Europe PV Snippets: Enlight,Solaria,Voltalia,Sonnedix,BSW

• Enlight Renewable Energy has signed an agreement to acquire up to 490 MW DC under development solar portfolio in Spain
• Solaria Energia has secured EIB as a financing partner for 7 solar projects it is setting up in Spain
• Voltalia claims to have won a 3.75 MW solar power plant in France to be set up in Côte Belle which is one of the only self-managed ski resorts in France
• Sonnedix has commissioned 3 solar power plants with 9.8 MW combined capacity in Plateau d'Albion, a former site for nuclear ground-to-ground ballistic missiles in France
• BSW Solar is calling for the German government to introduce Solar Acceleration Act to increase solar target to meet climate targets

Israeli company buying solar projects in Spain: Israel based renewable energy company Enlight Renewable Energy is expanding in Spanish market with the acquisition of a portfolio of under development solar power projects with a potential aggregate capacity of close to 490 MW DC. The 10 projects that make up this capacity are coming up in Andalusia and Valencia regions. The agreement has been signed with an unidentified company that's an affiliate of private investment fund Cerberus Capital Management L.P. Project development is being carried out with Renovalia Energy Group SLU. All of the projects have secured national grid connection rights. Enlight said this acquisition will diversify its production sources in the Iberian region. The company is already present in the wind power space in Iberia.

Solaria raises financing from EIB: Solaria Energía y Medio Ambiente, S.A. has raised up to €54 million as financing in the form of project finance structure for support the construction of 7 solar PV plants in Spain from the European Investment Bank (EIB). All the 7 projects have a cumulative capacity of 261.05 MW and expected to generate close to 477 GWh of energy annually once online. Under the agreement reached, EIB will provide financial support in 2 tranches of €51.7 million and €2.3 million. It will further provide financing through a bank-intermediated tranche of up to €14 million which is expected to be formalized at a later stage. Remaining project finance was underwritten by Natixis. Projects will be located in Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura regions of Spain.

Voltalia wins French PV project: French renewable energy company Voltalia has won the rights to develop a 3.75 MW solar power plant in France, in Montclar under a competitive auction concluded by the country's Ministry of Ecological Transition. Montclar Solar Park will be located in Côte Belle which is one of the only self-managed ski resorts in France, according to Voltalia. The project will be equipped with 8,600 PV panels and developed in partnership with French scientific institute of CEA and MINES ParisTech School.

Sonnedix energizes 9.8 MW French solar project: Sonnedix has commissioned 9.8 MW Simiane solar complex, a cluster of 3 solar power plants in Plateau d'Albion, a former site for nuclear ground-to-ground ballistic missiles in France. Lavansol III, Lavansol IV, and Lavansol VI are all ground mounted installations and powered by close to 25,000 solar modules, constructed by EPC services provider Solarpro. Projects are now connected to ENEDIS network. With these projects, Sonnedix said it now owns and operates 7 solar plants within the Plateau, and holds over 270 MW operational capacity in France, along with a development pipeline of more than 200 MW.

Call for Solar Acceleration Act in Germany: German solar industry association BSW Solar has called for the German government to bring in a Solar Acceleration Act soon after the federal elections in the country are over in September 2021. Citing information from market researchers and scientists, it believes it necessary to triple and quadruple annual installed PV capacity of Germany to implement its climate targets and meet growing demand for electricity as a result of nuclear and coal-phase out. The association said it is particularly concerned about the 'increasing reluctance' to invest in the development of commercial solar roofs since for the 300 kW to 750 kW power range, the Federal Network Agency reported 57% fewer numbers for the month of May 2021, and 67% fewer solar roofs in June 2021, than in the same months of the previous year. The decline in investment is the result of the breathing cap anchored in Section 49, EEG, and this is increasingly proving to be a 'climate protection corset' and 'profitability killer', according to the association.