EU awards €400 million to 65 industrial heat projects in auction
The European Commission has awarded €400 million ($465.7 million) to 65 industrial heat decarbonization projects across 10 European countries in its first Innovation Fund heat auction, targeting electrification and renewable heat technologies in energy-intensive industries.
An uncomfortable truth: What Spain’s blackout really showed
Spain and Portugal experienced a historic blackout caused not by cyberattacks or renewables alone, but by a fast-moving overvoltage event that exposed weaknesses in voltage control, grid coordination, and legacy operating practices in a renewable-heavy power system. Investigations concluded the outage was multifactorial, prompting Spain and Portugal to reform voltage-control rules, expand grid resilience measures, and accelerate deployment of batteries, grid-forming technologies, and renewable-based voltage support to stabilize future electricity networks.
San Marino launches solar acquisition program
San Marino’s public utility is inviting investors to sell solar assets or development-stage companies under a new program aimed at increasing domestic renewable generation and long-term energy security.
Europe creates map to locate available capacity in power grids
The new pan-European digital platform is designed to enhance transparency and improve access to information on the hosting capacity of European electricity grids, including both transmission and distribution networks.
EBRD lends €70 million to Slovenian BESS developer across four countries
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is backing a five-country merchant battery storage push by Slovenian developer NGEN Energetske Rešitve with a €70 million ($81.3 million) loan supported by an EU first-loss guarantee, in one of the first multi-country merchant BESS portfolios in central Europe.
‘I still remember an HR director guessing my age during a recruitment process and assuming I would soon have children’
This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Marián Giner, Head of Engineering at Sweden’s Alight. She speaks about systemic barriers, impostor syndrome, and lessons from sport and mentorship to redefine leadership as collaborative, transparent, and team-focused.
Slovakia plans to develop energy communities
Director of the Slovak Association of Sustainable Energy, Ján Karaba, told pv magazine solar is expected to become one of the key technologies used within future energy communities in Slovakia but said regulatory improvements will be essential to unlock the full potential of decentralized solar energy.
Brazil increases import tax on batteries at local manufacturer’s request
The measure raises the import tariff from 18% to 25% for 48V LFP batteries intended for stationary applications in telecommunications and photovoltaic systems of up to 4.8 kW until May 2027, following a request from the domestic industry via LETEC. For other batteries classified as lithium-ion electric accumulators, the reduced rate of 18% remains.
Mexico launches call for renewable energy, storage projects linked to state utility CFE
The scheme targets projects of 0.7 MW and above, with a 935 MW indicative storage need, and is part of broader reforms to streamline investment while strengthening state-led planning of the electricity sector.
Colombia regulates transmission capacity allocation to speed up energy project connections
The measure aims to reduce grid connection delays and ease congestion in the National Interconnected System (SIN) amid rising electricity demand.
