Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
The Netherlands adopts the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II
5 Jul 2021
The Netherlands has transposed into Dutch law the European Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II, which requires fuel suppliers to reach a 14% renewables target in the transport sector by 2030. The most recent decree required 17.5% in 2021, of which 5% maximum could be met by conventional renewable fuel units (HBE-Cs), with a minimum of 1.2% to be met by advanced renewable fuel units (HBE-Gs). In 2020, biofuels accounted for 7% of final consumption by road transport.
Spain, Croatia, North Macedonia and Albania pledge to phase out coal by 2030
2 Jul 2021
Spain, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania have joined an international campaign – Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) – to phase out coal-fired power generation by 2030. The PPCA initiative also includes the Polish power utility ZE PAK and the Polish region Eastern Wielkopolska, along with businesses and financial institutions.
Companies
India’s NTPC launches tender for 500 MW of solar projects in India
5 Jul 2021
NTPC has launched a tender for an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) package with land development for 500 MW of grid-connected solar power projects in India. Developers can compete for 50 MW to 500 MW in 10 MW multiples. The scope of work comprises design, manufacturing, supply, packing, forwarding, transportation, unloading, storage, installation, and commissioning of the plants. The deadline to submit bids is 10 August 2021.
Sonatrach’s hydrocarbon production declined by 6% in 2020 (Algeria)
2 Jul 2021
The Algeria national oil and gas company Sonatrach extracted 176 Mtoe of hydrocarbon in 2020 (-6%), of which 140 Mtoe were marketed (-7%); this drop is partly due to the OPEC+ agreement on crude oil production. The company exported 81 Mtoe of oil and gas during the year, achieving an export turnover of US$20bn in 2020 (-39% compared to 2019) due to a 35% fall in the Sahara Blend oil price and the reduced production. Consequently, Sonatrach’s investment declined by 30% in 2020 to US$5.7bn.
Rainbow Energy buys a 1.2 GW coal-fired power plant in North Dakota (US)
2 Jul 2021
Rainbow Energy, an affiliate of United Energy, has reached an agreement with Great River Energy to acquire the 1,150 MW Coal Creek coal-fired power plant in North Dakota (United States). The transaction is expected to be finalised in 2021.
Infrastructure & Investments
The US BOEM starts reviewing Dominion’s 2.6 GW offshore wind project
5 Jul 2021
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has initiated an environmental review for the 2,640 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project off the coast of Virginia in the United States. The project is developed by Dominion Energy, which selected Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to supply 14 MW offshore wind turbines in May 2020; the order is subject to some conditions, including final investment decision (FID), governmental permitting, and other required approvals, and the number of turbines to be deployed will depend on project site conditions.
EDPR and Reganosa plan to build 1 GW of renewables in northwest Spain
5 Jul 2021
EDP Renovaveis has entered into a partnership with the Spanish LNG terminal operator Reganosa to develop nearly 1 GW of renewables in a cluster of municipalities in the region of Galicia, in northwest Spain.
Mainstream reaches financial close a 1.3 GW renewable project in Chile
5 Jul 2021
Mainstream Renewables Power has reached financial close for the third and final phase of its 1.3 GW Andes Renovables wind and solar project in Chile. The US$1.8bn Andes Renovables project comprises three phases. The first phase (Condor), consisting of 3 onshore wind parks (426 MW) and one 145 MW solar park, reached financial close in November 2019; it should be commissioned in 2021. The second phase, Huemul, consists of 3 onshore wind parks (425 MW) and 2 solar parks (205 MW) and should be commissioned in 2021-2022.
Egypt launches licencing process for the El Dabaa nuclear power plant
5 Jul 2021
The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) of Egypt has submitted an application to the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) to secure construction licence for units 1 and 2 of the 4,800 MW El Dabaa nuclear power plant. The licences are expected to be awarded in 2022, and the project should enter full-scale construction.
Chevron takes FID on the Jansz-lo gas recovery project (Australia)
5 Jul 2021
Chevron and its partners in the Gorgon LNG project off Western Australia have taken the final investment decision (FID) on the AUD6bn (US$4bn) Jansz-lo Compression (J-IC) project, which will help gas recovery from the ageing Jansz-lo field. The construction and installation activities will include a floating Field Control Station (FCS) and a subsea compression infrastructure and are expected to last five years.
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