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Cyprus Solar Park Owners Dispute Panayiotou’s Claims On Electricity Prices

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

August 25, 2026

Owners of commercial solar parks in Cyprus have disputed claims by Direct Democracy party leader and MEP Fidias Panayiotou that electricity bills could fall by up to 20% if businesses lowered their prices.

Panayiotou had urged President Nikos Christodoulides to intervene over electricity costs. He said solar parks generate power for about 5 to 8 cents per kilowatt-hour but sell it for 25 to 30 cents, leaving room for lower prices.

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Solar Operators Challenge The Numbers

The Energy Market Association (EMA), which represents commercial solar park operators, said Panayiotou’s calculation does not account for operating costs, overheads, the lack of storage capacity and frequent curtailments of renewable generation.

Solar power accounted for 6.4% of all electricity traded since Cyprus launched its competitive electricity market in 2025, according to the EMA. The association also said the average market price for solar electricity is well below the 25 to 30 cents cited by Panayiotou.

An electricity systems expert estimated that solar power sold on the day-ahead market averages 14.48 cents per kilowatt-hour. A separate simulation found that even an 11-cent price cap would reduce the weighted average electricity price by only 1.8%, rather than the 20% suggested by Panayiotou.

“Mr Panayiotou cannot question the above data with generalities and aphorisms,” the EMA said. “Numbers are answered with numbers, and data with data.”

The association has invited Panayiotou to meet and discuss the figures.

OEV Warns Against A Single Solution

The EMA is a member of the Federation of Employers and Industrialists (OEV), which also rejected the idea that one intervention could significantly reduce electricity prices.

“No action on its own, not even the country’s electricity link to Greece and Israel, can yield spectacular reductions in the cost of electricity,” OEV said. The federation added that infrastructure investments must be recovered through electricity prices and could increase costs in the short term.

OEV also warned against presenting Cyprus’ electricity-price problem as something that can be resolved through a single measure.

Cyprus’ Competitive Electricity Market

Cyprus launched its full competitive electricity market in October 2025 after years of delays. The system includes private electricity producers, suppliers, aggregators and renewable-energy companies, with electricity traded in 30-minute intervals.

The dispute comes as policymakers consider how to reduce electricity costs while the new market develops. Solar generation, grid constraints, storage capacity and infrastructure investment all affect the final price paid by consumers.

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Europe’s Busiest Ports Show The Scale Of Maritime Trade

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 7, 2026

Maritime transport carried roughly 13 billion tonnes of goods worldwide in 2024, highlighting its central role in global trade and supply chains. EU ports handled about 3.4 billion tonnes, or 26% of the global total, while nearly 90% of the bloc’s external freight trade is carried by sea.

Rotterdam And Antwerp-Bruges Lead The EU

Rotterdam was the EU’s busiest port in 2024, handling 397.3 million tonnes of goods. Antwerp-Bruges ranked second with 243.7 million tonnes, putting the two northern European hubs well ahead of the rest.

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Hamburg ranked third at 97 million tonnes, followed by Spain’s Algeciras at 81.5 million tonnes and Amsterdam at 78.8 million tonnes. France’s HAROPA port complex, covering Le Havre and Rouen, handled 76.6 million tonnes, while Gdansk recorded 71 million tonnes.

Marseille and Valencia followed with 66 million and 64.5 million tonnes, respectively. Romania’s Constanta completed the top 10 at 57.6 million tonnes, reflecting the Black Sea’s role in Europe’s wider trade network.

Europe’s Second Tier Of Major Ports

Several ports handled between 40 million and 56 million tonnes in 2024. Barcelona recorded 55.5 million tonnes, followed by Trieste at 53.5 million, Genoa at 47.4 million and Sines at 44.1 million.

Piraeus handled 43.7 million tonnes, while Germany’s Bremerhaven recorded 42.5 million. Sweden’s Göteborg handled 38.5 million tonnes and Dunkerque in France 36.8 million.

Netherlands Leads By National Port Volume

Looking at total cargo across each country’s ports, the Netherlands ranked first with 538.1 million tonnes in 2024. Italy followed with 488.6 million tonnes and Spain with 486 million tonnes, putting all three well ahead of the rest of the EU.

Belgium ranked fourth at 274.9 million tonnes, followed by Germany at 273.9 million and France at 269.8 million. Greece, Sweden and Poland each handled more than 100 million tonnes, showing the breadth of Europe’s maritime network.

Turkey Expands The Regional Picture

Including EU candidate countries and EFTA members puts Turkey in second place with 524.7 million tonnes, behind the Netherlands. Norway ranked eighth with 212.1 million tonnes and handled 212.1 million tonnes.

The European Commission has described maritime transport as a long-standing driver of European economic development. Its role now extends beyond moving cargo, with ports increasingly tied to supply chains, energy security and industrial policy.

In March 2026, the Commission adopted two strategies focused on competitiveness, sustainability, security and resilience across the EU’s waterborne sector, including ports, shipping and shipbuilding.