CleanTech Report December 19th 2019 |
AFRICANigeria’s Rensource Raises $20M To Power African Markets By SolarNigerian startup Rensource Energy has raised a $20 million Series A round co-led by CRE Venture Capital and the Omidyar network. The renewable energy company builds and operates solar-powered micro-utilities that provide electricity to commercial community structures, such as open-air trading bazaars. Africa’s ‘First Fully Solar-Powered Village’ Wants To Be A Model For A Renewable FutureNear Morocco’s sunny Atlantic coast, the tiny community of Id Mjahdi is being touted as Africa’s first completely solar-powered village. Solar power has the potential to become one of Africa’s top energy sources, according to the International Energy Agency, but more infrastructure needs to be installed — of all solar power in use globally, less than 1% currently comes from the continent. West Africa’s First Large-Scale Wind Farm Starts Generating PowerWhile the 158.7 megawatt (MW) facility has started to export power, construction work is still ongoing and due to finish next year. Once it is fully built, PETN will use 46 wind turbines supplied by Danish firm Vestas. |
ASIAIndia’s $62 Billion Sanitation Economy Is Fueling Entrepreneurs In Renewable EnergySeveral large multinational companies, including Kimberly Clark, Unilever and Lixil, recently gathered in India with the World Bank, various NGOs and government officials to meet with sanitation entrepreneurs, or sanipreneurs, to address the worldwide sanitation crisis. Their goal: to come up with new ways to turn human waste into valuable resources, including renewable energy. AIIB To Back Turkish Renewables With $200M In Loans For Private PlayersThe Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) approved this week a US$200 million investment package to help stimulate private-sector investment in renewables in Turkey. Privately-owned companies looking to invest in new wind, solar, biomass and geothermal projects, or to improve the energy efficiency of existing projects, can apply for ‘sub-loans’ through the Development and Investment Bank of Turkey (TKYB). Japan Companies Show Off Carbon-Free Tech As Tokyo Clings To CoalWhile the Japanese government weathers criticism at a United Nations climate conference over its failure to renounce coal, the country’s private sector is using the event to showcase technologies that can make a carbon-free society possible. |
AUSTRALIANovember RET Accreditations In Australia At 302 MW In SolarRenewable power plants with a combined capacity of 302 MW secured accreditation under Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) in November. Australian Blockchain To Track Renewable Energy Credits For Japanese UtilityJapan’s second-largest utility KEPCO has extended a demonstration project with Australia’s pioneer in P2P energy trading Power Ledger to create and track renewable energy certificates and trade PV-generated electricity. Lithium Australia Raises $4.7M For Storage BusinessLithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) on Monday said it has secured up to AUD 6.3 million (USD 4.7m/EUR 4.3m) in funding for its energy storage joint venture (JV), Soluna Australia, and other battery-related operations. The funds come from The Lind Global Macro Fund, LP, managed by US-based alternative asset management firm The Lind Partners. |
EUROPENew £420M Solar Deal Sees Chinese Giant Enter European And UK MarketThe new company, Tayan Energy, which currently has 2 gigawatts (GW) of consented projects around Spain, will look to focus on the solar power market over the next three years. Tayan will be based in Madrid from where Eland has operated for over a decade. Eland currently has 40 solar farms around Spain, Italy and Latin America. Sunny Spain Is Banking On Renewable EnergyAt 74 percent of all energy use, Prado told Al Jazeera that Spain is “still 20 points above the average in Europe. Even though we’re on a good path for renewables, it’s still far away.” US Set To Approve $1 Billion For Eastern Europe Energy IndependenceThe U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that will set aside $1 billion to support energy projects in Eastern Europe and Eurasia to wean the region off Russian oil and gas. The European Energy Security and Diversification Act was passed by the House on December 17 as part of the $1.4 trillion spending package to keep the government running through next year. The bill is expected to pass the Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump this week. |
LATIN AMERICALatin America And The Caribbean Could Save $621 Billion By 2050 Through The Decarbonization Of EnergyLatin America and the Caribbean could achieve annual savings of US$ 621 billion by 2050 if the region’s energy and transport sectors reach net-zero emissions, according to new findings from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) presented today in Madrid at the UN Climate Change Conference COP25. Atlas Renewable Energy Places Bifacial Module Order With Chint SolarCHINT Solar/Astronergy signed a new contract with Latam’s solar energy giant, Atlas Renewable Energy, to supply 122 MW of bifacial modules to one of their projects in Chile by 2020. The increasing energy demand in Latin America, mainly in highly industrialized countries such as Chile, the profitability that solar energy represents thanks to its low cost and the higher performance that the bifacial modules provide will catalyze a major shift in the already booming renewable energy sector in the region. Spain’s Dhamma Secures Environmental Nod For 554MWP Of Mexican PVMexican solar has witnessed the latest utility-scale move of a year of project milestones and policy uncertainty, with a new major pipeline sponsored by a Spanish player. Over the weekend, Madrid-based developer Dhamma Energy said a 554MWp PV portfolio it wants to deliver in Mexico has cleared a significant planning hurdle. |
MENAJordan Powers Up 50MW Risha Solar PlantJordan’s ACWA Power and the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) have officially announced the start of commercial operations at the 50MW Risha Solar PV Independent Power Plant after completing all the required commissioning and start-up tests. New $100M SPV Unveiled For Renewable Projects In OmanInfundi, a joint initiative of Nafath Renewable Energy (an Omani SME specializing in the development of small-scale solar PV projects) and National Sustainable Energy Development Company, will launch a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that aims to raise $100 million to support the development of solar PV schemes in Oman and the wider Middle East region. Giant Solar Park In The Desert Jump Starts Egypt’s Renewables PushNear the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, a swathe of photovoltaic solar panels spreads over an area of desert so large it is clearly visible from space. They are part of the Benban plant, one of the world’s largest solar parks following completion last month of a second phase of the estimated US$2.1 billion (S$2.85 billion) development project. |
NORTH AMERICAUS Adds 2.6 Gigawatts Of Solar Photovoltaics In Third QuarterThe solar market in the U.S. added 2.6 gigawatts of solar photovoltaics in the third quarter of 2019, with total solar capacity — which includes both photovoltaic and concentrating solar power — hitting 71.3 GW, according to a new report. A.I. Helps Create Sprayable Solar Cells That Can Be Painted OnAt the University of Central Florida, researchers have been using machine learning to optimize the materials used to make special solar cells. Their goal? To develop the insights that will make spray-on solar cells, which are applicable just about anwhere, a reality. Such sprayable cells could be used to paint anything from bridges to skyscrapers. It would then capture light and turn it into energy for the electrical grid. Congress Boosts Clean Energy Funding Despite TrumpCongress is set to pass a budget doubling down on a years-long trend of increasing clean-energy funding, despite President Trump’s repeated attempts to cut spending. The spending bill the House passed on Tuesday would increase energy research spending nearly 14% compared to this year’s levels and more than 50% compared to 2014. |
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