Solar generation hits record: The University of Sheffield’s modeling shows that the UK saw its peak solar generation hitting a record 14 GW, lasting a half-hour period and ending at 12:30 p.m. on July 8, 2025. According to Solar Energy UK, solar PV supplied 39% of the national power demand at the time. It beat the previous record of 13.8 GW set on April 6, 2025. “Maximum instantaneous generation is normally encountered in the middle of a spring day, when bright sunlight coincides with cooler conditions. But the pace of the solar energy sector’s expansion, combined with sunny weather, has upturned this assumption,” stated Solar Energy UK, which expects the country to have an installed solar PV capacity exceeding 21.5 GW.
Additionally, the model also shows that France saw its peak solar energy generation hit over 19.5 GW at 2 p.m. on July 10, 2025. As a result, energy prices dropped below 0, supplying almost 40% of demand.
€80 million CIP financing: UK-headquartered solar and storage projects developer Elements Green has secured €80 million platform financing from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). This financing agreement, structured through CIP’s Green Credit Fund I (CI GF I), will advance the development of its 13 GW portfolio of utility-scale solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, it said. The proceeds will be focused towards the development, construction and acquisition of this portfolio. Elements Green CIO James Gates added that the CIP financing brings it the flexibility and capital necessary to accelerate and expand its pipeline while ensuring it maintains long-term control and ownership as it progresses to a large-scale independent power producer (IPP).
€36.6 million for Lithuanian project: Renewable energy company Green Genius has signed a €36.6 million financing agreement for its Šeduva solar park in Lithuania. The financing from the French independent investment management company, RGREEN INVEST, will fund the construction of the 78 MW project through its INFRABRIDGE IV debt fund. It will be grid-connected to the Litgrid’s transmission network on completion in the spring of 2027. Green Genius plans to add a co-located battery energy storage system (BESS).
Invitalia aid for Midsummer’s Bari fab: Italian state investment authority Invitalia has released the final grant payment of €1.63 million for Swedish solar technology company Midsummer for its Bari-located factory in Italy. This completes the total grant amount of €22 million from the Italian agency for its upcoming thin-film solar cell production factory in Italy. All of this supports the production side of the Bari fab. Midsummer says the factory is officially complete, inspected and ready to start mass production of thin-film solar cells, including the longer SLIM 2 and SLIM 3 models. It has received certification from the global testing institute TUV for the Bari line to enter production. Between 2025 and 2027, Invitalia will award the company an additional €4.7 million to carry out the R&D of its next-generation thin-film solar cells. Additionally, Midsummer has also secured a €2.8 million grant from the Italian Ministry of University and Research for a 4-year research project into tandem solar cells and space applications.
Voltec & DAS Solar join hands: French solar PV modules maker Voltec Solar has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Chinese solar PV cell and module manufacturer DAS Solar. They plan to combine their strengths to scale ground-mounted and distributed PV projects across France and Europe. In a brief statement that is short on details of this collaboration, DAS Solar said it will also work with Voltec to boost localization and expand its footprint in France and global markets. Notably, DAS Solar plans to establish a vertically integrated solar PV industrial chain in France, starting with a 3 GW module factory (see China’s DAS Solar Breaks Ground On 3 GW French Module Factory).
JA Solar in Croatia: JA Solar is supplying its high-performance DeepBlue 4.0 Pro solar modules for Croatia’s largest solar power plant, the 99 MW Korlat Solar PV Project. On completion, the modules are expected to generate close to 165 million kWh annually. The project is being built by the Chinese engineering giant, China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) (see China’s NORINCO Building ‘Largest’ Solar Plants In Balkans).
IBC SOLAR expanding into new markets: Germany-based solar installer IBC SOLAR is expanding its geographic footprint to France with the establishment of its new local subsidiary, IBC SOLAR France. It will now serve the market locally with customized solutions from this location, instead of the German market. This development follows the company establishing IBC SOLAR Austria in March 2025, stationed in Vienna. In April 2025, IBC SOLAR also acquired a majority stake in SOLARWORLD Africa, based in Cape Town, South Africa. Full acquisition is planned for 2027. IBC SOLAR currently operates in several European countries, including Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland.
