Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
The US extends the wind energy production tax credit through 2021
1 Feb 2021The US Congress has extended the production tax credit (PTC) for wind power projects at 60% of the full credit amount (US$1.8c/kWh) for another year until the end of 2021, and qualifying wind projects will have to begin construction by 31 December 2021.
Read moreIndian auction for 4 coal mines receives mild interest with only one bid
1 Feb 2021The Ministry of Coal of India has received only one technical bid for the Kuraloi (A) North coal mine in Odisha, one of the four coal mines put up for re-auction after a first round of auction for commercial mining was cancelled due to a low interest. In December 2020, four coal mines with a peak-rated capacity of 52 Mt/year were offered in the re-auction, three in Odisha (Chendipada, Chendipada-II, and Kuraloi (A) North) and one in Jharkhand (Seregarha). The three other mines have received no bids.
Read moreThe US president signs a series of executive orders on climate change
29 Jan 2021The US president has signed a series of executive actions to address climate change. The orders intend to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, to pause to all oil and gas drilling on federal land or offshore waters and to identify steps in order to double offshore wind power generation by 2030 (in 2019, offshore wind accounted for less than 1% of the US power mix). In addition, the executive actions aim to electrify the fleet of government vehicles and to conserve at least 30% of federal lands and oceans by 2030.
Read moreCzechia will exclude CGNPC from bidding for the Dukovany-5 nuclear project
29 Jan 2021The Czech government, which is currently finalising conditions for the upcoming tender to build a new 1,200 MW unit at the Dukovany nuclear power plant, has reached a consensus with all political parties to exclude Chinese companies (China General Nuclear Power (CGNPC)) from the tender to due to security concerns. However, they have not decided yet whether to allow Russian companies (Rosatom) to take part in the tender.
Read moreCompanies
RusHydro’s power generation in Russia rose by 8% in 2020
1 Feb 2021The Russian power group RusHydro has announced an 8.4% increase in its total power generation in Russia in 2020, to 148.6 TWh (including 17.6 TWh from the Boguchanskaya hydropower plant, in which RusHydro owns 50%, +9.5% on 2019). The company’s hydropower generation rose by around 10% in 2020, despite the sale of 561 MW of hydropower capacity in Armenia, while thermal power generation remained broadly stable (+0.7%, despite the sale of the 1,467 MW Primorskaya GRES to SUEK Group in June 2020).
Read moreChevron posts US$5.5bn loss in 2020
1 Feb 2021The US energy group Chevron has released its preliminary 2020 results, posting a US$5.5bn loss in 2020, compared to US$2.9bn earnings in 2019. The group was hit by the pandemic and economic crisis and consequently reduced its capital spending by 35% from 2019 levels along with its operating costs. In October 2020, the group completed the acquisition of Noble Energy and divested its Appalachia natural gas business in December 2020.
Read moreNextEra Energy plans to add 23-30 GW of renewable capacity by 2024 (US)
1 Feb 2021The US energy group NextEra has released preliminary 2020 results, announcing a US$1.2bn impairment charge on its investments in the 20 bcm/year Mountain Valley gas pipeline connecting West Virginia to Virginia, due to significant delays related to regulatory and legal fights with states and environmental groups; the gas pipeline is still expected to be commissioned by the end of 2021.
Read moreForecasts
China could reach its target of 1,200 GW of renewable capacity before 2030
1 Feb 2021According to the China Renewable Energy Outlook 2020 (CREO 2020) presented by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, China would be on track to reach its target of 1,200 GW of renewable power capacity by 2030 as a record of 120 GW of wind and solar PV capacities were added in 2020. Such a fast pace of renewable power capacity integration could help China achieve its Paris Agreement targets and its climate goal of carbon neutrality in 2060.
Read moreInfrastructure & Investments
Ibereolica plans a 1,171 MW solar-wind hybrid project in Chile
1 Feb 2021The Spanish energy group Grupo Ibereólica Renovables has starting the environmental qualification procedure for its ERNC Antofagasta project, a hybrid renewable power project including a 675 MW solar PV park and a 496 MW wind project in northern Chile. The US$874m project would also include two 33/500 kV transformer substations for the solar PV plant and the wind park, and a 500 kV transmission line to evacuate the power generation to the National Electric System.
Read moreNorthern Territory (Australia) moves ahead with Singapore interconnection
1 Feb 2021The government of the Northern Territory (Australia) has signed a milestone agreement with Sun Cable to advance the development of the AUD22bn (US$17bn) Australia-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL), a proposed high voltage direct current (HVDC) power cable between Darwin, in Northern Australia, and Singapore.
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