EU allocates 1.1 GW of electrolyzer capacity in third hydrogen auction, lowest bid comes in at €0.44/kg
The European Commission has allocated €1.09 billion in support through the third European Hydrogen Bank auction, selecting nine projects across seven countries. The procurement exercise was significantly oversubscribed with 58 bids from 11 countries. It awarded fixed hydrogen production premiums ranging from €0.44 ($0.51)/kg to €3.49/kg.
Large-scale heat pumps utilize excess heat from Microsoft data centers in Finland
Finnish energy company Fortum has switched on two industrial-scale heat pumps in southern Finland that will utilize excess heat from two local data centres belonging to Microsoft from next year. The company states data centre waste heat could cover around 40% of the total 2 TWh annual district heating demand of users in the area.
Negative electricity prices in France hit a new record
Negative electricity prices are making a strong comeback in the French energy market. Driven by rising photovoltaic output and reduced nuclear flexibility, they dominated much of April, often falling close to the regulatory floor.
Longer-duration BESS finds footing in Germany’s toll market
BlackRock‑backed developer Akaysha Energy says lenders require 60% to 80% contracted revenue before committing project debt to utility‑scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Germany – a threshold that structured offtake products borrowed from its home market can meet.
Inside PV Manufacturing: SoliTek’s new fully automated module line in Lithuania
In the latest article of a new series on solar manufacturing facilities around the world, pv magazine presents SoliTek’s solar manufacturing facility in Vilnius, Lithuania. The company recently commissioned an upgraded 200 MW production line, as it transitions from semi-automated to fully-automated processes for critical assembly stages.
Iberdrola advances pumped-storage hydro station in Spain
The Valdecañas pumped-storage hydro plant in southwestern Spain has undergone a technical upgrade, increasing its operational capacity by 355 MW and adding a 15 MW/7.5 MWh hybrid battery system.
South Korean utility to install 95 MW of solar at substations by 2030
Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) says it will install 95 MW of solar capacity across 500 substation sites nationwide by 2030, using surplus substation land to meet South Korea’s K-RE100 public-sector renewable energy target.
Argentine football turns to photovoltaics
Two of Argentine’s most popular football clubs – River Plate and Vélez Sarsfield – are advancing solar energy projects at their Buenos Aires stadiums to cut operating costs and expand on-site renewable generation.
Curtailment, negative prices push Greek small- and medium-sized PV asset owners toward bankruptcy
Continuous negative and zero wholesale electricity prices, weak demand, and Greece’s inadequate energy storage policy are leaving small- and medium-sized PV investors exposed, despite abundant solar resources.
Texas PV module production to exceed 15 GW in 2026
Propelled by a select group of high-capacity manufacturers including T1 Energy and Canadian Solar, Texas is set to exceed 15 GW of solar PV module production in 2026, accounting for nearly half of all U.S. silicon-based manufacturing and serving as the primary hub for the inaugural Solar Manufacturing USA conference in Austin this September.
