Europe

The energy ministry has published a plan to radically simplify the renewable energy permitting process. The new system is expected to come into force as early as next month and will be applied retroactively to address a 22-month backlog in generation license applications.

UK renewables developer Anesco Ltd has secured 10 contracts to provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for 71 MW of solar farms in its home country.

Calyxo, a German cadmium telluride solar module manufacturer, has filed for insolvency for the second time, despite the recent emergence of new prospective investors. Meanwhile, Crystalsol – an Austrian flexible solar panel maker – has also initiated insolvency proceedings, due to losses of roughly €7 million.

JLC Infrastructure has announced a successful acquisition of Greenskies Renewable Energy – a utility and commercial PV system developer.

Netherlands’ Rijkswaterstaat is planning to deploy PV module installation along the Drenthe’s motorway. The panels will be installed on the 300ha area on the median and sides of the road. The project is being developed under the country’s target to find new spaces for clean energy solutions.

A fresh round of funding has bumped total investment in NextEnergy Capital's global solar fund, Next Power III (NPIII), to US$280 million.

Solibro Hi-Tech filed for insolvency last Friday. In August, 2019, Solibro GmbH was also declared insolvent. Both companies belong to Hanergy group.

A group of researchers from several European universities and research centres is creating innovative all-organic flow batts. New ORFBs are claimed to feature high capacity, energy density, durability, and environmental sustainability.

The PV array will be installed 75km from the capital. The price of the winning bid has not been disclosed by the government. Apart from 200 megawatts of solar capacity, the tender included 250 megawatts of wind power, which has been awarded to ACWA Power.

The Electricity Authority of Cyprus has issued a public call to select landowners to lease space for the development of large-scale solar projects.

Dutch utility Liander has published a new list congested areas in the provinces of Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Noord-Holland, and Zuid-Holland. The company said that developers of solar parks who are still waiting for grid connection may have to wait longer for additional grid capacity.

The German renewables group and brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev claim the transaction is the largest pan-European solar power deal with an industrial client to date. The companies have already agreed on a virtual power purchase agreement related to two Spanish PV plants that are scheduled for grid connection by spring 2022.

The transaction has been approved by AGCM, Italy’s antitrust authority. Prior to acquiring Evolvere – which recorded a turnover of more than €30 million in 2018 – Eni has mainly specialized in the construction of large-scale solar plants, rather than residential and commercial PV projects.

German EPC ib vogt has announced the sale and commencement of construction of a 180MWp solar farm near Badajoz in Spain, teeing itself up for a slew of other subsidy-free developments in Southern Europe.

The Associated British Ports (ABP) has announced a £6.8 million solar project, that will see the largest roof mounted solar array in the Humber constructed on the Port of Hull it says.