CleanTech Report 2020.03.16

RWE plans €5 billion renewables expansion.
EU Sets Aside EUR 980 million for Clean Energy Infrastructure.
World's largest desalination project in UAE secures $758 million green loan.
Lithium startup backed by Bill Gates seeks a breakthrough at the Salton Sea.

CleanTech Report March 16th 2020

AFRICA

Africa’s First Energy Plant That Converts Trash Into Electricity Opens In Ethiopia

Conscious Life News

The largest waste dump in Ethiopia has been converted into an energy plant that turns trash into power. The Koshe waste dump has been operational for nearly 50 years, but after a terrible accident that killed 140 people in March of 2017, local officials began to consider other possible uses for the site.

Nigeria Energy Forum To Focus On Sustainable Development Goal 7

Vanguard

Nigeria Energy Forum scheduled to hold next month (April) is expected to focus on how the nation can ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Focusing on the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG-7), the Forum according to the organiser will bring together 30 energy experts and over 300 participants.

Ghana Close To Powering Airports With Solar Energy

Republik City News

The major airports in Ghana are soon expected to be fully solar powered, given that the process to roll-out this initiative is in its advanced stage. The initiative is expected to reduce the cost of power at the beneficiary airports by about 30 percent.

 

ASIA

Chinese Solar Major Kehua Tech Partners With Oakridge Energy

Business World

Leading Chinese solar power company Kehua Tech on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership with India’s Oakridge Energy to provide high-efficient solar power solutions for residential and commercial sites. The partnership will allow Oakridge to distribute Kehua Tech string inverters in India.

India Tenders For 5GW Of 24-Hour Renewable Energy Bundled With Coal Power

PV-Tech

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has tendered for 5GW of round-the-clock (RTC) power from renewable energy projects complemented with spare energy capacity from coal-fired power projects. Developers will be responsible for securing land, connectivity, and long-term open access for the projects, which can be located anywhere in India. The deadline for bid submissions is 4 May this year.

RWE Plans €5 Billion Renewables Expansion

reNews

RWE plans to invest €5bn in renewables by 2022 to add 4GW of wind and solar capacity to its portfolio. The other core growth markets are Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, RWE said.

 

AUSTRALIA

NSW Clears Path For 17GW Wind, Solar And Storage Capacity With New Renewable Zones

Renew Economy

In the Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020–2030 released on the weekend, the NSW government has detailed how the state government will work to leverage $2 billion in funds secured under a bilateral deal with the Morrison government to accelerate the deployment of the state’s first Renewable Energy Zone.

Amazon Signs First Renewable Energy Project In Australia

Smart Energy

Amazon has announced its first renewable energy project in Australia as part of efforts to reach an 80% clean energy target by 2024 and 100% by 2040. The 60MW solar energy project will be built in New South Wales and will generate 142,000MWh of energy per annum, once online in 2021. The project will generate enough energy to power 23,000 average Australian households.

Utility-Scale Solar Enjoys ‘Record’ 2019

reNews

Utility-scale solar added a record 45GW of new capacity last year, bringing the total to over 220GW, according to figures from Wiki-Solar. The acceleration is largely thanks to emerging markets”, said Wiki-Solar founder, Philip Wolfe.

 

EUROPE

Swedish Pension Fund With Billions Of Assets Under Management To Stop Fossil Fuel Investments

CNBC

A major Swedish pension fund announced that it will “no longer invest in fossil fuels.” Första AP-fonden (AP1), which is one of five pension funds in the country’s national income pension system, outlined the reasons for its decision in a statement issued Monday.

EU Sets Aside EUR 980 Million For Clean Energy Infrastructure

Offshore Wind

The EU funding comes from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the European support programme for trans-European infrastructure. This is seen as a crucial instrument to deliver on the Green Deal, one of the political priorities of the von der Leyen Commission, given the key enabling role of energy infrastructure in the transition to a climate neutral economy.

Breakthrough Solar System Uses Recycled Aluminum To Store Energy—Without Batteries

Good News Network

A new renewable energy startup company has come up with a low-cost, zero-emissions solution to the thorny issue surrounding what happens when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Paradoxically, the more the world embraces clean energy like solar and wind, the more it must embrace something markedly less-clean—diesel fuel or batteries.

 

LATIN AMERICA

Atlas Casablanca Solar Plant Secures PPA With A British Mining Company

ESI Africa

A renewable energy company in Latin America, Atlas Renewable Energy, along with global mining company Anglo American have signed the largest solar energy purchase and sale contract in Brazil. The clean energy supply will be through the Atlas Casablanca solar PV plant, located in the State of Minas Gerais, and is expected to supply about 9TWh during the life of the contract with Anglo American for 15 years and will commence in 2022.

LONGi Signs Association Agreement For 908 MW Of Solar Modules In Brazil

SAUR Energy

LONGi, one the world’s leading solar technology companies has announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Solatio Energia, the leading constructor of solar photovoltaic plants in Brazil, to supply 908 MW of its high-performance Hi MO4 modules for Solatio’s basic services scale solar projects in Latin America and commercial rooftop solar plants in Brazil.

More Solar Power Deals Pop Up In Latin America

PV magazine

Three major solar power supply deals in Latin America this week illustrate the enduring popularity of PV despite a bar on procurement rounds, as seems to be in place in Mexico, and with solar lagging other renewables in auctions in Brazil.

 

MENA

World’s Largest Desalination Project In UAE Secures $758 Million Green Loan

ZAWYA

The UAE has made a big stride in the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) -linked project finance landscape worldwide. On Wednesday, a desalination project, majority-owned by Abu Dhabi government secured a sustainability-linked loan certification, for its global project called Taweelah Independent Water Project (IWP).

Alectris And Mase Complete Technical Services Partnership For MENA Solar

Renewable Energy Magazine

Global operations and maintenance (O&M) service provider for the solar industry Alectris and MENA solar operations and maintenance firm MASE have recently announced the successful completion of a three-year milestone project in Jordan.

Abu Dhabi Fund For Development To Finance $50M For Maldives Projects

ZAWYA

The agreement was signed by Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, ADFD Director-General, and Abdulla Shahid, Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of several senior officials from both sides. Aimed at strengthening the efforts of the Maldivian government to promote the socio-economic development of the island nation, the funding will support the implementation of several development projects across vital economic sectors to deliver a significant positive impact on the country’s economy.

 

NORTH AMERICA

Amazon Continue 2040 Climate Pledge Efforts

TameBay

Amazon is continuing their efforts to hit their climate pledge of 80% renewable energy by 2024 and 100% renewable energy by 2030 with four new renewable energy projects in Australia, Spain, Sweden, and the US. Amazon is taking their net zero carbon by 2040 pledge very seriously.

Goldman Sachs To Invest $275M In Distributed Solar JV

PV-Tech

Goldman Sachs will invest up to US$275 million in a joint solar venture with Connecticut’s TELOS Clean Energy. The JV, revealed via a press release on Tuesday, will develop, construct, own and operate distributed solar power projects for commercial, industrial and municipal customers.

Lithium Startup Backed By Bill Gates Seeks A Breakthrough At The Salton Sea

Miami Herald

For years, companies had tried and failed to find a cost-effective way to pull the valuable mineral – a key ingredient in the batteries that power electric cars – from the naturally heated fluid deep beneath the Salton Sea. One of the most recent busts was Simbol Materials, a much-hyped startup that collapsed in 2015 shortly after Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. offered to buy the firm for $325 million. But several deep-pocketed investors think Snydacker’s technology may finally launch a new domestic clean-energy industry.

 
 

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