Europe

The EU will introduce shorter permitting times for solar and renewable energy assets in the most recent addition to its REPowerEU scheme, agreed on by the European Council this week.

The EU installed 47% more solar in 2022 than last year and is on track to double its capacity by 2026 to an expected 484GW, according to a report by industry association SolarPower Europe.

Spanish oil major Repsol has acquired renewables energy investment platform Asterion Energies from European infrastructure fund Asterion Industrial for €560 million, plus up to €20 million in contingent payments.

Renewable energy producer Neoen has begun construction on what it is calling Portugal’s ‘largest’ solar park, a 272MWp facility comprising of two contiguous solar projects. The park is expected to be commissioned in early 2024.

Isigenere and Amorim are working on implementing a higher percentage of cork into floating solar structures to reduce their carbon footprint.

Japanese-headquartered financial services group ORIX Corporation has taken full ownership of Spanish renewables firm Elewan Energy after acquiring a further 20% stake in the company.

Fashion retailer H&M has signed a power purchase agreement with independent power producers Neoen and Alight for a 90MWp solar park in Sweden.

Having been rebranded with a new ethos and mission, Qcells’ ambitions are supported by a suite of clean energy products as it consolidates its position in the solar PV sector.

Norwegian independent power producer Scatec has hired Hans Jakob Hegge to take over as its chief financial officer.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed separate agreements with Polish state-owned utility PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) and Czech energy utility company ČEZ to help modernise the distribution networks of both countries.