News | Headlines
EC approves $72 bn aid scheme for offshore wind farms
France Wind power
The European Commission has granted approval for a French state aid scheme valued at up to €63bn ($72bn), aimed at supporting the country’s offshore wind energy sector. The decision was announced as France seeks to advance its renewable energy targets and meet objectives set by the Clean Industrial Deal, a European plan focused on using decarbonisation to drive industrial growth. This approval enables France to move forward with the construction and operation of more than 11 offshore wind farms. These projects are expected to have a total installed capacity of up to 11.1 GW and produce up to 47.8 TWh of electricity annually, accounting for approximately 10.6% of France’s yearly power consumption. The scheme, which will run for 25 years, will be implemented through a competitive
bidding process organised by the French authorities. The aid will be distributed as a variable premium under a two-way contract for difference mechanism. This approach involves comparing a reference price established in beneficiaries’ tender offers to prevailing market electricity prices. If the market price falls below the reference price, recipients will be paid the difference; if it exceeds the reference, beneficiaries will pay the excess back to the state.
According to the EC, the measure includes safeguards designed to uphold proper market functioning and to prevent compensation to producers when market prices become negative. The Commission ruled that the initiative aligns with the conditions under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) adopted on 25 June 2025.
Output record for PV module
China Photovoltaics Chinese company Trinasolar has announced that its independently developed perovskite/crystalline silicon tandem module has reached a peak power output of 907 W and a full-area module efficiency of 29.2%, as verified by TÜV SÜD, the prominent global testing and certification institute. This achievement sets a new world record for tandem module power output. To date, Trinasolar has set or broken 41 world records in PV technology, underscoring the company’s sustained investment in solar innovation and R&D. Perovskite and tandem technologies are increasingly being discussed as pathways for improving PV performance and expanding the future potential of solar energy, while perovskite/crystalline silicon tandem
technology is considered to represent one of the most promising routes for next- generation PV advancement. Trinasolar’s performance record adds to global progress, particularly in the transition
from cell-level research toward large-area module performance.
Built on a 210mm large-area tandem cell technology system, the 907 W module performance has been achieved through improvements in perovskite thin-film uniformity, interfacial passivation, and spectral absorption matching for tandem structures. Trinasolar has increased its tandem module power from 808 W to 907 W in a little over one year. The module is based on a standard industrial area and complies with mainstream industry specifications.
Entergy and MHI Group aim to
halve CCS+GTCC costs USA Costs strategy
Entergy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a strategy aimed at reducing CCGT carbon capture and storage (CCS) costs by 50%. The agreement involves MHI Group companies Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America (MHIA) and Mitsubishi Power Americas. It is designed to advance the deployment and commercialisation of CCS applied to gas turbine combined cycle technology for power generation. The companies intend to use this integrated approach to deliver a standardised
. MHI Group’s contribution will include Mitsubishi M501JAC gas turbines and carbon capture technology from MHIA. The overall aim is to support the decarbonisation of electricity while reducing costs for the wider industry as these technologies develop.
4 | July/August 2026 |
www.modernpowersystems.com
solution that improves project economics. The planned collaboration will focus on integrating MHI Group’s gas turbine and CCS technologies at Entergy’s power generation facilities. Entergy’s operations are close to the largest carbon dioxide pipeline network in the USA, and the region’s geological formations are described as well-suited for the long-term storage of captured CO2
EC Clean, Just and Competitive Transition executive vice-president Teresa Ribera said: “Today’s decision clears the way for France’s offshore wind support scheme. France will continue working towards a fully decarbonised energy system, and the Commission will continue supporting Member States in achieving our common climate objectives.” For three of the planned wind farms, this scheme replaces a previous measure authorised by the EC in August 2025. The CISAF framework permits EU member states to grant aid to accelerate clean energy deployment, upgrade industrial processes for decarbonisation and build capacity for the production of clean technologies. Last month, the EC approved a €23 bn state aid scheme in Italy designed to boost renewable electricity production.
ABB expands
its DC portfolio France Mergers and acquisitions ABB is acquiring Advantics, a specialist provider of silicon carbide-based power conversion solutions based in France. The acquisition expands ABB’s direct current portfolio. It is intended to position the company to serve accelerating demand for efficient DC solutions across data centres, industrial microgrids, power generation and EV infrastructure. Financial terms have not been disclosed. The transaction is expected to close by Q4 2026.
The International Energy Agency expects electricity’s share of final energy consumption to rise from 20 % today to around 36 % by 2035. ABB believes its DC solutions can minimise repeated AC/DC conversion and maximise efficiency by using advanced semiconductor technology to control more of this electrical power. The acquisition of Advantics, whose technology is said to offer up to 99% efficiency for demanding power conversion applications, adds a high-efficiency silicon carbide power conversion technology to ABB’s broader DC portfolio, strengthening the range of its components used to design, protect, convert, distribute and manage power in new electrical architectures with what AAB says is higher power density, resilience and efficiency. The acquisition should support the development of DC systems that maximise efficiency, energy storage and flexible power sources. Michal Elias, CEO of Advantics, said: “Advantics has proved that silicon carbine technology can deliver breakthrough performance.”
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