Argentina

The fifth round (Ronda 4) of the RenovAr program for large-scale solar and renewables will be held by the end of the year, according to the Argentinean Minister of Renewable Energy, Sebastián Kind. The procurement exercise will also include grid infrastructure projects.

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.

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.

Through the tender, the province’s state-owned power provider Empresa Provincial de la Energía (EPE) intends to select PV power projects not exceeding 5 MW in size, and wind farms up to 10 MW. Selected projects will be awarded a 20-year PPA.

The new decree, which regulates the law for DG promulgated at the end of 2017, is intended to support distributed generation of renewable energy sources under net metering. The fund for DG, though, has shrunk by half in value thanks to currency depreciation.

The mini-tender will be held under the RenovAr program for large-scale renewables, but will be limited to projects not exceeding 10 MW in size. The quota for solar and wind will be around 350 MW. Auctions for projects larger than 10 MW were suspended by the Argentinean government in early August.

The planned fourth round of the RenovAr program will probably not be held this year or next. The Argentinian government says grid constraints and difficult financing conditions may increase the auction’s prices.

The Guañizuil II A project was selected by Argentina’s government under phase two of the third round (Ronda 2) of the country’s renewable energy program, Renovar.

The project, to be developed in the province of San Juan, was selected by the Argentinean government in the second auction round (Ronda 1.5) of the RenovAr program for large-scale renewable energy projects.

The Argentinean energy company has agreed to buy three utility-scale projects selected by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in the second round (Ronda 1.5) of the Renovar program.