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Producción y mercados energéticos 19/02/19

Latest Energy News

19 February 2019

TOP STORY: Indonesia aims at reaching energy self-sufficiency through biofuels The Indonesian government is working on plans to cut costly oil imports and achieve energy self-sufficiency by boosting the use of domestic biofuels such as palm oil. More specifically, it supports plans to use 30% of the entire palm oil production for biofuel purposes. It is also studying the development and potential implementation of the B100 programme, which would require all regular domestic diesel fuels to be made entirely from palm oil-based biofuels upon its introduction. Indonesia imports a significant portion of its crude oil requirements. The recent oil prices rise on international markets combined with the fall of the local currency (rupiah) has made imports more expensive. The development of the B100 diesel blending regulation would boost domestic palm oil consumption, support the rupiah and help to reduce diesel fuel imports. The country has already implemented the B20 regulation, which was unveiled in August 2018 and required all regular domestic diesel fuels to contain at least a 20% biodiesel component starting from September 2018.

Policy & Regulatory Malaysia launches tender for large-scale solar power projects The Malaysian government has launched a new round of competitive bidding for 500 MW of grid-connected solar projects, the third under the country’s Large Scale Solar (LSS) programme. Projects with capacities ranging between 1 MW and 100 MW can take part in the competition and submit bids under the request for proposals (RfP) procedure until 19 August 2019. Read more German government sets aside carbon pricing for non-ETS sectors The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has rejected calls to introduce legislation to expand the carbon pricing system to the non ETS-sectors such as buildings, transportation and heating in the current legislative period, i.e. until at least 2021. Such policies has been ruled out as the government is only studying various options for the moment. Read more Indian state of Andhra Pradesh launches 600 MW solar-wind hybrid tender Two power distribution companies in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, Southern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh (APSPDCL) and the Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh (APEPDCL), have issued a Request for Selection (RfS) for the development of 600 MW of hybrid wind-solar projects with a battery storage component. Read more Forecasts Ghana aims at doubling its crude oil production by 2023 The government of Ghana has outlined plans to scale up the domestic crude oil output from the current 196,000 bbl/d to more than 420,000 bbl/d by 2023 and approximately 500,000 bbl/d by 2025. In order to attain this objective, the nationwide resource base will have to be developed, which entails in particular the upcoming startup of the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points (DWT/CP) block. Read more Infrastructure & Investments India will relocate 60 Mt/year Ratnagiri refinery project over protests Local opposition has prompted the Maharashtra government (India) to relocate the 1.2 mb/d (around 60 Mt/year) Ratnagiri refinery project. The land acquisition process has been stopped and the project is likely to be moved to another place within the state, where local population will not oppose it. However, the future location is still unknown at the moment.. Read more Total, Ørsted and Elicio team up for 600 MW French offshore wind project French energy company Total has set up a consortium with the Danish power generation company Ørsted and the renewables player Elicio to submit a joint bid for the Dunkerque (Dunkirk) offshore wind project in the French Channel; the consortium will bid for a power capacity of up to 600 MW. Read more Vineyard Wind unveils 1.2 GW Liberty Wind offshore wind project (US) US project company Vineyard Wind, a joint venture (JV) of Iberdrola’s subsidiary Avangrid Renewables and Danish investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, has submitted a proposal to a solicitation by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) (United States) for offshore wind projects with a new proposal called Liberty Wind. Read more Tanzania’s 2 GW Rufiji hydropower project officially breaks ground The Tanzanian government has officially handed over the site of the Rufiji hydropower project in Stiegler’s Gorge (Tanzania) and the associated supporting infrastructure to the construction contractors Elsewedy Electric Company and Arab Contractors Company. This marks the start of the construction process,… Read more Scotland clears 1.4 GW NorthConnect power link between the UK and Norway The Scottish Government, via its civil service directorate Marine Scotland, has granted a marine license to the project company North Connect for a 1,400 MW power interconnection proposal between Scotland (United Kingdom) and Norway. This is a decisive step ahead for the undersea power line, which is currently set to begin operations in 2023-2024. Upon completion,… Read more