Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
France launches tender for 700 MW of solar PV capacity
22 Feb 2021The French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has launched its 10th tender for the construction of 700 MW of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects exceeding 500 kW in size. The country aims at allocating 450 MW for ground-mounted PV projects exceeding 5 MW size, 180 MW for PV projects ranging between 500 kW and 5 MW, and 70 MW for projects ranging from 500 kW to 10 MW, which are to be built on parking shades.
Read moreCroatia will auction 400 MW of renewable capacity in 2021
22 Feb 2021The Croatian energy market operator HROTE (Hrvatski Operator Tržišta Energije) will hold a second auction for 400 MW wind and solar capacity in 2021. Only fully approved projects should be authorised to compete.
Read moreCompanies
Eni’s oil and gas output declined by 7% in 2020 (Italy)
22 Feb 2021Eni, which has released its full-year 2020 results, posted an US$742m loss in 2020 (down from a €2.9bn adjusted net profit in 2019). The group suffered from a 35% fall in the Brent price and from a 7% decline in its oil and gas production. Eni produced 1,733 kboe/d of hydrocarbon in 2020, including 843 kb/d of liquids (-6%) and 48.7 bcm of natural gas (-11%). Its total refinery throughput reached 23.9 Mt (-9%), including 14.8 Mt in Italy (-28%). Its petroleum retail sales in Europe declined by 20% to 6.6 Mt (including 4.6 Mt in Italy, i.e.
Read moreEDF’s power generation dipped by 10% in 2020 to 502 TWh
19 Feb 2021EDF has released its 2020 full-year results, posting a -3.4% decline in its turnover to €69bn and an 87% fall in its net results to €0.7bn. The group’s power generation declined by 10% to 502 TWh, due to a 12% drop in nuclear generation to 384 TWh and to a 14% fall in gas-fired generation; this was partly offset by increases in hydro (+12%) and renewable (+5.5%) power generation. In France, nuclear power generation contracted by 12%, mainly due to the health crisis that extended the duration of outages.
Read moreNorwegian power producer Statkraft’s output increased by 7% in 2020
19 Feb 2021The Norwegian state-owned power group Statkraft has released its 2020 full-year results, posting a net profit of NOK3.5bn (€345m, i.e. -69% compared to 2019). Its power generation increased by 7% to 65.4 TWh in 2020, thanks to a higher hydropower and wind power generation in the Nordic countries (+4.3% and +43%, respectively) and a higher gas-fired power generation in Germany (+13%). Most of its power generation was carbon-free, with 85% of hydro, 8% of gas and 7% of wind.
Read moreEnergy & Climate Markets
Brazil’s installed wind capacity reached 17.7 GW at the end of 2020
22 Feb 2021According to the Brazilian wind association ABEEólica, Brazil had 17.7 GW of installed wind capacity at the end of 2020 (up from 928 MW at the end of 2010), with 695 wind power plants and more than 8,300 wind turbines. In 2020, Brazil installed nearly 2.3 GW of wind capacity. Most of Brazil’s installed wind capacity is located in Nordeste, with, most notably, 5.2 GW in Rio Grande do Norte, 4.9 GW in Bahia, 2.3 GW in Piauí and 2.2 GW in Ceará.
Read moreAustralia added 1.6 GW of wind and solar capacity in 2020
22 Feb 2021According to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), Australia commissioned 12 new wind and solar projects with a total capacity of 1,560 MW in 2020. In addition, 32 projects totalling 3,301 MW completed the connections process and registered but were yet to enter commercial operation (commissioning expected in coming weeks and months). Finally, 15 projects with a total capacity of 3,004 MW are being built or about to start construction. A total of 342 proposed projects are currently in various phases of connecting and registering across all regions.
Read moreWind accounted for 36% of Ireland’s electricity demand in 2020
22 Feb 2021According to the Irish wind association Wind Energy Ireland, wind power generation increased by 13% to over 10.7 TWh in 2020 and accounted for 36.3% of electricity demand in Ireland. Eight new wind plants were connected with a combined capacity of 135 MW, raising the installed wind capacity to 4,255 MW at the end of 2020.
Read moreInfrastructure & Investments
UK court suspends development consent for a 1.8 GW offshore wind project
22 Feb 2021The UK High Court has quashed the development consent granted in July 2020 by Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to Vattenfall for its 1,800 MW Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind project off East Anglia, following a legal challenge. The plant was expected to feature up to 158 turbines installed across an area covering around 592 km2.
Read moreEnel expands its 475 MW São Gonçalo solar project in Brazil by 133 MW
22 Feb 2021Enel has commissioned a 133 MW expansion at its 475 MW São Gonçalo solar PV plant, in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Gurguéia, in the northeastern state of Piauí (Brazil). The project required an investment of BRL422m (US$78m). Enel started to build the 475 MW São Gonçalo solar PV plant in October 2018 and connected it to the grid in January 2020. In August 2019, the group decided to add 133 MW at the project and later decided to add a third phase of 256 MW to raise the total capacity capacity to 864 MW. The 256 MW expansion is expected to start operations in 2021.
Read more
No Comment