European Commission approves €1 billion in Portuguese state aid to support energy transition
The aid will be available to companies producing relevant equipment, such as solar panels, wind turbines, heat-pumps, electrolysers, and equipment for carbon capture usage and storage.
Spain unveils €2.3 billion support program for hydrogen development, renewable energy sectors
The country’s ecological transition ministry has published the regulatory bases of aid to large hydrogen clusters, industrial capacities in solar, wind energy, heat pumps, batteries and electrolysers; innovative renewable energy, storage and heat pump projects; and energy communities.
EU raises concerns about production requirements in US Inflation Reduction Act
The European Union and the United States are seeking a solution for key aspects of “discriminatory” production requirements in the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The EU said it might bring the case to the World Trade Organization if a compromise cannot be reached.
Investors present European legislators with hydrogen economy wishlist
If the EU is going to drive more than half a trillion dollars worth of hydrogen investment over the coming decades, it will need to get investors onside. The European Investment Bank has surveyed financiers to find out what they want.
EU approves renewables incentives for Greek islands
The European Commission has given its seal of approval to a government program which will drive an estimated 264 MW of solar and wind capacity across 47 islands while they await connection to the mainland grid.
Latvian plan to exempt big energy consumers from renewables surcharge approved by EU
The Baltic state has offered energy-intensive, international-facing industries up to an 85% discount on a surcharge levied on electricity consumers since May 2017 and made the scheme wider ranging this year, in a move approved by the European Commission.
European Commission approves €2.3bn renewables incentive plan by Greece
Competitive bidding for onshore solar and wind will establish a clean-power strike price acceptable to successful developers under the contracts-for-difference approach. The incentive scheme is also applicable to biogas, biomass, landfill gas, hydropower, concentrated solar power, and geothermal plants.
European Commission refuses to determine lawfulness of French 2006-10 solar FITs
With Paris having retroactively reduced solar feed-in tariff rates guaranteed for 20 years in 2006 and 2010, developer Solar Electric Holding has been unsuccessful in a legal bid to force the commission to decide on the compatibility of the incentive program with EU state aid rules.
‘World’s largest lead-acid battery output’ planned in Greece
Manufacturer Sunlight plans to invest €30 million to add 1.3 GWh of annual production capacity of lead-acid products by the third quarter of next year. The company will also devote €20 million to expanding its lithium-ion battery assembly lines.
EU approves France’s small scale solar FIT plans
The European Commission has determined France can offer the owners of building-mounted panels with a generation capacity of up to 500 kW a 20-year feed-in tariff without breaching the bloc’s state aid rules.
