Auctions and CfDs: The Strategic Role of CfDs and Tenders for Solar plus Storage in the Energy Transition

Monday, June 22, 2026

Time
01:00 pm - 02:00 pm
Hall
ICM München
Room
Room 14 C

As merchant and PPA revenues decline amid negative price trends and falling capture rates, auctions and Contracts for Difference (CfDs) are regaining strategic importance for large-scale solar and storage projects. CfDs remain the backbone of renewable financing, providing price certainty and lowering capital costs. At the same time, auction models must evolve to incentivize flexibility and prevent grid congestion. New EU rules permit non-price criteria in tenders and other public
procurement processes in order to strengthen resilience and support EU supply chains. This session examines how auctions and CfDs can secure clean capacity, integrate storage and reinforce Europe's energy security and competitiveness.


Key topics:

  • Auctions / CfDs in a low capture price environment
  • European auction landscape overview
  • Incentivizing flexibility and storage
  • Non-price criteria and resilience requirements
  • The role of auctions in energy security and industrial policy

01:00 pm - 01:05 pmWelcome and Introduction

Tobias Biller

Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager

RWE Renewables Europe & Australia GmbH

01:05 pm - 01:15 pmEurope's Solar Lifeline: The Critical Role of Renewable Auctions Through 2035

Victoria Ortega

Analyst, European Power & Renewables, Solar

Wood Mackenzie

01:15 pm - 01:25 pmLearnings From the Uks Cfd Scheme

Chris Hewett

CEO

Solar Energy UK

01:25 pm - 01:35 pmItaly`s Strategy on Solar & Battery Storage Auctions

Matteo Lionetti

Utility-scale BESS working group coordinator

ANIE

01:35 pm - 02:00 pmPanel Discussion: Discussing the Strategic Role of CfDs and Auctions for Solar & Storage

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Speakers
Speaker
Matteo Lionetti, ANIE

Utility-scale BESS working group coordinator

Italy

With a decade of experience in renewable energy and BESS, Matteo Lionetti currently leads global technical sales activities for NHOA Energy, a BESS EPC and O&M contractor. Since January 2025, Matteo coordinates the Utility-scale BESS working group at ANIE, the Italian association of electrical and electronic enterprises.

Speaker
Victoria Ortega, Wood Mackenzie

Analyst, European Power & Renewables, Solar

United Kingdom

Victoria is a research analyst on Wood Mackenzie's Power & Renewables team, specializing in European utility-scale solar PV markets. She produces installation forecasts across 20+ European markets, analyzing renewable auctions, PPA trends, regulatory frameworks, and LCOE projections.

Speaker
Tobias Biller, RWE Renewables Europe & Australia GmbH

Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager

Germany

Tobias Biller serves as Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager for EU policies at RWE Renewables and brings over six years of experience in the renewable energy sector. He coordinates policy positioning for wind, solar PV, and battery storage from an industry view and his primary focus centers on market frameworks, supply chains, and European auction design.His professional background spans both the public and private sectors. He previously served as a Renewable Energy Policy Officer in state government and as a regulatory advisor at Ørsted.He holds an MSc in Economics focused on Energy and Natural Resources.

Speaker
Chris Hewett, Solar Energy UK

CEO

United Kingdom

Chris Hewett became Solar Energy UK's Chief Executive in 2018, bringing 25 years of experience dealing with environmental and energy issues. Previously, he was Head of Climate Change for the Environment Agency, an Associate at Green Alliance, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research. Now in charge of Solar Energy UK, Chris oversees a community of more than 400+ member companies working in solar and energy storage in the UK and is Co-Chair of the UK Government-Industry Solar Taskforce. His leadership continues to be instrumental in shaping the organisation's trajectory as a leading force in pursuing a cleaner future and more sustainable energy landscape.'

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