Topic · 22 stories
europe
Europe tracks regional solar and storage policy, market dynamics, and grid integration developments that shape the continent's renewable energy transition and investment landscape.
Belgium: Flanders Counts Nearly 200,000 Home Batteries and Almost 2 Gigawatt-Hours of Storage Capacity
Fluvius data reveals that Flanders has installed nearly 200,000 home batteries with cumulative storage capacity approaching 2 gigawatt-hours. This rapid expansion highlights the critical role of residential storage in managing grid stability and self-consumption within the European energy transition.
Battery Overseas Expansion, A Bill Paid in Advance
The article details how Chinese battery manufacturers are facing rising costs and regulatory hurdles while expanding production into Europe. It highlights the financial impact of these overseas investments on recent quarterly earnings for major industry players.
Study raises alarm over cybersecurity of solar PV systems
A new study by the European Commission’s Smart Energy Expert Group identifies critical cybersecurity risks in solar PV systems, including vulnerabilities in inverters and potential state-sponsored backdoors. This matters to professionals because the report highlights how internet-connected installations can cause grid imbalances and power outages, urging strict traffic controls and supply chain restrictions to ensure system security.
Czechia: Czech grid data reveal a small share of solar connections drives most
An analysis of 156,000 solar connection applications in the Czech Republic reveals that 93 percent of low-voltage projects required no new grid investment, while a small minority drove nearly all reinforcement spending. This data helps energy professionals understand how connection costs are distributed across the grid and informs strategies for managing network reinforcement budgets.
Alarming ESNL Report: Major Dutch Batteries Barely Financeable Due to Explosive Rise in Grid Tariffs and Transport Chaos
An ESNL report highlights that high grid tariffs and the absence of long-term contracts are preventing Dutch battery projects from securing financing. This matters to professionals because it identifies the specific financial and regulatory barriers that must be addressed to unlock the potential of large-scale storage in the region.
Key wind and solar auction looms amid viability concerns
Ireland's RESS 6 auction opens this week with a €110/MWh solar price cap that Solar Ireland argues is too low for current construction costs. This outcome will determine which wind and solar projects can proceed toward Ireland's 2030 renewable targets.
EU sold wind turbines worth 3.1 billion euros in 2025, and the story flips with solar panels: nearly all imports come from China
Eurostat data shows the EU exported 3.1 billion euros in wind turbines in 2025 while importing 8 billion euros in solar panels, 98.6% from China. This trade imbalance highlights the EU's reliance on Chinese manufacturing for solar modules despite its wind export strength.
MPs warn solar farms are putting Britain's best farmland at risk
MPs warned that large-scale solar developments in Britain are putting high-quality farmland at risk, citing a specific project in Cheshire. This debate highlights the critical tension between renewable energy expansion and food security, requiring professionals to consider land-use conflicts in project siting.
Global Energy Storage Deployment Surges, Outpacing Government Targets; Japan Has Not Set Any
Global battery storage deployment is expanding rapidly, with China and Europe leading the growth, yet the sector is still projected to miss the sixfold increase target set at COP29. This gap highlights the critical need for accelerated storage adoption to support the integration of renewable energy sources like solar power into the grid.
In the Netherlands, Even Highways Generate Energy: New 65-Km Solar Plan Spans Bridges and Barriers
North Holland approved a plan to install solar panels along 65 km of Dutch highways, utilizing noise barriers and bridges. This project leverages existing infrastructure to generate electricity without requiring new land, offering a model for integrating renewable energy into transportation networks.
Businesses installed more solar panels in October than last year, while the consumer market also showed a cautious recovery
October 2026 data shows a year-on-year increase in business solar installations and a second consecutive monthly rise in consumer registrations. This trend highlights the ongoing divergence between commercial and residential adoption rates in the current market environment.
In Italy, land occupied by photovoltaics is 0.99% of the land actually consumed
Ispra data shows photovoltaic installations occupy 0.99% of Italy's consumed land, a fraction of the total soil loss. This context is vital for professionals to counter misconceptions about solar's environmental impact in policy discussions.
Call to increase solar energy generation in the commercial sector
RE:UK reports that less than 10% of suitable commercial roof space in the UK is used for solar, citing regulation and policy uncertainty as barriers. The report urges streamlined planning approvals and clear Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards to unlock 60 GW of potential renewable energy.
‘We’ve been betrayed’: Disgusted residents slam approval of 4,000
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero granted development consent for the 800MW Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park in Nottinghamshire. This approval highlights the significant local opposition and community concerns regarding large-scale solar developments in rural areas.
Greece: Solar Power: Shared Electricity from Households, Businesses, and Municipalities!
A new Greek bill introduces a legal framework for households and businesses to share renewable electricity across different properties. This development is significant for energy professionals as it creates a new regulatory pathway for distributed solar collaboration and cost reduction.
Remote access to solar panel operations: Risky inverters added to ban list from November 1, older models must be replaced
The EU has banned high-risk inverter suppliers from new projects and requires replacing older models to prevent remote access threats. This policy shift impacts supply chains and project compliance for solar and storage professionals in Europe.
Spanish solar power purchase agreement prices fall to 30.93 euros
LevelTen Energy reports that Spanish solar PPA prices fell to 30.93 euros per megawatt-hour, while hybrid PPA prices rose 6.8% quarter-on-quarter. This highlights the growing economic role of battery storage in mitigating curtailment impacts for new solar projects in Spain.
Morocco's Electricity Law Reform: Proposals Encourage Individual Production and Sale of Surplus
The report highlights that current regulations restrict self-generated electricity to internal use, preventing households and farmers from selling surplus power. This regulatory gap limits the economic potential of distributed solar and hinders Morocco's progress toward its 2030 renewable energy targets.
Spain tops European list of internet-exposed solar systems: one in three located here
A study by Modat found that Spain hosts one in three of the 8,547 solar and wind systems exposed to the public internet across Europe. This highlights the critical need for operators to secure control interfaces to prevent remote shutdowns of grid-connected renewable assets.
Nearly 5,000 solar panels at 2,500 meters altitude, atop a dam and without road access: Muttsee's solar installation in the Swiss Alps generates 43% of its electricity in winter, when the country needs it most
The Muttsee project demonstrates the viability of high-altitude solar installations on dam walls, with 4,872 panels generating 43% of annual output in winter. This case study highlights how mountain solar can complement hydropower during periods of low water flow and high demand.
Belgium: Hard Numbers | Flanders Solar Panel Market Outperforms Preliminary Data
New data from the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency indicates that the solar panel market is outperforming preliminary figures, with significant upward corrections expected for recent months. This matters to professionals because it highlights the importance of accounting for registration lags when analyzing market trends and the impact of the impending end of the net metering scheme.
Climate change could boost solar power production in Sweden by 5%
Swedish researchers have published a study projecting a 5% increase in photovoltaic production in Sweden by 2100 due to climate change factors. This analysis provides critical data for engineers to accurately estimate local solar output in high-latitude regions with significant snow cover.