IEA revises European renewable capacity forecast upward by 23%

The International Energy Agency's March 2026 World Energy Outlook update revised European renewable capacity additions upward by 23% for 2026–2030, citing faster-than-expected permitting reform and declining module costs.

Germany reverses nuclear phase-out for two plants

The German government announced it will extend the operational life of Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 until 2032, citing grid stability concerns following the winter 2025–26 stress event. Coalition opposition is significant.

Solar module prices fall 18% in Q1 2026

Chinese solar module exports reached a new price floor of $0.11/W in Q1 2026, a further 18% decline from Q4 2025. EU anti-dumping investigations are ongoing but unlikely to result in tariffs before 2027.

Hungarian grid operator halts cross-border capacity allocation

MAVIR suspended cross-border electricity capacity auctions citing 'national energy security priorities,' the first such suspension since 2018. Brussels has opened an infringement procedure.

Spanish offshore wind auction 4x oversubscribed

Spain's February 2026 offshore wind tender for 3GW attracted bids for 12.4GW, the highest oversubscription in European offshore wind history. Winning bid prices were 11% below floor estimates.

Breakthrough in solid-state battery cycle life reported by Samsung SDI

Samsung SDI published results showing 1,200 full charge cycles with less than 5% capacity degradation in its Gen-4 solid-state cell. Independent verification pending. Commercial production timeline remains 2029–2030.