Month: April 2023

               OX2 is designing industrial-scale solar power plants in Kauhajoki in the areas of South Ostrobothnia and Loimaa in Finland. When completed, the combined energy production of the parks will correspond to the annual electricity consumption of at most more than 100,000 households. One of the projects, Kauhajoki Aurinkonevat, has a capacity of about 500MW and is one of the largest solar power projects in Finland. Another project, Loimaa Keinusuo, is 60MW. The efficiency and production volumes of the projects will be specified as the planning progresses. “We design our projects in line with the high sustainability goals.

               “Our goal is nature-positive projects that bring economic benefits to the areas and create jobs, especially during the construction and operation phases,” said Taru Rantaruoko, Project Manager of the schemes. The technical planning, environmental studies and permitting of the projects have been launched. If necessary, the projects will also be subject to an environmental impact assessment (EIA). The aim is to start the construction of both projects within the next 2-4 years.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Unplash/Chelsea]

                 Masdar has further expanded its presence in the US  after closing the acquisition of a 50% in a combined solar and battery storage project from EDF Renewables North America. The Big Beau project (pictured), located in California, comprises a 128MW solar plant and a 40MW battery energy storage system. It is one of eight projects that Masdar and EDF Renewables have agreed to jointly partner in, with a combined capacity of 1.6GW. Chairman of Masdar, Sultan Al Jaber said: “Big Beau and the other projects that we are operating with EDF Renewables are already making an active contribution to US clean energy targets, highlighting the strength of the UAE-US relationship that the recent PACE announcement seeks to build on. “If we are to keep the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees alive, we need to see countries coming together in concerted action – one of the key areas of focus for the upcoming COP28 in the UAE.

                  “Partnerships between companies like Masdar and EDF Renewables are also vital in ensuring we hold back emissions, not progress.” President and chief executive of EDF Renewables North America Tristan Grimbert added: “EDF Renewables’ partnership with Masdar enjoys a successful history and today we celebrate another project to add to the growing portfolio. “Decarbonization of the energy sector will take the combined effort of developers, offtakers, and investors alike working in collaboration toward ambitious goals.  “We are grateful for our productive partnership with Masdar built on a foundation of progress.” Masdar and EDF Renewables North America agreed in 2020 to jointly partner in the 1.6GW portfolio. This includes three utility-scale wind projects in Nebraska and Texas totalling 815MW, and five solar projects in California totaling 689MW, two of which include battery energy storage systems representing 75MW. All of the projects are operational, and combined they are displacing more than 3 million tonnes of emissions per year. 

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Masdar]

               US renewables developer Longroad Energy has agreed the sale of an 83MW solar project in Virginia to Dominion Energy. The Foxhound solar project in Halifax County has reached full notice to proceed and has begun construction, following six years of development. Financial close of the Foxhound acquisition is expected upon mechanical completion of the project which is anticipated for January 2024. First Solar is supplying Foxhound with its domestically made thin-film solar modules, while Nextracker is supplying trackers for the project and TMEIC the solar inverters. The project will interconnect near the Clover Power Station. Foxhound is projected to employ 150-200 workers during peak construction.

               “Foxhound marks Longroad’s first solar project in Virginia and our first greenfield development project in PJM,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of Longroad Energy. He added: “We are pleased that Dominion Energy will be acquiring Foxhound to help support the sustainability goals of its key customers and renewable energy objectives set out in the Virginia Clean Economy Act. “The project will be an important resource for Halifax County, and we are proud of Foxhound’s certification as Virginia Pollinator-Smart for its biodiversity commitments.” Virginia Pollinator-Smart is a biodiversity programme overseen by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). As part of its certification, the Foxhound project will use native plant species under the solar panels and a pollinator-friendly seed mix around the arrays. The project’s use of pollinator plant species will help support beneficial native insect, bird and other wildlife populations while improving soil stabilisation and water retention. The project has long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). KeyBank NA and HSBC served as lenders. Balch & Bingham served as Longroad’s counsel on the transaction.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Longroad Energy]

               Planners have given the green light for a 50MW solar farm near the English village of Costock, Nottinghamshire. Boultbee Brooks Renewable Energy is developing the Highfields Solar Farm on a 70-hectare site. The company has claimed that planting species-rich grass, wildflowers and hedgerows around the site will significantly benefit the environment by increasing the area’s net biodiversity by as much as 122%. The JV partnership, which last year was given planning permission to develop a 10MW solar farm near Northwold, West Norfolk, is working on a 400MW pipeline of similar projects across 17 sites throughout the UK.

               In relation to Highfields, Infraland was assisted by Pegasus Group which provided planning advice. Boultbee Brooks’ managing director James Whitcher said: “Together with Infraland, we are working to develop a new portfolio of efficient and biodiverse solar parks across the UK. “We are delighted that the various projects we embarked on together in 2019 are beginning to show the fruits of our and the wider team’s labour.” Co-founding director of Infraland Nick Barber added: “It is great to have received our planning consent at Costock. “We have a long-term commitment to this project as we will be overseeing the construction, delivery and ongoing asset management of the project which is due to commence in 2024.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Boultbee Brooks]

                  Q Energy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) covering 29MW of solar with French retail group Les Mousquetaires. The Chaume solar project is under construction by Q Energy in the Sarthe region in France and will be commissioned in early 2024. The company, part of South Korean enterprise Hanwha Solutions, will supply 33 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity annually under the corporate PPA and will cover 1.3% of the total annual energy needs of the retail group.

                  Les Mousquetaires’ business includes more than 3000 points of sale in France, through its Intermarché and Netto supermarket stores, as well as DIY superstores, motorway services, logistic bases and production units. Les Mousquetaires Group is leading an energy transition based on improving its energy performance, controlling costs, increasing the proportion of self-consumption in its supply, and participating in the development of new forms of transport. “We are proud to be sustainably committed to the energy transition alongside Les Mousquetaires, by building new solar capacities independent of the French Energy Regulatory Commission solar tenders,” said commercial director of Q Energy France Ludovic Ferrer. “This agreement again demonstrates the attractiveness and competitiveness of solar energy in France. With the agricultural activity associated with the project, we are also pursuing our desire to be a committed partner in the local community.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Unplash/Chelsea

               A 600MW renewable energy park, comprising solar and storage, is being planned for North Kesteven in the east Midlands. Low Carbon’s proposed Beacon Fen Energy Park will be sited on land east of Sleaford, between the villages of Heckington and Helpringham. James Hartley-Bond, Director at Low Carbon, said: “We are looking forward to speaking directly with local communities about our plans to hear their views first-hand. “We are currently planning an early engagement consultation so we can ensure residents’ feedback links into the proposals, before holding a statutory consultation which is planned for later this year. “The UK Government has made clear its plans for the country to reach Net Zero by 2050. Its aim is to increase the nation’s solar capacity fivefold by 2035. If given permission, Beacon Fen Energy Park will be a significant step forward towards reaching this vital goal and securing sustainable energy for the country.” The project includes building the infrastructure needed to export the electricity the energy park would generate onto the national grid. It is planned this would be via an existing connection point at nearby Bicker Fen.

               The amount of electricity Beacon Fen Energy Park could generate exceeds 50MW and is therefore classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This requires Low Carbon to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Planning Inspectorate. “We anticipate the development process for the project through to DCO submission and then examination will take between two and three years. Subject to achieving consent, construction would start no earlier than 2026,” said Hartley-Bond. He added: “We look forward to speaking to residents within the coming weeks and introducing them to our proposals.”

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

               Enerparc has divested its 193MW Australian solar portfolio to Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group. The portfolio comprises three ground-mounted projects located in New South Wales, including two operational solar PV sites in Peak Hill and Trundle, near Parkes, with a cumulative capacity of 13.3MW, and a third 180MW solar PV plant under development. The project is expected to start producing electricity at the end of 2025. The Enerparc team is developing further sites in Australia, which are in different stages of maturity. Along with establishing its global IPP portfolio, the sale of developments in this country is gaining significant importance for Enerparc.

               “This sale is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated team and the quality of our projects, and we are excited to see the positive impact of this partnership on the country’s transition to renewable energy,” said managing director of Enerparc Australia Benjamin Hannig. “We remain committed to delivering innovative and sustainable energy solutions in Australia and look forward to advancing further projects of our pipeline in the near future.” Enerparc was advised by Osborne Clarke as legal advisor and UL as technical advisor while Capcora acted as sell-side M&A advisor.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Unplash/Chelsea]

               ACWA Power has signed three power purchase agreements and investment agreements with Uzbekistan’s National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan (NEGU) and Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade. The agreements include the development of three solar photovoltaic projects in Tashkent and Samarkand and three battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand. Combined, these represent a total capacity of 1.4GW of renewable energy and 1.5GWh of additional battery storage capacity.

               The Tashkent projects will include a 400MW PV plant and 500MWh BESS, while two 500MW PV projects each and a 500MWh BESS will be developed in Samarkand. Another 500MWh BESS will be located in Bukhara, and the project will include overhead transmission lines to help dispatch power to the grid. “ACWA Power’s expertise in green hydrogen, green ammonia, and clean energy has greatly strengthened our collaboration with the Government of Uzbekistan,” said Mohammad Abunayyan, ACWA Power Chairman. “Our latest venture into battery energy storage systems (BESS) is a significant step forward in our partnership and a clear demonstration of our commitment to transform the energy landscape in the Republic.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: ACWA Power]

               EnBW has begun operations at an open-field solar farm with connected battery storage system in the town of Brandscheid in Germany. The 7.6MWp project utilises 17,160 solar modules and can supply around 8m kWh of electricity per year. The solar park’s feed-in capacity into the regional distribution grid is limited to 5.5MW. A 2.7MW battery storage system ensures that any excess energy generated can still be utilised.

               While the park is already producing electricity, EnBW plans to seed the area beneath the modules to create extensive grassland. In addition, the company will plant numerous trees and shrubs and saplings on and around the site. “The battery storage system only uses the locally generated PV electricity and feeds it into the grid as needed. In addition, the battery storage system makes it possible to feed all of the locally generated energy into the grid despite the smaller grid connection,” said Tobias Wirsching, Manager Battery System Solutions at EnBW.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: EnBW]

Credits: renews.biz [Image: American Public Power Association/Unplash