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SOLAR
SOLAR GLOBAL NEWS
Iberdrola Australia to build Avonlie Solar Farm
Iberdrola Australia has committed to building the Avonlie Solar Farm, a 245 MW(DC) solar project near Narrandera, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, after recently acquiring the project from RES.
The project is expected to generate approximately 500 GWh/y of electricity, equivalent to powering more than 80 000 Australian households and avoiding over 157 000 tpy of carbon emissions.
Construction work will include the installation of more than 450 000 solar panels and related balance of the plant. Construction is expected to begin in 4Q21, with initial energisation expected before the end of 2022. The project will create more than 230 full-time jobs during construction and many direct and indirect jobs during its estimated operational life of 35 years.
As Australia’s ageing and unreliable coal-fired power plants inexorably approach retirement, the National Electricity Market will require significant investment in replacement capacity.
Over the last two years, Iberdrola has achieved Final Investment Decision (FID) at the Avonlie Solar Farm in NSW and at the 320 MW Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park in South Australia, and also entered into a user agreement with TransGrid in relation to the 50 MW/75 MWh Wallgrove Grid Battery in NSW. Together, these projects reflect almost AUS$1 billion of capital commitments, adding approximately 600 MW of low-cost, reliable renewable energy capacity to the National Electricity Market.
R.Power expands into Romanian PV market
R.Power, a Polish developer currently developing a portfolio of projects of over 5 GWp, has announced that it has signed a co-operation agreement with one of Romania’s leading developers of solar farms, wind farms, and hydroelectric investments. The companies want to develop a portfolio of photovoltaic (PV) projects with a total capacity of up to 100 MWp.
Co-operation between the two companies includes the development of PV farm projects located throughout the entire country. “Romania is an emerging market with a great potential” says Przemek Pieta, Co-founder and CEO of R.Power. “We are negotiating with further developers in the PV sector, and are open to new business opportunities. We want to take advantage of the increasingly friendly legislative environment and support the authorities in achieving their sustainable development goals” he adds.
R.Power has secured funds for the acquisition of further projects outside Poland. In June, the company established a programme to issue green bonds with a total nominal value of up to PLN 1 billion (€222 million). Bonds with a total nominal value of PLN 150 million (€33.2 million) were issued under the first series. Some of them will be used for the aforementioned development in Romania.
According to the provisions of the European Green Deal, Romania must achieve the target of a 30.7% share of renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030. This means that over the next 10 years the increase in capacity from RES should be approximately 6 GW/y.
Masdar to develop solar projects in Republic of Iraq
Masdar has announced that it signed a strategic agreement with the Republic of Iraq to develop five solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the country with a combined capacity of 1 GW.
Masdar has signed an implementation agreement with Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity and the National Investment Commission to develop the following projects: a 450 MW plant in the Dhi Qar Governate in southern Iraq; a 100 MW and a 250 MW plant, both located in Ramadi in central Iraq; a 100 MW plant in Mosul in the north; and a 100 MW plant in Amarah in the southeast.
In June, Masdar announced the signing of Heads of Agreement with the Ministry of Electricity and the National Investment Commission to develop projects in Iraq with a minimum total capacity of 2 GW.
Iraq, the second-largest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is looking to increase the percentage of renewables in its total power production capacity to 20 - 25% by the end of this decade to address supply issues and meet climate objectives, which would be equivalent to 10 GW to 12 GW. The country, which this year ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, enjoys some of the most attractive solar irradiation levels in the region.
WIND GLOBAL NEWS
Jan De Nul to use Remazel Engineering S.p.A equipment
Jan De Nul Group has selected Remazel S.p.A. for the delivery of a set of cradles, a skidding system, and an upending hinge for its new floating installation vessel, Les Alizés, to handle and install XXI monopiles. The design of this fully automated monopile installation system is tailor-made for Les Alizés and ideally suited to work in challenging weather conditions and harsh sea states. This mission equipment will allow Les Alizés to safely and efficiently install monopiles in offshore conditions.
Les Alizés will use the monopile cradles on her deck to store monopiles. The monopile cradles can automatically adjust their supporting diameter. If required, the cradles can also support the tapered section of the monopile.
The skidding system is needed to optimise the use of the deck and will enable Les Alizés to transport the monopiles in between the monopile cradles and the upending hinge. The upending hinge can accommodate monopiles weighing over 3000 t. The tub-mounted crane brings the monopile in a vertical position using the upending hinge. Once upended, the monopile is placed into the monopile gripper by the tub-mounted crane.
Les Alizés allows the installation of very large components including jackets exceeding 4500 t and monopiles weighing over 3000 t. It is of paramount importance that the installation process for these very large components can be safely executed.
The automated working method for the monopile installation system creates a safe environment in which the personnel’s safety is not compromised.
Keppel O&M completes work for Ørsted
Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) has completed the construction of two offshore substations for Ørsted which will be deployed at Taiwan’s Greater Changhua 1 & 2a offshore wind farms.
The detailed engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) for the two 600 MW unmanned offshore wind farm substations, which comprise the topside modules and jacket foundations, was completed with a perfect safety record.
The topside modules, which have a combined weight of more than 8000 t, are expected to sail away in late October 2021 to be integrated with the jacket foundations on-site standing in the Taiwan Straits. Keppel O&M completed the construction of the jacket foundations earlier in 2Q21 and will be undertaking the integration work for the offshore substations. When operational, the Greater Changhua 1 & 2a will be Taiwan’s first far shore and large scale offshore wind farms.
After integration of the topside modules onto the jacket foundations, Keppel O&M will conduct testing of the substation systems within its scope. Expected to withstand the sea and extreme weather conditions at the site, the offshore substations will distribute the energy generated from the offshore wind farm to the onshore substation via subsea cables.
The Changhua 1 & 2a offshore wind farms will supply approximately 1 million households in Taiwan with green power. Taiwan recently announced plans to install 15 GW of new capacity in offshore wind between 2026 and 2035.
GE Renewable Energy launches wind turbine blade mould at French factory
LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, has announced the launch of its second 107 m wind turbine blade mould (production line) at its Cherbourg factory in France, in order to address the industry’s demand for offshore wind turbine blades. The second mould has been through the prototype phase and will now start operations.
Additionally, GE Renewable Energy will be further investing in upgrading the plant. The company is planning an extension of the site, with the construction of an additional hall for finishing blades (post-moulding) before they are shipped.
The facility has produced one of the world’s first offshore wind turbine blades longer than 100 m: a 107 m blade that will be used in the company’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.
The site is recruiting 200 employees, targeting 800 employees in total. Every new hire goes through an intensive six-week training programme at the factory’s Centre of Excellence to learn wind turbine blade manufacturing processes and develop skills and technical expertise required to produce high-quality wind turbine blades. Following the training, employees receive official certificates recognised in the French industry, as a Qualification Certificate for Metallurgy Operations.
HYDROGEN GLOBAL NEWS
Port Anthony Renewables signs JV for green energy hub
Port Anthony Renewables and Singapore’s global gasification technology integrator CAC-H2 have formed a multi-million dollar joint venture to capitalise on the growing global demand for green energy.
The AUS$20+ million agreement will see CAC-H2 build and commission a waste wood biomass gasification system to produce carbon negative green hydrogen and ammonia for both domestic use and export internationally. Under the deal, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) has been formed called ‘Hydrogen Plus’. Under the arrangement, PAR will be one of the first in Australia to produce a commercial amount of green hydrogen, representing a significant competitive advantage for the company.
The initial target is to produce 3 tpd of green hydrogen for domestic distribution, and to expand the plant’s capacity to be aligned with domestic demand. The joint venture also plans to build out a large scale green ammonia production plant on the Port for export to Asia.
VoltH2 receives permit for new green hydrogen plant
VoltH2, a Europe-based developer of green hydrogen production infrastructure projects, has received building and environmental permits for the construction of a large scale green hydrogen plant in the Benelux region.
Strategically located in the North Sea Port of Vlissingen, the Netherlands, within an industrial cluster, the site has proximity to existing high-voltage power and gas infrastructure as well as large renewable power producing assets for the supply of green electrons. The 25 MW green hydrogen plant will be able to produce up to 3500 tpy of green hydrogen and will be scalable to 100 MW or 14 000 t. The facility is to be built adjacent to a connection point enabling direct access to the future European Hydrogen Backbone which is the dedicated hydrogen infrastructure traversing Europe.
Additionally, VoltH2 is in the advanced stage of permitting for a second green hydrogen plant in Terneuzen, the Netherlands, in joint development with Virya Energy. This site will have an initial capacity of 3500 tpy of hydrogen and will be scalable to 75 MW or 10 500 t. VoltH2 is also actively developing additional sites in Belgium, France, and Germany.
OWPL consortium plan to develop green hydrogen facility
Offshore Wind Power Limited (OWPL), the consortium formed by Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, TotalEnergies, and Scottish developer Renewable Infrastructure Development Group (RIDG) has announced it is studying the use of offshore wind to power the production of green hydrogen on an industrial scale on the island of Flotta in Orkney, Scotland.
The OWPL consortium has submitted a proposal to the Crown Estate Scotland’s offshore wind leasing round (ScotWind) to develop the N1 plan option area west of Orkney. If successful, its proposal – called the West of Orkney wind farm – could deliver renewable power to a green hydrogen production facility at the Flotta Terminal.
Plans to power the proposed Flotta Hydrogen Hub are being developed by OWPL in partnership with Flotta Terminal’s owner Repsol Sinopec, and Uniper. The proposal is also supported locally by EMEC Hydrogen who have spearheaded Orkney’s leading position in green hydrogen production. “We believe that green hydrogen could provide a critical alternative route to market for some of Scotland’s largest offshore wind projects and play a significant role in creating wider economic benefits as the North Sea goes through its energy transition. We look forward to working with the Flotta partners to continue to develop this proposal.” said Edward Northam, Head of Green Investment Group Europe.
THE RENEWABLES REWIND
> European Energy acquires portion of
Vattenfall’s assets > Canadian Solar signs new solar and battery storage agreements > Adani Green Energy acquires SB Energy
India
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WAVE GLOBAL NEWS
CalWave commissions wave energy project
CalWave successfully commissioned its CalWave x1™ on 16 September 2021 off the coast of San Diego, US. This milestone event marks the beginning of California’s first at-sea, long-duration wave energy pilot operating fully submerged. The CalWave x1 will be tested for six months with the goal of validating the performance and reliability of the system in open ocean.
This project is supported by a US Department of Energy award with the goal to demonstrate CalWave’s scalable and patented xWave technology.
Several key partners collaborated with CalWave on this project including the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, DNV GL, and UC Berkeley.
Operating fully submerged without visual impact, CalWave’s xWave architecture is capable of breaking through the challenges that have held the industry back so far: a technology that achieves high performance while being able to control structural loads in rare but destructive storms on all parts of the system.
Following this demonstration, CalWave plans to prepare for deployment of a larger unit at PacWave, one of the first commercial scale, utility grid-connected wave energy test sites in the US rated at 20 MW.
METI selects MOL wave project for subsidy programme
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd (MOL) has announced that its proposed wave power project in Mauritius was selected for Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) subsidy programmes.
Wave power is one of the ocean’s renewable energies which has not been commercialised to full scale yet, but in some regions of Europe and the US, large scale demonstration tests and commercialisation projects using subsidies are moving forward.
Since Mauritius has drawn up a roadmap to raise the percentage of renewable energy to 35% or 40% by 2030, and positions wave power as one of the future power sources, MOL made a proposal to the programme for the contribution to the nation’s environmental strategy.
MOL entered into an agreement with Bombora Wave Power Pty Ltd of the UK to evaluate the prospects of the wave energy business in Japan and Asia in January 2021. Both companies are conducting research to identify wave energy potential, using Bombora’s unique mWave™ energy converter and site selection with consideration for the natural environment by using a geographic information system (GIS) in Mauritius.
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