Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
Algeria plans to tender 1 GW of solar capacity in June 2021
10 Mar 2021Algeria intends to launch a tender for 1,000 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in June 2021. The program will include ten wilayas (provinces) in southern Algeria with 100 MW for each. Turning to solar power would help Algeria meet the growing demand for electricity and save gas production for export purposes. In addition, a new company dedicated to renewables should be launched, with the national power utility Sonelgaz and gas company Sonatrach taking part to its creation.
Read moreCanada unveils a new federal greenhouse gas offset system
9 Mar 2021The federal government of Canada has released draft regulations on a new federal greenhouse gas (GHG) offset system, which would allow municipalities, farmers, indigenous communities, businesses, and others to earn offset credits for projects that reduce GHG emissions or take them out of the atmosphere. Initiatives may include advanced refrigeration systems, landfill methane management, forest management and sustainable agricultural land management.
Read moreSouth Korea plans to add another 2.1 GW of floating PV capacity by 2030
9 Mar 2021South Korea intends to deploy another 2.1 GW of floating solar PV capacity by 2030. To do so, the Ministry of Environment has already selected five dams – Hapcheon, Gunwi, Chungju, Soyang River, and Imha – as potential sites for the implementation of the first solar floating projects, which would have a total capacity of 147 MW. This 2.1 GW programme is part of South Korea’s strategy to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Read moreCompanies
Shell sells upstream assets in Egypt’s Western Desert for US$926m
10 Mar 2021Shell has agreed to sell its upstream assets in Egypt’s Western Desert to a consortium of Cheiron Petroleum and Cairn Energy for a base consideration of US$646m and additional payments of US$280m between 2021 and 2024, subject to the oil price and exploration results. The agreement includes Shell Egypt’s share in BAPETCO (Badr El-Din Petroleum Company, a joint venture with Egypt’s national oil company Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC)) and its stake in 13 onshore concessions.
Read moreCIL (India) greenlights 32 coal mining projects worth US$6.4bn
10 Mar 2021The Indian state-owned coal group Coal India Ltd (CIL) has approved 32 new coal mining projects in India, including 8 new projects and 24 expansion plans, which will have a combined peak output of 193 Mt/year. The projects, which are estimated to cost INR473bn (US$6.4bn), should produce 81 Mt/year from the financial year starting in April 2023. Most of the additional production capacity will come from three subsidiaries, namely South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) that should produce an additional 167 Mt/year.
Read moreInfrastructure & Investments
New agreement signed on the Eastmed gas pipeline (Israel-Cyprus-Greece-Italy)
10 Mar 2021IGI Poseidon, the joint venture of the Greek gas transmission company DEPA and the Italian energy group Edison (part of EDF), and Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL) have signed a new agreement on the Eastmed gas pipeline, which would deliver 10 bcm/year of gas from offshore Israel to Cyprus, Greece, and Italy. The addendum to the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to connect the project to the Israeli gas transmission system and to facilitate the flow of gas from sources in the East Mediterranean area to Italy and Europe via Cyprus.
Read moreCzech nuclear regulator approves ČEZ’s Dukovany-5 reactor project
10 Mar 2021The Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety has awarded a permit to the Czech national power utility ČEZ for the development of two new 1.2 GW units at the Dukovany nuclear power plant. The state-owned power utility is currently planning to build only one reactor at Dukovany, and the permit for two units will allow ČEZ to review its plans.
Read moreChina plans to start building a 60 GW hydropower project in Tibet in 2021
10 Mar 2021China intends to start building a dam on a section of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangbo) River, which flows from Tibet into India and Bangladesh, in 2021. The “Yarlung Tsangbo downstream hydropower base” could have a capacity of up to 60 GW. The project was listed in the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) as one of the major energy development projects in China.
Read moreNorway approves plan for the 1.5 MtCO2/year Northern Lights CO2 storage project
10 Mar 2021The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has approved the development plan for the 1.5 MtCO2/year Northern Lights CO2 transport and storage project, developed by a consortium of Equinor, Shell and Total, and has signed the final state support agreements with the companies.
Read moreThe UAE issues operating licence for the second Barakah nuclear unit
10 Mar 2021The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has granted a 60-year operating licence to the second unit of the Barakah nuclear power project in Abu Dhabi. The power plant’s operator, Nawah Energy, is now authorised to load fuel into the reactor, whose construction was completed in July 2020, and to start the commissioning phase of Barakah-2.
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