Europe

According to UK-based consultant Ember, eight EU countries achieved record solar power production during June and July. Germany and the Netherlands were able to cover around 17% of their electricity demand with PV over the period.

The European Union wants to provide €700 billion through its post-pandemic reconstruction program, but the European Solar Manufacturing Council says that €20 billion of the total should be used to shore up the European PV industry.

Albanian utility KESH has secured funding for its 12.9 MW floating solar plant and, in Spain, the Port of Malaga is planning a 2.1 MW floating facility. Construction began on two unsubsidized solar plants in Germany and Portugal. Enel and Sterling & Wilson will build two large solar plants in Peru and the US, respectively.

German consultancy Enervis said the European market last year saw a 50% drop in new PPA-linked photovoltaic projects, compared to 2019. This year, however, higher capture prices for the PV energy source should enable a larger number of deals to be closed.

Green Investment Group, owned by Macquarie, has launched Cero Generation, which will operate on a European scale and carry out both ground-mounted and commercial scale power generation projects. It will also provide integrated energy storage solutions.

The Covid-19 crisis temporarily paralyzed the business for large scale unsubsidized solar projects across Europe. At the end of the year, however, demand for projects that are financed through electricity purchase agreements regained speed. Pexapark estimates that there is currently 10 GW of renewable energy capacity under signed PPAs in Europe, most of which is for solar power.

The Italian government has unveiled a new hydrogen strategy that aims for 20% hydrogen penetration into final energy demand by 2050.

The promise of hydrogen as the energy source of the future has long been deliberated by manufacturers, climate professionals, and political figures. These discussions have intensified following the European Commission’s economic recovery package, which features a focus on kick-starting a clean hydrogen economy in Europe. Nikolaos Tsiouvaras, R&D director at Systems Sunlight S.A., a Greek manufacturer of industrial and advanced technology batteries for the energy storage industry, explores storage in Europe.

With Swiss solar equipment company Meyer Burger laying plans for a module fab in North Rhine-Westphalia and Norwegian panel maker REC Group mulling a fab in Sarreguemines, northeastern France, Xavier Daval – from French renewables association the SER – says it is time Europe resumes its path to a stable solar manufacturing industry, not least because of the rising proportion of solar module costs accounted for by shipping.

Iberdrola’s 500 MW Núñez de Balboa solar park has started commercial operations, following the completion of construction in December.