Europe

Although the energy price recovered this week, ultra low levels driven by bumper solar power generation on a sunny weekend in Germany reportedly put further pressure on the business case for conventional energy.

Analyst Cornwall Insight said the figure, drawn from its Renewable Pipeline tracker, related only to the proportion of the nation’s 13 GW solar pipeline which had already applied for or secured planning permission.

More than 1,200 solar modules will be installed on the south side of a dam 2,100 meters above sea level. The facility planned by utility EWZ is set to be ready this year.

A failed top rail girder connection was responsible for the 2019 roof collapse at AZ Alkmaar’s football stadium, an investigation by Dutch engineering firm Royal HaskoningDHV has revealed. The collapse was triggered by strong wind loads during a storm.

Political support for the idea of linking Covid-19 exit strategies to green policy appears to be mounting in EU institutions. Easter, appropriately enough, may have injected new life into the idea.

French start-up Solaire Box has raised €1.5 million to back its business supplying wooden houses complete with PV rooftops. The buildings cost €1,700-2,000/m² and feature PV modules made by French firm Systovi. The company plans add to add features such as energy storage systems and carbon-free heating.

The PV production equipment manufacturer said its employees will return to work at to two locations in Germany as planned after the Easter break, despite concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Action will permit 220 self-consumption projects with generation capacities of no more than 1 MW to be connected immediately. The usual long-winded permitting process has been side-stepped as the government seeks to enable financially-stricken enterprises to benefit from lower energy bills during the public health crisis.

Industry body SolarPower Europe hosted a webinar to consider how the global public health crisis will affect solar. While workers and materials are still available, industry experts are concerned about the state of the financial sector. Banks could become more conservative and raise the cost of capital for renewables projects.

Grenergy was this week due to ship 400,000 face masks to Latin America as European developers today voiced a fear project finance will become increasingly difficult to find as the coronavirus lockdown continues.