Energy Update

NAIROBI, Feb 12 (Reuters) - South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar said on Friday he wanted soldiers cleared out of the capital before he returns to take up the post of vice president under a peace deal, in another hurdle to efforts to end more than a year of fighting.

By many accounts, the spread of solar power is unstoppable. Costs continue to fall at a blistering pace, solutions to give consumers a solar-powered home without needing to connect to the grid for back-up power are emerging, and even the U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in, with a recent ruling that is favorable for the solar energy market.

BRUSSELS, Feb 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday he expected both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to send special operations forces to Syria to help local opposition fighters in their drive to retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State.

KIEV, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Hackers used a Russian-based internet provider and made phone calls from inside Russia as part of a coordinated cyber attack on Ukraine's power grid in December, Ukraine's energy ministry said on Friday.