Europe

Discover how Bulgaria is navigating land use disputes for solar power projects in Novo Selo, Ledenik, Kardzhali, Vratsa and Vishovgrad. Learn how Eurohold is addressing environmental concerns and prosumers.

Dale Vince's Ecojet is the UK's first electric airline powered by renewable energy, set to launch in 2024. Ecojet flights will feature sustainable meals, uniforms, and no single-use plastics. Flying with Ecojet will reduce carbon emissions by 90,000 tonnes annually and contribute to decarbonizing the aviation industry.

Boralex has inaugurated a 15.9-MWp solar park in France, which will produce 23 GWh of electricity annually. Metro France has signed a 20-year PPA for the output, helping it reach its goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Research team at Fraunhofer ISE has developed a layer to boost the efficiency of organic solar cells. This could be a major step towards making renewable energy more accessible and cost effective.

Revolutionizing the world of renewable energy, SeaVolt is a collaboration between Tractebel, DEME, and Jan De Nul’s first floating solar energy test platform, set to be installed in the Belgian North Sea by August. New technologies to assess waves, rain, salt spray, and marine environment are being tested.

RES wins contract to provide O&M and HV services for 13 Downing LLP solar sites. RES Head of Solar O&M Brian Darnell expresses delight while Danielle Strothers from Downing LLP looks forward to working together on asset efficiency.

Statkraft and Infinis have signed two seven-year PPAs for two solar farms in England, covering 92MW of installed capacity. Unity, Statkraft's VPP system, will actively manage the output of the farms to ensure optimal efficiency. Statkraft and Infinis hope to continue the partnership for future projects.

Midsummer AB has been awarded an EU grant of EUR 32 million to build a 200-MW CIGS solar cell factory in Sweden. The CIGS solar cells are lightweight, flexible and able to be installed on lightweight roofs. The project is expected to solidify Midsummer AB's foothold in the European solar market.

Akuo recently inaugurated O'MEGA 1 Bis, a 22MW extension of the power plant creating a plethora of new opportunities for local communities. With the extension already generating 25,500GWh of electricity and a successful crowdfunding initiative, the project also serves as an initiative for local agriculture.

MCPV announces plans to build 3 GW solar cell and module factory in Netherlands, with SolarNL receiving €412 million in grants and loans for the project. Factory will employ heterojunction cell technology for up to 26.5% efficiency, and tandem perovskite-silicon modules for over 30% efficiency. Expected to start operations in 2021, with the capacity expanding to 3 GW by 2026.

Forestalia secures EUR 65 million from IKAV Group to construct 19 wind and solar projects in Aragon, Spain. Banco de Sabadell structures pre-construction debt for major equipment and construction expenses. Forestalia targets 1.2GW of direct operations in the next few years.

FREYR Battery (NYSE:FREY) has been awarded a €100 million grant from the European Commission’s Innovation Fund to build a Giga Arctic factory in Norway. Tom Einar Jensen, CEO, expressed his excitement for the project, which will help unlock GWh scale capacity for next generation battery production. Construction begins in June 2022.

Eku Energy and Renera Energy have signed an agreement granting 1GW of battery project rights to Eku Energy in Italy. The agreement will help Italy reach its 2030 renewable energy target of 65%. Eku and Renera will collaborate to deliver secure and reliable energy storage solutions. Italy is expected to become the 3rd largest energy storage market by 2030.

L&G NTR Clean Power (Europe) Fund partners with NordLB to finance 3 Spanish solar projects, supplying power for 51,424 homes. Additionally, the Fund acquires a 6-turbine onshore wind project in Narbonne, France, with power for 5500 households. Working with LGIM to accelerate energy transition in Europe.

Italian startup Barrel has developed a solar and storage solution that comes in an "oil" barrel. Get up to 6 kW of output, 5.6 kW hybrid inverter and 3.55 kWh Li-ion battery for $3,300. Perfect for powering large apartments and already sent to conflict zones and remote areas.