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July 2, 2025
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Europe’s largest floating solar power plant begins operation

The largest floating solar power plant in Europe, named Les Ilots Blandin, has officially begun operation in France. With a total capacity of 74.3 MW, the facility is located in the Haute-Marne department, on the site of former gravel pits, and is expected to generate enough electricity to supply 37,000 people annually.

In the Haute-Marne department, the largest floating solar plant in Europe was launched by Q Energy and Velto Renewables. Located near the commune of Perthes, the facility features 135,000 solar panels installed on floating platforms.

It sits on basins formed by flooded former gravel pits, closed in 2020 and owned by local company Etablissements Blandin. The newly inaugurated floating solar power plant was named Les Ilots Blandin, which translates as Blandin’s islets.

The solar panels cover 45.5 hectares

The total area spans 127 hectares, and the solar panels cover 45.5 hectares, project manager at French floating solar developer Ciel et Terre, Vincent Pinchou, told pv magazine France. The company was responsible for supplying and installing the floating structures, modules, and inverters.

The power plant has a total peak capacity of 74.3 MW, with 72.3 MW installed on floating platforms and 2 MW on land. The ground-mounted section was strategically integrated to optimize both energy production and the site’s economic performance. The installation consists of six separate platforms, each ranging in capacity from 8 MW to 17 MW.

According to the developers, the plant will generate enough renewable electricity to supply 37,000 people and prevent 18,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

Floating solar plants are more expensive to build and maintain than ground-mounted ones

In northern regions of France, there is significant potential for the development of floating solar technology. However, Corentin Sivy, Development Director of Q Energy, emphasized that one of the main challenges remains economic. Floating solar plants are more expensive to build and maintain than ground-mounted ones. Moreover, France’s Commission de Régulation de l’Énergie (CRE) does not hold separate tenders for floating projects; they must compete directly with ground-based systems.

The project’s financing was secured in September 2024, with more than EUR 50 million provided by Crédit Agricole Transitions & Energies and Bpifrance. In early 2025, Spanish renewable energy company Velto Renewables acquired a 50% stake in the project.

“Velto is accelerating its development in France with a clear objective: to establish a long-term presence in France for several decades. We are here to stay. Our mission is to develop, operate, and support projects over the long term, in harmony with local specificities; this is one of the reasons we are proud of our partnership with Q Energy in France,” CEO of Velto Renewables Lucas de Haro said at the inauguration.

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July 1, 2025
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Hungary’s MAVIR commissions 60 MWh battery energy storage system

MAVIR, the Hungarian electricity transmission system operator (TSO), put into operation a battery energy storage system, BESS, of 20 MW in capability and a three-hour cycle. It will help grid security and the integration of renewable energy sources.

After entering the world’s top ten in photovoltaic capacity per capita, Hungary is picking up pace in terms of batteries as well. Energy storage units are coming online to maintain grid stability and bridge the hours between the peaks of daily solar power production and electricity consumption. Transmission system operator MAVIR commissioned a BESS of 20 MW in operating power and a three-hour cycle, translating to 60 MWh in capacity.

The EUR 20.3 million project received support in the form of a grant via the European Union. MET Group also put into operation a similarly-sized BESS last month in Hungary, while MOL Group launched construction of another one.

MAVIR’s battery energy storage system is in Szolnok, southeast from the capital Budapest. The company picked Forest-Vill as the contractor in late 2023. They signed the contract in February 2024. The same firm built MET Group’s BESS and also used equipment from Huawei Technologies.

Investors in BESS in Hungary are benefiting from EU grants

MAVIR’s new facility will contribute to grid security and a more efficient integration of renewable energy sources and support a sustainable, green future, said Deputy Minister of Energy and Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Gábor Czepek.

The government’s EUR 45.1 million subsidy program for residential and corporate investments resulted in the installation of 12,000 batteries in households of 109 MWh in total, the official pointed out. Hungary now hosts 114 MW in battery capability.

Czepek estimated that the grants would bring 1 GW online by 2030, as targeted. Another call, of EUR 12.5 million, will soon be launched for energy storage for the industrial sector, he stressed.

Notably, the Ministry of Energy said solar power production reached 6.25 GW around noon on June 25. It was more than the country’s entire electricity demand at the time, it added.

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July 1, 2025
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Croatia confirms major geothermal resource for district heating

The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency’s exploratory activities at a preliminary exploration site in Velika Gorica have confirmed significant geothermal potential. The output from this single geothermal well could meet nearly 60% of the thermal energy needs of the city’s district heating system, the agency said.

The recorded reservoir temperature exceeds 100 degrees Celsius, and the well’s capacity meets the projected targets in full, the agency stated. The exploratory activities in Velika Gorica are part of a wider project to develop geothermal potential for district heating in Croatia, covering six cities.

To fully realize the geothermal system’s potential for district heating in Velika Gorica, a second well is planned. This would create a so-called production-injection pair, allowing for the continuous and safe use of this natural resource, the agency said.

A second well is planned in Velika Gorica to fully utilize the geothermal potential

In addition to its application in district heating, the geothermal potential in the Velika Gorica area also holds promise for agricultural production, it added.

“This is one of the first concrete steps in the use of geothermal energy for heating in continental Croatia. The project is financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and the works were carried out by CROSCO, a member of the INA Group,” the agency said.

The project to explore the geothermal potential in six cities – Vinkovci, Vukovar, Osijek, Sisak, Zaprešić, and Velika Gorica – was launched earlier this year, with a total budget of EUR 50 million. The agency plans to complete the project and determine the geothermal energy potential for all six cities by June next year.

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July 1, 2025
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Montenegro publishes NECP for public consultation – sole coal plant planned for shutdown in 2041

State institutions, companies, organizations, and individuals have until August 6 to deliver their suggestions and comments about the draft National Energy and Climate Plan of Montenegro. It sets the provisional date for taking the Pljevlja coal power plant, the only one in the country, at 2041, but the authors pointed out that it primarily depends on a just transition and the security of electricity supply.

Montenegro’s long-awaited draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) sets out the key 2030 targets for greenhouse gas emission cuts, share of renewable energy sources in gross final energy consumption, and energy efficiency.

The document, also known for its acronym INECP, in which the first letter stands for integrated, was published for the public consultation phase. It lasts until August 6. The Ministry of Energy and Mining called on the interested public – local authorities and other state institutions, the expert and scientific communities, associations, organizations, companies and individuals, to send their comments and suggestions.

“The energy and climate policy isn’t just a task for the government – it is a joint responsibility. That is why I am inviting all stakeholders, and especially nongovernmental organizations, to use this opportunity and contribute to the creation of a realistic, ambitious and just plan,” Minister Admir Šahmanović stated.

Renewables target can be surpassed

National goals match the ones adopted within the Energy Community. The targeted primary energy consumption in 2030 amounts to 0.92 million tons of oil equivalent. Under the business-as-usual scenario (with existing measures – WEM), the benchmark is expected to land at 1.04 million. With additional measures (WEM), the trajectory moves closer to the objective, projected at 0.97 million tons of oil equivalent.

The goal for final energy consumption is 0.73 million tons of oil equivalent. Existing measures result in 0.82 million, and added ones in 0.77 million tons of oil equivalent.

The share of renewable sources in transportation could reach 24.4% instead of only 7.2%

Montenegro fares better with its expected share of renewables in gross final energy consumption, against the 50% target. In the WEM scenario, it reaches 42.5%, and the WAM projection is 53.3%.

Without additional measures, renewable sources have a 66.3% share in electricity production. The document’s authors calculated that it could grow to 79.4%. As for transportation, the range is from 7.2% to 24.4%. In heating and cooling, the possible progress from the results of current measures is only 0.4 percentage points, reaching 49.2%.

The targeted reduction in emissions is 55%, the same as in the European Union. It translates to 2.42 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in the final year of the current decade. With existing measures, the curve touches 3.06 million in 2030, and with added ones the result is 2.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent.

Retirement of Pljevlja coal plant depends on socio-economic situation in northern region

Oil derivatives, which are all imported, participated in the 2022 final energy consumption with 47.3%, followed by electricity, 33.3%. Wood fuel is the next item, with 18.7%. The share of coal is only 0.7%, because almost the entire output goes to thermal power plant Pljevlja, the only such facility in Montenegro.

The overall electricity production capacity at the end of 2023 was 1.07 GW. The Pljevlja coal plant, which is currently under reconstruction, has 225 MW.

According to the projection, the Pljevlja coal plant is in cold reserve after 2040

The provisional date for its shutdown is 2041, but it primarily depends on the success of the just transition process and maintaining the security of electricity supply, the NECP reads. It also shows the Pljevlja coal plant in cold reserve after 2040.

In addition, taking it offline requires supplying end consumers under favorable conditions, while minding the overall socio-economic situation in the country’s northern region, where the coal mines and the power plant are, the authors explained. They noted as well that an energy storage pilot project is under consideration for the site of the Pljevlja facility.

Electricity sector’s self-sufficiency varying due to dependence on hydrological conditions

The country’s two large hydropower plants Piva and Perućica have 342 MW and 307 MW in capacity, respectively.

There are 38 other hydroelectric units in Montenegro, of which the smallest one is 200 kW. The biggest facility, Vrbnica (6.75 MW), is owned by a firm with the same name, registered in the capital Podgorica.

The high share of hydropower plants in electricity production, implying dependence on hydrology, is the main reason of the variability of the level of self-sufficiency of the national energy balance year after year, the NECP says.

There are two wind power plants on the grid: Krnovo (72 MW) and Možura (46 MW), while the third one, called Gvozd, is under construction. The project envisages 54.6 MW in the first phase.

There are only five independent solar power plants. The biggest one, Čevo, has 4.4 MW in nominal capacity and a 3.25 MW connection. Nevertheless, units operated by prosumers reached 75 MW altogether, according to one entry, though the numbers are lower in other parts of the NECP.

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July 1, 2025
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LONGi ignites Romania’s energy transition with 54.1 MW BC technology triumph

A solar power plant in Romania’s northwest is on schedule to be connected to the grid in the fourth quarter of this year. The 54.1 MW facility in Chișineu-Criș features LONGi Solar’s back contact or BC modules, with an efficiency of 24.8%. It is the largest solar installation for retail infrastructure in the country.

LONGi Solar, a global leader in solar technology, has deployed 54.1 MW of its Hi-MO 9 back contact (BC) modules at the CEF Chișineu-Criș solar park in Romania’s Arad county. Developed for NEPI Rockcastle and its subsidiary Solpower Energy, and engineered by engineering, purchase and construction (EPC) partner Enevo Group, this utility-scale project – Romania’s largest solar installation for retail infrastructure – will positively impact the direct pathway for decarbonization at NEPI Rockcastle’s property portfolio in Romania, showcasing BC technology’s pivotal role in grid-scale renewable transitions.

The Chișineu-Criș facility, features 84,000 Hi-MO 9 modules, strategically deployed to maximize energy autonomy for NEPI Rockcastle’s retail assets in Romania. The plant, located in the country’s northwest, has been in full ownership of the leading owner and developer of shopping centers across Central and Eastern Europe since last year.

Hi-MO 9 has unmatched performance

Construction started in January 2025, and it remains on schedule for a grid connection in the fourth quarter. The project exemplifies BC technology’s scalability, with Hi-MO 9’s 24.8% module efficiency and -0.26%/°C temperature coefficient, ensuring optimal performance in Romania’s continental climate.

“This project exemplifies how BC technology transforms utility-scale solar into a reliable backbone for major infrastructure. Hi-MO 9’s unmatched performance ensures NEPI Rockcastle’s portfolio achieves energy stability,” stated Mirel Jarnea, Country Manager Utility Scale Business Unit of LONGi.

Faced with Romania’s grid limitations and land efficiency demands, Hi-MO 9’s back contact architecture eliminated front-grid shading losses to achieve 8% higher yield versus TOPCon products. Its PID/LID resistance guarantees 30-year performance stability – critical for NEPI Rockcastle’s long-term asset strategy – while minimizing maintenance costs across the 54.1 MW site.

Eduard Meiloiu, Executive Director Renewables BU of ENEVO, said: “Our collaboration with LONGi has been seamless from start to finish, reflecting a truly efficient and aligned partnership. BC technology brought clear engineering advantages – from higher efficiency and improved thermal performance to long-term reliability. Our engineering team greatly appreciated the precision and flexibility of the solution, which enabled us to deliver a robust project tailored to local conditions and fully aligned with Romania’s sustainability goals.”

Project to create over one hundred local jobs

This project is expected to generate around 70,171 MWh of clean electricity each year, which is enough to power approximately 29,300 Romanian homes. In doing so, it will also help avoid around 21,100 tons of CO₂ emissions annually, as contribution to climate goals.

Beyond environmental benefits, the project will create over 100 local jobs and give priority to regional contractors, boosting the local economy. By aligning climate mitigation with local economic development, this utility-scale solar initiative highlights how renewable infrastructure can meaningfully contribute to emissions reduction and socio-economic resilience.

Radu: NEPI Rockcastle’s photovoltaic project pipeline will enable it to generate 6% of its portfolio’s electricity needs

“NEPI Rockcastle’s green energy program is advancing through three major stages, reflecting our long-term commitment to sustainability and decarbonization. We’re investing EUR 110 million in new photovoltaic projects, including solar panel installations across 23 properties in CEE and greenfield developments in Romania totaling 159 MW in capacity. These efforts already enable us to generate 6% of our portfolio’s electricity needs and will help us reach our target of 84% renewable electricity usage. As part of this program, we partnered with LONGi specifically for the Chișineu-Criș solar project, where their high-efficiency photovoltaic modules are helping us deliver a flagship utility-scale development in Romania. This collaboration supports our strategic goal of enhancing the use of electricity from renewable sources and energy autonomy of our retail assets,” concluded Andrei Radu, Group Development Director at NEPI Rockcastle.

As Eastern Europe’s premier solar portfolio directly powering retail infrastructure, CEF Chișineu-Criș establishes a replicable model for large-scale renewable integration. With NEPI Rockcastle planning expansion across its property network, LONGi’s BC technology stands ready to accelerate Europe’s utility-scale revolution.

About NEPI Rockcastle

NEPI Rockcastle is Europe’s third-largest listed retail real estate company by investment portfolio value and the largest owner, operator, and developer of shopping centers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The company’s EUR 8 billion portfolio is located across eight CEE countries and includes 60 properties. It is a market leader in Romania and Poland (NEPI Rockcastle’s two largest markets) and has shopping centers in Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania.

About LONGi

Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world’s leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.

Under its mission of “making the best of solar energy to build a green world,” LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established several business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers, cells and modules, commercial and industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has, more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero-carbon development.

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July 1, 2025
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Serbia plans hydrogen transport through gas pipelines

Serbia’s natural gas transmission system operator, Transportgas Srbija, has invited bids for the preparation of a study on the technical feasibility of transporting hydrogen through the gas network. The study should assess the quantities of hydrogen that can be transported, as well as the impact of blending hydrogen with natural gas on the transmission system and key consumers. The goal is to determine the technical, investment, and regulatory measures necessary for integrating hydrogen into Serbia’s gas infrastructure.

Transportgas notes that hydrogen, as an alternative fuel, is becoming increasingly important in the context of decarbonization and energy security. It also recalls that the Energy Community has set goals for defining natural gas quality for all transmission system operators in Southeast Europe, with special emphasis on the introduction and application of hydrogen.

Serbia would transport hydrogen by blending it with natural gas. Transportgas recalled that gas pipelines built in recent years or currently under construction in Europe are capable of transporting 100% pure hydrogen.

Transportgas: New gas pipelines in Europe can transport pure hydrogen

The study should, among other things, determine the maximum percentage of hydrogen that can be blended with natural gas, as well as the impact on equipment and transmission system losses.

The selected consultant will also be required to determine the chemical composition of the hydrogen-natural gas blend, define the blending procedure, and identify the optimal blending points within the transmission system, as well as suitable sites for hydrogen production and storage in Serbia.

The study should also assess how much hydrogen blended with natural gas can be transported through existing gas pipelines, taking into account the varying qualities of natural gas from different supply routes. The construction of the Balkan Stream gas pipeline and the interconnector with Bulgaria near Dimitrovgrad has enabled Serbia to diversify its gas supplies, Transportgas pointed out.

The study should also identify suitable sites for hydrogen production and storage in Serbia

The study must include an assessment of the impact of the chemical composition and quality of the hydrogen-natural gas blend on major gas consumers in Serbia – steelworks Železara Smederevo, asphalt plants, compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations, oil refinery Rafinerija nafte Pančevo, cogeneration plants TE-TO Pančevo and TE-TO Novi Sad, petrochemical plant HIP-Petrohemija Pančevo, methanol producer MSK Kikinda, and district heating plants in Belgrade and Zrenjanin.

The consultant will be required to recommend investments needed to introduce hydrogen, such as installing gas analyzers, building new gas pipelines, and upgrading existing infrastructure.

The consultant will be expected to recommend necessary regulatory changes

The consultant’s obligation will also be to propose regulatory changes to enable the introduction of hydrogen into the gas infrastructure, the invitation states, noting that the regulations in question include the Law on Energy and the government decree on terms of natural gas delivery and supply.

The deadline to submit bids is July 23, and the selected consultant will have 180 days to complete the work.

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