conflict that leaves deep marks not only geopolitically but also economically. Volatility and uncertainty in global markets are increasing daily.

Research from Indonesia's Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) outlines a 180-day action plan to operationalize the country's 100 GW solar target. The initiative includes 80 GW of decentralized solar-plus-storage across 80,000 villages and 20 GW of centralized solar. IESR recommends designating it a national strategic program and adopting a differentiated approach rather than a uniform 1 MW/4 MWh system per village to avoid stranded assets. Implementing this requires a $78 billion phase-one investment, with subsequent costs estimated at $140-210 billion, plus training for 100,000 installers. A task force has already been established, alongside a $1.4 billion investment for a 50 GW domestic manufacturing facility to support the massive rollout.

On March 27, the 2026 SMM (21st) Lead & Zinc Conference and Industry Expo, organized by SMM, wrapped up successfully at Howard Johnson Agile Plaza in Chengdu, Sichuan!

The gold price has undergone a sharp correction since its January high, unsettling many investors. The price decline of more than $1,000 per ounce appears at first glance to represent a break in the previous uptrend. However, according to analysts at WisdomTree, this movement reflects less a fundamental change in the macroeconomic situation than a combination of position adjustments, liquidity needs, and short-term market pressure.