Western Europe

Gasunie has launched a 32-km hydrogen pipeline in the Port of Rotterdam linking Maasvlakte and Pernis, marking the first operational section of the Dutch hydrogen backbone and enabling future expansion toward national and cross-border hydrogen networks.

Scientists in Sweden experimentally evaluated a Stirling engine–based Carnot battery (SECB) prototype using low-cost sand as thermal energy storage, aiming to validate electricity-to-heat-to-electricity storage concepts. Tests showed that higher engine temperatures improved output and duration, but round-trip efficiency remained low, mainly due to thermal losses and limited heat transfer in the sand bed.

The Italian manufacturer said its Gemini air-to-water heat pump is intended for commercial and industrial applications. It reportedly achieves a coefficient of performance of up to 3.28 and delivers hot water temperatures of up to 60 C.

Italian energy agency GSE announced it will allocate 10 GW of solar capacity and 16 GW of wind power through auctions planned for 2026 and 2027.

Producing polysilicon in Europe remains challenging due to its energy-intensive, ultra-high-purity nature and the cost advantages of established Asian supply chains. However, Dutch startup Resilicon argues Europe can still make polysilicon by leveraging innovation and policy support. The company’s CEO, Remco Rijn, tells pv magazine how polysilicon factories could compete through cheap renewable energy supply and diversification.

A research project led by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has demonstrated that vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV) can significantly reduce strain on power grids. The concept is particularly relevant for the logistics sector, where trucks require large amounts of electricity for cooling, heating and auxiliary systems, while also offering extensive roof space for PV integration.

Carbon’s gigafactory project in Fos-sur-Mer, designed to build a 5 GW integrated solar manufacturing chain in France, has been abandoned due to insufficient regulatory visibility and investor guarantees. Despite attempts to scale down and pursue partnerships, including with Chinese manufacturer Longi, the project collapsed amid uncertainty over EU industrial policy and market preference mechanisms.

The battery supports 1,000 W input and 800 W output, is compatible with most balcony PV systems, and can be optionally app-controlled via a dedicated app.

Spanish engineering company Intergia is testing floating PV systems adapted for manure lagoons at pig farms to reduce ammonia emissions while generating on-site solar electricity. Two prototypes are being assessed to measure emissions reduction, durability, and energy performance.

A research from Switzerland has compared how France, Italy and Spain integrate biodiversity into renewable energy planning, spatial policy, and ecological impact monitoring under the European Green Deal. The findings show France and Spain have more advanced frameworks, while Italy remains more regionally fragmented, with major gaps in cumulative impact assessment across all three countries.