SolarPower Europe

The photovoltaic industry is expected to achieve annual global expansion of 300 GW as early as this year. That sounds like a lot, but is it enough? In view of climate change and rising energy demand, it is time for a new vision.

With Russia intent on destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, a network of NGOs is taking up the challenge to donate small and mobile energy supply solutions. Astrid Schneider, a member of clean energy nonprofit Eurosolar, shared the story of the small solar kits that are making a big difference, in this month’s edition of pv magazine.

In another record year for solar, SolarPower Europe estimates PV in Europe grew by 47% in 2022, rising from 28.1 GW in 2021 to 41.4 GW this year. Germany installed the most with 7.9 GW, followed by Spain at 7.5 GW, and Poland at 4.9 GW. For the first time, the top 10 European solar markets all added at least 1 GW.

SolarPower Europe’s latest analysis reveals that 9.3 GWh of battery energy storage systems have been installed in more than 1 million European households this year.

An unexpected “non-paper” in which the European Commission signaled a U-turn away from a price cap on gas has caused a stir in what was already an agitated European energy industry.

The Solar Photovoltaic Industry Alliance is one of the European Union’s key strategy initiatives under the REPowerEU plan that was adopted in May 2022. The European Commission has now formally endorsed the initiative, which is expected to launch by the end of this year.

The European Union’s much-needed emergency measures to tackle the ongoing energy crisis may have unintended consequences for the region’s renewable energy ambitions, warn analysts, but the impact on power purchase agreements will likely vary, depending on the contracts.

SolarPower Europe has called on EU nations to apply a blanket €0.18 ($0.18)/kWh cap on the revenue generated by low-margin power plants, even though Brussels has given member states the freedom to apply different rates to different types of power plants.

Poland was the EU’s biggest solar jobs market last year, thanks to a national rooftop incentive program, but Germany’s push to repatriate solar manufacturing will help the bloc’s PV powerhouse back to the number one slot in three years’ time, according to SolarPower Europe.

SolarPower Europe has issued a statement opposing any moves by the European Commission to impose a lower maximum electricity price on renewables than on fossil fuel energy. EU member state energy ministers will meet this week to thrash out emergency measures to protect bill payers.