
Mytilineos’ renewables unit takes financial hit from project delays in 2020
Greek industrial group Mytilineos said 2020 turnover from its renewables and storage development unit was around 40% lower than forecasted due to contracting and construction delays as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Solar firms ‘must build up their skill set’ to navigate Europe’s PPA market
European PV asset holders should ensure they have the right skills and knowledge to successfully operate in the continent’s power purchase agreement (PPA) market, according to panellists speaking today at the Solar Finance and Investment Europe conference.

Q&A: Gransolar Group’s Ivan Higueras on the changing nature of solar development and PV-plus-storage potential
Ahead of the Solar Finance and Investment Europe conference this week, organised by PV Tech publisher Solar Media, Gransolar Group managing partner and co-founder Ivan Higueras spoke to PV Tech about how utility-scale solar development has changed in recent years and the prominent role vanadium redox flow batteries could play in the future.

Spain’s auction ‘a step in the right direction’ as industry calls for more energy storage support
The results of Spain’s auction this week for 3GW of renewables capacity have been widely welcomed by the country’s solar sector, but calls have been made to tweak future auctions to support smaller-scale projects as well as encourage the participation of bids with energy storage.

Spain posts 30% increase in self-consumption solar PV installs
Rising domestic demand for solar helped Spain reach 596MW of new self-consumption PV installations last year, according to data from trade association UNEF.

Solar wins big in Spain’s renewables auction with more than 2GW awarded
Solar PV bidders secured two-thirds of allocated capacity in the first of Spain’s new renewable energy auctions, which was held yesterday (26 January) and was more than three times oversubscribed.

‘Landmark moment’ in Europe as renewable electricity surpasses fossil fuels for first time
The rapid scale-up of solar capacity in the European Union drove the growth of renewable electricity generation, which overtook that of fossil fuels for the first time last year.

Iberdrola, Danone sign PPA for what will be ‘Europe’s largest’ solar project
Iberdrola has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to sell electricity from what is claims will be Europe’s largest PV plant to French food group Danone.

545MW solar PV capacity added in UK during 2020 despite COVID, lack of subsidies
The UK solar industry installed 545MWp (DC) of new solar PV capacity during 2020, the first full calendar year when no government subsidies were on offer.

Solar cheapest form of new power in major markets as new tech drives costs lower, states WoodMac
Solar is now cheapest form of new electricity in a host of international markets, driven by cost reductions and growth of bifaciality, large-area solar modules and trackers.

BNEF: Up to 194GW of solar could be installed in 2021 as investments soar
Solar energy leads global energy transition investments for 2020, rising by 12% to US$148.6 billion.

Engie and Neoen target over-the-counter contracts for 1GW French solar project
Utility and developer to invest in 1GW solar and 40MW energy storage project development in south eastern France.

Record 45GW of renewables capacity to be auctioned in Europe this year
This year is set to be a record-breaker for renewables auctions in Europe, as countries across the continent look to increase clean energy deployment to reach 2030 emissions reductions targets.

BayWa r.e. pockets US$642m in Energy Infrastructure Partners equity sale
Renewables developer BayWa r.e. has received a major capital injection of €530 million (US$642.3 million) through the sale of a 49% stake in the outfit to Energy Infrastructure Partners (EIP).

Greencells issues €25m green bond to pursue 1.8GWp EPC pipeline
German solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) provider Greencells has issued a secured green bond worth €25 million, the proceeds of which will be used to target a substantial EPC pipeline.

UK’s Foresight Solar makes maiden Spanish investment following Shell deal
UK solar investor Foresight Solar Fund has agreed a €20 million deal to acquire a 26.1MW solar project in Spain, the company’s first in the country and its first ever subsidy-free solar investment.

China facing turbulent solar build-out season as module price hikes, supply issues loom
As China enters its usually frantic solar build-out season, a shadow is being cast by module price hikes and supply bottlenecks. PV Tech’s Carrie Xiao gets the inside scoop on how solar deployment in China risks being pushed into next year.

#SFIEurope: How scale, sophistication, consolidation and globalisation will shape European solar
Liam Stoker reflects on last week’s Solar Finance & Investment Europe conference, where investors, developers and asset owners gathered to hear how emerging trends will shape Europe’s surging solar ecosystem in the coming years.

#SFIEurope: Spanish solar ‘no bubble’ despite grid chaos, big player squeeze
Panellists at London event were all confident market will retain momentum and grow bolder despite the speculative plays and competition from utilities and oil majors.

#SFIEurope: Ireland’s RESS is a ‘good opportunity’ but concerns remain
There is a “huge opportunity” for solar in Ireland, with the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) providing a route to market for the technology.

What the UK’s record-low offshore wind prices could mean for utility-scale solar
Liam Stoker reflects on last week’s record low clearing prices for offshore wind in the UK’s Contracts for Difference auction, and discusses what they might mean for the country’s reigniting solar market.

Net zero can be a catalyst for subsidy-free solar, Foresight says
The UK’s net zero law stands to create a “supportive environment” that could act as a catalyst for subsidy-free solar developments, Foresight Solar Fund has said.

Pan-European secondary solar market set for ‘exciting times’ as growth, O&G interest set to continue
The continued growth of the secondary solar market on a pan-European scale will result in “exciting times” for the sector, but big utilities are unlikely to stay on the sidelines.

European solar finance community gathers to plot PV’s post-subsidy course
Representatives of some of solar PV’s leading European finance houses will meet in London this week as the continent’s solar industry inches ever closer to grid-parity.