Author: Arnes Biogradlija

SolarPower Europe has released its latest EU Solar Power Market Outlook, which reveals that amid the setbacks of COVID-19, the European solar market has increased by 11 percent, adding 18.7 GW of installations. This figure makes 2020 the second-best year ever for solar in the EU, the strongest growth year since 2011. “It has been a difficult year for all sectors, and so it is very positive to finish 2020 with such a clear endorsement for solar power. Despite the impact of COVID-19, solar has not only grown, it has thrived, proving it to be a resilient, predictable, and secure…

The Enel Group’s Brazilian renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil Participações (EGPB) has started the construction of five new renewable plants in northeastern Brazil, specifically four wind farms and one solar plant for a total of 1.3 GW of new capacity. In Piauí, the company is building the 396 MW Lagoa dos Ventos III wind farm and the 256 MW São Gonçalo III solar park. The remaining three wind projects – Morro do Chapéu Sul II (353 MW), Cumaru (206 MW) and Fontes dos Ventos II (99 MW) – are being built in the states of Bahia, Rio Grande do…

GE Renewable Energy and BE Power have signed an agreement to co-develop the 400 MW Big-T (Cressbrook) pumped hydro storage project in Toowoomba, Australia. GE Renewable Energy’s Hydro Solutions will work alongside BE Power and its partners to refine and finalize the design of the plant and help the project secure funding and enter commercial operations. “The Big-T Pumped Hydro Storage Power Plant will help facilitate new wind and solar projects and provide firming and grid support services at a critical point in the National Electricity Market. Being the first new pumped hydro project completed in Queensland in over 35 years,…

The Wärtsilä Hybrid Upgrade solution, has been selected for retrofitting two offshore construction vessels owned by Norwegian operator Østensjø Rederi. The upgrading project will allow less use of the ships’ engines with correspondingly lower levels of exhaust emissions while operating in dynamic positioning (DP) mode, and will also lower emission levels in all other operational modes. The two ships, the ‘Edda Fauna’ and ‘Edda Flora’, were built in 2008. The customer opted for the Wärtsilä Hybrid Upgrade solution in order to give the ships a more attractive environmental profile for potential charterers. The Wärtsilä Hybrid Upgrade solution will include the…

Vestas has signed an agreement with Enel X to accelerate the electrification of its company fleet. Enel X will provide Vestas with the requisite charging infrastructure to electrify its corporate fleet through its most prominent service markets. “If we are to succeed with the energy transition across a global scale, industry leaders have a duty to implement the change we want to see. One of our key goals at Vestas is to enable more sustainable energy systems by supporting the increased deployment of renewable energy beyond power and into the transport sector. By joining forces with Enel X, we can…

TenneT has hired subsea cable manufacturer Zhongtian Technology Submarine Cable (ZTT) for commissioning of five and 16 kilometres of wind farm connections. To transport the electricity from offshore wind farms to land wind power produced off the German North Sea coast is transmitted from two wind farms to one TenneT converter platform each (HelWin beta and DolWin kappa). There the three-phase current is transformed into direct current and transported to a ground-based converter station where the energy is converted back into three-phase current and fed into an extra-high voltage grid through a nearby transformer station. The offshore electricity generated is…

RWE has signed an agreement with a subsidiary of Algonquin Power & Utilities to sell a 51% stake in four RWE onshore wind facilities in Texas, accounting for a total pro-rata installed capacity of 439 megawatts (MW). The total consideration corresponds to an enterprise value of around $600 million (for the 51% stake), which translates to an implied enterprise value multiple of $1.4 million/MW. Two projects are in operation and two under construction. The disposal is part of RWE’s capital rotation program and the proceeds will be used to finance further growth in the renewable energy business. Algonquin is a…

In collaboration with Global Power Generation, a subsidiary of Naturgy Group, Vestas has secured a 97 MW contract for Hawkesdale wind farm in Victoria, Australia. The project will feature 23 V136-4.2 MW wind turbines which Vestas will supply and install. Vestas will also be providing a 15-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement. With a guarantee of energy-based availability, the service agreement would optimize the energy generation of the fleet and provide a long-term business case for Global Power Generation (Naturgy Group). The agreement follows Vestas’ recent announcement of the second phase of the Berrybank wind project and the…

Centrica Energy Trading has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Taaleri Energia for output from their operational renewable power portfolio in Finland, which totals 312 MW. Taaleri Energia has agreed to a five-year PPA in which Centrica will phase out Taaleri’s power production at 13 sites. The agreement reaffirms Centrica’s experience and determination to support the development of renewable energy systems across Europe through the provision of route-to-market services. “We are excited to deepen our relationship with Taaleri Energia and help them to realise their green ambitions. Being awarded its Finnish operational renewable portfolio and growing our presence…

Vestas and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have reached an agreement to extend their renewable energy partnership. By closing the deal, Vestas acquired MHI’s shares in the MHI Vestas Offshore Wind (MVOW) joint venture, while MHI acquired 2.5 per cent in Vestas and will be elected to the Board of Directors of Vestas. “Welcoming offshore back is the beginning of a new chapter in Vestas’ history, offering strong growth opportunities towards 2030 and further acceleration of the deployment of renewable energy. Since we divested our offshore business back in 2013, we have had a great partner in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which we…