CleanTech Report March 24th 2020 |
AFRICAEnergy PPAs Were Necessary To Rid Uganda Of Power Shortage It has been argued that the PPA clauses are costly to the Ugandan taxpayers because a substantial amount of power generated is not consumed due to low demand and limited access to electricity. These challenges will not be solved by rewriting existing PPAs, per se. Similarly, increasing market entry barriers for private sector investments is not the solution. Nigerian Government Partners With AfDB To Expand Power Accessibility By $200M The Federal Government, through its National Electrification Project (NEP), has brokered a deal with the African Development Bank (AfDB) intended at curbing severe power generation challenges in the country. The initiative, worth $200 million, seeks private sector involvement in delivering mini-grid and off-grid energy solutions to the rural population. The Huge Potential For Solar Solutions In Kenya And Beyond Since 2006, D.Light has been offering off-grid solar power solutions like panels and charging stations around Africa. |
ASIARecord 6.1GW Of New Offshore Wind Capacity Installed Globally In 2019 The latest data released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) shows that the global offshore wind industry added 6.1GW of offshore wind capacity in 2019, a record year for the industry and an impressive 35.5 per cent increase on the previous year, which saw 4.5GW installed. Chinese Solar Firm Kehua Tech Partners With Oakridge Energy Chinese solar power company, Kehua Tech, has announced a strategic partnership with India’s Oakridge Energy to provide solar power solutions for residential and commercial sites. India Tenders For 5GW Of 24-Hour Renewable Energy Bundled With Coal Power The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has tendered for 5GW of round-the-clock (RTC) power from renewable energy projects complemented with spare energy capacity from coal-fired power projects. Developers will be responsible for securing land, connectivity, and long-term open access for the projects, which can be located anywhere in India. The deadline for bid submissions is 4 May this year. |
AUSTRALIAQueensland’s CleanCo Cleared To Sell Electricity Directly To Large Users The Queensland government-owned CleanCo has received approval from the Australian Energy Regulator to provide retail electricity services to large commercial and industrial customers from its growing portfolio of renewables projects. CleanCo applied to the AER for authorisation to sell electricity directly to commercial and industrial customers, as it aims to maximise the value of the renewable energy generators it manages on behalf of the state government. Australia To Build A World-First Solar Hydropower Plant The Australian Renewable Agency (ARENA) has announced $3 million in funding to RayGen Resources Pty Ltd (RayGen) to conduct a technical and commercial feasibility study for a 4MW ‘solar hydro’ power plant to be built in north-western Victoria. In a world-first, the Melbourne based renewable energy startup RayGen is proposing to build a fully dispatchable renewable energy facility that will use their concentrated solar PV technology known as PV Ultra. Subiaco Goes Solar The leafy City of Subiaco in Perth announced the adoption of its Carbon Reduction Plan on Wednesday (18 March 2020). The City of Subiaco says that it is the first local government in Western Australia to develop a comprehensive corporate carbon reduction plan with the goal of becoming certified carbon neutral by June 2020 and switching to 100% renewable energy by 2025. |
EUROPEEnergy Storage Boom Stalls In Europe Europe’s energy storage boom stalled last year due to a slowdown in large-scale schemes designed to store clean electricity from major renewable energy projects, according to the European Association for Storage of Energy (Ease). Italy’s Saipem Inks Deal With Equinor On Floating Solar Farm Technology Italy’s Saipem has reached an agreement with Norway’s Equinor to develop technology to build floating solar power farms close to the coast, the energy contractor said. The agreement is between Saipem’s high-value services unit Moss Maritime and the Norwegian energy firm. Greencoat Renewables Agrees First Deal In Continental Europe Renewable energy investor Greencoat Renewables has agreed a deal to buy a portfolio of operating wind assets in France from John Laing Group for €30.3m. The purchase marks its first investment in the continental European renewable energy market. |
LATIN AMERICAAtlas Seeks Enviro Nod For 854MW PV Project In Chile’s Atacama Desert Chile’s environmental regulator is considering plans by Atlas Renewable Energy to splash US$450 million on a 726MWp solar plant in the high-irradiation Antofagasta region fast becoming the nation’s solar hub. The Alfa Solar plant will have a nominal capacity of 854MWac and be connected to the grid through a new transmission line. Voltalia Seals 150MW Wind Power Sale Contract In Brazil French renewables company Voltalia SA has inked a 20-year power sale contract with an unnamed Brazilian utility, allowing for the construction of the 150-MW VSM 3 wind park. Sterlite Power Advances Biz Strategy Post Selling 3 Assets in Brazil For About $100M Sterlite Power, which is among the leading global developers in the power transmission space, has achieved major milestone in Brazil by selling three assets i.e. Arcoverde, Novo Estado and Pampa from its portfolio for about USD 100 million (BRL 566 million). |
MENAEgypt’s Benban Solar Park Attracts $127M Investments The Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has issued a report on the country’s achievements in realizing the seventh goal in the 2030 UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) of producing affordable clean energy from renewable sources including solar and wind. Saudi Arabia Could Delay Renewable Contract Award Riyadh ramped up its clean energy target to 27.3GW by 2024 and 58.7GW by 2030Riyadh’s measures to contain the spread of the disease caused by coronavirus could delay the award or start of major power and water projects in the kingdom. These include the category B projects under round two of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP). TL 3.3 Billion In Incentives Provided For Turkey’s Clean Energy Generation In February Turkey’s clean energy generation received around TL 3.3 billion ($507 million) in incentive payments in February through the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (YEKDEM), according to Turkey’s Energy Exchange Istanbul (EXIST) data released Thursday. |
NORTH AMERICANew York Awarded More Capacity Than 34 States Have Installed The results of NYSERDA’s most recent renewable energy request for proposals are in. 21 large-scale renewable projects totaling 1,278 MW in new capacity have been awarded, with 17 of those projects and 1,090 MW being solar. Amazon Announces Four New Renewable Energy Projects Amazon has announced four new renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 300MW in Australia, Spain, Sweden and Virginia, USA. The power will be used to provide power for their AWS data centers. The 65MW solar project planned to be located in Halifax County, Va., will be the retailer’s 11th renewable energy project in the Commonwealth, where they are also constructing a solar project that will power their new HQ2 headquarters. Texas Retail Choice Design Bests 13 Other States In Driving Solar Power NRG Energy signed 1,300 MW of solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Texas last summer, thanks to Texas retail competition policies that create favorable conditions, says Travis Kavulla, NRG Energy’s vice president of regulatory affairs. Yet those conditions are missing in the 13 other states that have retail competition, “where utility incumbents still dominate,” he said. (Those other states are shown in the map above.) |
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