/26^th March 2018, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Cyprus is located at the Eastern Basin of the Mediterranean Sea with a subtropical climate. With an area of 9,251 km² and coordinates at 35°N and 33°E, Cyprus lies at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia at the crux of the busy shipping and air routes linking the three continents. The solar irradiation in Cyprus is one of the highest in Europe with more than 320 days of the year considered sunny. Meteorological measurements showed that the annual solar irradiation is approximately 2,002 kWh/m² with a standard deviation of 32 kWh/m². According to Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS), measurements taken from crystalline PV systems with inverter efficiency 96 %, showed an average annual yield of 1,672 kWh/kWp. The rapid decline on solar PV  technology costs, the attractive efficiency increase on  PV  modules available for the residential sector and European Parliament public policies on energy to address the climate change issue have substantially increased the number of consumers that have decided to start producing energy under net metering and self-consumption solar support schemes in Cyprus.

/31^st October 2018, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Decline in solar PV equipment costs in the past few years, the attractive efficiency increase on PV modules available for the residential sector and state support on renewable energy to address the climate change issues have substantially increased the number of consumers producing energy under net metering and self-consumption solar support schemes in Ukraine. The State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine (SAEE) has reported that over 3,000 households have installed residential solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, which is 2.5 times more than in the same period in 2017 (1,214 households). Regarding the solar radiation, Ukraine is placed in the European zone in category “B”. Ukraine has a large potential market for solar energy projects. The size of solar radiation reaches from 800 to 1,450 W/m² per year. According to the intensity of solar radiation Ukraine can be divided into 4 regions: West, Central, South-East and South. The average amount of solar energy received annually in Ukraine is about 1,200 kWh/m2.

/18^th September 2020, EBRD, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is organising new financing for the construction of a 76MWp solar plant in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan, a leader in the development of renewable energy in Central Asia, with a total installed solar capacity of 216MWp. The US$ 42.6 million package provided to the well-established German developer Joachim Goldbeck Holding GmbH will consist of an EBRD local currency loan of up to US$ 28 million (Kazakh tenge equivalent), a concessional loan of up to US$ 11.5 million provided by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the world’s largest climate fund and a concessional loan of up to US$ 3.1 million provided by the Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund (CTF). The new solar plant will help reduce annual CO2 emissions by more than 80,000 tonnes and contribute to meeting Kazakhstan’s national emission reduction targets as well as the EBRD’s Green Economy Transition strategy.

/BERLIN, February 21, 2022, 10:00 GMT, Axpo/ Axpo has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Danish company Obton A/S, a leading solar energy investor in Europe, for the Klatzow solar park currently under construction in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The ten-year contract demonstrates the important role of PPAs in the expansion of renewable energies in Germany. Construction of the 11 MWp Klatzow solar park near Neubrandenburg is already underway, with commissioning planned for spring 2022.

/MUNICH, June 10, 2022, 13:15 BST, PVEurope, BayWa r.e. Renewable Energy GmbH/ BayWa r.e. has commissioned a solar park with battery storage in Villingen-Schwenningen in Baden-Württemberg/Germany. The plant combination is supported by the innovation tender of the Federal Network Agency. The solar park, with a capacity of 7 MW, can generate approximately 8 million kWh of green electricity annually, which is equivalent to the consumption of 2,500 average households in Germany. The storage capacity of the 3 MW battery storage is 4 MWh. Marc Krezer, Head of Project Development PV Germany, comments on the commissioning: "We would like to thank the Villingen-Schwenningen municipality for the good cooperation and are pleased with the timely completion and commissioning of the Spitalhöfe solar park. From now on, the plant combination can feed electricity into the grid. The storage facility makes an important contribution to grid stability and security of supply."

/26^th February 2021, SolarPower Europe, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Belgium recorded its best year for new installations as cumulative installed solar photovoltaic capacity exceed 10 GW at the end of 2020. A study conducted by Ecofys, suggests that Belgium could set a renewable energy target between 22,5% and 27,2%. The association recommends an objective at 25% renewables minimum. Solar photovoltaic (PV) power in Belgium had a strong performance in 2020 despite the negative health, social and economic effects of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, revealed the recent update of Europe Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook: 2021 ÷ 2030.  Each of Belgium’s three regions has its own regulatory framework for solar and renewable energy. The country has the potential to reach 18 GW of solar capacity by 2040, according to the grid operator Elia. Solar PV developments have very good prospects in Belgium as solar technology costs are going down.

/3^rd April 2019, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Estonia is the second-largest emitter of CO2 per capita in the European Union and by far the most carbon-intensive economy among the OECD countries. The reason for that is oil shale, a sedimentary rock that has been mined in Estonia for electricity generation since the fifties and, since recently, has also been used for liquid diesel fuel production. Over 90 per cent of Estonia’s CO2 emissions come from burning oil shale for electricity, and oil shale contributes significantly to other pollution and waste levels in the country. The high concentrations of pollutants create health problems for local people: children living in the oil shale area have more respiratory diseases and are projected to live four years less on average. The country’s energy development plan 2030 commits to reducing the number of early deaths resulting from pollution by 50 per cent by 2030. With the rising CO2 prices, electricity production is getting very expensive and new renewable energy sources are taking over the market. Solar energy is booming in Estonia and is expected to intensify after 2020 due to near-zero energy buildings' requirements.

/26^th February 2018, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Lithuania’s new government supports renewable energy and intends approximately 200 MW of new residential and commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity under an improved net metering scheme to be installed in Lithuania over the next three years. In Lithuania, renewable electricity generation plants with the total installed capacity of up to and including 10 kW are promoted through a sliding feed-in premium, i.e. the difference between the guaranteed tariff and the sale price for electricity generated from RES. This price shall not be lower than the average market price of the previous month. It shall be calculated according to the procedure set by the NCC (Chapter III Art. 20 Par. 2 and 14 Law on Energy from Renewable Sources).

/26^th October 2020, Dnevne Novine, Crnogorski ekonomski portalBankar.me, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The Government of Montenegro stated that all preconditions have been created for the construction of the solar power plant "Briska Gora" on an area of ​​as much as 925.25 hectares, is twice as large as previously planned, Dnevne Novine writes. Amendments to the Spatial Development Plan in Ulcinj, Montenegro propose to increase the zone for the construction of a solar power plant from 467 hectares to 925.25 hectares. "It is proposed to increase the solar power plant's capacity from 118 MW to 262 MW". This is stated in the new government information on preparing documentation for the needs of development projects. Montenegro will need to invest in additional power generation capacity in the coming years to compensate expected decommissioning of the existing Pljevlja coal plant, according to the Western Balkans Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2020÷2030. The country has no infrastructure for natural gas distribution and does not currently extract oil, though the government is interested in oil and gas production in the Adriatic Sea.

/18^th December 2020, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Solar photovoltaic (PV) power in the European Union had a strong performance in 2020 despite the negative health, social and economic effects of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, revealed the recent update of Europe Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook: 2020 ÷ 2030.  The EU member states installed 18.2GW of solar power capacity in 2020, an 11% improvement over the 16.2GW deployed in the previous year, according to the recently released report EU Market Outlook for SolarPower 2020-2024 by SolarPower Europe. With minimal solar power installation activity in Bulgaria and Romania in the last few years, the prediction model of SolarPower Europe shows the up-and-coming gigawatt new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity addition opportunities for Bulgaria and Romania by 2024. SolarPower Europe’s growth assumptions are much higher than the targets formulated by EU member states in their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP). But with drivers for solar energy in Europe only getting stronger, the foundation is laid for further rapid growth in the coming years.

/16^th April 2021, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Development of operational solar PV power plants in Bulgaria started with very moderate steps in 2007 but progressed with fast paces after the second half of 2010. At the end of 2018 cumulative installed solar PV capacity in Bulgaria reached 1,036 MW. Several large scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects with a capacity above 50 MW have been announced in Bulgaria after 2018 and these projects will be built between 2021 and 2024. In the last few years, Bulgaria has been the focus of the investors’ interest. The political stability and predictability due to the NATO membership and to the EU accession, the stable economic perspective and the growing credit rating of the country and its institutions were only some of the elements attracting the investors’ interest. External investors have been attracted by rapidly developing national industry, highly skilled workforce and significant new market.

/LONDON, May 18, 2022, 9:15 BST, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Development of operational solar PV power plants in Bulgaria started with very moderate steps in 2007 but progressed at fast paces after the second half of 2010. At the end of 2021, Bulgaria's cumulative installed solar PV capacity reached 1,186 MW. Several large scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects with a capacity above 50 MW have been announced in Bulgaria after 2018, and these projects will be built between 2022 and 2024. In the last few years, Bulgaria has been the focus of the investors’ interest. Furthermore, Bulgaria quickly has to diminish its dependency on Russian energy imports, and solar power is one of the best renewable energy alternatives. 

/LONDON, March 7, 2023, 9:30 GMT, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Development of operational solar PV power plants in Bulgaria started with very moderate steps in 2007 but progressed at fast paces after the second half of 2010. At the end of 2022, Bulgaria's cumulative installed solar PV capacity exceeded 1,500 MW (1.5 GW). Several large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects with a power capacity above 50 MW were launched into commercial operation in Bulgaria in 2022. Local and international investors will build new solar projects between 2023 and 2025. In the last few years, Bulgaria has been the focus of the investors’ interest. Furthermore, Bulgaria quickly has to diminish its dependency on Russian energy imports, and solar power is one of the best renewable energy alternatives. 

/12^th May 2021, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ This decade shall be crucial for the clean energy transformation of Croatia, reveals the Renewable Market Watch™ in its report Western Balkans Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2021÷2030. The country has considerable potential for developing solar energy and increasing energy independence. The energy transition council of Croatian President Zoran Milanović was established in 2020 and estimated the country’s solar potential to 6.8GW. However, to harness this potential effectively, Croatia will need to adopt more ambitious solar energy targets, ensure clear renewable energy investment direction in the power sector, and develop its modern electricity grid. The clean energy transition and development of the solar power sector can contribute to GDP growth and new jobs creation. Renewable Market Watch estimates that solar photovoltaic power capacity in Croatia will increase significantly in the following years compared to its current level assuming the tendered and planned large scale projects. The abundance of solar irradiation in Croatia shall enable photovoltaic energy to become an increasingly cost-competitive power generation source and attract new investments.

/AARHUS, DENMARK, July 4, 2023, 9:30 GMT, Danske Commodities/ Energy trading company Danske Commodities announced today that it has signed a three-year optimisation agreement for the 25 MW battery storage asset, Blandford Road. The agreement marks Danske Commodities’ first battery storage customer in the UK, where the energy trader will utilise its fully automated algorithmic setup to maximise returns across wholesale and ancillary services markets. Under the agreement, Danske Commodities will provide market access, balancing and optimisation services for Blandford Road. The asset is owned by Equinor and is developed and operated by Noriker Power Limited, a British market leader in developing and operating energy assets, partly owned by Equinor (45% stake). Once operational, Blandford Road will have a capacity of 25 MW and help provide flexibility to intermittent power generation in the UK renewables market.

/FRANKFURT, Germany and COLOGNE, Germany, February 2, 2023, 7:00 ET, PRNewswire/ Digital Realty and ENGIE have signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 116 megawatts (MW) share of a new 154 MW ground mounted solar photovoltaic project. Digital Realty's offtake commitment, estimated at 120 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year, supports the construction of the new solar park to be built by CEE Group, an infrastructure fund specializing in renewable energy projects. Located in Brandenburg in the northeast of Germany, the solar park is scheduled to start operation in late 2023.

/23^rd March 2021, BayWa r.e. Renewable Energy GmbH/ BayWa AG has been given the green light for the capital increase at BayWa r.e. renewable energy GmbH (BayWa r.e.) by an external investor. The regulatory approvals by the responsible supervisory authorities in Germany, Austria and Australia have laid the foundation for the largest transaction in BayWa’s corporate history: Funds advised by the Swiss investor, Energy Infrastructure Partners (EIP), will acquire a 49% stake in BayWa r.e. with an equity contribution of €530 million. The transaction is expected to be completed in March. BayWa AG will remain the majority shareholder with a 51% stake.

/14^th October 2021, BayWa r.e. Renewable Energy GmbH, Fraunhofer ISE/ BayWa r.e., a pioneer in Agri-PV solutions, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, together with other research partners, have built the first Agri-PV research facility for apples and espalier fruit at the Nachtwey organic fruit farm in Gelsdorf in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The primary objective of the project, which is funded by the German Ministry of Environment, Energy, Food and Forestry of Rhineland-Palatinate (MUEEF) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), is to increase climate resilience in fruit growing and to ensure safe and sustainable apple production with additional solar power generation. As part of the project, which will run for five years, numerous factors will be investigated on eight varieties of apple.

/12^th January 2021, SolarPower Europe, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ France crossed the significant capacity threshold of 10 GW installed in 2020. It is now halfway towards its MAEP (Multi-Annual Energy Programme) goal of 20.1 GW of solar capacity by 2023, according to SolarPower Europe. Secondly, despite the impact of the pandemic, France produced 4.46 TWh of solar in the third quarter of 2020, thereby beating its record from 2019 (4.43 TWh). This is a significant achievement and an important step towards building back better. Solar photovoltaic (PV) power in the European Union had a strong performance in 2020 despite the negative health, social and economic effects of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, revealed the recent update of Europe Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook: 2020 ÷ 2030.  The climate targets that have been set are also promising. The Climate & Energy Law adopted last year confirmed the Energy Transition for a Green Growth law with 2030 targets. The detailed MAEP sets out the requirements for each type of technology, and the targets for 2028 now lie between 35.1 GW and 44 GW in cumulative capacity. To keep in line with these targets, the annual market growth rate will need to rise to 2 GW/year between now and 2023, and then 4 GW/year between 2023 and 2028. As a result of these targets, solar is positioned to be one of the most important contributors to the French energy transition.