THE FRIDAY NOTE: Morocco to launch soon 850-MW wind auction and more top news

This week’s top news include the expected launch "within weeks" of a 850-MW wind power tender in Morocco, Acciona SA’s plans for a 246.6-MWp PV park in Chile, and the AUD 350 million in grants and loans now available for large-scale solar projects in Australia.

Also, it was just announced that China’s Hanergy Group has signed an official deal for 1 GW of wind and solar projects in Jordan, and that the UK government has given the thumbs-down to the Navitus Bay offshore wind farm and to 360 MW of onshore wind projects in Wales.

MOROCCO ATTRACTS ATTENTION

Morocco will launch a tender for the build-up of 850 MW in wind power capacity very soon, L'economiste said earlier this week. Several companies have been prequalified, including Acciona, EDF Energies Nouvelles, Vestas and Siemens, among others. Recently, the country also amended its law on renewable energy, allowing green energy producers to sell surplus electricity to establishments connected to the high voltage or very high voltage grid.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/morocco-to-tender-850-mw-wind-power-within-weeks-report-492089

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/morocco-to-amend-law-on-renewable-energy-491033

HANERGY INKS FIRM DEAL IN JORDAN

China’s Hanergy Holding Group said Thursday it has signed an official deal for 600 MW of photovoltaic (PV) parks and 400 MW of wind farms in Jordan with the kingdom’s energy ministry. The first projects will enter construction in early 2016.

Meanwhile in Kuwait, Spanish engineering and construction firm TSK Group won a USD-384-million (EUR 340m) order to build a 50-MW solar park.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/update-china-s-hanergy-inks-1-gw-of-solar-wind-deal-in-jordan-492284

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/spains-tsk-lands-50-mw-solar-job-in-kuwait-report-492299

MORE SOLAR PROJECTS IN CHILE

Spanish group Acciona SA (BME:ANA) plans to build a 246.6-MWp solar PV plant in Chile, expected to be Latin America’s largest. It estimates it will need to invest some USD 343 million in the El Romero Solar project.

SunEdison Chile, on the other hand, got environmental approval for two solar projects of a combined 134 MW in Chile. These will help the Valparaiso region diversify its energy mix, which now includes 50% natural gas and 43% coal.

This week, US renewables major SunEdison Inc (NYSE:SUNE) also announced plans to develop 2 GW of wind and solar schemes in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu over the next five years. It expects to invest as much as USD 2.1 billion to realise the projects.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/acciona-to-install-247-mw-solar-plant-in-chile-492281

at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/sunedison-chile-cleared-to-build-134-mw-of-pv-plants-492088

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/sunedison-signs-2-gw-renewables-pact-in-indias-tamil-nadu-492255

SOLAR FINANCING FOR AUSTRALIA

In Australia large-scale solar projects can now apply for AUD-100-million (USD 70.7m) in grants from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and complementary loans of AUD 250 million (USD 176.7m) in total from the Clean Energy Finance Corp (CEFC). ARENA's “central aim” is to reduce the cost of large-scale solar in Australia and reach cost parity between large-scale solar and wind energy by 2020.

On the Australian wind front came the news that AGL Energy (ASX:AGK) has completed the disposal of its 50% stake in the 420-MW Macarthur wind farm for AUD 532 million.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/big-solar-projects-in-australia-offered-usd-250m-in-funding-492041

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/australias-agl-sells-50-in-420-mw-macarthur-wind-farm-491693

UK SAYS NO TO 1.3 GW OF WIND

Leaving the bad news for last, the UK government on Monday said it has given planning consent to a 102-MW repowering wind project in Mid-Wales, while it refused permission to four other onshore wind schemes there of a combined 360 MW.

On Friday, Energy Minister Lord Bourne said that the Navitus Bay wind project off the coast of Dorset has also been given the red light. Development consent has been refused for both the initial up to 970-MW proposal, and for the alternative Turbine Area Mitigation Option that envisaged the installation of fewer turbines with a combined capacity of 630 MW.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/uk-govt-gives-red-light-to-360-mw-of-wales-wind-projects-491861

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/update-1-uk-rejects-navitus-bay-offshore-wind-proposals-492448

(USD 1 = EUR 0.887)

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