France, Italy set daily solar generation records

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Solar energy production contributed to a drop in electricity prices across the major European markets last week, according to analysis from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting.

During the week commencing April 28, both France and Italy broke their daily record for solar energy production. France registered 135 GWh on April 30, the same day Italy hit 150 GWh. Meanwhile, Germany broke its record for solar produced during a day in April, recording 397 GWh on the first day of the week.

These figures helped electricity prices fall in these markets, but AleaSoft also noted a drop in the weekly average electricity prices across the Belgian, British, Dutch, Nordic, Portuguese and Spanish markets when compared to the week prior.

Weekly averages were below €65 ($73.12)/MWh in all markets bar the British and Italian, which recorded €76.88/MWh and €80.91/MWh. The Spanish and Portuguese markets continued to have the lowest weekly averages, at €15.36/MWh and €16.50/MWh.

AleaSoft says a decline in weekly gas prices and fall in electricity demand across most markets also contributed to the downward turn. Prices are expected to have increased again this week, as electricity demand rises and solar and wind production drops.

AleaSoft says most analyzed markets registered negative hourly prices last week. The Spanish market reached its historical minimum hourly price, at -€10.00/MWh, on May 1. On the same day, the French market hit -€118.01/MWh for its lowest price since Jul. 3, 2023, while the Italian market registered a price of €0.00/MWh. This is the minimum hourly value of the Italian market and was last registered on Apr. 13, 2020.

The week beginning April 28 coincided with the blackout that impacted the Iberian Peninsula. AleaSoft says at this point, the coupling between the hourly prices of Spain and Portugal was 54%. This value compares to 84% coupling in the previous week and 95% registered in 2025 up to the day before the blackout.

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