European Union: Renewables

The European Commission updated its State aid review timetable (PDF 440 KB), confirming that work is ongoing on revisions to key State aid instruments, including the General Block Exemption Regulation, the State Aid Guarantee Notice, the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines, the ETS State aid guidelines and the aviation State aid framework.

Ireland's life sciences sector is experiencing significant growth, driving demand for specialized real estate and infrastructure. As the country prepares for its EU Presidency in H2 2026, energy policy reforms...

France's latest offshore wind tender presents an unprecedented challenge in auction design, offering 10 GW across fixed-bottom and floating projects with complex allocation rules that could reshape competitive dynamics. The sophisticated mechanism combines capacity caps, average price thresholds, and cascading relinquishment procedures that force bidders to strategize across multiple sites simultaneously rather than optimizing individual bids in isolation.

The European Commission has unveiled AccelerateEU, a comprehensive energy strategy built on five pillars to address the ongoing energy crisis through enhanced coordination, consumer protection, clean energy acceleration, infrastructure strengthening, and investment mobilization. Key legislative proposals include network charge reforms, an ambitious Electrification Action Plan with fossil fuel subsidy phase-outs, and an ETS Investment Booster targeting €100 billion for industrial decarbonisation.

The European Commission has launched consultations on alternative fuels infrastructure and air transport state aid guidelines, while new regulations address greenhouse gas emissions accounting and railway capacity coordination. Recent proposals aim to simplify cross-border rail travel through unified booking systems and passenger protection measures, alongside guidance for the transport sector on fuel supply disruptions.

The Planning and Development (Costs of Part 9 Judicial Review Proceedings) Regulations 2026, which came into operation on 18 May 2026, introduce a fixed statutory schedule of costs caps governing the legal costs recoverable by a successful applicant in planning judicial review proceedings taken under the Planning and Development Act 2024.

Germany’s framework for allocating transmission grid connections is undergoing a fundamental shift.

The European Commission’s Grids Package has been welcomed by many in industry as a catalyst for accelerated grid delivery and reform.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (“CRU“) is consulting until 13 May 2026 on a minded-to interim decision that energy storage units (“ESUs”)...