Southern Europe - Strategic Energy Europe

Following the April 28 power outage, the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), SolarPower Europe, and the Global Solar Council reiterate that photovoltaic technology operated as expected, was not the cause of the failure, and is ready to contribute to system stability with solutions such as storage and hybrid plants.

April 29, 2025
The Iberian blackout alerts Europe: it is urgent to strengthen electricity grids and accelerate storage

Millions of people lost power after the blackout in Spain, Portugal, and France, exposing the vulnerability of Europe’s electricity grids and the risk of similar failures across the continent. The crisis intensifies the debate on urgent investments in energy storage, cybersecurity, and resilience. Industry executives and consultants discuss risks and solutions with Strategic Energy Europe.

April 29, 2025
Which of all the blackout hypotheses is considered the most accurate according to the experts?

The blackout has been confirmed to have multiple causes, yet the initial trigger remains a mystery. Technical failures, atmospheric phenomena, and cyberattacks have been considered. Experts highlight high-voltage line failures, limited interconnection capacity, and the challenges of managing a renewable-based system as key contributing factors.

April 29, 2025
Process of restoring tension to the peninsular electrical system

Red Eléctrica reports on the gradual recovery of the peninsular electricity system following an incident that caused a loss of 10,000 MW of demand in just a few minutes.

April 29, 2025
New collaborations to ensure physical and cybersecurity of wind turbines

The Nord Stream 2 incident in 2022 seriously threatened Europe’s gas and energy security – with long-lasting economic repercussions for European businesses and households. But it has not been the only attack on subsea energy infrastructure since. T

April 28, 2025
Investment opportunities in industrial self-consumption with 9% annual returns

With over 550 investors from 30 countries and an 85% reinvestment rate, Crowmie is committed to democratising investment in industrial solar projects. It highlights that only 17% of Spaniards actively invest their savings, presenting a key opportunity to finance the energy transition.

April 27, 2025
Commission approves €612 million Portuguese State aid scheme to support energy-intensive companies

The European Commission approved a €612 million Portuguese plan to reduce electricity rates for electro-intensive companies, preventing their relocation to countries with less stringent climate policies. In return, the beneficiaries must promote energy efficiency measures or use renewable energy. The initiative seeks to balance industrial competitiveness and decarbonization goals.

April 25, 2025
IEA and 60 governments outline a new energy security model based on renewables and cooperation

by Lucia Colaluce Keep reading

At the Summit on the Future of Energy Security, over 120 ministers, CEOs and international leaders agreed that secure, reliable and affordable energy is critical for economic stability, industrial competitiveness and climate resilience. “Without energy security, there is no national security”, asserts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

April 25, 2025
IberBlue Wind remains vigilant over electoral impact on Portugal’s offshore tender

The consortium formed by Simply Blue Group, Proes Amper, and FF Nev has expressed its readiness to compete in upcoming floating offshore wind auctions. While welcoming the definition of the model and timelines, they remain cautious about potential changes following the 18 May elections.

April 25, 2025
Good prospects for the agrivoltaic auction, but grid connection times create uncertainty. Will Italy be able to meet its goals?

by Energía Estratégica ES Keep reading

The upcoming agrivoltaic auction in Italy has over €300 million in public funds, but the grid connection timeline is causing uncertainty among investors. “The connection timeline must be accelerated,” warns Ludovica Terenzi, founder of Greensquare Italia, in an interview with Strategic Energy Europe.

April 25, 2025
The photovoltaic sector calls for urgent measures to boost self-consumption

Despite continued growth in self-consumption across Spain, the rate of expansion has slowed: in 2024, over 50,000 households installed self-consumption systems, contributing 1,182 MW of new capacity. Nevertheless, this represents a 31% decline in growth compared to 2023.

April 23, 2025
Europe debates the future of energy: renewable integration, storage, and electric vehicles

The second edition of the “Storage, Renewables, and Electric Vehicles Integration Forum,” organized by Mobility Portal Europe and Strategic Energy Europe, will be held virtually on May 21 and 22. Leaders and experts will analyze the challenges and opportunities for accelerating the integration of renewable energy in Europe.

April 23, 2025
Offshore wind tenders in Portugal: Key points and sector expectations

Iberian companies welcome the definition of the auction schedule before July, under a centralised sequential model with a target of 2 GW. What will be the size of the wind farms, what prices can be expected, and how competitive is the market?

April 22, 2025
AEGE reopens the discussion on energy contract flexibility for large consumers

Pedro González, Managing Director, states that enabling multiple physical suppliers will facilitate the signing of long-term contracts in the current context of a slowdown in the PPA market, while also enhancing industrial competitiveness.

April 22, 2025
Italy sets the maximum premium for its first MACSE storage auction: How much is it?

The Energy, Resources, and Environment Regulation Authority (ARERA) has officially announced the criteria for the top prize for the first MACSE auction, which will be awarded at a maximum of €32,000/MWh per year.

April 22, 2025
Portugal boosts offshore wind with new competitive model targeting 2 GW by 2030

The Government defines a sequential centralised model to drive the installation of 2 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030, aligned with the PNEC 2030. The renewables sector highlights regulatory stability and investment appeal.

April 22, 2025
“Dangerous situation”: Fiscal aid cuts undermine competitiveness of energy-intensive industry

Major energy consumers are shifting from industry to data centres. What impact does this have on the renewables market? Carlos Martín Graña, Head of Operations at ENERJOIN, analyzes the current situation.

April 21, 2025
Wind sector presents recommendations to turn innovation into industrial competitiveness

The sector calls on the EU to establish a European Fund for Wind Research & Competitiveness under the next EU budget. The Fund should safeguard the competitiveness of the European wind industry and to secure Europe’s technology sovereignty in clean tech.

April 21, 2025
RESkill4NetZero project launches to develop trainings and boost clean energy careers

The project, funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, officially kicked off with a vibrant and collaborative meeting among project partners.

April 21, 2025
Greece accelerates BESS deployment to address the anticipated high curtailments