Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
The United Kingdom unveils its Net Zero Strategy by 2050
20 Oct 2021
The United Kingdom has released its Net Zero Strategy, which sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The country aims to fully decarbonise the power system by 2035 thanks to renewable capacities (including targets of 40 GW of offshore wind capacity and over 1 GW of floating offshore wind by 2030) and to large-scale nuclear projects, subject to value for money.
Bahrain has updated its Nationally Determined Contribution
20 Oct 2021
Bahrain has updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which includes a number of sectoral measures without setting an economy-wide target.
Chad pledges to cut its GHG emissions by 19% in 2030
20 Oct 2021
Chad has updated its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), lowering its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target from 71% to 19.3% of the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario by 2030. The reduction target is divided into an unconditional reduction target of 0.5% and a conditional target of 18.8%.
Belgium expands offshore wind zone to at least 3.15 GW
19 Oct 2021
The Belgian Council of Ministers has agreed to expand the capacity of the Princess Elisabeth offshore wind zone in the North Sea from 1.75 GW to 3.15-3.5 GW. The zone includes three different areas: Noordhinder Noord, Noordhinder Zuid and Fairybank. The first offshore wind zone, which hosts eight wind plants totalling 2.26 GW, was completed in 2020 with the Northwester II and the SeaMade plants. The tender for the zone extension is scheduled in 2022.
Companies
Lighthouse BP and Ørsted sign partnerships in the Polish renewable sector
20 Oct 2021
Lighthouse BP has signed a co-development deal for 757 MW of solar projects in Poland with a local renewable company. The total capital expenditure to bring the entire pipeline to fruition could reach €500m. The portfolio includes nine solar projects in the regions of Zachodnio-Pomorskie, Lubuskie, Dolnośląskie and Wielkopolskie. Around half the projects could be ready for construction in 2022. Solar accounts for 8% of Poland’s installed capacity, with 3.9 GW. Around 1.5 GW of solar projects are currently under construction and development.
Brazil’s Renovia Energia receives approval for 704 MW of wind and solar projects
19 Oct 2021
Renovia Energia has received preliminary licences from Bahia environment and water resources institute for 704 MW of wind and solar projects in Bahia state (Brazil). The 576 MW Barra wind project is located in east-central part of Bahia, while the 128 MW solar project will be built in Caetite. The company, which has a pipeline of more that 6 GW of projects in Brazil’s Northeast region, has five years to start implementing the projects.
Energy & Climate Markets
Saudi Arabia shortlists bidders in a 1.2 GW solar tender
20 Oct 2021
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Energy has shortlisted bidders in a tender that seeks to award 4 solar projects totalling 1,200 MW of solar capacity. The auction is the third round of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme and will allow bidding in two categories. The first category includes the 80 MW Layla and the 120 MW Wadi Al Dawasir solar projects, while the second comprises the 300 MW Saad and the 700 MW Ar Rass solar projects.
Infrastructure & Investments
Engie will start building the 260 MW Punta Lomitas wind project (Peru)
20 Oct 2021
Engie will start building its 260 MW Punta Lomitas wind project in the Ica province of Peru, which was granted a definitive concession from Peruvian authorities to develop the project in March 2021. The French company selected Siemens Gamesa to supply 50 units of the SG 5.0-145 onshore wind turbine for the project in April 2021. The project, which requires a US$323m investment, should be commissioned in the first half of 2023.
OX2 seeks approval for a 1.7 GW offshore wind project in Sweden
20 Oct 2021
OX2 has filed a Natura 2000 permit application for a 1.7 GW offshore wind project in the Kattegat sea area, in Sweden. The Galatea-Galene project is divided into two areas, Galatea located about 25 km outside Falkenberg and Galene about 25 km outside Varberg. The power plant will include 101 wind turbines, with a maximum height of 340 meters, and is expected to generate 6-7 TWh/year.
Flanders (Belgium) refuses to approve a 900 MW gas-fired project in Tessenderlo
20 Oct 2021
The Flemish Environment Ministry (Belgium) has refused to grant a permit for the construction of a new gas-fired power plant in Tessenderlo, considering that the environmental impact assessment was not considering all impacts.
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