Central & South America

The 540 MW project, in Brasileira, will feature 18 units with a capacity of 30 MW each. The developer is Brazil-based Gruppo Interalli and work on the giant plant is expected to start in the second quarter of the year.

Colombia is blessed with an abundance of natural resources. According to data from the Colombia’s National Mining and Energy Planning Unit, UPME and the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), hydro potential is estimated at 56 GW countrywide, while solar is close to 42 GW and wind 15 GW in the Guajira region alone. Today, hydroelectric sources make up 65% of the energy mix, while wind and solar account for just 0.11% and 0.06%, respectively. As these numbers underscore, Colombia has barely scratched the surface of its renewable potential.

Although power companies have urged the new administration of Jair Bolsonaro to reduce incentives for net metered solar distributed generation, ANEEL has proposed maintaining them until PV reaches a certain proportion of the electricity sector.

Wood Mackenzie’s number-crunchers are the latest analysts queueing up to predict a bumper year ahead for PV, with falling prices, rising efficiency rates and booming markets outside China all on the cards. And it could be a make-or-break year for mega-projects, says Wood Mac.

Two facilities were sold along with a 90 MW wind power plant generating the vendor around €700 million. Both solar projects were awarded 20-year PPAs in the most successful auction held by the Brazilian government, in August 2015.

The project, planned for the northern department of Atlántico, will compete in the nation’s renewable energy auction next month.

The funds will be used by the Argentinian government for solar and other renewable energy projects selected in the third round of the program. The guarantee package was approved by the World Bank in March.

The figure is represented by 39 utility-scale solar plants across 11 states and approximately 85,000 contracts for distributed-generation PV systems.

The Brazilian module maker expects to start construction of a factory in the state of Tocantins in the second half of the year. The project is receiving support from the local ministry of environment.

Togo, Mauritius and Guyana will all receive backing for solar projects in the latest round of funding from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development-IRENA Project Facility.