From laggard to leader: New South Wales Labor party’s election pledge for extra 7 GW of renewables
Australia’s Smart Energy Council welcomed yesterday’s launch by the NSW Labor party of a policy to drive 7 GW of renewable energy into the National Energy Market by 2030 as “the biggest rollout of renewable energy in Australia’s history”.
Pacific island nation re-tenders big solar-plus-storage project
An initial tender on Palau was won by French energy company Engie, through its unit Engie Electro Power Systems. The 100 MW microgrid project consisted of coupling 35 MW of solar and 45 MWh of storage with diesel generation.
Malaysia launches 500 MW solar tender
Selected projects will range from 1-100 MW in capacity. The procurement exercise is the third round of Malaysia’s LSS program for large-scale renewables.
Bifacial takes all in Alberta large-scale PV auction, final price cheaper than gas
The Albertan Ministry of Infrastructure allocated around 94 MW of solar capacity and the three selected projects, all using bifacial modules, were secured by Canadian Solar. The projects will generate around 55% of the provincial government’s annual electricity needs.
The Windy – or maybe that should be nuclear – City will go 100% renewable
Chicago may be the largest city in the U.S. to commit to 100% renewable energy and has set a 2035 target date. The famous city’s long association with nuclear power says a lot about the future of clean energy Statesside.
Development banks unlock €38 million for Ukrainian PV plant
Black Sea and European lenders have loaned €19.1 million each to a 57 MW solar plant in southern Ukraine, as the country scrambles to renew its electricity sector. The EBRD is committed to lending €250 million to renewables projects in Ukraine to help the country to meet its 11% clean energy target for 2020.
EDF negotiates Luxel acquisition to boost its French solar deployment
France is set to have a near-3 GW annual solar market for the next six years from tenders alone and energy giant EDF wants a 30% piece of the action. To do so, the utility has entered negotiations with Luxel shareholders to acquire the PV developer.
EnBW and Energiekontor ink PPA for subsidy-free PV plant in Germany
The companies have entered a 15-year agreement for the plant, probably the first PPA for a project that size in Germany. Last week, EnBW said it was considering constructing a subsidy-free solar park in Brandenburg.
Chinese city wants 700 MW of new solar within two years
The capital city of pollution-blighted Zhejiang province has announced an ambitious clean air policy in the wake of Beijing’s call for local governments, big lenders and power companies to pull out the stops to restart the solar revolution.
Chint’s 103 MW Dutch solar park will use Astronergy panels
Chinese module maker announces start of construction on big project in the Netherlands weeks after announcing production of solar panels at its German Astronergy unit would be halted.
