Western Europe

Wood Mackenzie’s latest analysis explores how 13 of the world’s leading power markets are impacted by the current fuel crisis, with those most reliant on fuel imports facing the greatest risk exposure. The consultancy says the average cost of generation is set to increase by $2.30/MWh across these 13 markets if a de-escalation of the conflict enables fuel price moderation in the latter half of 2026, increasing to an average of around $8.30/MWh if current elevated price levels persist through the year.

Switzerland’s photovoltaic market slowed in 2025, with newly installed capacity falling 15% to 1,526 MW, according to Swissolar. Despite the decline, growth in residential storage, building electrification, and EV integration points to a gradual market recovery.

Greece’s PPC Group has finished construction of its 2.13 GW solar portfolio in northern Greece. The company is now working on its third large-scale battery storage facility in the area, with plans for two pumped-hydro storage projects also progressing.

Greece installed around 1.9 GW of new solar capacity in 2025, bringing total installed solar capacity to roughly 11.5 GW, according to industry estimates.

Battolyser Systems and VDL Hydrogen Systems have merged to form Alquion, while Ming Yang Smart Energy Group plans to invest more than $10 billion in hydrogen and renewable energy projects in Ethiopia.

Lambda Wärmepumpen GmbH said its Eureka heat pump series uses a patented fluid mechanics system that reportedly improves heat transfer by four to six times while maintaining a temperature difference of just 3 K between the air and the refrigerant. Its seasonal coefficient of performance ranges from 4.50 to 6.10.

The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) have signed an agreement to strengthen traceability and sustainability standards across solar supply chains.

New Time has outlined a four-year roadmap to industrialize perovskite solar cells in Italy, with pilot production planned within three years and full-scale output to follow.

Spanish researchers found that semi-transparent silicon PV greenhouses boosted tomato fruit weight by 25% while generating 726.8 kWh over two seasons, outperforming cadmium telluride PV and shaded controls. The PV-Si system balanced sunlight, temperature, and energy, showing strong agrivoltaic potential.

Neoen has announced two battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in France and Japan, expanding its footprint in both markets with installations totaling 348 MW and 896 MWh.