Greece opens 200-MW tender for cross-border renewable power.
The Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy, and Water (RAAEY) in Greece has opened a tender for the construction of 200 MW of renewable power plants to sell their output on the Greek day-ahead market. The tender is open to wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) parks in Bulgaria and Italy. Solar projects exceeding 1 MW and wind schemes over 6 MW are eligible.
Bidding prices are capped at EUR 54 (USD 59.16) per MWh for solar PV and EUR 63/MWh for wind projects. Prospective bidders can submit offers until March 11, 2024, with winners announced on April 25. Successful candidates can sell their plant output in Greece’s day-ahead market on a daily basis through physical delivery.
source RAAEY
ACWA signs agreement for massive Egypt green hydrogen project
ACWA Power has signed a $4 billion framework agreement for a green hydrogen project in Egypt, which could produce two million tonnes of ammonia per year. The project, which is part of ACWA Power’s green hydrogen production strategy, will be powered by wind and solar farms.
The $4 billion first phase will produce 600kt of green ammonia annually. ACWA Power is also developing projects in Jordan and Indonesia, following agreements made during COP28 in Dubai.
source ACWA Power
Vineyard Wind delivers first offshore power to New England
The Vineyard Wind offshore wind project has achieved a major milestone by delivering power to the New England grid for the first time. This marks a historic moment for the American offshore wind industry, with the project expected to have five turbines operating at full capacity early in 2024.
The power from the project is transmitted to the New England grid in Barnstable via underground cables, connecting to a substation further inland on Cape Cod. Once completed, the project will consist of 62 wind turbines generating 806 MW.
The project is a joint venture between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables, and it has created local job opportunities, including union jobs, through the construction process. This achievement represents a significant step forward for clean and renewable energy in the United States.
source Vineyard
Nottingham Forest unveil new ‘climate-positive’ site powered by solar.
Nottingham Forest FC has opened a new carbon-free ‘Fan Zone’ in collaboration with E.ON, featuring a flexible solar canopy roof and a giant screen. The site, which accommodates 1,000 supporters, is expected to generate and store 12,000kWh of energy per year, exceeding its own energy requirements.
This sustainable initiative aligns with the club’s fan-first thinking and is part of a larger vision for a fan-focused and sustainable future. The world of sport is seeing a steady climb toward sustainability, with examples like Forest Green Rovers and their significant decrease in carbon footprint and waste.
Other clubs, such as West Ham United and Arsenal, are also exploring and implementing renewable energy solutions. These efforts reflect a growing priority for sustainability in sports and demonstrate the positive impact of individual initiative.
source Nottingham Forest FC
One Month After COP28, Has Anything Changed?
A month after the declaration from the COP28 climate conference in Dubai advocating for an energy system shift away from fossil fuels, little seems to have changed. Resigning in protest of the UK’s decision to allow oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, a Conservative MP claimed that the move goes against the global shift away from fossil fuels.
Nevertheless, nations and businesses still intend to produce a large amount of fossil fuels—far more than is required to achieve climate goals. There is no indication that the COP28 conference has had any impact at all on the fossil fuel industry, as evidenced by the gap between government plans and what needs to be done to meet climate goals.
source COP28
Japan’s largest offshore wind farm comes online.
Jera and Green Power Investment Corporation have commissioned Japan’s largest operational offshore wind farm, the 112MW Ishikari Bay New Port project. The project, located off the west coast of Hokkaido, uses 14 Siemens Gamesa turbines certified for typhoon and seismic activities.
All electricity generated will be supplied to the Hokkaido Electric Power Network.
source JERA Co., Inc.
RWE secures contracts for French renewable projects.
The French Commission for the Regulation of Energy (CRE) has awarded RWE one onshore wind project and one solar project for a total capacity of 15 MW. RWE is the third most awarded company across 13 French onshore wind power tenders held by the CRE.
The fixed solar power plant will have a total capacity of 4 MWp. The onshore wind project will create a wind farm with three turbines with a capacity of 11 MW. The company’s CEO, Katja Wünschel, expressed pride in the results.
source CRE
“ACWA Power” to Al-Arabiya: $2.5 billion investment in the first phase of a power station in Upper Egypt
ACWA Power Saudi Arabia is collaborating with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity to implement a wind power station project in West Sohag, Egypt. The project aims to produce 10 gigawatts of electricity at a total investment cost of $10 billion and will be executed in multiple phases.
The first phase is expected to cover 25% of the total capacity at an investment cost of $2.5 billion. Aqua Power plans to engage with international financing institutions for project funding.
The company’s investments in Egypt amount to approximately $2 billion, including solar and wind power stations, with additional investments planned for water desalination projects.
Aqua Power has also signed a memorandum of understanding for green hydrogen studies and aims to produce 500,000 tons per year of green ammonia initially, eventually reaching one million tons.
source ACWA Power Saudi Arabia
Alstom to supply further H2-powered trains to Italian railways.
Alstom has received an order for two Coradia Stream hydrogen trains from Ferrovie del Sud Est (FSE) to replace existing diesel trains in Italy’s Puglia region.
The trains, manufactured by Alstom in Italy, are based on the single-deck Coradia Stream regional platform and feature clean energy conversion innovations.
The project is part of the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) programme and funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU.
The trains will serve Lombardy and represent the country’s first entry into zero-emission rail mobility. The trains were produced at Alstom’s plants in Italy, with a range of over 600km.
source Alstom
South Africa’s first public battery storage tender awards 1GWh in BESS projects
South Africa has awarded preferred bidder status to a consortium of Danish investment firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and renewables major EDF for three battery projects totaling 257MW/1,028MWh.
The consortium will partner on the projects, which are part of South Africa’s first public battery storage tender. The projects, which are estimated to cost over R7 billion ($375 million), will dispatch electricity under 15-year power purchase agreements to South Africa.
The South African government’s commitment to the rapid buildout of battery energy storage is seen as a significant step in the company’s growth journey. Energy storage systems, including batteries and pumped hydro, could help balance electricity supply and demand in the country.
source South Africa
Subsea power collector for floating wind to pilot in Norwegian North Sea
Aker Solutions is set to pilot a subsea power distribution system for floating offshore wind off Norway’s coast. The subsea collector will connect two wind turbines in Norway’s Marine Energy Test Centre’s test area, which is expected to expand to seven by 2025.
The subsea collector is designed to allow more flexibility in future offshore wind farm architectures and construction, reduce cable length per turbine and park, and reduce vessel time and installation costs.
Initial findings support total cost savings of up to 10% on a 1GW floating wind farm. The installation will be carried out by the Windstaller Alliance, which includes Aker Solutions providing the static export cable to shore.
source Aker Solutions
OPEC reaffirms commitment to market stability, convenes first ministerial meeting of 2024.
OPEC is set to hold its first monitoring meeting of the year, a virtual meeting of its Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC), on February 1, to review the implementation of its latest oil output cut announced last year. The move follows Angola’s decision to quit the group and crude’s first annual decline since 2020.
OPEC reaffirms its commitment to unity and cohesion, as well as its continued efforts to maintain oil market stability. The wider OPEC+ grouping, including Russia, plans to pursue a further round of voluntary output cuts of about 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) for the first three months of 2024 to support and stabilize the market.
The JMMC meeting comes as rising crude production from non-OPEC+ nations, including US shale production, is on the upswing. OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais warned about the dangers of underinvestment in hydrocarbons that could trigger oil market volatility.
source OPEC
Juniper Green Energy Inks ₹8,000 Cr Deal with Gujarat Government for 1GW Solar and Wind Venture
Juniper Green Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gujarat’s Government to establish 1GW of wind and solar projects, backed by a substantial investment of ₹8,000 Crores.
The agreement, signed during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2024, aims to contribute significantly to India’s sustainable energy objectives. The projects are expected to generate 1500 jobs and contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of Gujarat.
The collaboration marks a significant milestone for Juniper Green Energy in the renewable energy sector and India’s broader shift towards cleaner energy sources.
source Juniper Green Energy
EDPR sells majority stake in 340-MW US solar portfolio.
EDP Renewables has sold an 80% stake in a US 340-MW solar portfolio to an unnamed buyer for approximately USD 400 million. The deal aligns with EDPR’s EUR-7-billion asset rotation program for 2023-2026, securing over 25% of its goal. The transaction is pending regulatory clearance.
source EDP Renewables
Fortis Energy unveils plan for 2 GW of Balkan renewables, H2.
Turkish power producer Fortis Energy plans to install up to 2 GW of new electricity and green hydrogen production capacity across several Balkan countries over the next five years.
The plan includes onshore wind, solar PV, biogas plants, and electrolysers for green hydrogen production. The majority of the capacity will be deployed in Serbia, with 644 MW in Albania and 252 MW in Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia.
source Turkish power
