Europe

A record 31.1GW of clean energy was bought by corporations through power purchase agreements (PPAs) last year, with technology companies once again the largest buyers, according to research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF).

Italy has allocated 975MW of solar PV and wind capacity in its seventh renewables auction, according to figures from energy management agency GSE.

PV Tech Research’s Finlay Colville reveals which manufacturers are driving the PV industry’s transition to n-type, explaining why what these companies do in the next two years will shape the sector moving forward.

Solar investor NextEnergy Capital (NEC) has raised US$896 million in its latest fundraising round that is targeting 2.5GW of final installed capacity in OECD countries, such as the US, Portugal, Spain, Chile and Poland.

French renewables developer and power producer Voltalia saw its annual electricity production reach a record high last year, with the company boosted by a 25% rise in installed solar capacity.

German chemical group Wacker Chemie saw its polysilicon sales nearly double in 2021, lifting its earning significantly amid higher raw-material and energy costs, preliminary financial results showed.

Greek industrial group Mytilineos said its renewables and storage unit continues with “full speed” to invest in solar and battery energy storage systems globally following a 2021 that saw the business expand its PV engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) operations.

Global investment in renewables rose to new heights in 2021 as solar and wind deployment surged, but total energy transition expenditure needs to triple in the coming years to get on track for net zero, according to new research from BloombergNEF.

Italian asset manager Green Arrow Capital (GAC) has signed a framework agreement with Spanish solar company Progressum Energy Developments (PED) to acquire 508MW of ready-to-build solar PV projects in Spain in a deal worth over €400 million (US$446 million).

Major European solar developers have called on the European Union (EU) to develop a PV supply chain strategy to avoid cost increases and disruption to projects, with the group calling for 20GW of manufacturing capacity by 2030.