CfD

The UK government has increased the budget for its sixth Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction by half. Extra allocation includes millions of pounds for technologies such as solar and onshore wind, but offshore wind enjoys the lion’s share of the budget.

Deal sees Statkraft portfolio of solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) rise to 1,425 MW in Great Britain. The company also has multiple gigawatts of contracted flexible capacity on the British grid.

Generator enters agreement on solar plant which is also subject to a virtual corporate PPA and a fixed-price contract secured through the UK government’s Contracts for Difference auction mechanism.

The latest government installation figures reveal a slower start to the year for the United Kingdom, with small-scale installations accounting for the majority of additions. As the UK General Election approaches, there are calls from industry for the next government to act quickly on the issues hindering capacity expansion.

The European Parliament has adopted electricity market reforms aimed at making the European Union’s electricity market more stable, affordable, and sustainable. The reforms include a focus on two-way contracts for difference (CfD), a mechanism to declare electricity price crises, and protections for consumers against volatile prices.

Romania has set a ceiling price of €91 ($99.33)/MWh for solar energy in its first renewables auction. A legal analyst tells pv magazine that this strike price is a good level for the nation’s first contract-for-difference (CfD) auction, but warns that certain aspects of the draft legislation could significantly affect the bankability of the scheme.

Electricity market liberalization and private sector development of solar and energy storage in Cyprus continue to be delayed. pv magazine’s Ilias Tsagas looks at why independent power producers are frustrated by electricity curtailment and a lack of market reform.

The European Commission has approved €3 billion ($3.9 billion) for solar and onshore wind projects in Romania, with two-way contracts-for-difference through competitive bidding procedures.

The European market for power purchase agreements (PPAs) reached 16.2 GW in contracted volumes in 2023, up 40% year on year. Pexapark, a Swiss consulting firm, says the result marks a “golden era” for European PPAs, as it predicts the market to surpass 20 GW in 2024.

A latecomer to the European PV party, Romania’s embrace of clean energy means it is perfectly placed to ride the wave of urgently ramped grid investment being rolled out by the European Union.