Uncategorized – Renewable Brief

Neoen developing 440 MWp solar farm in NSW, Australia

Header image courtesy of Neoen

New South Wales in Australia is adding 440 MWp solar capacity through Neoen, which has signaled the beginning of the farm’s construction, as reported by ReNews. The project, known as the Culcairn Solar Farm, is located in Wiradjuri country and will come online in 2026.

The solar farm will be among the largest in NSW and incorporate a 100 MW battery storage component at a later date. It will be Neoen’s second largest globally, after the 460 MWp Western Downs Green Power Hub solar farm in Queensland.

While the majority of the power from Culcairn will be sold on a PPA basis, it will power 160,000 homes. The construction will create more than 400 employment positions, with seven full-time employees needed to keep it running.

Neoen is targeting 10 GW solar capacity in Australia by 2030. It increased its portfolio in the Down Under by 25% to 3.75 GW this year alone.

Neoen Australia chief executive Louis de Sambucy said, “Culcairn is an essential project for Neoen in NSW and in Australia, and we are proud to have been awarded an LTESA contract.

“We have developed a strong pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects in NSW designed to help accelerate the State’s energy transition, as it moves towards halving emissions by 2030.”

Greece opening first solar/storage tender next year

Header image courtesy of Reuters

Greece is preparing to open tenders for solar-energy storage projects next year, according to reports by Renewables Now. The European country is expected to conclude plans by the end of 2023, for a February 2024 launch.

Unofficial reports claim Greece is parceling off between 200 MW and 300 MW of solar capacity in auctions. They will form a part of a 2 GW of solar project target with behind-the-meter energy storage components. The auctions come with mandatory battery storage capacity development.

The Greek government has decided to focus on battery energy storage in this round of auctions to bolster the grid by reducing renewable energy curtailment.

Greece recorded 11.3 GW of renewable energy capacity as of the end of June 2023. Solar took the lion’s share, with 5.8 GW capacity.

Amazon boasts renewable energy portfolio that can power 6.7 million homes in the US

Header image courtesy of Amazon

Amazon has presented its latest sustainability scorecard, and the numbers are impressive. The online retail giant boasts renewable energy projects that can power 6.7 million US homes.

The company has invested in 78 new renewable energy projects this year alone, comprising solar and wind, in 26 countries and 21 states in the US. These include its first such project in South Korea.

In total, Amazon has 479 wind and solar projects globally, which can produce more than 71,900 GWh per annum. The American company has directly and indirectly contributed $12 billion in investment in the global economy since 2014 through renewable energy. It generated 39,000 full-time equivalent jobs last year alone.

Amazon aims to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2025. It is converting a coal mine site from a brownfield to a solar farm in Maryland, US, and has announced a wind energy project in South Korea that will create about 2,400 jobs during construction.

“Amazon’s investments in solar and wind projects are helping power our operations, while also providing new sources of clean energy to the grid, spurring economic growth, and supporting jobs in the communities where our customers live and work,” said Adam Selipsky, CEO of AWS. “More than 90% of our operations were powered by renewables last year, but we’re not done. We’re focused on continuing to find innovative ways to bring new projects online, address grid constraints, and work with policymakers to mitigate the impacts of climate change, all of which is helping Amazon move closer to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2025.”

Saudi Arabia opens bid for 3.7 GW of solar projects

The Arabian kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced the opening of bidding for four solar projects totaling 3.7 GW, as reported by Renewables Now.

According to the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), developers can now enter into the running for the four solar projects, part of the 5th round of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP).

The biggest project of the lot is located in Al Sadawi in the Eastern Province, with a capacity of 2 GW. The Hail Region will host the 1 GW Al Mas’a farm, while Al Henakiyh 2 (Al Madinah Region) and Rabigh 2 (Makkah Region) will host 400 MW and 300 MW farms, respectively. This new bidding comes after Saudi Arabia’s major electricity buyer agreed to offtake deals for the 1,100 MW Al Henakiyah and 400 MW Tabarjal farms.

Caribbean a potential haven for offshore floating solar PVs, research shows

When many people think of the Caribbean, they picture island living. The group of islands, however, might find another use: host for offshore floating solar PVs, according to recently published research.

In what could be a huge boost to renewable energy, the 700 islands of the Caribbean could become a source of clean power by hosting offshore floating solar platforms. This was the conclusion of solar economy professor at LUT University in Finland, Christian Breyer. Speaking to PV Magazine, Breyer said the region could become a global hub for offshore floating solar PV production.

Breyer worked on a paper exploring the possibility of setting up floating solar panels in the Caribbean’s many islands, focusing on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of such platforms in Puerto Rico.

The research discovered that Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean lagged in renewable energy capacity last year. Puerto Rico reported 841 MW of installed renewable energy, with 639 MW contributed by solar.

Breyer’s paper, however, postulated that even though the Caribbean is limited in land resources, its renewable energy strength could lie in floating solar platforms.

According to the International Solar Energy Society, regions with waves less than 6 m or winds less than 15 m/s in speed can produce up to one million TWh per year. However, offshore floating solar projects in the Caribbean pose some unique challenges, including natural storm protection. Puerto Rico, for example, has weathered 20 hurricanes and storms in the last decade alone.

The UK renewable energy sector to soar to £46 billion and employ 210,000 by 2035

While the environmental benefits of renewable energy are well known, experts have pointed out that the transition to cleaner energy could also bring economic benefits. The UK is set to benefit as its renewable energy sector could balloon to £46 billion by 2035 while employing more than 210,000 people, according to the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology’s (REA) annual report, Review23.

The projection shows significant growth for the sector, worth £23 billion and employed over 140,700 people last year.

The report, however, notes that the UK’s energy transition faces some challenges. It also posits that the country cannot meet its sustainability challenge without supportive government policies. According to the report, the UK needs to fix policy gaps, support the sector, and recognize the economic advantages of renewables.

Chief Executive of the REA, Dr Nina Skorupska, said: “The urgent need to unlock policy and investment blockages is clear throughout REview23, which shows that in 2022, only 14% of the UK’s total energy consumption came from renewable sources across heat, transport and power according to government statistics.

“While we continued to see the dynamic resilience of the renewable energy and clean technology sector over 2022 through the energy crisis, as well as months of political and policy uncertainty, we are not immune to real-world economic forces.

“Indeed, at times it can feel as if we are wading through treacle when repeatedly being challenged to make the economic case for net zero.”

Renewables developer Q Energy to commence 74.3 MW floating solar farm construction in France in September 2023

Header Image: Les Ilot Blandin floating solar project site. Copyright of Romain Berthiot, from Q Energy

Q Energy is soon to begin building a 74.3 MW floating farm in France, according to Renewables Now. The farm will be located at Les Ilot Blandin in the Haute-Marne region.

The floating facility will comprise six solar islands on 127 acres of space on disused flooded gravel pits. The islands will host 134,647 solar modules. Les Ilots Blandin will be Europe’s largest floating farm, with enough output to supply 37,000 people.

The project, launched in 2019, involves partners such as Solutions 30 SE, Ciel & Terre International, and Perpetum Energy. Construction will start this month, with commissioning expected in Q1 2025.

Q Energy has a pipeline of about 300 MW worth of floating solar projects.

ROAM reveals locally built electric shuttle bus in Kenya

Header image courtesy of ROAM

ROAM has launched the Move electric shuttle bus, Move, in Kenya. The battery-powered bus is completely built locally and will contribute to decarbonizing the East African country’s road transport sector.

ROAM has been converting ICE public buses to electric but has now built a purpose-built electric bus in Kenya. The ROAM Move comes with a 170 kWh battery pack that can last 200 km between charges. The battery can be fully charged in under 2 hours courtesy of a DC fast charger.

The buses can accommodate 51 passengers with the interior designed for the local conditions, with ample aisles and comfortable seats.

Dennis Wakaba, ROAM sales executive, commented, “We are thrilled to introduce ‘The ROAM Move,’ Kenya’s very own electric shuttle bus. This achievement aligns perfectly with our vision of fostering sustainable transportation solutions that make a positive impact on our environment and our communities. The launch of this electric shuttle bus represents not only a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainability but also a testament to the talent and potential within Kenya’s manufacturing industry.”

Ørsted marks entry into the UK solar market with 740 MW farm

Ørsted is setting up its first solar project in the UK in partnership with PS Renewables. The site, which will include battery storage in Nottinghamshire, will generate 740 MW.

The Danish firm aims to bring the One Earth farm online by 2030, when it expects to reach 17.5 GW of onshore renewable energy capacity globally. It currently has over 5.7 GW of onshore from the US to Europe. Ørsted will submit a development consent application in 2025.

One Earth will be one of the biggest solar farms in the UK, powering up to 200,000 homes.

Ørsted controls 420 MW of onshore wind in the UK and Ireland. It has revealed another solar farm in Ballinrea, Ireland, after buying up the Garreenleen (160 MW) solar project in the same country.

Kieran White, Ørsted’s SVP of onshore in Europe, said: “With a strong Irish onshore portfolio already in place, we are delighted to begin our journey in the UK solar market with PS Renewables, who have been successfully delivering large-scale solar projects for more than a decade.”

Matt Hazell, co-owner of PS Renewables, said: “The One Earth Solar Farm stands to make an important contribution to the national decarbonisation effort. Our expertise in solar energy and Ørsted’s renewables track record make this a compelling project.”

Largest solar farm on Isle of Wight set for approval

Header image courtesy of Google

Isle of Wight’s largest solar farm, the Sunny Oaks Renewable Energy Park, has received a recommendation for approval, as the BBC reports. The farm will produce enough electricity to supply more than 5,000 homes.

According to campaigners, the 27-hectare facility will industrialize the countryside and take six months to build. Approval could be granted as soon as tomorrow, Tuesday.

The farm will produce about 20 MWh of electricity annually and be operational for 40 years. It will connect to the Wootton Common substation.

The facility will have a battery energy storage system across the road.

Opposing residents, however, argue that the project by Ridge Clean Energy will create a visual impact, generate noise, worsen flood risk, result in biodiversity loss, and project glint and glare into surrounding homes. However, planning officers praise its economic, social, and environmental benefits.