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According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewables are the cheapest energy sources for new power generation in most parts of the world. The cost of electricity generated from bioenergy, hydropower, geothermal, onshore and offshore wind power was estimated to be within the range of fossil-fuel-fired power generation costs over the 2010-2018 period. The global-weighted average cost of solar PV has also been competing with fossil power generation since 2014.

The global weighted-average cost of renewable electricity has been steadily declining since 2010 and this trend continued in 2018: costs fell by 11% for hydropower to an average US$4.7c/kWh, by 13% for solar PV and onshore wind (to US$8.5c/kWh and US$5.6c/kWh, respectively), by 14% for bioenergy (US$6.2c/kWh) and by 26% for CSP (US$18.5c/kWh).

This fall in costs is making onshore wind and solar PV power generation a cheaper source of new electricity than the least-cost fossil fuel alternative, without financial support: most of the solar PV projects and onshore wind projects expected to be commissioned in 2020 will generate power at lower prices than the cheapest new coal, oil or natural gas options. In addition, the IRENA estimates that the costs of new solar PV and onshore wind will drop below the marginal operating cost of existing coal-fired power plants in 2020.

French energy group EDF has completed the sale of its 25.04% stake in the Swiss power utility Alpiq Holding for CHF489m (€436m) to the Swiss investors EOS Holding and Primeo Energie, corresponding to an average price of CHF 70 (€62) per share of Alpiq.

According to the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO), the United Kingdom reached 12 days (290 hours on 29 May 2019) without using coal-generated power, a new record. Earlier in May 2019, the UK spent over a week without using power from its coal-fired facilities. This was the first time these facilities weren’t required for that long since 1882.

The Ministry of Electricity of Egypt is considering privatising three recently commissioned power plants, in an attempt to reduce the public debt. The concerned power plants, namely Beni Suef, New Capital and Burullus, were built by a consortium of Siemens, El Sewedy Electric and Orascom Construction at a cost of US$6.7bn.

According to a study led by the National Energy Board (NEB) of Canada and the International Energy Agency (IEA), major energy efficiency improvements and the transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources could reduce CO2 emissions from Canadian buildings by 80% by 2050. …

Finland’s commitment to phase out from coal by May 2029 is expected to raise the demand for alternative fuels, especially biomass. Coal currently represents 20% of the energy used for household heating and around 15% of the power mix. Biomass could represent as much as 60% of the country’s fuel mix at the combined heat and power (CHP) plants in 2030, twice the current amount. …

The Ministry of Energy of Tanzania expects the construction of its first gas liquefaction plant and export terminal to start in 2022 and to be completed in 2028. The government expects to conclude discussions with a consortium of foreign oil and gas companies in September 2019.

Mitsubishi Mexico has inaugurated its 396 MW Energia Eolica del Sur wind project in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The US$1.2bn project consists of 132 wind turbines located in two areas of the Istmo de Tehuantepec: 60 turbines – 180 MW – in the Bii Nissa area and 72 turbines – 216 MW – in the Xtipa Bii area. It is expected to avoid the emission of 567 ktCO2/year..

The second reactor of the Taishan nuclear power project in Guangdong (southeastern China) has carried out its first chain reaction, nearly one year after the first reactor (early June 2018). The 1,660 MW (1,750 MW gross) European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) is expected to be connected to the grid and commissioned by the end of 2019. …

US energy group NextDecade has signed two lump-sum turnkey (LSTK) contracts worth US$9,565m with Bechtel for the  engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the first 17.6 Mt/year phase of the 27 Mt/year Rio Grande LNG liquefaction project in Brownsville, South Texas (United States). The average cost for the first phase of the project will then average US$543/tonne. …