Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
China plans to lift restrictions on foreign investment in energy sector
23 Dec 2020The Chinese State Council Information Office has released a white paper on the country’s energy development and major policies and measures for energy reform, which plans to lift foreign investment restriction on coal, oil, gas, power generation, and new energy businesses during the 14th five-year plan period between 2021-2025. Investment restrictions on nuclear will remain in place. The policy document prioritises the development of solar energy, wind power, hydropower, and nuclear power, as well as biomass, geothermal, and ocean energy.
Read moreUS coronavirus relief package includes measures to tackle climate change
23 Dec 2020The United States Congress, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, has passed a US$900bn coronavirus relief package, which includes measures to address climate change. The bill instructs the Department of Interior to establish an objective of producing at least 25 GW of solar, wind and geothermal energy on public lands by 2025.
Read morePoland’s latest joint auction fails to attract bid for onshore wind
23 Dec 2020The Polish Energy Regulatory Office (URE) has announced the results of the tender for new small-scale onshore wind and solar PV projects with an installed capacity of less than 1 MW, which was held on 3 December 2020. The auction attracted 1,618 bids in total (all for PV installations) from 590 producers, offering 24.6 TWh (far exceeding the 11.8 TWh volume offered for sale). The parastatal selected 747 bids submitted by 235 producers totalling 11.75 TWh of electricity with a minimum price of PLN222.9/MWh (€49.5/MWh) and a maximum price of PLN268.9/MWh (€59.7/MWh).
Read moreBrazil unveils its national energy plan to 2050
22 Dec 2020The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), in partnership with the Energy Research Company (EPE), has released the national energy plan 2050 (PNE 2050). It is based on four pillars – energy security, adequate return on investments, availability of access to the population and socio-environmental criteria – and it uses scenarios to assess how to optimise the energy transition in Brazil. The authorities expect that renewable energy sources will account for 45-50% of the energy mix by 2050, and 80-85% of the power mix.
Read morePeru’s updated NDC targets 30% GHG emissions cut by 2030
22 Dec 2020The government of Peru has updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The country pledges to limit its greenhouse gas (GH) emissions to 208.8 MtCO2eq in 2030, which represents a non-conditional reduction of 30% compared to a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, using its domestic resources. The GHG emission cut target could be further increased to 40%, or 179 MtCO2eq, with international support through bilateral, multilateral cooperation and implementation of mechanisms under the Paris Agreement.
Read moreEnergy & Climate Markets
Galp will shut down its 110 kb/d Matosinhos refinery (Portugal)
23 Dec 2020The Portuguese oil and gas company Galp has decided to shut down its 110 kb/d Matosinhos refinery located in Porto (Portugal) from 2021 due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The group will maintain Matosinhos’ import, storage and distribution facilities, while assessing alternative options for the site, and will focus on its core refining activities and future developments in Sines.
Read moreInfrastructure & Investments
The 2 GW Al Dhafra PV2 solar project (UAE) reaches financial close
23 Dec 2020The 2 GW Al Dhafra PV2 solar project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), has reached financial close. The US$1bn plant, located in the region of Al Dhafra, 35 km south of Abu Dhabi City, spans over 20 km2 of desert climate area, with more than 4 m PV modules. The project is expected to start construction soon and to reach initial power generation in the first half of 2022 and full generation in the second half of 2022.
Read moreØrsted and GIP complete the 1.2 GW Hornsea One offshore wind project (UK)
23 Dec 2020Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) have completed the 1,218 MW Hornsea 1 offshore wind project located in the North Sea, 100 km off the coast of England (United Kingdom). Hornsea One was granted a Final Investment Decision Enabling contract (Contract for Difference, CfD) by the British Government in 2014 and will receive a fixed tariff for the first 15 years of production. Ørsted started to build the wind park in January 2018. It consists of 174 turbines rated 7 MW each and is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2020.
Read moreChina’s CEEC will build 869 MW of solar, wind projects in Brazil
23 Dec 2020The Chinese state-owned energy group China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC, also known as Energy China), has entered into two engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for the construction of renewable energy projects in Rio Grande do Norte, in north-eastern Brazil. CEEC, through Gezhouba Group, will build a 638 MW solar PV project and a 231 MW wind project, in addition to associated equipment, such as 230 kV substations and 230 kV transmission lines.
Read moreDominion Energy submits plan for 2.6 GW offshore wind project (US)
23 Dec 2020Dominion Energy has filed with the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) the required Construction and Operations Plan (COP) to build the 2,640 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project in the United States. The project is expected to enter construction in 2024 and to be commissioned in 2026. In May 2020, Dominion Energy selected Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to supply 14 MW offshore wind turbines for the project.
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