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September 26, 2025
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Greece mulls subsidizing green energy as loan to energy-intensive industry

The Greek government intends to support energy-intensive industries through a new mechanism involving renewable energy.

In recent days, discussions took place between the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) and the ministries of environment and energy, finance, and development. The employers’ organization presented a so-called Italian plan. It is based on Italy’s Energy Release 2.0 scheme.

The assistance would be provided in the form of a green energy loan. Around 400 industrial consumers would benefit from lower power prices, at EUR 60 per MWh, for three years. In return, they would be obliged to invest in renewable energy and return twice as much cheap electricity within a period of 20 years.

Based on the proposal, the industries are expected to add about 1.75 GW, of which 80% in photovoltaics and 20% in wind power capacity. The estimated amount of low-cost electricity that they would be entitled to is 10 TWh, and the cost of the scheme is seen at EUR 285 million per year for three years.

Brussels approval critical

SEV expressed the belief that the European Commission would easily accept the plan, after Italy got partial approval. However, another industry association, the Hellenic Union of Industrial Consumers of Energy (UNICEN), warned that the other country’s scheme has not yet formally obtained a green light from the administration in Brussels.

Namely, the EU sent a letter to the Italian authorities, listing the changes they needed to make. According to UNICEN, the Greek model would be approved if it follows the proposed revised version.

The ministers consider SEV’s proposal acceptable, but they said they needed to figure out the financing details. Other mechanisms are not yet off the table. Importantly, they cannot include direct state support because of restrictions set by European competition law. It stipulates that a government cannot simply provide money to a sector unless the scheme implies investments, such as in green energy.

“We are interested in a fair intervention with a holistic view, in order to focus on the most heavily affected businesses. Also, the scheme should not cause fiscal problems,” Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis stated.

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September 26, 2025
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Eurowind Energy’s solar power project in Romania gets CfD thanks to auction list dropouts

Eurowind Energy’s Ewe Solar Project in Romania, of 110 MW, is now eligible for government support in the form of a contract for difference (CfD), even though it landed just below the line in the last renewable energy auction. It got upgraded from the reserve list as the developer of two winning photovoltaic endeavors has decided to exclude some sections.

Depending on the policy framework and market conditions, renewable energy investors sometimes opt for power purchase agreements (PPAs) or the electricity exchange instead of locking in a fixed price for the long term in a government support scheme. Enery Element, which won CfDs in Romania’s last solar power auction, decided not to sign some of the contracts. It means Eurowind Energy, the first in the reserve list with its Ewe Solar Project, can now fill the quota instead of its competitor.

Enery Element has obtained the rights to the CfDs with two projects that it conveniently split into several sections each. It enabled it to withdraw only parts of the future photovoltaic plants.

Enery Element cancels three sections of 46 MW altogether

Enery Element pulled away two of the 11 lots that its subsidiary Baboia Solar Plant won for a facility in Ogrizeni in Giurgiu county.

They were the lowest strike prices in the entire auction: EUR 35.77 per MWh and EUR 36.33 per MWh. The proposed two sections, for a combined capacity of 25.9 MW, lowered the total to 324.2 MW.

According to an earlier update, the solar power plant would have 535 MW in peak capacity. The project firm also won a grant of EUR 6.1 million for a 121.9 MWh battery energy storage system.

Baboia Solar Plant, also known as Ogrizeni, would include a subsidized BESS of 121.9 MWh

Enery Element is a joint venture between Austrian renewable energy company Enery Development and its Bulgarian partner Element Power Group.

Conversely, with Siret Solar Plant, Enery Element canceled the part with the highest strike price of the four that were selected. The levels were from EUR 38.76 per MWh to EUR 38.79 per MWh.

It slashed the part of the capacity qualified for CfDs in the Dumbrava 2 project to 88.5 MW from 108.6 MW. The developer didn’t reveal the reason for its move.

Eurowind Energy lifts auction’s highest strike price to EUR 46 per MWh

The Ministry of Energy said it would replace the canceled capacity with Ewe Solar Project of 110 MW. It is a special purpose vehicle, working under Denmark-based Eurowind Energy.

The accepted price is EUR 46 per MWh, while the new lowest level on the list is EUR 36.69 per MWh, for a segment of the Baboia Solar Plant.

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September 26, 2025
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Researchers from Denmark, Serbia, Slovenia creating carbon footprint calculator for glass products

A group of researchers from Serbia, Slovenia, and Denmark is creating a completely new, scientifically based tool for assessing environmental impact – a carbon footprint calculator for glass products. The calculator can contribute to reducing the total greenhouse gas emissions in the sector to zero.

The project Glassmaking Tradition Meets Innovation is implemented by Slovenian organization Kreativno središče Center Rog, three entities in Serbia – Foundation Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Creative Glass Serbia initiative, and the Foundation for the Advancement of Economics (FREN) – and the Museum Sydøstdanmark from Denmark.

The calculator is based on an original and innovative methodology that will conduct an interdisciplinary analysis of different types of glass materials, especially glass waste, and the ways they can be creatively processed, according to Creative Glass Serbia.

Molnar: Glass practically never has to become waste

The tool will enable artists and creative entrepreneurs across Europe who work with glass to calculate the carbon footprint of various handcrafted glass items. With the help of the calculator, they will be able to reevaluate their materials, techniques, tools, designs, and ideas to develop more sustainable practices and create new values that are in line with modern ecological standards in an era when humanity is struggling with the consequences of climate change.

Photo: Creative Glass Serbia

Dejan Molnar from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade, a member of the project team, noted that glass is one of the most recyclable materials. Unlike, for example, plastic and metals, during recycling it doesn’t lose quality and it has a lower carbon footprint.

If used and recycled properly, glass practically never has to be considered waste, he pointed out.

In his words, the European Union recycles nearly 80% of glass packaging, with even more ambitious goals aiming to increase the recycled glass packaging rate to 90% by 2030.

In Serbia, 45% to 50% of glass packaging is recycled

“Unfortunately, the situation in this area is not as ‘bright’ in the Western Balkans region, nor in Serbia. In our country, recycling ranges between 45% and 50%,” said Molnar, who is also a member of FREN.

He recalled that currently there is no tool that assesses environmental standards during the production of glass products, and that buyers of artistic glass pieces are paying more attention to how green the products are.

Therefore, one of the most important results of the carbon footprint calculator will be very useful in a broader sense – to raise public awareness about environmentally sustainable and circular business models and ideas in glassmaking practices, he explained.

The calculator will be introduced in Serbia and Europe by the end of November. The project is co-financed by the European Union. It lasts from 2024 to 2027.

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September 26, 2025
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Croatia to get EUR 44 million in green transition grants

Under the European Economic Area and Norway Grants, Croatia is entitled to EUR 21.6 million from the Green Transition Programme and EUR 22 million from the Green and Blue Business Innovation Programme in the period until 2028. The funding is part of a EUR 111 million mechanism, which includes support for local development and the judiciary.

Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds Nataša Mikuš Žigman, Ambassador of Iceland Helga Hauksdóttir and Ambassador of Norway Arne Sannes Bjørnstad signed memoranda of understanding on the implementation of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norway Grants for the period until 2028.

Croatia is entitled to EUR 111 million for investments in the green transition, local development, innovation in green and blue business, and the judiciary.

EEA Financial Mechanism to bolster transition to more sustainable society

It confirms the country’s continuous and successful cooperation with Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, Mikuš Žigman asserted.

“Through projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants, we are strengthening institutional capacities, supporting sustainable development, inclusiveness, and innovation, and contributing long-term to improving the quality of life of our citizens. These mechanisms also enable us to jointly develop solutions for key social and economic challenges and to build the foundations for further cooperation with partner countries,” she stated.

Projects worth more than EUR 103 million were implemented in Croatia in the previous funding period

In the new programming period, the EEA Financial Mechanism is set to fund projects worth EUR 21.6 million under the Green Transition Programme, aimed at accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable society. A further EUR 33 million would be invested through the Local Development Programme, including projects to improve access to STEM education in less developed regions. STEM is an acronym for integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Hauksdóttir said the cooperation reflects solidarity and helps support equal opportunities and living standards across the EEA. She added that such projects strengthen public institutions, support vulnerable communities, encourage innovation, and establish lasting ties between researchers, local communities, civil society and artists across borders.

Norway Grants helping foster low-carbon circular economy

From the Norway Grants segment, EUR 22 million is earmarked for the Green and Blue Business Innovation Programme, fostering sustainable and competitive development of Croatia’s economy through green and blue innovation, including low-carbon circular economy models.

Through the Justice Programme, there is EUR 21.55 million for improving access to an independent, accountable and efficient judicial system, as well as to enhance correctional institutions in line with international and European standards.

“For many years, Croatia and Norway have been working side by side to build a stronger Europe – one that is more competitive, but also more inclusive and greener, and thus more technologically and economically efficient. In a world marked by uncertainties such as the war in Ukraine, climate change, and global instability, it is clear that European countries are stronger when we act together, in solidarity, defending shared interests and values,” Ambassador Bjørnstad stressed.

In the previous funding period, projects worth more than EUR 103 million were implemented in Croatia, including the establishment of four regional science centres and the construction of a major geothermal well in Bjelovar. The Energy and Climate Change Programme was for a cleaner environment, strengthening energy security and resilience, reducing costs in public institutions and buildings, and raising awareness of energy efficiency.

Norway Grants and EEA Grants are segments of the EEA Financial Mechanism. Its beneficiaries are in EU member states with a gross national income (GNI) per capita below 90% of the average. The current seven-year funding period began in May 2021 and it lasts until April 2028.

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September 26, 2025
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German startups want to seize historic opportunity: first commercial fusion power plant by end of 2030s

German nuclear fusion startups expect the first industrial pilot plants by 2030 and the first commercial one by the end of the 2030s. Leading European startups have called on the German government to provide support to seize the historic opportunity.

Nuclear fusion is seen as a silver bullet for the growing energy demand and energy transition. However, experts believe commercial power plants are still a long way away. But United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently said there is no reason to worry too much about emissions and claimed that within five years, artificial intelligence (AI) would enable harnessing nuclear fusion.

German startups Proxima Fusion, Marvel Fusion, and Focused Energy presented a joint roadmap on the development of Germany’s fusion industry – Drei Punkte für Deutschlands Chance auf die eigene Fusionsindustrie: Jetzt oder nie. It aims to help the country make the leap from research to industrial application. Complementing the High-Tech Agenda of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, the three companies are calling for concrete measures and appropriate funding instruments.

The US, UK, and China are creating a clear regulatory framework and attracting private capital

According to the document, Germany boasts a unique diversity in fusion technology.

Proxima Fusion relies on the latest stellarator technology, while Marvel Fusion and Focused Energy focus on the newest concepts for laser fusion. The diversity is highlighted as a strategic advantage that must be leveraged through consistent technology openness.

The group said the German fusion industry has set specific milestones aligned with the High-Tech Agenda. The first industrial pilot plants could be materialized by 2030, and the first commercial fusion power plant could be put into operation by the late 2030s, the firms claimed.

Three measures were proposed

With the agenda and one of the strongest fusion ecosystems worldwide, including three leading European fusion companies, Germany has a unique, historic opportunity to develop its own fusion energy industry and secure its long-term economic and technological sovereignty, the document reads. It adds that a political decision must be made in the coming months.

The startups noted that the global race for expertise in fusion is gaining momentum, with the US, the United Kingdom, and China establishing regulatory frameworks and attracting private capital.

The federal government is set to discuss fusion energy on October 1, so the three companies are calling for three key measures:

  • Implement the High-Tech Agenda, kicking off Germany’s fusion industry with clearly defined goals and a roadmap to demonstrator facilities in the 2030s.
  • Strengthen the industrial base: initial state funding of at least EUR 3 billion by 2029, opening the way for 20% to 50% more in private capital, and funding based on achieved goals through instruments such as SPRIND and KfW.
  • Create regulations: Clear distinction from nuclear fission, without applying the Atomic Energy Act, but instead a legal framework compatible with European standards.

Time to turn scientific excellence into commercial technological leadership

Francesco Sciortino, Proxima Fusion CEO, underlined that a relentless pioneering spirit, a decade of work, and billions in investments have brought Germany to the forefront of fusion science. Now is the time to translate this strength into commercial technological leadership, he added.

According to Moritz von der Linden, CEO of Marvel Fusion, his company is ready with scalable technology, a world-class team, and a clear plan for the first laser-based fusion power plant.

Günter Kraft, Chief Government Affairs and Communications Officer of Focused Energy, expressed the belief that Germany needs to create clear regulations and frameworks. It is the only way to turn scientific excellence into industrial reality, he pointed out.

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September 26, 2025
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Bulgaria to start talks with developers of small modular reactors

Bulgaria should discuss the possibility of installing small modular reactors on its territory with companies developing the technology, according to Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov. In his view, it is a logical step after the country signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States on nuclear energy and assistance in preliminary studies.

Minister of Energy of Bulgaria Zhecho Stankov said that during his forthcoming visit to Ontario, Canada, he is going to a site where the first four small modular reactors (SMRs) are being built. Last week, he signed a memorandum of understanding with United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright reaffirming the objectives of the bilateral agreement to strengthen cooperation in civil nuclear energy use.

Bulgaria’s government considers the SMR technology a tool for long-term stability, predictability and affordable low-emission electricity production.

“After signing a joint statement last week with the US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on that country’s assistance for sites on Bulgarian territory for small modular reactors – it is a new, modern technology, very flexible, which attracts investments in data centers and artificial intelligence centers – the normal next step for the Bulgarian side is to start talks with potential companies that develop this type of technology,” Stankov told reporters in New York City.

US to assist Bulgaria in prefeasibility studies

The memorandum envisages cooperation in the development and deployment of innovative technologies for nuclear reactors, aimed at enhancing Bulgaria’s economic security and energy resilience with the support of the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy.

Minister Stankov called for regional cooperation to reduce vulnerabilities and form a sustainable energy market

The Balkan country would benefit from the expertise of US laboratories in conducting preliminary studies of the feasibility and suitability of potential sites for the deployment of small modular reactors. The US Trade and Development Agency has said it is prepared to fund the assessment of SMR technologies to identify the ones most adequate for Bulgaria, the ministry added.

Speaking in New York City, Stankov also outlined the priorities – new energy corridors, investments in green energy and balancing capacities including pumped storage hydropower plants and battery energy storage systems (BESS), the projects for units 7 and 8 at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, and regional cooperation for reducing vulnerabilities and forming a sustainable energy market.

Prime Minister Zhelyazkov endorses both rival projects for electricity corridors

Notably, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said that he spoke with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev about the supply of green energy from the Caspian region to Europe. The plans involve 6 GW from Azerbaijan or, potentially, 10 GW if Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are involved, he added

The proposed subsea power interconnector under the Black Sea is increasingly realistic and so is an onshore corridor from Armenia and Georgia through Turkey, according to Zhelyazkov.

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