Auction

The Colombian authorities have allocated 4.4 GW of solar capacity at a rate of $0.0182/kWh in the nation’s latest energy auction, with solar plants accounting for approximately 99% of the assigned capacity.

Bahrain has launched a 100 MW solar tender. The authorities aim to build a PV plant in the Al Dur area of the nation’s Southern Governorate through the procurement exercise, which is being conducted by the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA).

The Omani authorities aim to develop a 500 MW solar project in Ibri, in northwestern Oman, where other PV facilities are located.

Almost 2 GW of solar was tendered in the latest UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero auction, while almost 500 MW was recently awarded in the latest auction round spearheaded by Irish power transmission operator EirGrid. But these gains come with five challenges, according to analysts from New Zealand-based consultancy firm PSC.

France has achieved an average price of €85.20 ($93.72)/MWh in a 512 MW hydro-wind-PV tender. It has selected 34 projects, including four wind installations and 30 ground-mounted solar plants, from developers such as EDF, Neoen, and BayWa re.

Prices in most European markets in the second week of December were lower than the previous week’s figures, according to AleaSoft Energy Forecasting. Less electricity demand, lower gas and CO2 futures prices, and increased solar energy production in most of the major European electricity markets caused the downward trend.

South Africa’s new auction is the first to be held under a December 2022 government plan to procure 14,771 MW of new generating capacity.

Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) has launched a smartphone app to help consumers use more electricity at times of high renewable energy availability.

Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is inviting proposals for the development of 1 MW (AC) to 5 MW (AC) solar projects across half a dozen locations in the South Asian country.

Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office has awarded 494 MW of solar in largely unsubscribed auctions this year. It allocated 123 MW for installations smaller than 1 MW with the lowest bid of PLN 284.95 ($71.28)/MWh, and 471 MW for projects larger than 1 MW with the lowest bid of PLN 272.91/MWh.