Costa Rica
Date: 2019-12-18
In Costa Rica, the Costa Rica National Center for Energy Control (CENCE) reports the National Electric System (SEN) added more than 99 pct more renewable power generation from run-of-river water, wind, geothermal energy, biomass and solar energy in 2018.

Since 2015, Costa Rica has exceeded 98 pct of electricity generation with clean resources. Presently, Costa Rica has 18 wind plants managed by public, private, municipal and cooperative companies as well as the third-largest geothermal park on the continent with 262 mw. (Source: National Center for Energy Control, PR, bnamericas, 16 Dec., 2019) Contact: Costa Rica National Center for Energy Control, www.energetskiportal.rs/en/tag/costa-ricas-national-centre-for-energy-control-cence

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  

Hydro-Quebec
Date: 2019-12-09
Hydro-Quebec operates some 60 hydroelectric generating stations, making it one of the largest hydroelectricity producers in the world. Decarbonizing the economy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is one of the company's priorities.

Hydro-Quebec's Strategic Plan 2020-2024 identifies various applications for clean hydrogen, including renewable natural gas (RNG), carbon-neutral synthetic hydrocarbon fuels, and others Overall, GHG emissions from Quebec hydropower (run-of-river generating stations and generating stations with reservoirs) are similar to those from wind, five times lower than those from photovoltaic solar, 50 times lower than those from natural gas-fired plants and 70 times lower than those from coal-fired plants. (Source: HydroQuebec, Green Car Congress, Dec., 2019) Contact: Hydro-Quebec, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, (514) 289-5005, www.hydroquebec.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Hydro-Quebec,  Hydrogen,  Clean Hydrogen,  RNG,  Wthanol,  

Innergex,Macquarie Infrastructure
Date: 2019-03-25
Longueuil, Quebec-based Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. reports it will sell its wholly-owned Magma Energy Sweden A.B. subsidiary which holds a 53.9 pct equity stake in HS Orka, to a Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets managed European infrastructure fund, for $304.8 million subject to customary closing adjustments

.HS Orka holds two operating geothermal facilities (Reykjjanes and Svartsengi) totaling 174 MW, the 10 MW Bruarvirkjun run-of-river hydro project which is under construction, a number of prospective renewable power projects, as well as a 30 pct equity interest in the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa and Resort in Iceland. The fully funded transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions.

Net proceeds from the sale will be used to reimburse the $228 million one-year credit facility contracted in October 2018 at the time of the acquisition of the remaining interest in the Cartier wind farms and operating entities, to deleverage corporate facilities and for general corporate purposes. (Source: Innergex, PR. 25 Mar., 2019) Contact: Innergex, (450) 926-2550, www.innergex.com, info@innergex.com; Macquarie Infrastructure, www.macquarie.com/mgl/com/mic-inc

More Low-Carbon Energy News Geothermal,  Hydro,  Run-of-River,  Innergex,  Macquarie Infrastructure,  

US DOE Water Power Technologies Office
Date: 2019-01-09
U.S. DOE is reporting the selection of 12 projects that will share in $25 million in next-generation marine energy devices funding through the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Water Power Technologies Office. The selected innovative projects will reduce capital costs and accelerate the innovation cycle by testing new concepts. Marine energy includes ocean wave power, tidal, and river/ocean current devices that convert movement of water into electricity.

Selections were made across three topic areas, outlined below. The first two aim to address fundamental scientific and engineering challenges of generating power from dynamic, low-velocity and high-density waves and currents. The third topic area is targeted to provide better information to reduce the costs and time to permit projects that include Early Stage Device Design Research, Controls and Power Take Off Design Integration and Testing, and Dissemination of Environmental Data and Analyses to Facilitate the Marine Energy Regulatory Process. (Source: US DOE, Water Power Technologies Office, Jan., 2019) Contact: US DOE Water Power Technologies Office, ww.energy.gov/eere/water/water-power-technologies-office

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wave Energy,  Tidal Energy,  Run-of-River,  US DOE Water Power Technologies Office,  

ScottishPower Generation Group , DRAX
Date: 2019-01-07
Further to our 19th October, 2018 coverage, Glasgow-headquartered Scottish Power is reporting that with the completion of its £700 million assets sale to Drax, the company is now the first in the UK to rely completely on renewable wind power.

Selby, UK-based Drax purchased Scottish Power's portfolio of pumped storage, hydro and gas-fired generation, which comprises Scottish Power Generation Group and its wholly owned subsidiary, SMW.

The assets sale included the 440-MW Cruachan pumped storage hydro electric scheme in Argyll and Bute; run-of-river hydro locations at Galloway and Lanark; (126MW); a biomass-from-waste facility at Daldowie; and four Combined Cycle Gas Turbine stations in England. (Source: DRAX Group, The National, 3 Jan., 2019) Contact: Scottish Power, Keith Anderson, CEO, +44 800 027 0072, www.scottishpower.co.uk; DRAX Power, +44 0 1757 618381, www.draxpower.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Scottish Power ,  DRAX,  Renewable Energy,  

Cleantech Solar
Date: 2018-09-12
Cleantech Solar, a pan-Asian supplier of renewable energy to corporates, is reporting receipt of a $50 million equity investment from Climate Fund Managers (CFM), the climate-dedicated investment manager and manager of the Climate Investor One facility. The investment is intended to facilitate Cleantech Solar's installed solar capacity growth in the Commercial and Industrial sector to over 450 MW with a target to generate over 600 GWh of clean electricity per annum.

Climate Fund Managers, with the support of the Dutch Development Bank, FMO, and Sanlam InfraWorks, will help Cleantech Solar access prime, long-term institutional capital for future expansion.

Singapore-based Cleantech Solar owns and operates over 120 solar power plants across India and South-East Asia, representing 200 MW of projects, with majority being in operation and remaining under construction and development.

Climate Fund Managers (CFM) is a cooperative established as a joint venture between the Dutch Development Bank, FMO, and South Africa's Sanlam InfraWorks.

Climate Investor One, which has $535 million funds under management, is mandated to finance renewable energy infrastructure projects across Africa, Asia and Latin America with a technological focus on solar, wind and run-of-river hydro. (Source: CleanTech Solar, eco Business, 11 Sept., 2018) Contact: Climate Fund Managers, Andrew Johnstone, CEO, www.climatefundmanagers.com; Cleantech Solar , www.cleantechsolar.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Cleantech Solar,  Run of River Hydro,  ,  

US DOE
Date: 2018-05-02
The US DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is reporting the availability of up to $23 million in funding for innovative technologies to reduce capital costs and shorten deployment timelines of marine energy devices. The funding will support research and evaluation of next-generation wave and tidal/current systems; support early-stage design of power take off (PTO) and controls integration; and allow for more efficient consideration of any potential environmental impacts from marine renewable energy development.

Qualifying research will address fundamental scientific and engineering challenges of generating power from dynamic, low-velocity and high-density waves and currents, while surviving in corrosive ocean environments that are intensified by high costs and lengthy permitting processes. The funding opportunity includes three topic areas: Early Stage Device Design Research; Controls and PTO Design Integration and Testing; and Dissemination of Environmental Data and Analyses to Facilitate the Marine Energy Regulatory Process. (Source: US DOE, 30 April, 2018) Contact: US DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Water Power Technology Office, www.energy.gov/eere/water/water-power-technologies-office

More Low-Carbon Energy News Water Energy,  Marine Energy,  Wave Energy,  Tidal Energy,  Run-of-River,  

Innergex Renewable Energy, Alterra Power
Date: 2018-02-09
Following up on our November 3, 2017 coverage, Longueuil, Quebec-based Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. reports the completion of the previously disclosed acquisition of all issued and outstanding common shares of Alterra for $1.1 billion, including the assumption of Alterra's debt.

The acquisition of Alterrra adds 485 MW (gross 1,049 MW) of renewable energy assets, in operation and under construction, to Innergex's portfolio, bringing the Corporation's total capacity to 1,609 MW (gross 2,896 MW). By 2020, Innergex's net installed capacity is expected to reach over 2,000 MW from a well-diversified resource mix of hydro, wind, solar and geothermal projects in Canada, the U.S., France and Iceland. The acquisition also brings Innergex an extensive pipeline of prospective projects in preliminary stages or in progress, with an estimated net capacity of more than 5,000 MW.

Innergex develops, acquires, owns and operates run-of-river hydroelectric facilities, wind farms, solar photovoltaic farms and geothermal power generation plants in Canada, France, the US and Iceland. (Source: Innergex Renewable Energy, PR, 6 Feb., 2018) Contact: Innergex, Michel Letellier, Pres., CEO, (450) 928-2556, info@innergex.com, www.innergex.com; Alterra Power Corp., Jon Schintler, VP Project Finance, Peter Lekich, Corporate Communications, (604) 235.6719, info@alterrapower.ca, www.alterrapower.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Innergex Renewable Energy,  Alterra Power,