Blog – Full Width

  1. Home
  2. Blog – Full Width
May 6, 2025
by

Croatia discusses installation of small modular reactors with US

Croatian and United States officials have discussed the possibilities for energy cooperation to diversify the energy supply in Central and Southeastern Europe. Croatia has expressed particular interest in joint work in the nuclear energy sector.

On the sidelines of the 10th summit meeting of the Three Seas Initiative, held in Warsaw, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met with United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar attended the discussion as well and separately sat with a delegation from the Nuclear Energy Institute, based in Washington.

Of note, at the same event, Wright invited Central European countries to abandon the European Union’s energy and climate policy and join his country on “team energy freedom.”

Talks between the two delegations covered various topics, including the expansion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the island of Krk, development of gas infrastructure toward Hungary and Slovenia, and strengthening the security of energy supply in Central and Southeastern Europe.

The two sides have discussed the enhancement of energy independence for Croatia and Southeastern Europe

According to Croatia’s Ministry of Economy, representatives of the two countries exchanged views on further opportunities for US involvement in projects focused on diversifying energy sources and strengthening the region’s energy resilience.

Croatian officials highlighted the importance of ongoing cooperation with the US, particularly regarding the diversification of energy supply and the enhancement of energy independence for Croatia and Southeastern Europe, the ministry underlined.

Maria Korsnick and Ante Šušnjar (photo: Government of Croatia)

Minister Šušnjar and Maria Korsnick, CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, discussed potential cooperation in the development of nuclear energy, particularly the application of small modular reactor (SMR) technology.

Šušnjar: SMRs is an alternative to existing fossil fuel sources

Šušnjar noted that nuclear energy is increasingly vital for achieving decarbonization and ensuring a stable electricity supply. Croatia has established a workgroup to analyze the potential use of nuclear energy including SMRs as an alternative to existing fossil fuel sources, he added.

“We are interested in partnering with companies that offer advanced, safe, and cost-effective solutions. The Nuclear Energy Institute is a key partner in that process,” Šušnjar said.

Croatia has been expressing interest for the past several years in the Krško 2 nuclear power project in neighbouring Slovenia.

However, Minister Šušnjar recently said his country would focus on developing its own nuclear power capabilities including SMRs.

Post Views:60
May 6, 2025
by

Republic of Srpska awards concession for Trebinje 3 solar project

The Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina, has awarded a concession to power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske for the proposed Trebinje 3 solar power plant.

The Trebinje 3 photovoltaic plant would have an installed capacity of 53.63 MW and an estimated annual production of 85.5 GWh.

According to the ministry, construction is expected to be completed within the next four years. The concession has been granted for 50 years and the total investment value is BAM 84.2 million (EUR 43.1 million), the ministry said.

Before finalizing the concession contract, the concessionaire, state-owned Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), delivered a one-off payment to the budget of the Republic of Srpska of BAM 842,049 (EUR 430,992).

Almost the entire amount of the concession fee will be allocated to the budget of the City of Trebinje

After the facility becomes operational, the concessionaire will be obligated to pay a fee of BAM 0.0055 (EUR 0.0028) per kWh of generated electricity to the budget of the Republic of Srpska. A 95% share is allocated for the budget of the city.

The concession agreement for the construction and operation of the Trebinje 3 solar power plant was signed by the Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Petar Đokić, who will be among the speakers at Belgrade Energy Forum 2025 (BEF 2025), and ERS CEO Luka Petrović.

ERS already has two concessions for solar power projects

It is the third concession that the company received for solar power plants from the government. The first, for Trebinje 1, with a capacity of 73 MW, was awarded in 2020..It was followed by Trebinje 2, for 53 MW, awarded in 2022. Neither of the two PV plants has been constructed yet.

In March 2022, ERS announced Lugos Renewables was acquiring 70% ownership of the Trebinje 1 project, with ERS retaining control of the remaining 30%.

In February of this year, the Government of the Republic of Srpska approved concessions for two solar power projects. Their total capacity would be 110 MW.

Post Views:30
May 6, 2025
by

Landmark report demonstrates safety, cybersecurity, higher yield of SolarEdge PV systems

VDE Renewables found in its new report that SolarEdge’s advanced safety capabilities minimize photovoltaic system risks and effectively prevent fire hazards, while exceeding international PV safety regulations. SolarEdge has robust cybersecurity mechanisms, essential to mitigating risks associated with cyberthreats, and its solutions bring higher energy yields for both simple and complex roofs.

A new report by VDE Renewables, a subsidiary of the VDE Group, has demonstrated that SolarEdge’s inverter and Power Optimizer-based PV systems deliver measurable advantages in advanced safety, cybersecurity and higher energy production across a wide range of installation types.

In its in-depth assessment of Module-Level Power Electronics (MLPE) topology and SolarEdge’s approach to PV systems, the report highlights how SolarEdge’s advanced safety features reduce PV system vulnerabilities and exceed international PV safety standards. Reviewed and validated by VDE Renewables, the integration of multiple protective mechanisms including Sense Connect proactively identifies and addresses faulty connections long before abnormal temperature is reached.

SafeDC™, rapid shutdown, and module-level monitoring was reported to provide a proactive approach to risk mitigation to ensure a significantly higher level of protection for system operators, maintenance personnel, and emergency responders.

Photo: SolarEdge’s inverter + Power Optimizer solution shown to produce higher energy yields for both simple and complex roofs (4% and 10.5% more power, respectively)

Unsecure PV systems becoming more vulnerable to cyberthreats

The VDE Renewables report also emphasizes cybersecurity as a top priority in PV systems, noting that as solar technology becomes increasingly digitized and interconnected, unsecure PV systems also become more vulnerable to cyberthreats.

With PV systems now integral to energy infrastructure, the consequences of cyberattacks can extend far beyond individual installations, raising wider concerns around grid security and resilience. In this context, VDE Renewables validated SolarEdge’s strong cybersecurity credentials, recognizing its comprehensive, built-in defence architecture and highlighting its robust cybersecurity mechanisms that mitigate risks associated with cyberthreats.

These mechanisms comply with leading international cybersecurity regulations, including IEC 62443, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and ISO/IEC 27001. Additionally, SolarEdge’s solution includes encrypted communication protocols, secure remote firmware updates, multi-level access control, continuous monitoring, and penetration-tested system architecture.

SolarEdge provides residential solutions bolstering output on complex roofs by 10.5%

VDE Renewables also validated the performance of SolarEdge’s residential solution against leading traditional string inverter systems, even when using multiple MPPTs. The report confirms results that show a 4% increase in energy production on simple (single facet with no shading) rooftops and an impressive 10.5% increase on complex rooftops.

These gains are attributed to SolarEdge’s use of MLPE-based Power Optimizers and advanced Buck and Boost technology. The VDE Renewables report highlights the SolarEdge ONE energy optimization platform that helps maximize saving potentials with support for both fixed and dynamic electricity tariffs, as well as design advantages such as the ability to use longer strings, enabling lower BoS costs and larger systems within the same roof area – further contributing to overall energy yield.

Gruenewald: SolarEdge’s technology demonstrates its strategic market position in safety, cybersecurity, and performance

The report was sponsored by SolarEdge to evaluate its Power Optimizer-based PV system.

Arne Gruenewald, Project Manager Batteries and Energy Storage Systems, VDE Renewables: “Our assessment shows that SolarEdge’s technology demonstrates its strategic market position in safety, cybersecurity, and performance – criteria that are essential for the technology’s long-term viability and trust.”

VDE Group offers quality assurance services for the global renewable energy sector.

Christian Carraro, General Manager Europe, SolarEdge: “We welcome VDE Renewables’ validation of our technology, being a trusted partner for quality assurance, risk minimization and certification. As the solar industry grows and evolves, it’s essential that we continue to prioritize not just performance, but also safety and cybersecurity. This report encourages us to keep raising the bar and deliver technologies that support more powerful and secure energy solutions.“

About SolarEdge

SolarEdge is a global leader in smart energy technology. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress.

SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic systems. The SolarEdge DC-optimized inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system.

Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, and grid services solutions.

Post Views:19
May 6, 2025
by

Electricity system in Spain, Portugal collapses

Power was out today throughout Spain and Portugal as well as in Andorra and parts of southern France, in one of the most serious such incidents so far, on a European scale. The European Commission’s Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera and other officials from the EU and the affected countries said there are no indications of sabotage or cyberattack.

Grid operators and electricity producers are gradually restoring the power supply after a massive outage struck the Iberian peninsula today. Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez convened the National Security Council. It is one of the most serious blackouts in Europe in many years. The outage spread throughout Spain and Portugal.

Power was out in Andorra and, briefly, in parts of southern France. Transportation and telecommunications were heavily affected.

Spanish TSO Red Eléctrica de España called it a “collapse of the Iberian electricity network.” The company said it would take six to ten hours to restore it. Notably, the production system is relying almost completely on photovoltaics and wind farms at the moment, so just a few hours of solar power production remain.

The outage paralyzed major cities including Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon and caused disturbances in the European grid. The European Commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition and Commissioner for Competitiveness Teresa Ribera said there were no indications that “any kind of sabotage or cyberattack” was behind the grid collapse.

According to the Government of Portugal, the incident started from outside the country

According to the Government of Portugal, the incident started from outside the country and, apparently, in Spain.

Shares of solar, wind power production in Spain breaking records

In the spring and autumn, when there is little to no demand for heating or cooling, electricity grids in most of Europe are sometimes strained from surges in high solar and wind power production, amid a lack of energy storage and flexibility capabilities that would balance the surplus.

On April 16, the Spanish electricity system achieved total coverage for the first time with renewable energy sources. At one point during the day, wind and solar met 100.6% of demand. Then on April 21, solar power generation was equivalent to a record 78.6% of domestic demand for a moment.

Reid: The massive outage occurred while prices are negative in electricity markets across Europe

“Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica has so far blamed a power ‘oscillation’ on the power outage. We still don’t know the cause but it looks like problems at the Spanish-French power interconnector led to the Spanish grid operator islanding their power system and I would say at this point they lost control,” said Gerard Reid, investor and strategic advisor in energy, finance and geopolitics.

It has also proven difficult to restore power with multiple black start (restart) procedures taking place, but the issue is that at the time of the blackout there were no conventional power units in operation, he pointed out. Reid added it makes the restart complicated and stressed that Europe requires enhanced grid-scale battery storage solutions, including for black start capabilities.

He also highlighted the fact that the massive outage occurred while prices are negative in electricity markets across Europe.

Of note, a grid incident last summer left much of the Western Balkans and parts of Croatia out of power for several hours.

Post Views:306
May 6, 2025
by

Engie Romania takes over 54 MW wind power project

Engie Romania has completed the acquisition of a 54 MW wind power project located in Mereni in central Romania.

Engie Romania said the Mereni wind project is located in Constanța county, an area with high wind potential, recognized for its superior yields in green energy production.

The project represents a strategic step in expanding the company’s renewable energy portfolio and supports its goal of reaching an installed capacity of 1 GW by 2030, according to Engie Romania, a subsidiary of the French energy giant Engie.

The project was acquired in a “ready-to-build” stage, with all necessary building permits in place to begin construction. Installation is scheduled to begin later this year, with commissioning scheduled for 2027, according to a press release.

The Mereni wind farm will deliver 180 GWh of renewable energy annually

With an estimated annual production of 180 GWh, the Mereni wind farm will deliver renewable energy equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 90,000 households. Engie estimates that this amount of electricity can support the operation of about 20 medium-sized data centers with 1 MW of continuous power each.

Cristian Buzan, Deputy General Manager of Engie Romania, underlined that this acquisition reflects the company’s constant commitment to actively contributing to the energy transition by developing a diversified portfolio of renewable projects.

Engie Romania currently operates an installed capacity of 211 MW from renewable sources

“We continue our evolution with concrete steps, supported by the ambition to be a trusted partner for our customers, offering sustainable and competitive solutions, adapted to their long-term needs,” Buzan noted.

Engie Romania currently operates an installed capacity of 211 MW from renewable sources. The portfolio comprises three wind farms with a combined capacity of 178 MW and five photovoltaic plants totaling 33 MW. These assets are located in different regions of the country.

The company’s latest projects are its first 57 MW hybrid power plant and the acquisition of an operational 80 MW wind farm.

Its next move is to put into operation a 37.2 MWp solar power plant in Ariceștii Rahtivani, Prahova County.

Post Views:80
May 5, 2025
by

Army joins forces with municipality, energy company, road firm to install solar panels in Slovenia

The Sunčana Vipava solar power project has brought together several key stakeholders in Slovenia – state electricity producer Soške Elektrarne Nova Gorica (SENG), the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Slovenia (MORS), road management firm Družba za Avtoceste v Republiki Sloveniji (DARS), and the Municipality of Vipava.

The Sunčana (Sunny) Vipava project envisages installing solar power plants with a total capacity of 20 MW along highways, near military barracks, and on municipal land.

The initiative is seen as a strategic move towards achieving greater energy independence, enhancing energy supply security, and promoting sustainable development through advanced photovoltaic solutions, in both military and civilian areas, according to SENG.

The company operates 28 hydropower plants, with a combined capacity of 346 MW, on the Soča River and its tributaries, and is part of the Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE) group.

In the Vipava municipality, SENG has identified several potential sites for harnessing solar energy, located adjacent to military barracks, along highways, and on municipal land.

The Vipava municipality intends to establish business zones in the vicinity of the future solar plants

The primary objective for all parties involved in the agreement is to maximize the utilization of solar potential, in conjunction with modern technologies such as hydrogen, SENG underlined.

The estimated potential at these sites is substantial, and it is currently financially viable to install solar panels with a total capacity of 20 MW. Additionally, the Municipality of Vipava plans to develop business zones in the vicinity of the future photovoltaic plants.

SENG and DARS have had a longstanding collaboration, initiated in July 2023, when the two state-owned companies agreed to develop solar power plants next to highways and signed a contract to build the first one in the southern region of Primorska.

SENG stressed the Sunčana Vipava project is one of its several green initiatives. The company plans to open its largest solar power plant at Kanalski Vrh before summer. The plant, located near the Avče pumped storage hydropower plant, will have a total capacity of 8 MW, and its first, 2.9 MW phase is nearing completion.

The official opening of the first phase is scheduled for early June.

Slovenia’s army involved in various energy projects

Photo: SENG

The involvement of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Slovenia (MORS) and Slovenian Armed Forces in energy projects is not a surprise.

In April 2023, a public-private partnership was initiated to build photovoltaic plants at the Edvard Peperko military barracks in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. A year later, MORS launched the Defense Resilience Hub Network in Europe (RESHUB) project, which envisages establishing self-sufficient energy hubs.

In addition to highways and military barracks, Slovenia plans to install solar panels along railways, demonstrating its commitment to placing solar energy facilities in degraded or underutilized locations.

A cooperation agreement for this project was signed by Vipava Mayor Anton Lavrenčič, Slovenian Minister of Defense Borut Sajovic, DARS Board Member David Skornšek, and SENG CEO Mitja Gorjan.

Gorjan explained that SENG’s responsibilities include preparing project and investment documentation for the installation and construction of solar power plants at the Mlake military training ground, along military infrastructure and the highway, and in other locations within the Municipality of Vipava.

According to HSE CEO Tomaž Štokelj, the locations for energy facilities in the Vipava region present excellent opportunities for the multifunctional use of space.

Post Views:44