Month: January 2023

               EDP Renewables (EDPR) has connected its first international hybrid plant to the grid, combining wind and solar energy production on a single site. The Mina de Orgueirel solar farm was opened next to the Mosteiro wind park in Sabugal municipality, Portugal, with a direct connection to the substation, taking advantage of the electrical infrastructure already in place and creating a hybrid electricity production complex.  This is the first park of its kind on the Iberian Peninsula to combine the two different technologies, further contributing to decarbonisation and increasing the presence of renewable energy on the grid. The solar plant provides an installed capacity of 8.4MW with over 17,000 bifacial solar panels capable of capturing solar irradiance on both sides, maximising energy production.

               The wind park has eight turbines and a total installed capacity of 11MW, including a more powerful machine installed as part of an over-equipment project. The hybrid project is capable of producing up to 39.5GWh per year, enough to provide over 30,000 people with renewable energy. The hybrid complex will also help prevent the emission of approximately 18,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. “The commissioning of EDPR’s first hybrid wind/solar park is a reflection of our pioneering and innovative spirit as well as a deepening of our commitment to energy transition within our core business regions,” said Duarte Bello, EDPR executive director for Europe and Latin America. “By taking this hybrid approach we will be able to increase the amount of electricity produced in the region as well as minimising the impact of new undertakings in renewables by maximising use of the pre-existing infrastructure. We intend to carry on investing in the hybridisation of parks held in our portfolio, both in Portugal as well as in other regions with strong development potential.”

Credits: renews.biz[Image: EDPR]

               Orsted has taken a final investment decision to build the 471MW AC Mockingbird solar centre in Texas. Construction is set to start this month and the project is expected to be completed in 2024. Covering an area of 4900 acres, Mockingbird will be able to generate enough renewable energy to power more than 80,000 homes annually, making it the largest solar PV project in Orsted’s portfolio to date. In addition, almost 1000 acres of land adjacent to Mockingbird solar centre will be donated to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to protect native prairie in north-east Texas. David Hardy, CEO of Region Americas at Orsted, said: “Adding almost half a gigawatt to our portfolio, the decision to build Mockingbird represents an important milestone for our onshore business and for our expansion in solar PV. “We look forward to building Mockingbird and for this project to start producing clean energy at a large scale. Mockingbird will achieve this while doing so in a way that prioritises conservation and our deep commitment to the communities we serve.”

Credits: renews.biz[Image: Pixabay]

               European partners Alantra and Solarig have launched a 1900MW solar platform composed of more than 50 projects in Italy and Spain. Key investors in the new platform are Swiss infrastructure asset manager Reichmuth and French outfit Amundi Energy Transition. Two thirds of the portfolio is located in Italy, with the remainder in Spain. The plants will reach Ready-to-Build (RTB) status within the next 18 months and be fully operational by the end of 2025, said the partners. An investment vehicle has been established to acquire the portfolio’s plants for a value of €1.7bn, of which €700m will be equity and the remaining €1bn debt. The vehicle will be named N-Sun Energy and has been created as an investment platform that is environmentally sustainable and compliant with the ESG criteria set out in the EU Taxonomy Regulation. Alantra is raising the capital for N-Sun Energy and has partnered with Reichmuth and Amundi as integral strategic co-investors, who have committed up to €265m. The investment vehicle will acquire the plants as soon as they reach the RTB status and has completed the procurement of the first eight plants totalling 330MW. Alantra Solar, the partnership between Alantra and Solarig, integrated in Alantra Asset Management, will deliver asset management services to the investment vehicle and ensure its financing capacity while implementing a distribution strategy that balances power purchase agreements (PPAs) and market sales.

               Solarig will oversee the development of the plants to ensure they reach operational status and bring its capabilities as an O&M contractor. Solarig has international experience and “strong local and execution capabilities with a deep presence in Italy and Spain and 15 other countries”. Once completed, the portfolio will generate more than €180m in revenues a year. Jacobo Llanza, CEO of Alantra Asset Management, said: “Renewable energy is driving strong demand from investors across the globe, who are looking for experienced partners who can guide their contribution to transforming our energy models. “The partnership with an industrial partner like Solarig, backed by investors of the calibre of Reichmuth and Amundi, offers a strong response to this need. “We aim to replicate this successful model in future portfolios.” Amundi Energy Transition CEO Matthieu Poisson said the transaction represents a “unique opportunity” to invest in one of Europe’s largest solar development platforms. Poisson said: “We are delighted to partner with Solarig, Alantra, and Reichmuth on this investment, which aligns with our current strategy of acquiring late-stage development projects and enhances our portfolio with significant diversification into solar and continues to position Amundi Energy Transition as a leading investor in renewable energy and the decarbonisation of European power grids.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Unsplash/Zbynek Burival]

               BP has begun construction of a 107MW solar project in Ohio, US. The oil and gas major’s 50:50 joint-venture partner Lightsource BP developed the Arche Solar project on behalf of BP and is managing construction. McCarthy Building Companies’ renewable energy and storage team was selected as the main contractor for the project, which will include installation of ultra-low carbon solar panels and smart solar trackers from US-based manufacturers First Solar and Nextracker, respectively. The project is part of BP’s plans to develop 20GW of net renewable generating capacity by 2025 and 50GW by 2030. 

               The Arche Solar project in Fulton County is expected to create around 200 US jobs across the supply chain during construction and provide more than $30m in revenue to benefit local schools and other public services over the life of the project. BP has secured a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta for the project. BP America chairman and president Dave Lawler said: “This agreement shows how companies can create jobs, invest in the US economy, and at the same time support net zero ambitions and help the world reduce carbon emissions. “It’s another example of bp partnering to accelerate change and becoming an integrated energy company – one that can help corporations, countries and cities decarbonise.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: BP]

               Latin American renewables player Verano Energy has commenced construction of eight solar projects in Chile with a total capacity of 59MW. Verano was selected by EnfraGen subsidiary, Fontus Renewables, to carry out the EPC and O&M contracts, which is the largest third-party EPC contract for Verano. Fontus develops, owns, and operates renewable power generation in Chile and Latin America. Its solar PV assets have driven the expansion of its existing renewable energy portfolio and supports Chile’s energy transition to become a regional leader in renewable energy.

               The projects will inject under the country’s PMG/PMGD programs which provide automatic access to the grid and a stabilized pricing scheme. Brendan Wolters, Head of Solar for Fontus Renewables, said: “We are looking forward to our relationship with Verano to successfully complete the construction of these eight projects. “We selected them as EPC contractor due to their strong experience of building PMG/PMGD projects in Chile.” Dylan Rudney, CEO of Verano Energy, added: “We have developed considerable in-house experience by building and operating our own projects, and have decided to take advantage of our world class internal team to offer third-party EPC contracts. “We’re extremely excited about extending our services to build these projects for Fontus. “The market evidently has a need for experienced EPC services providers to support the growth in renewable energy projects. “Verano Energy has acquired significant expertise across all aspects of solar project development and is ideally positioned to fill in that gap.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Verano Energy]

               RES has submitted a planning application for its 25MW Varley solar farm, located southeast of Cromhall, in South Gloucestershire. The design process considered feedback that was received after a public exhibition held in July 2022, alongside information gathered from several detailed technical and environmental surveys in order to inform the final design. As a result, a number of changes have been made to the design to ensure the solar farm fits sensitively into the existing landscape, whilst maximising the low carbon, low-cost electricity generation. Changes made include siting infrastructure further away from residential properties, and increasing the hedgerow height in areas to reduce potential visibility. Furthermore, in response to consultation feedback, RES has undertaken a comprehensive review of all potential access routes and has proposed a solution to minimise any potential impact on the local road network from HGV delivery traffic.

               The initial plans for the project will be determined by South Gloucestershire Council’s planning committee. If consented, Varley Solar Farm would be capable of producing clean, green electricity for approximately 9700 homes every year. It will also deliver an estimated £80,000 in business rates annually to fund vital local services. Bertrand Devossel, Development Project Manager at RES, said: “This particular site has been chosen as it has good solar irradiation levels, lies outside of any statutory environmental, archaeological and landscape designations and due to its proximity to a viable grid connection. “We hope that South Gloucestershire will agree that Varley Solar Farm is in an optimum position to help tackle climate change and is a crucial step forward if the country is to meet the UK’s target of net zero by 2050.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: RES]

               JBM Solar has completed the sale of two solar projects to Vantage RE. The two consented projects have a combined capacity of 102MWp and are co-located with 65MWac of battery storage. Set to energise in early 2024, they will generate enough clean energy to meet the equivalent annual needs of over 37,000 homes and save over 2m tonnes of CO2 compared to fossil fuel generation over the lifetime of the projects. Eastfields is located in Deppers Bridge, Warwickshire, and is designed with single-axis tracking system to optimise the daily generation profile. Bunkers Hill is located near to Hook in Hampshire. Across both developments, JBM Solar engaged extensively with the local communities making sure their voices were heard and considered. Community funds will be created for both sites to support projects in the local communities.

               In the recent CFD Allocation Round 4, Eastfields and Bunkers Hill were two of the eight JBM Solar developed projects that were awarded contracts at a strike price of £45.99. JBM Solar developed these projects as part of their ambition to deliver 3GWp of grid-secured pipeline by 2025. Brendan O’Brien, director and co-founder of JBM Solar commented: “We are pleased to close the sale of these two projects, demonstrating JBM Solar’s ability to deliver high quality innovative assets with long-term financial and sustainability benefits. We are also delighted to contribute to Vantage RE’s long-term renewable energy aspirations.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: JBM Solar]

               Solar asset manager Amberside Energy has been selected to manage a 21MW solar farm in Somerset. The Bowerhouse 2 solar farm, in north Somerset, was recently acquired by Kent County Council, which operates it through Laser Energy, part of Kent County Council’s commercial services group. Bowerhouse 2, built by Ethical Power, will contribute to about 30% of Kent County Council’s Net Zero carbon reduction target. To ensure this investment, using £14.4m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, is a success from the outset, LASER Energy has appointed asset manager Amberside Energy to manage its interests at the site. Kane Stockwell, Net Zero Energy Supply Lead at Laser Energy, said: “Bowerhouse 2 solar park is a significant and important step for Kent County Council to achieve their net zero goals.

               “We at Laser Energy are pleased to have Amberside Energy on board to help us deliver a robust Asset Management service and are confident that their expertise and experience in this field will ensure the site performs at a high standard.” Joe Miletic, Head of Asset and Portfolio Management at Amberside Energy, added: “We are delighted to have been selected by the Kent County Council to manage their solar farm, and we are committed to helping them achieve their goal of becoming Net Zero. “We are proud to be working alongside industry leaders Laser Energy, LWH Partnership and Ethical Power to ensure that the project not only meets all relevant standards but also reaches its full potential in the years to come. “This partnership represents an exciting opportunity for Amberside Energy to make a positive impact on the environment and support the council’s sustainability initiatives.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: LHW Partnership/James Hoare]

                 Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure (HASI) Capitalhas closed two new programmatic investments in grid-connected renewable energy assets developed, owned and operated by the AES Corporation. Under the agreement, HASI will make a common equity investment in an approximately 1.3GW portfolio of operating solar and wind projects located across six states. These are in Arizona, California, New York, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia. In accordance with the terms of the equity investment in the renewable energy portfolio, HASI intends to acquire a 49% equity interest in the portfolio that includes 17 operating solar projects, and one wind project. With a weighted average remaining contract life of approximately 18 years, the portfolio’s cash flows are contracted with a diverse group of predominately investment-grade corporate, utility, and municipal off-takers. AES will continue to own and operate the assets.

               Additionally, HASI is financing land owned by AES for a solar project and a standalone battery energy storage system in California. AES has a 51GW development pipeline in the US. Chief client officer at Hannon Armstrong Susan Nickey said: “We are thrilled to expand our programmatic relationship with AES through this new partnership, which is designed to encourage additional investments over the next several years. “AES’ purpose to accelerate the future of energy and create a sustainable future is totally aligned with our mission as a climate positive investor.” President of AES Clean Energy Leo Moreno added: “AES is committed to accelerating a greener, smarter energy future. “This investment creates an opportunity to expand our development of renewable energy projects, growing our portfolio of wind, solar and battery energy storage facilities across the US.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: AES]

               Danish energy company Andel has acquired the operational 55MW Tryggevælde solar project from European Energy The park near Faxe in Denmark has been in operation since the beginning of the year. The acquisition price was not disclosed. “It is absolutely inevitable that Denmark will need much more energy from renewable energy sources. It is the only viable solution to the climate crisis and to our dependence on fossil fuels,” said Andel chief executive Jesper Hjulmand. “Andel will be at the forefront of the green transition and ensure that energy production is also anchored in a Danish cooperative-owned company in the future. “The sun is a new source of energy for us, as we have so far focused strongly on the production of renewable energy from wind. We are committed to maintain this, among other things through the work with the future energy island in the North Sea, and we will continue to invest strategically in a broad value chain.”

Credits: renews.biz[Image: European Energy]