SolarPower Europe

A new report by SolarPower Europe finds that more renewables, electrification and flexibility can boost European competitiveness, slashing average day-ahead energy prices by a quarter in the next six years and a third by 2040.

SolarPower Europe forecasts more than 1 TW of annual solar installations by 2028, but financing and energy system flexibility must be unlocked.

SolarPower Europe has developed an agrisolar digital map showcasing more than 200 projects across 10 European countries, with a total capacity exceeding 15 GW.

The European Commission is set to work with the solar sector on a co-programmed European Partnership, designed to enhance research and innovation. SolarPower Europe says the announcement is a “significant step for the industry”.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released a new report on the sidelines of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue this week describing the actions needed so the world complies with targets set at the recent COP29 conference in the United Arab Emirates. IRENA President Francesco La Camera says renewables are the only energy sources with the speed and scale to achieve the ambitious targets set in Dubai.

Swiss solar panel maker Meyer Burger will seek shareholder approval for a rights issue of as much as CHF 250 million ($284 million) to finance the completion of its US manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Arizona.

Tripling clean energy generation capacity to 11 TW by 2030 was a leading pledge from the United Nations’ (UN) climate change conference in Dubai. With few details about infrastructure and energy storage and no clear PV targets, however, it is hard to judge the effectiveness of the 28th global Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting. Angela Skujins considers possible impacts for the solar industry.

A latecomer to the European PV party, Romania’s embrace of clean energy means it is perfectly placed to ride the wave of urgently ramped grid investment being rolled out by the European Union.

PV is often touted as the progressive titan of the renewable energy industry, but when Walburga Hemetsberger joined Europe’s solar lobby giant SolarPower Europe in 2019 as CEO, she faced a problem: her board was male-only. On the cusp of her fifth year in an industry where she is a rare species – a woman in charge – she explains why she fought for more female representation in the solar sector from the belly of her business group.

Europe is witnessing a surge in power purchase agreements (PPAs). Over the past four years, the number of European PPA transactions has trebled. More than 180 deals were signed in 2022 alone and the trend is expected to continue, especially for solar projects.