Spain is betting that greater solar generation will ease its dependence on volatile commodity markets while helping to clean up energy mix

Sun-drenched Spain turns on Europe’s biggest solar power plant

Iberdrola SA turned on Europe’s largest solar plant in western Spain as the country drives up output of renewable energy to cut reliance on fossil fuels.

Spanish power is trading almost three times higher than the five-year seasonal average as Russian gas cuts push up fuel costs. As one of Europe’s sunniest nations, Spain is betting that greater solar generation will ease its dependence on volatile commodity markets while helping to clean up the energy mix.

The plant in the Extremadura region, comprising about 1.5 million solar panels, will produce enough electricity to supply more than 334,000 homes, Iberdrola said in a statement. It’s already connected to the grid and will gradually ramp up production until it’s fully operational within the next four weeks.

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Source: Bloomberg

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The Public Service Commission approved a long-term power purchase agreement in partnership with Invenergy.

Washington D.C. signs 73 MW solar power purchase agreement

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A 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) has been signed by the Washington D.C. Public Service Commission for renewable energy to serve a target quantity of 5% of the standard offer service (SOS) electricity supply load beginning in December 2024. The agreement is the result of a pilot program to procure renewable energy through long-term PPAs for electricity generation sourced by solar and wind located in the PJM interconnection region.

The agreement, signed with developer Invenergy, covers the sale of energy, renewable energy credits, and capacity for a 15 year term. The PPA features levelized pricing for approximately 154,000 MWh of electricity per year, representing 73 MW, or 29% of Invenergy’s solar project capacity.

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Source: PV Magazine

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For the full year, EIA expects 44.4 GW of new utility-scale generating capacity to come online, led by solar’s 17.8 GW

US generating capacity additions expected to double in 2nd half of 2022

While solar leads the projected utility-scale additions for 2022 at 17.8 GW, that number is down 3.7 GW since the beginning of the year due to supply chain disruptions and other challenges.

Developers and project planners expect to add 29.4 GW of new generating capacity in the U.S. in the second half of 2022, nearly double the 15.1 GW added in the first half of the year, the Energy Information Administration reported last week.

About half of the planned capacity in the second half is solar, with 13.6 GW of additions expected, followed by wind, with 6 GW of additions expected.

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Source: Energy Storage News

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A bill to allow renters and low-income Californians to access renewable energy has passed the State Senate Appropriations Committee.

Community solar bill moves out of California Senate Appropriations Committee

A bill to allow renters and low-income Californians to access renewable energy by subscribing to community solar projects passed the State Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday.

Assembly Bill 2316 would enable direct access to solar to people who currently don’t have any way to get it.

By getting through the appropriations committee before the deadline this week, the bill could be approved this year, rather than becoming a two-year bill.

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Source: The Business Journals

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A California agency is seeking more time on how to reform a solar-incentive program that’s helped rooftop solar flourish in the state

California seeks more time to overhaul rooftop-solar subsidy

A California agency is seeking more time to determine how to reform a solar-incentive program that’s helped rooftop solar flourish in the state.

A draft proposal before the California Public Utilities Commission would extend the deadline by a year to Aug. 27, 2023, according to a filing.

The commission is attempting to overhaul an incentive program — known as net-metering — that helped make rooftop systems mainstream but has drawn criticism for raising power bills for poor and middle-class Californians. The commission’s initial proposal sparked a fierce debate over how to balance the fight against climate change with a push to bolster social and economic equity.

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Source: Bloomberg

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Maldives has reopened a tender process, seeking to procure 40MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in an energy transition project

Maldives reopens 40MWh battery storage tender for island solar

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The Republic of Maldives has reopened a tender process, seeking to procure 40MWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in an energy transition project supported by World Bank funding.

The South Asian island nation’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology announced the reopening this morning. Eligible bidders have been given until 1pm local time on 27 October 2022 to submit their completed bids but must register with the Maldives Ministry of Finance between 4 August and 20 October first.

Financing support has been approved from the World Bank through its Accelerating Renewable Energy Integration and Sustainable Energy (ARISE) Project for the country and the Maldives government will apply part of that funding towards the cost of making payments to BESS providers under contract.

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Source: Energy Storage News

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Palen Solar Project is another major step forward in the administration’s efforts to lower costs for families, create a clean energy future.

Interior Department announces full operation of Palen Solar Project in California

The Department of the Interior today announced that the Palen Solar Project, a 457-megawatt photovoltaic facility in Riverside County, California, has reached full power operation. The project — which will supply enough energy to power approximately 116,000 homes and includes 50 megawatts of battery storage — represents another major step forward in the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to lower costs for families and create a clean energy, carbon-free future.

“Bringing another solar project to full operation on our public lands will accelerate our nation’s transition to a clean energy economy by unlocking renewable resources, creating jobs, lowering costs, and boosting local economies,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “The Interior Department will continue to advance the sustainable development of clean energy in order to help meet the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035.”

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Source: US Department of the Interior

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The International Energy Agency has set out leading green transition pathways for Africa – delivering better economic and social returns.

IEA 2022 outlook for Africa highlights solar and hydrogen in green transition

Following on from recent statements suggesting that Africa must double investments to reach its energy and climate goals, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has set out leading green transition pathways for the continent – delivering better economic and social returns. These sustainable development routes, presented in the IEA’s freshly-launched Africa Energy Outlook report – a full policymakers’ summary of findings to be exhibited live at this year’s MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power conference to west Africa’s top corporate and government authorities in aid of formulating a unified African narrative ahead of December’s 27th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP27) – call for two thirds of additional investment to be directed into clean energy sources by 2030.

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Source: Energy Capital & Power

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The new San Diego Solar Equity Program targets low-income residents who can't afford rooftop solar to get access to clean energy.

City of San Diego unveils $10 million plan to provide solar energy to low-income communities

SAN DIEGO — There is a push for clean energy in communities that may be most at risk to climate change.

The city of San Diego is partnering with San Diego Gas & Electric and the Center for Sustainable Energy to provide solar panels at little to no cost for low income families.

The program is called the San Diego Solar Equity Program.

“It’s targeted to low income folks who otherwise might not get access to clean energy because they can’t afford the $20,000 it takes to put solar on their rooftop,” said Lawrence Goldenhersh of the Center for Sustainable Energy.

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Source: CBS 8 San Diego

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The climate bill contains numerous provisions that could aid the efforts of ordinary Californians to reduce emissions.

There’s a lot for Californians in the federal climate bill. Here are the details

The sprawling climate bill that the U.S. Congress could pass in the coming days contains numerous provisions that could aid the efforts of ordinary Californians to reduce emissions.

The bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act because it includes deficit reduction as well as climate and health provisions, “contains the strongest climate action we’ve ever taken in American history,” said Sheryl Carter, an expert on electric power with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Passage is going down to the wire, with Congress’ August recess imminent. Democrats appear to have just succeeded in getting the endorsements of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz. — key votes given the essentially even partisan split in the Senate.

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Source: San Francisco Chronicle

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