03/08/2025-Solar Energy Investment News & People Moves
- Viridian Energy
- Aug 2
- 5 min read
Germany News
IBC Solar and Triple Solar partnership on integrated power & heat rooftop solution.
On 31 July 2025, IBC Solar AG announced a collaboration with Triple Solar to offer a combined PV‑thermal (PVT) rooftop system that delivers both electricity and heat from a single installation. Designed to provide solar power, space heating, and domestic hot water, the solution operates silently, without an outdoor heat pump unit and emits no local emissions.
Thanks to integrated PVT modules and thermal storage, it performs reliably year-round—even in winter—and suits densely built areas and row‑housing contexts. The full-stack design simplifies installations and enhances energy self‑sufficiency for households and smaller real‑estate developments.
Encavis acquires 199 MW wind & solar portfolio from BayWa r.e. in Spain
On 31 July 2025, Hamburg‑based Encavis AG completed the purchase of a 199 MW renewable energy portfolio from BayWa r.e., located roughly 40 km outside Zaragoza in Aragon, northern Spain.
The package includes three wind farms totaling ~142 MW (each equipped with Nordex N163 turbines) plus two photovoltaic plants totaling 57 MWp. Shared grid infrastructure optimises costs.
Grid connection is expected between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. Once operational, the combined assets will generate approximately 467 GWh annually. The project also features biodiversity measures like IdentiFlight bird‑detection to minimise environmental impact.
RES Starts Construction of Solar Park in Schwäbisch Hall District
RES has begun construction of a new solar park in the Schwäbisch Hall district, Germany. The project is expected to deliver clean electricity to power around 6,000 households annually.
The initiative aligns with RES’s commitment to accelerating the energy transition and supporting regional energy independence. The park will also contribute to reducing carbon emissions by approximately 11,000 tons per year. Construction is scheduled for completion in early 2025, and the project emphasizes cooperation with local stakeholders and sustainable land use practices to ensure minimal environmental impact.
GP Joule Takes Over Technical Operations of Frankenförde Solar Park
GP Joule has assumed responsibility for the technical operations of the Frankenförde Solar Park in Brandenburg. The plant has a capacity of 10.7 megawatts and supplies renewable electricity to more than 3,500 households.
GP Joule’s service includes continuous monitoring, maintenance, and optimization of the solar park's performance. With this new contract, GP Joule strengthens its role as a technical operations provider and underscores its focus on long-term, sustainable energy partnerships. The company emphasizes using smart analytics and a proactive maintenance strategy to ensure high efficiency and availability of the solar plant.
USA Solar News
Two Solar Companies Combine to Target 500 Commercial Rooftop Projects
SolarEdge and U.S. developer Solar Landscape have partnered to deliver over 500 commercial and industrial rooftop solar projects across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
The collaboration leverages SolarEdge’s smart power conversion technology and Solar Landscape’s strong developer and financing capabilities. It taps into the vast repository of empty warehouse roofs nationwide—a sector of underutilised space ripe for clean energy deployment. With energy demand soaring, especially in sectors like data centers, this deal aims to scale cost-effective rooftop solar rapidly, with the potential to generate hundreds of megawatts.
State Solar Bills Die in Limbo
Several proposed state-level solar bills failed to progress and are now stalled. In Oklahoma, the agrivoltaics bill HB 2157, supporting dual-use solar and agriculture projects, expired after passing the House but stalling in the Senate. Meanwhile, permitting reforms in Minnesota, Hawaii, Illinois, and New York—intended to streamline solar deployment—also collapsed.
A Virginia bill designed to increase utility voting transparency similarly stalled. The legislative inaction highlights practical challenges in aligning solar expansion with regulatory and political frameworks across various states.
U.S. Lifts Duties on Certain Small Solar Devices from China
The U.S. Department of Commerce has partially lifted tariffs on specific low‑power solar devices imported from China, particularly off‑grid modules used in lighting controls, blinds, or shade systems.
The move followed a finding of limited domestic demand for these products, prompting an adjustment of trade policy. Initially imposed in 2011 over unfair pricing concerns, the tariffs are now considered unnecessary for this niche subset of solar goods. The policy change may reduce costs for manufacturers and installers of small-scale solar-powered lighting and control systems.
Eaton to Install 4 MW Solar Array Near Wisconsin Operations
Eaton has announced the upcoming installation of a 4 MW solar array adjacent to its Thomas A. Edison Technical Center in Franksville, Wisconsin. Developed in partnership with We Energies, the project is scheduled to go live by early 2026 and will power five Eaton facilities across the state.
The clean-energy system is designed to offset around 30% of Eaton’s annual carbon output at these locations, contributing to a cumulative 58% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Wisconsin since 2018. This initiative reinforces Eaton’s broader strategy to reach net‑zero operations by 2050, supporting sustainability and energy resilience.
Peoples Move
PMT strengthens leadership with Felix Bräuer joining the executive team
Premium Mounting Technologies (PMT), a leading provider of photovoltaic mounting systems, is gearing up for its next growth phase. Effective 21 July 2025, PMT has appointed Felix Bräuer to its executive board, joining Dr. Bodo Krebs and Jörg Weber‑Schorsch.
Bräuer, aged 39, brings over 18 years of industry experience and previously served as General Manager & Vice President Sales at SOLARWATT. Recognized as a “Top Voice Renewable Energy” on LinkedIn, he will help drive PMT’s expansion across PV mounting portfolios for commercial rooftops, ground‑mounted, and building‑integrated photovoltaic systems (BIPV).
MET Group appoints Tom Van de Cruys as CEO of Sales & Trading segment
MET Group, a major European energy company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, has named Tom Van de Cruys as CEO of its newly created Sales & Trading segment, effective 1 September 2025. Van de Cruys brings over 15 years of leadership across TotalEnergies in multiple European markets and was previously CEO of Belgian green‑energy start‑up Lampiris, which he led to a successful acquisition.
His appointment signals MET’s continued strategic transformation, enhancing focus, agility, and innovation within its integrated European energy structure.
BayWa r.e. CEO Matthias Taft to step down at end of August 2025
Audio: 31 July 2025 – BayWa r.e. has announced that CEO Matthias Taft will leave the company by mutual agreement at the end of 31 August 2025.
Taft has led the renewables subsidiary for 15 years, guiding it through a major €3 billion refinancing and restructuring amid challenging market conditions Until a new CEO is appointed by the Supervisory Board, his responsibilities will be covered by COO Daniel Gäfke, CFO Elmar Geissinger, and CRO Hans‑Joachim Ziems.
Raúl González – Vice President, Engineering & Construction North America – ACCIONA Energía
Raúl González has been appointed Vice President of Engineering & Construction for North America at ACCIONA Energía. With extensive global experience in large-scale renewable energy projects, González will lead the development, engineering, and execution of utility-scale solar and wind projects across the U.S. and Canada.
His role will be pivotal in expanding ACCIONA's clean energy footprint in the region, driving project delivery excellence, and supporting the company's strategic growth in the North American market.
Rodney Wiltshire – Director of Engineering – Aspen Power
Rodney Wiltshire joins Aspen Power as Director of Engineering, bringing deep expertise in distributed generation and clean energy infrastructure. In his new role, he will oversee engineering operations, project design, and technical strategy for Aspen’s expanding solar and storage portfolio.
With a strong background in utility and community-scale renewables, Wiltshire’s leadership will support Aspen Power’s mission to accelerate the energy transition by delivering reliable, scalable, and sustainable energy solutions across the United States.
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