🎉 Fun Facts
- France and Spain set solar generation day records in May 2026 — according to AleaSoft Energy Forecasting's analysis, the surge in solar output kept electricity prices low in both markets even while prices spiked above €100/MWh across most of the rest of Europe. (pv magazine)
- Sweden hit its strongest April ever for renewable electricity production in 2026, driven by exceptional wind and hydro conditions. (reNews)
- Europe's offshore wind turbine prices are spiking — a new Rystad Energy study found that shrinking manufacturing options for large offshore turbines are creating major price pressure across the European market. (Windpower Monthly)
💻 Technology & Innovation
- Hail is rewriting the solar insurance rulebook — insurers told pv magazine that severe convective storms drove $60 billion in insured losses in 2025, making hail the primary force tightening capacity and raising prices in the solar insurance market. A major structural concern for developers and asset managers. (pv magazine)
- Solar capture factors falling across Europe as record output and weaker demand cause negative price hours to surge in France, Germany, and Italy — a reminder of the growing value cannibalisation challenge for solar-heavy grids. (pv magazine)
- Vestas red blades to cut bird collisions — Vestas will provide red-painted blades for a Dutch offshore wind farm to evaluate whether increased blade visibility helps seabirds avoid turbines. (Windpower Monthly)
- Enercon nets 741MW in turbine supply deals — all involving its flagship E-175 EP5 E2 model, signalling strong order momentum for the German OEM. (Windpower Monthly)
- Siemens Energy CEO on remodelled onshore wind turbines — Siemens Energy's CEO expects a gradual ramp-up for its redesigned onshore turbines, reflecting lessons learned from earlier quality issues. (Windpower Monthly)
- Firm solar+storage costs fall to $54/MWh — according to a new IRENA report, firm wind-plus-storage cost around $59–88/MWh in 2025 depending on market, with costs expected to fall to $49–75/MWh by 2030. The combination of solar+wind+storage brings costs down further. (pv magazine)
- Dualsun launches "made in Europe" solar manufacturing — French solar module maker Dualsun announced it is entering European manufacturing, riding the reshoring wave in the solar industry. (GreenUnivers)
- French cleantech raised over €160M in April 2026 — French energy transition and cleantech companies collected nearly €163M in April, a strong fundraising month for the sector. (GreenUnivers)
🤝 Mergers & Acquisitions
- No major corporate M&A transactions in France, UK, Spain, or the Nordic countries were reported this week.
🏗️ Portfolio & Asset Transactions
- Hexicon takes full control of Mareld offshore wind (Sweden) — Hexicon acquired the remaining 50% stake in the Mareld Green Energy offshore wind project in Sweden from Mainstream Renewable Power. The deal includes an upfront payment of SEK 1 and a milestone-based €4.5M payment if the project secures an offtake contract. When fully developed, Mareld could generate up to 12 TWh/year. (reNews)
- Ofgem launches £500M innovation challenges (UK) — Ofgem announced £500M in new innovation funding targeting faster grid connections and more resilient networks, directly supporting the UK's clean energy buildout. (reNews)
📰 Other News
- UK unveils Energy Independence Bill — The UK government unveiled a landmark Energy Independence Bill in the King's Speech, committing to cut bills and "take back control" of energy. The bill aims to avoid planning delays, support a national hydrogen network, and reduce financing costs for renewables. RenewableUK called it "a real opportunity to cut electricity bills and strengthen energy security." (reNews)