BRUSSELS, Belgium (Tuesday 5th May): Germany’s reLi Energy has been named the GOLD Winner at this year’s European Solar Startup Awards 2026.
The European Solar Startup Award is an annual prize presented by SolarPower Europe in recognition of the ground-breaking steps that innovators are taking towards an electrified, renewable-powered energy system.
Four finalists were selected to pitch to the awards jury in person at the SolarPower Summit in Brussels. reLi Energy optimises the performance and lifespan of BESS systems through both hardware and software solutions aimed at asset managers or traders, and EPCs or system integrators.
Laura Laringe, CEO & Co-Founder, reLi Energy said: “The award validates our work to bridge the gap between battery physics and energy trading. It shows that the market is ready for software that protects assets while maximizing revenue. We are proud to be chosen by industry experts as a leader in Europe’s energy transition."
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe (she/her) said; “A highlight of SolarPower Europe’s work is the sneak preview of Europe’s evolving energy future from our innovative Solar Startup Award contenders. reLi, and all our finalists, demonstrate how smart and flexible technology can realise that future of a flexible, cleaner and predictably priced energy landscape in Europe.”
The three other successfully short-listed finalists for 2026 were:
Gridio, the Estonian firm’s smart EV charging app automatically charges users’ electric vehicles based on energy tariffs and the availability of excess solar. Its platform connects with the cloud services of the major car manufacturers to charge EVs when it makes sense and requires no additional hardware.
Qurrent aggregates energy resources, including solar and BESS, and connect, controls and optimises them for the benefit of the grid and the asset owners. The Swedish firm’s platform further enables the continued expansion of flexible, renewable energy resources.
Polar Night Energy has produced Sand Battery technology that can convert renewable power to heat and store it in sand. Output is in the form of hot water, air or steam, for industrial processes, district heating networks or space heating. The Finnish company is also developing future product that will enable the conversion back to power.
A very special thanks to this year’s jury: Jenny Chase (BloombergNEF); Anke Dissel (ENERPARC AG); Felix Krause (Vireo Ventures) and Michael Schmela (SolarPower Europe).
Image caption: Michael Schmela, Executive Advisor and Director of Market Intelligence at SolarPower Europe presenting the award to Laura Laringe, CEO & Co-Founder, reLi Energy.
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John Parnell
Senior Strategic Communications Advisor
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