Month: October 2023

               Renewable energy consultancy and service provider Natural Power has taken over as owner’s engineer and principal designer for NTR’s 40MW Ockenden Solar PV Park in Essex, England. Anticipated to be one of the UK’s largest solar parks, the site will comprise more than 108,000 ground-mounted PV panels, potentially powering 17,000 local homes.  

               This initiative covers a 98.44-hectare Veolia-owned plot, previously used as a landfill site. “This has been a really exciting project for us, not just due to the location of the site in close proximity to London, where there is understandably a significant demand for energy, but also the forward-thinking nature of the development that is repurposing land that would otherwise go unused to supply clean power using new and innovative engineering solutions that ensure minimum disruption to the landfill and maximum energy output,” said construction director at Natural Power Ralph Spernagel. “This continues our long relationship with NTR where we have used our full project lifecycle knowledge to provide value adding health and safety expertise, technical advisory and project management services to assist in its acquisition and construction of renewable projects.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Natural Power]

               Nexta Infrastructure Holdco has agreed to buy a 26.5MW Italian solar portfolio. The projects, ranging from 1MW to 7.3MW are being sold by solar producer R.Power Group and are located in different parts of the country, including Sicily and Umbria. The final sale agreement is expected to be concluded no later than by June 2024.

               R.Power said the move aligns with the company’s strategy of asset rotation and is a deliberate shift in focus from small-scale to medium and large-scale projects. Italy is still a vital part of R.Power’s market presence, and the company’s commitment to growth in Italy remains steadfast it added. It has assembled a dedicated team in the region and currently maintains an extensive project pipeline of over 700MWp actively under development. “We are dedicated to the development of medium and large-size projects in the Italian photovoltaic market,” said says R.Power board member Klaudiusz Kalisz. “The transaction will enable the company to make further investments and focus on the expansion of new innovative projects’ pipeline in this part of Europe.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: R.Power]

               SSEN Transmission has energised an extension to the Abernethy substation which will facilitate the connection of up to 50MW of renewable energy to the local electricity distribution network. The extension was required to the existing 132 kV substation at Abernethy to enable an increase in electricity capacity, which will allow for the future connection and onward transportation of clean renewable energy generated in the area.

               Delivered by principal contractor Freedom Group, the project involved the installation of new electrical components including busbar and 132 kV outdoor switchgear to enable the increase in energy, along with an expansion of the substation footprint into the field immediately north of the existing substation to make way for the new electrical equipment and upgrades to the infrastructure. This included the successful installation of two new 120 MVA transformer units, each weighing around 100 tonnes, which arrived on site after a long journey from manufacturer SGB in Germany.  The substation extension has also used two new 132kV SF6-free circuit breakers as part of the development, which use an environmentally friendly technology to help insulate the equipment. Now that the new equipment has been successfully energised, the previous equipment has been removed and recycled, with some parts stored as back up components for use elsewhere on the network.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: SSEN Transmission]

               Sonnedix has begun construction of a 149MW solar project in Portugal, its first in the country. The Douro project, located in the municipality of Tarouca, in the Viseu district in northern Portugal, is also Sonnedix’s largest solar project in Europe to date. Sonnedix entered the Portuguese market in late 2022, with the acquisition of a portfolio of ground-mounted projects located throughout the country. Douro will be constructed by EPC company Zagope (Group Andrade de Gutierrez) and is estimated to be completed by the end of 2024.

               The project will have a 14 km 220kV transmission line, which will be constructed by CME. Axel Thiemann, CEO of Sonnedix, said: “The start of construction of this project is a milestone in our growth strategy for Portugal and Europe. “We entered this market at the end of 2022 with over 250MW of solar capacity to develop, and today, we announce the beginning of construction of our largest solar PV project across our entire European portfolio. “It is the first of many projects in Portugal, which is a key market in helping us become a true leader in the energy transition as we continue to expand our portfolio of renewable energy projects throughout the Iberian Peninsula.” At present, Sonnedix has a total capacity including projects under construction and development of approximately 9.3GW, across 10 countries in four continents.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Sonnedix]

               JBM Solar has launched a consultation for a 320MW solar project in Yorkshire, in the UK. JBM Solar (RWE Group) is proposing to locate Peartree Hill Solar Farm to the east of Beverley in East Riding, Yorkshire. The initial consultation period runs from 9 October until 6 November 2023. Peartree Hill is made up of several areas of land, connected by a series of underground cables. The most northern part of the site is located northwest of Leven, with the remainder of the solar farm located on land between the villages of Tickton, Riston, Wawne, Weel, and Woodmansey.

               Although plans are at an early stage, the developer has outlined its commitment to the retention and enhancement of natural habitats and species, while delivering “biodiversity net gain” through new planting and habitat creation. The project also proposes to increase opportunity for access, with enhanced public footpaths, wildflower meadows, picnic areas, information boards and educational trails. JBM Solar will establish a £4.2m community benefit fund to support local causes and initiatives and is seeking feedback on how this fund can best serve the local community. Development Project Manager, Mike Greslow, said: “Our plans for Peartree Solar Farm are at an early stage and we strongly encourage the community to actively participate in the consultation process. “Local insight and feedback will go a long way in helping to shape the proposals.” “This project is an opportunity to help tackle the climate crisis and deliver on local and national energy targets. “The UK needs to rapidly expand its renewable energy network to deliver on its aim to decarbonise the energy sector by 2035, and renewable energy projects like Peartree Hill will help to achieve that.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: RWE]

               Highfield Solar and Meta have signed two 15-year CPPAs with a combined capacity of 276MWp to offtake from PV projects in Ireland. The energy from the operational solar farms in Meath and Wexford will be used to support Meta’s operations in Ireland. The projects were developed, financed, and constructed by Highfield and represent an investment of over €180m in clean energy infrastructure. Highfield Energy managing director Peter Kavanagh said: “This transaction represents a significant step towards national targets in renewable energy and corporate power purchase agreements. “We’re delighted to work with Meta on these projects and want to thank all project stakeholders for their assistance.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Asia Chang/Unplash]

               European Energy has signed an agreement for Sosteneo SGR to acquire a 68MW solar farm in Italy. The project, which extends over an area of 135 hectares, is located in Ramacca, Sicily. The agreement provides for the acquisition of 100% of the shares of the special purpose vehicle Ramacca Energia srl by Sosteno.

               Director and country manager of Italy at European Energy Alessandro Migliorini said: “We are very proud to have concluded this agreement with a specialized fund like Sosteneo, a company which also includes Generali Investment in its shareholder structure, because it constitutes not only a further recognition of the quality of our plants but also testifies to the ability of the European Energy team to dialogue with leading players in the Italian economic and financial panorama who are attentive to developments and the achievement of the goals of the green deal.” European Energy was assisted in the operation by the legal advisor Green Horse and the technical advisor EOS.

Credits: renews.biz [Image: European Energy]

               TenneT has signed a framework agreement worth almost €2bn for substations in Germany and the Netherlands to drive the energy transition. The Dutch transmission system operator struck deals with Siemens Energy, Hitachi Energy, GE Grid and Royal SMIT, to supply 110 shunt reactors and 160 power transformers, with each supplier awarded approximately a quarter of the total volume. Of this amount, €1.16bn is allocated for German substations and €730m for substations in the Netherlands.

                In total, 98 power transformers were tendered for Germany, and 61 for the Netherlands. 68 shunt reactors were allocated for the Netherlands, and 38 for Germany. These assets will be deployed not only in maintenance projects but also in new construction projects. The framework agreement possesses a minimum term of two years and offers the option to extend the contract up to five times, each for one year. The successful closing of the framework agreement marks a crucial step in optimizing and maintaining TenneT’s transmission grid. Tim Meyerjürgens, COO of TenneT, explains: “The energy transition requires a complete system overhaul, not only with new power lines but also with state-of-the-art substations. To enable the integration of renewable energies into the transmission grid via the distribution grid, we need a significant number of new high-performance transformers. “At the same time, our substations will assume system services for frequency and voltage stability, which were previously provided by conventional power plants. For this, we require additional equipment such as shunt reactors.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: TenneT]

              Pexapark has secured €20m in Series C funding to underpin its growth in the global renewable energy markets. The new funding round, led by global technology investor Telstra Ventures, with participation from Swisscom Ventures and the A&G Energy Transition Tech Fund, will give significant impetus to Pexapark as it helps its customers navigate new opportunities and risks at a pivotal moment in the energy transition. Pexapark chief executive Michael Waldner said: “This fresh injection of capital takes us into the next exciting phase of our mission to equip renewable energy players around the globe with the expertise, processes, and systems to thrive amid evolving market dynamics.”

               The investment will finance further innovation in Pexapark’s offering, which encompasses trusted reference prices for PPAs in Europe, PPA transaction advisory services, and Pexapark’s unique energy risk and portfolio management software, PexaOS. Together, these services have been adopted by over 200 renewable energy, storage and green hydrogen players across Europe – including leading companies such as Octopus Energy Generation, Statkraft, BP, EDF Renewables and Covestro. Pexapark brings price transparency to 19 markets and has supported more than 30GW of PPA deals to date. PexaOS is now being used by IPPs and funds to manage 13GW of renewable energy assets across Europe. Partner at Telstra Ventures Albert Bielinko said: “We invested in Pexapark because we believe they are the global leader in energy risk management software for investors in renewable energy, as well as the leading source of market intelligence for renewable PPAs. “Signing PPAs is crucial to ensure new renewables projects can be financed and Pexapark provides a critical service that makes this process more efficient. “As the world transitions to renewables, and government subsidies are gradually removed, we believe Pexapark’s services will be indispensable. “Pexapark also has an iconic team who structured the first PPAs in Europe many years ago.” Swisscom Ventures investment director Jennifer Webb added: “We have backed Pexapark because it is uniquely positioned globally to support renewable energy market participants in addressing price volatility and regulatory changes, as this market grows and matures.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Octopus Energy]

               Q Energy has begun construction work on a 35MW/44 megawatt-hour battery in France. The Merbette energy storage system will be built on the Emile Huchet power plant site in the town of Saint-Avold. It is part of an ongoing green transformation of the historically fossil-fuelled site by owner GazelEnergie.

               The battery will not only help to facilitate the integration of renewable energy into the electricity system but also add to decarbonising the energy mix. In the medium term, it will also be a valuable element to stabilise the grid and reduce the volatility of electricity prices. Q Energy chief executive Sang Chull Chung said: “Merbette is the first of many upcoming energy storage projects that Q Energy is preparing. “We are currently driving a development pipeline of more than 1GW of ESS projects across Europe and 400MW of these will be located in France alone.”

Credits: renews.biz [Image: Q Energy]