Bethany Meban

It's tough to overstate just how shockingly unusual an article like this is. Despite the fact that this is the response of the vast, vast majority of neighbours for both wind and solar farms, they are mostly erased from existence in coverage of attitudes of neighbours to utility-scale renewables

Thank you! The reactionaries have repeatedly blamed renewables for blackouts before the actual details are reported, e.g.

1. Texas Winter Storm Blackout (2021). Actual cause: Record-low temperatures (as low as -18°C in some areas) overwhelmed Texas’s unprepared energy infrastructure.

We’re celebrating 40 years around the sun! 🎉 Today marks the official 40th anniversary of SolarPower Europe, and what a journey it has been!

At this year's #SolarPowerSummit, we threw a golden party to celebrate the shining successes over the past 40 years, get a glimpse of the celebrations below 👇

Permitting is still one of the major bottlenecks for solar to grow faster.… | Walburga Hemetsberger Permitting is still one of the major bottlenecks for solar to grow faster.   There's no question. For Europe's energy security and competitiveness, solar must grow further, faster. Today, sola...

Permitting is still one of the major barriers for solar 🚧

To tackle it, we must be able to discuss the problem, and solutions

Thanks to EU Environment Commissioner @jessikaroswall.ec.europa.eu for making this happen with a dedicated Dialogue on permitting

More: www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...

#Solar energy and #agriculture need to compete for land? Not quite! ☀️🌾

#Agrisolar combines the two land-uses, for the benefit of farmers. And it’s taking off across Europe.

Here’s a 🧵on some great examples from across the continent 👇🏻

📸 Me on a site visit to a solar-powered raspberry farm

🆕 GLOBAL SOLAR POWER GENERATION IS DOUBLING EVERY THREE YEARS ☀☀☀

A beautiful graph from @ember-energy.org as always, from their new Global Electricity Review 👇

ember-energy.org/latest-insig...

It’s always so cool to hit a solar factory floor and see how it all happens. A great day experiencing the 3SUN factory in Catania ☀️ ☀️ ☀️

Keep an eye over on @solarpowereu.bsky.social for some killer footage to come 🎥

One of the few times I’m likely to be a morning person - getting off a night train @europeansleeper.eu

(Especially when Berlin welcomes you with a crisp Spring morning ☀️ )

Football & Sunshine ☀️⚽

We’re teaming up with UEFA and all 55 of their national associations to ensure that together we’re using solar power to energise the game across Europe! 🤝

Read our full PR here: www.solarpowereurope.org/press-releas...

"Even when they sky is filled with dark clouds, light always find a way through
 
Europe is stronger together and we are stronger with solar ☀️
 
#LetsFlex our solar muscles for a secure, competitive & decarbonised Europe"
 
- Dan Jorgensen, Commissioner, European Commission at #SolarPowerSummit

Oil tanker and cargo vessel collide in North Sea Lifeboats and firefighting teams are on the scene, after two ships collide off the coast of East Yorkshire.

Oil tanker & cargo vessel crash off the English coast

www.bbc.com/news/live/cg...

Growing efficiency is helping to reduce the overall costs of a typical solar project: solar plant costs have dropped 88% in 15 years.

@bloomberg.com expects costs to drop 27% more from last year to 2035 📉

🎁Gift Link 👇

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

🆕 A solar-powered laptop from Lenovo ☀️ 💻

“the solar panel [can] convert enough direct sunlight in 20 minutes to power up to one hour of video playback on the PC.”

news.lenovo.com/pressroom/pr...

Welcome to the industry, good luck!! ☀️

🆕 Manufacturers of solar module production equipment are an enduring link 🖇in EU industry

@solarpowereu.bsky.social has published a new report on Solar Production Equipment, shining a light on its potential

Read the report 👇
www.solarpowereurope.org/insights/the...

#MakeSolarEU

A new electricity supercycle is under way Why spending on power infrastructure is surging around the world

"Demand for everything from transformers and switchgears to high-voltage transmission cables is being turbocharged."

A new electricity supercycle is under way via @economist.com

econ.st/3Dqj0V1

Big businesses step up to buy energy from new wind and solar farms Renewable developers say upfront agreements to buy power are increasingly vital to make projects happen

Big businesses are stepping up to buy power from new wind and #solar farms in a boost to the renewables industry as cash-strapped governments come under pressure to cut subsidies 👇

via @financialtimes.com

on.ft.com/41tUH0K

How Europe is funding its solar boom via @news.dw.com

A great data-driven piece with insights from @solarpowereu.bsky.social & @caneurope.org

amp.dw.com/en/how-europ...

YouTube video by SolarPower Europe 5 numbers in 5 minutes | EU Market Outlook for Solar Power 2024-2028

66 GW of solar PV was installed in the EU in 2024 - but what does this mean for the EU solar market?

Listen to or watch our new bonus episode of Shine On Policycast: 5 numbers in 5 minutes ⌛with @solarpowerbeth.bsky.social and Christophe Lits to find out! ⬇️

Solar energy is outshining coal: Where in Europe is making the most? The EU's electricity transition has moved faster than anyone could have hoped for, but further progress cannot be taken for granted, experts say.

Solar overtakes coal for the first time in a milestone for EU energy. ☀️

"It's a milestone for European security because it’s home-grown electricity, and for European competitiveness because it's the most affordable energy." - CEO Walburga Hemetsberger @euronews.com #energytransition

Learn more:

Something new coming tomorrow👀

Not just the @ec.europa.eu Competitiveness Compass, but also a new episode of Shine On Policycast!

@solarpowerbeth.bsky.social and Anaïs Faucher will discuss the highlights of Electrification Alliance the last six months under the Chairpersonship of SolarPower Europe

CEO Walburga Hemetsberger comments on @ec.europa.eu 's 🆕 Competitiveness Compass 🧭 saying that it "points to the right problem: our structural fossil fuel dependency.

It also points to the right solutions: more renewables, faster electrification, and stronger system flexibility."

Read more ⬇️

Farms can install vertical solar panels without reducing crop yields Adding rows of upright panels on farmland generates green power in the morning and evening while acting as a windbreak for crops

www.newscientist.com/article/2464...

This kills land use worries for solar across wide swaths of the planet.

☀️Solar overtakes coal in the EU power sector!

According to @ember-energy.org's 2025 European Electricity Review, solar generated 11% of EU electricity, overtaking coal for the first time

More 👇
ember-energy.org/latest-updat...

Less coal 🌑 more sol ☀️

Solar electricity generation overtakes coal for the first time ever in the EU!!

Via @ember-energy.org

For case studies of biodiversity positive solar, you can also check out our report with @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social on the topic 🐦 ☀️

api.solarpowereurope.org/uploads/4222...

Including the protection of steppe birds at solar sites in Spain 👇🏻

Hi Pam 👋 Good news! There’s lots of work being done to roll out ‘nature-positive’ solar energy projects, going beyond emission reduction into biodiversity augmentation or restoration ☀️

Here’s a model graphic from one of our reports (the full thing here: api.solarpowereurope.org/uploads/Fina...)

Hi Adam, we have a (free to read) Floating Solar Best Practice Guidelines which explores the topic and existing case studies. Focusses more on onshore floating (its more developed), but perhaps answers some of your questions! www.solarpowereurope.org/press-releas...

Baseload, more like BESSload, amiright?

"The project will feature the largest combined solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in the world, with a 5.2GW #solar PV plant and a 19 GWh BESS... It will deliver 1GW of baseload power daily"

www.globaldata.com/newsletter/d...

EU solar growth slows, raising fears for energy transition The growth of solar power installations in Europe slumped to just 4% this year after years of double-digit increases, industry data showed on Tuesday, heightening concerns about the continent's clean energy transition.

EU solar growth slows, raising fears for energy transition

www.reuters.com/business/ene...