Weekly round-up of renewable energy PPA news (Sep 24-30)

Wind turbines on the coast, Denmark. Author: Tambako The Jaguar. License: Creative Commons, Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic

News on the signing of power purchase agreement (PPA) and auctions awarding long-term contracts for renewable power came from various geographies in the last week of September, including Malawi and Tanzania. Here is our short summary.

-- Tanzania invites developers for 150 MW of solar, 200 MW of wind projects

Tanzania Electric Supply Co Ltd (TANESCO) has published tender invitations for the development of 150 MWp of solar and 200 MW of wind projects across the country.

-- Mexican hotel chain inks wind PPA

Mexican hotel chain Hoteles City Express SAB de CV (BMV:HCITY) has signed a wind PPA to supply 95% of its portfolio of fully owned, co-owned and leased hotels.

-- RES signs PPA for 100-MW solar project in Mississippi

UK-based renewables developer Renewable Energy Systems Ltd (RES) has signed a PPA for a 100-MW solar project that it will design, develop and build in Mississippi.

-- Vattenfall to buy power from 163-MW Swedish wind farm

Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall AB has signed a 15-year PPA with German-based Aquila Capital for the 163-MW Kraktorpet wind farm in Sweden.

-- Rhode Island opens 400-MW call for renewables

National Grid, the largest electric distribution company in Rhode Island, is seeking proposals to contract up to 400 MW of renewable power and renewable energy certificates (RECs).

-- AEP Ohio seeks PUCO nod for 400 MW of solar PPAs

A unit of US utility American Electric Power Company Inc (NYSE:AEP) is seeking the green light from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) for 400 MW of new solar capacity. Through a request for proposals (RfP), AEP Ohio has awarded PPAs to the 300-MW Highland Solar and 100-MW Willowbrook Solar projects.

-- Developers of 60-MW solar project in Malawi sign PPA

JCM Matswani Solar Corp Ltd has signed a 20-year PPA with Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Ltd (ESCOM) for the 60-MW Salima solar project, one of Malawi's first commercial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants.

-- Denmark puts wind vs solar in 1st technology-neutral tender

The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) on Thursday opened the country’s first mixed renewables tender, seeking bids for solar photovoltaic (PV), onshore and "open-door" offshore wind power capacity.