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Week in Middle East: SirajPower To Setup 3MW Residential Rooftop Solar In Dubai, TAQA Approve Transaction of the UAE’s Power Sector, Enerwhere gets Fund from KAAF, Palestinian energy gets US$63 Million in funds, ACWA Power achieves financial closure for 500 MW Oman Project

By
Sangita Shetty
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0

SirajPower To Setup 3MW Residential Rooftop Solar In Dubai

SirajPower, UAE’s leading distributed solar developer announced two new residential partnerships in Dubai. SirajPower inked a deal with Al Khail Heights (by Texture Holding) and Green Coast Real Estate – Mirdif Villa Complex that will result in a total 3MWp system capacity, and generate 5GWh of annual energy production, whilst displacing more than 3,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission (Co2) per annum, corresponding to approximately 450 million smartphones being charged. The partnership is already SirajPower’s second important project in the residential sector this year. To implement such a project, the company benefited from its key market differentiator, a fully integrated leasing model which eases energy expenses and can help mitigating the economic impact of the current crisis. SirajPower provides the design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and financing that allow businesses to work with a single point of contact throughout the whole journey of their energy ambitions. The project will be the fully financed solar model in Dubai and the Middle East. With this project SirajPower became the first and only fully comprehensive distributed solar energy company in the region that can provide a ‘commercial’ solar leasing solution for the residential market.

TAQA Approve Transaction of the UAE’s Power Sector

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC have voted for approval of the transfer of the majority of Abu Dhabi Power Corporation’s water and electricity generation, transmission and distribution assets to TAQA, which is owned by ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies. This transaction creates one of the largest utility companies in the GCC and a top-10 integrated utility player in the EMEA region by regulated assets. The transaction, creates a regional utility champion with the financial strength and expertise to accelerate the transformation of the UAE’s power and water sector and the capacity to pursue new growth opportunities in international markets. TAQA will benefit from enhanced revenues, a robust capital structure producing stronger cash generation, with the potential for significant and sustainable dividends and business growth. When the transaction is completed, TAQA’s assets will include majority stakes in almost all power and water generation plants in the UAE, making it the nation’s predominant power and water, transmission, and distribution company. TAQA will also continue to operate in the USA, Oman, Morocco, India, Saudi Arabia and Ghana, and own oil and gas operations in the UK, Netherland, Canada, and Iraq.

Enerwhere gets Fund from KAAF

KAAF Investments in the Middle East, has re-invested in distributed utility company Enerwhere. Apart from being one of the leading solar companies Enerwhere has become the region’s leading provider of energy storage systems, implementing over 10 MWhrs of lithium-ion battery storage projects. In the temporary / off-grid power space, Enerwhere’s solar-hybrid mini-grids are reducing energy costs and increasing reliability for dozens of commercial & industrial clients across the construction, real estate, hospitality, mining and oil & gas industries. Finally, building on its original in-house hybrid control solution, Enerwhere has now taken its data design and management platform one step further with the development of an independent analytics and energy optimization software solution for anyone running captive power generation. The system is globally unique in being equipment supplier agnostic and using real time second-by-second data as the basis to accurately model and control off-grid / hybrid mini-grids, using machine learning to reduce diesel consumption and increase reliability of conventional diesel generators, with or without renewable energy. This is Enerwhere’s first step towards artificially intelligent mini-grid solutions. KAAF Investments decided to re-invest to support our continued growth and technology development. Delivering cost-effective and reliable power in the off-grid and temporary power markets requires mastering a range of technologies, including modular & transportable solar solutions, battery storage and conventional diesel engines.

Palestinian energy gets US$63 Million in funds

The World Bank approved a US$14 million grant as part of a multiphase Advancing Sustainability in Performance, Infrastructure, and Reliability of Energy Sector (ASPIRE) program to improve operational and financial performance of the Palestinian electricity institutions and diversification of energy sources. The program will benefit from an additional US$49 million grant from donor partners. The new program builds on the World Bank flagship report Securing Energy for Development and calls for sustained financing to undertake longer-term planning, infrastructure interventions and, concerted policy reform measures. The program will pay special attention to gender gaps. The solar funding mechanism available for households and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Gaza will strengthen support for female-headed households in Gaza and will be expanded to the West Bank. The program will also support women engineers and entrepreneurs through private sector participation in renewable energy. In the Palestinian fragile context, the multi-phase program will offer the flexibility to adapt the course of actions to new emerging challenges and opportunities while aiming for a more stable and sustainable energy sector. Over eight-years, the program will enable the sector to strengthen its creditworthiness and attract private sector investment.

ACWA Power achieves financial closure for 500 MW Oman Project

Consortium consisting of ACWA Power, GIC and AEPC has achieved the financial closure for the 500 MW solar project at Ibri in the Sultanate of Oman. The 500 MWac Ibri II solar project is an Independent Power Project (IPP) which will be Oman’s largest utility-scale solar PV Independent Power Project. The project, to be developed on a BOO (build, own, operate) basis, will utilize cutting-edge Solar Photovoltaic Technology to generate 500 MWac of renewable power. At peak generation capacity, the plant output will be enough to supply an estimated 33,000 homes with electricity and will offset 340,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year. Located around 300km west of Muscat, Ibri-2 IPP will contribute towards increasing power supplies in the Sultanate. The term of the offtake contract for the project will be 15 years from the commercial operations date. The c.$ 400 million project will be funded on a debt to equity ratio of 70:30. A syndicate of six international and local lenders, will provide the $275 million senior debt. The mandated lead banks including Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (“AIIB”), Bank Muscat, Riyad Bank, Siemens Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Warba Bank, helped structure the largest utility scale solar PV project in Oman on a c. 16.5 year door-to-door tenor.

500 MWac PV Plant in Oman to get 1500V SG250HX inverter solutions by Sungrow

By
Geeta Takkar
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0

Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, announced it will supply 1500V SG250HX inverter solutions to the 500 MWac IBRI II project in Oman, which is the largest utility-scale PV plant in the Sultanate to date, demonstrating the Company’s robust efforts in supporting Oman’s ambition of lifting the renewable energy mix by 10%. The delivery of inverter solutions will commence in Q2 this year.

A Landmark Independent Power Plant

The IBRI II PV project is an Independent Power Project (IPP) to be developed on a BOO (build, own, operate) basis. The $400 million project was funded on a debt to equity ratio of 70:30 and a consortium consisting of ACWA Power, Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and the Alternative Energy Projects Company (AEPC) has achieved the financial closure of it recently.

The project is expected to come online in the summer of 2021, barring aside any potential COVID-19 related considerations. It will supply clean power to state-owned utility Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) under a 15-year contract. The plant can generate roughly 1,300 GWh annually, which is enough to power an estimated 33,000 homes and offset 340,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

SG250HX Paves the Way to Lower LCOE

The project is located in a desert around 300 km west of Muscat with ample sunshine and abundant flat land. The system poses strict requirements on a minimized LCOE with cutting-edge PV technologies and the resilience to harsh conditions like high temperature and sand corrosion.

Sungrow’s SG250HX, the world’s most powerful 1500V string inverter, to be installed onsite is an ideal match to the project. The solution features 12 MPPTs with maximum efficiency of 99% and enables flexible block design allowing for up to 6.75 MW blocks. Compatible with bi-facial modules and tracking systems, the solution can significantly maximize ROI for a PV project.

The improved Power Line Communication (PLC) will decrease installation cost without excessive communication wiring. Equipped with 24-hour Static Var Generator (SVG) function, the solution can provide an instantaneous and effective response to power quality problems, enabling improved power system stability, reduced energy losses and complying with most demanding local power quality standards and grid codes, saving approximately $1,143,000.

Particularly with IP66 and C5 protection together with the smart forced air-cooling technology, the 250 kW inverter can operate without derating even the ambient temperature is up to 50 degree Celsius, strongly resilient to scorching deserts of Oman.

Tap More Potential in MENA

Rajit Nanda, Chief Investment Officer from ACWA Power commented that, as a leading developer, owner, and operator of power generation and water desalination plants, they have considerable experience in deploying PV Independent Power Plants worldwide. The Oman IBRI II Solar PV is expected to play a strategic role in building Oman’s renewable production capacity and ACWA Power is delighted to partner with best-in-class entities such as Sungrow, that will support them in delivering long-term sustainable benefits for all the stakeholders through providing advanced, tailor-made solutions such as the SG250HX to our customers.

He also added that, Sungrow and the SG250HX compliment their ongoing mandate to provide low-cost power to communities through utilizing the latest, most cost-efficient technologies and they look forward to working on this venture with them.

The 1500V 250 kW string inverter has been attracting around 3 GW orders since it was first rolled out in Intersolar Europe 2019. Sungrow is glad to decarbonize the local economy by bringing in more flagship products, stated James Wu, Vice President of Sungrow. He added to his comments that, It was another fabulous milestone they did in Oman, even in Gulf Cooperation Council. It once again demonstrated that growing number of customers are impressed by Sungrow competitive products and services.

Wu also mentioned, Sungrow supplied a 105 MW project in Oman which will be put into commercial operation soon.

As one of the most energetic PV and BESS players in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Sungrow has the regional hub established in Dubai. In addition to remaining a remarkable market share in Omani PV market, Sungrow expands its footprints in other key markets in MENA as well. With the 500 MWac project added to its portfolio, the Company is expected to hit 1 GW in this region.

Week In India: Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi Takes Charge; 90,000 Crore For DISCOMs; New Solar Tariff Frameworks And More

By
Sangita Shetty
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0

Indian RE Industry Welcomes Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi As New MNRE Secretary

Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi (IAS) assumed charge as new Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. After formally taking over, Chaturvedi met senior officers of the Ministry and took stock of the work and issues before the Ministry.Before this appointment, Chaturvedi was serving as Additional Chief Secretary and Additional Secretary (Climate Change Department ) of the Ministry of Climate Change Department, Environment & Forest, Government of Jharkhand.Chaturvedi is a 1987 Batch IAS officer and belongs to Jharkhand cadre and succeeded Anand Kumar in the Ministry who earlier took charge as Secretary, Ministry of Culture.He is B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT- Kanpur and holds a P.G. in International Development from Harvard University (USA).He has worked in the Government of Jharkhand and Government of India at various positions including field and policy level. He has also worked as Joint Secretary or equivalent in PMO, D/o Economic Affairs, Ministry Of Finance. 

Government Announces Rs 90,000 Crore Liquidity Injection For DISCOMs

During the press conference which was recently held, Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman said in her opening remarks that the Prime Minister has himself ensured that inputs obtained from widespread consultation form a part of the economic package in the fight against COVID-19.Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation will infuse liquidity in the DISCOMS to the extent of Rs 90000 crores in two equal installments.Further, CPSE GENCOs will give a rebate to DISCOMS on the condition that the same is passed on to the final consumers as a relief towards their fixed charges.It has also stated that Revenues of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) have plummeted and Loans to be given against State guarantees for the exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of Discoms to Gencos.To provide relief to the business, additional working capital finance of 20% of the outstanding credit as on 29 February 2020, in the form of a Term Loan at a concessional rate of interest will be provided.The government will support them with Rs. 4,000 Cr. to Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). Besides, General Financial Rules (GFR) of the Government will be amended to disallow global tender inquiries in the procurement of Goods and Services of the value of less than Rs 200 crores.

MPERC Goes Virtual For May 2020 Hearing Schedule

Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission(MPERC) has issued an Order stating the Schedule of Hearing of May 2020.The order states that the hearing scheduled during the months of March & April 2020 has been postponed due to lockdown on account of the COVID – 19 outbreak. To take up those cases, the Commission has decided to hold the hearing through Video-conferencing.The hearings shall be held using “Webex ” as a video conference platform. The hearing shall commence today as per the time slots allocated.Detailed Guidelines regarding the virtual courtroom to be followed for the hearing will be uploaded separately on the official website of the Commission.There were 13 cases listed for the hearing.

Amid COVID-19 Electricity Volume Decline By 25% YoY In April 2020: IEX

The Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) in its monthly Power Market Update announced that the electricity market at IEX saw a trade of 4052 MU recording only 6.6% YoY decline, while the national peak demand at 133GW declined 25% YoY in April’20. This was mainly due to contraction in commercial and industrial demand in lieu of the COVID 19 related preventive lockdown says IEX.The day-ahead market volume was at 3692 MU while the term-ahead volume was at 360 MU. The termahead segment recorded a significant 8% YoY growth due to increased preference for TAM contracts amongst Southern, Western and Northern utilities.Power procurement by distribution utilities from southern, western and northern states such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab amongst others increased by over 10% in April owing to ample power availability and very attractive prices.

CERC Permits PGCIL To Construct Transmission Systems for Solar Energy Zones in Rajasthan

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has passed an order for granting regulatory approval to the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for the execution of the transmission system for solar energy zones (SEZ) in Rajasthan.CERC directed that PGCIL shall ensure that the transmission system is taken up for implementation matching with the progress of generation projects also it should upload the elements of the scheme on the website for stakeholder’s comments and discuss the same in RPC meetings before taking up these elements for execution.For the fulfillment of this ambitious target of 175 GW renewable capacity, the PGCIL has planned development of transmission capacity for 66.5 GW Renewable Energy through potential Solar Energy Zones (SEZs) and potential Wind Energy Zones (WEZs) in 7 nos.

GERC Issues Tariff Framework For Procurement of Solar Power By Distribution Licensees

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) issued tariff framework for procurement of power by distribution licensees and others from Solar Energy Projects and other commercial issues for the State of GujaratThe Commission had issued the previous generic Tariff Order on 17th August 2015, for procurement of power by Distribution Licensees from Solar power projects in Gujarat. The Control Period of GERC Solar power Tariff Order 2015 expired on 31 March 2018. This Order details the tariff framework for the prospective period as well as the intervening period.It is clarified in the recent order that the intent of the Act, Policies, and Regulations is also to prefer competitive bidding for renewable energy in the future to maintain reasonable and competitive tariff. It is, therefore, in the interest of the consumers that such solar energy is procured by the licensees at the most competitive rates. As regards Additional Rs. 0.20 per unit is not cost-competitive.the Commission retains the approach for tariff determination as under: “The power generated from the small scale Solar Power Projects having size 0.5 MW or above but below 5 MW, the procurement price of energy shall be at the rate of tariff discovered under the competitive bidding process and adopted by the Commission in the different period of 6 months of the year plus additional 20 paisa per kWh thereon for the projects located outside the solar park.

CERC Proposes New Forbearance and Withdrawal Of Floor Price for the RECs

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), has issued a proposal regarding the Determination of Forbearance and Floor Price for the REC framework states “It as necessary given the current situation of demand-supply of the REC market”.The commission stated that while determining the floor price and forbearance price shall be guided inter- alia by the following principles: (a)Variation in cost of generation of different renewable energy technologies falling under the solar and non-solar category, across States in the country; (b)Variation in the Pooled Cost of Purchase across States in the country; (c) Expected electricity generation from renewable energy sources including:- i. expected renewable energy capacity under preferential tariff ii. expected renewable energy capacity under the mechanism of certificates; (d) Renewable Purchase obligation targets set by State Commissions.In the period, January 2019 to March 2020, tariff discovered through competitive bidding was Rs. 2.74/kWh and that for wind projects was Rs. 2.85/kWh. Accordingly, CERC has proposed to reduce prices. Forbearance price is reduced up to Rs. 1000/MWh for both solar and non-solar RECs. Further, CERC states that to promote the sale of RECs, the floor price is no longer required. 

Tiger Pro Series with Module Output of Up to 580W launched by JinkoSolar

By
Geeta Takkar
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0
Jinko Solar

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, today announced the official launch of its 2020 flagship Tiger Pro module series.

The Tiger Pro module series was unveiled through a virtual product launch that was in a live broadcast around the world. The Tiger Pro module series showcases multiple solar power efficiency innovations across three flagship model. The module series can generate maximum power output of up to 580Wp, which are 40% higher than current mainstream products installed in utility projects. All these high energy density modules use innovative multi-wire 9BB and TR tiling ribbon technology to reach significantly improved performance with conversion efficiency up to 21.6%. In addition to their unparalleled power generation performance and outstanding output temperature coefficient, other advantages of the Tiger Pro module series include lower power attenuation rate (at 2% for the first year) and better open-circuit voltage. By greatly reducing LCOE compared to traditional modules, the high-efficiency Tiger Pro module series paves the way for investors to generate higher power output. Slated to commence mass production in the third quarter of 2020, the series is expected to lead the development trend of the industry, and become a mainstream choice for utility scale projects.

Mr. Kangping Chen, JinkoSolar’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, that they have made an enormous leap into the high efficiency era by introducing industry-leading and more competitive products. The global PV market is rapidly moving towards high-performance modules to reduce system costs and initial upfront capital investment, so it was time to consolidate their competitiveness by leveraging their ability to rapidly begin mass producing cutting-edge products. The company always modifies their designs based on customer feedback and market response because designing high-efficiency products in the lab is one thing, but ramping up to mass production drives the entire industry forward together towards grid parity. With various types of modules, Tiger Pro series would enable the construction of more powerful and efficient solar power farms that will bring higher return on investment for projects with larger technical and efficiency requirements. It is expected to lead the next generation of industry standards and  drive the PV industry developing into a new chapter.

Enphase Energy Chosen by Flywheel Development for Commercial Solar Projects

By
Press Desk
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0

Enphase Energy, Inc., a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of solar microinverters, today announced that Flywheel Development LLC has selected Enphase microinverters as the inverter technology of record for its portfolio of commercial solar projects. Based in Washington D.C., Flywheel Development is a leading sustainable development company active in real estate, sustainable design, solar development, and stormwater management infrastructure, with a focus on high-performance, net-zero buildings.

Flywheel has standardized its portfolio of commercial and multi-unit dwelling solar projects on Enphase microinverters due to their high degree of design flexibility. Among the Flywheel solar project portfolio in the greater D.C. area is Nicholas Landing, a newly constructed, nine-unit housing development owned by the Housing Commission of Talbot County, Maryland, and funded in part by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Nicholas Landing complements the architectural style of the surrounding structures and therefore required Flywheel to design a solar system that spans the shared roofs of the buildings across numerous, variably pitched planes. To meet the requirement for an equitable distribution of energy output to each of the residential units, Flywheel used HelioScope solar design software to determine which combination of differently oriented solar modules should interconnect to each of the nine units. The distributed architecture, which underpins the Enphase microinverter system, allowed for maximum flexibility in defining the ideal combination of modules on each AC branch circuit.

“We bring human-centered design and a firm belief in the power of innovation to every project at Flywheel, and the support from the Enphase commercial solar team helps us efficiently deliver advanced solar solutions to our customers and communities,” said Jessica Pitts, co-founder and principal at Flywheel Development LLC. “Using Enphase microinverters removes several prominent design constraints of legacy solar technologies, improving our ability to imagine and build high-performance, resilient buildings. The collaboration with Enphase is off to a great start, and our design team is already putting the benefits of microinverter technology to work on projects that are in the early design phase.”

Flywheel Development uses seventh-generation Enphase IQ™ microinverters, which leverage Enphase’s 55 nm custom ASIC for higher reliability and better economies of scale. Enphase solar inverter technology is designed to support residential as well as commercial solar applications with a unique, software-defined architecture and built-in support for Rapid Shutdown and California Rule 21 requirements. Enphase microinverters are subjected to a rigorous reliability and quality testing regiment with over one million cumulative hours of test cycles in heat, high humidity, salty air, and extreme cold. Seventh-generation Enphase microinverters are designed to be long-lived energy assets and do not contain complicated moving parts or easily breakable components, such as fans, and are backed by a 25-year warranty.

“The Flywheel team takes a holistic and scientific approach to net-zero energy buildings, and we are proud to support them with world-class solar inverter technology,” said Dave Ranhoff, chief commercial officer at Enphase Energy. “We are committed to empowering solar installers with a combination of the best products and an outstanding customer experience. I am delighted to see leaders in sustainable development like Flywheel take full advantage of what Enphase has to offer.”

SunPower’s Planned Maxeon Solar Technologies Spin-Off Receives Key Regulatory Approval

By
Press Desk
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0

 SunPower Corp. today announced that its planned company split into two independent, pure-play solar companies took an important step forward when Maxeon Solar Technologies’ future investor and long-time partner Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co. (TZS), received necessary regulatory approval from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation.

SunPower announced last November that it planned to separate into SunPower and Maxeon Solar. Each company will focus on distinct offerings built on extensive experience across the solar value chain.

Concurrent with the transaction, an equity investment of $298 million will be made in Maxeon Solar by TZS, a premier global supplier of silicon wafers.

“Today’s announcement puts us one step closer toward creating two independent, pure play, publicly-traded companies,” said Tom Werner, president and CEO of SunPower. “Our planned transaction will allow for each company to focus on their core strengths in their respective markets around the world.”

The planned company split is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter, pending signing of financial facilities. Maxeon Solar is planning to host a Capital Markets Day prior to the close of the transaction.

GameChange Solar Surpasses 10 GW Milestone

By
Press Desk
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0

GameChange Solar today announced that is has surpassed the 10 GW milestone for sales since the company was founded in 2012. The company’s rapid expansion has been prompted by growth in both its fixed-tilt and tracker product lines for MaxSpan™ and Genius Tracker™ respectively. Customer adoption has been widespread globally due to GameChange Solar’s cost-effective and fast installing systems which have surpassed bankability requirements for even the most stringent project owning utilities and IPPs worldwide.

Derick Botha, Chief Commercial Officer at GameChange Solar, stated: “We are gratified to pass the 10 GW milestone and look forward to further growth and continuing to be a leading innovator in the market. We are driven by our mission to reduce costs for utility-scale solar projects in order to drive the industry’s growth globally.”

Week in Middle East: SirajPower To Setup 3MW Residential Solar, TAQA Approve Transaction of the UAE’s Power Sector, Enerwhere gets Fund from KAAF, Palestinian energy gets US$63 Million in funds

By
Sangita Shetty
-
0

SirajPower To Setup 3MW Residential Rooftop Solar In Dubai

SirajPower, UAE’s leading distributed solar developer announced two new residential partnerships in Dubai. SirajPower inked a deal with Al Khail Heights (by Texture Holding) and Green Coast Real Estate – Mirdif Villa Complex that will result in a total 3MWp system capacity, and generate 5GWh of annual energy production, whilst displacing more than 3,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission (Co2) per annum, corresponding to approximately 450 million smartphones being charged. The partnership is already SirajPower’s second important project in the residential sector this year. To implement such a project, the company benefited from its key market differentiator, a fully integrated leasing model which eases energy expenses and can help mitigating the economic impact of the current crisis. SirajPower provides the design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and financing that allow businesses to work with a single point of contact throughout the whole journey of their energy ambitions. The project will be the fully financed solar model in Dubai and the Middle East. With this project SirajPower became the first and only fully comprehensive distributed solar energy company in the region that can provide a ‘commercial’ solar leasing solution for the residential market.

TAQA Approve Transaction of the UAE’s Power Sector

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC have voted for approval of the transfer of the majority of Abu Dhabi Power Corporation’s water and electricity generation, transmission and distribution assets to TAQA, which is owned by ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies. This transaction creates one of the largest utility companies in the GCC and a top-10 integrated utility player in the EMEA region by regulated assets. The transaction, creates a regional utility champion with the financial strength and expertise to accelerate the transformation of the UAE’s power and water sector and the capacity to pursue new growth opportunities in international markets. TAQA will benefit from enhanced revenues, a robust capital structure producing stronger cash generation, with the potential for significant and sustainable dividends and business growth. When the transaction is completed, TAQA’s assets will include majority stakes in almost all power and water generation plants in the UAE, making it the nation’s predominant power and water, transmission, and distribution company. TAQA will also continue to operate in the USA, Oman, Morocco, India, Saudi Arabia and Ghana, and own oil and gas operations in the UK, Netherland, Canada, and Iraq.

Enerwhere gets Fund from KAAF

KAAF Investments in the Middle East, has re-invested in distributed utility company Enerwhere. Apart from being one of the leading solar companies Enerwhere has become the region’s leading provider of energy storage systems, implementing over 10 MWhrs of lithium-ion battery storage projects. In the temporary / off-grid power space, Enerwhere’s solar-hybrid mini-grids are reducing energy costs and increasing reliability for dozens of commercial & industrial clients across the construction, real estate, hospitality, mining and oil & gas industries. Finally, building on its original in-house hybrid control solution, Enerwhere has now taken its data design and management platform one step further with the development of an independent analytics and energy optimization software solution for anyone running captive power generation. The system is globally unique in being equipment supplier agnostic and using real time second-by-second data as the basis to accurately model and control off-grid / hybrid mini-grids, using machine learning to reduce diesel consumption and increase reliability of conventional diesel generators, with or without renewable energy. This is Enerwhere’s first step towards artificially intelligent mini-grid solutions. KAAF Investments decided to re-invest to support our continued growth and technology development. Delivering cost-effective and reliable power in the off-grid and temporary power markets requires mastering a range of technologies, including modular & transportable solar solutions, battery storage and conventional diesel engines.

Palestinian energy gets US$63 Million in funds

The World Bank approved a US$14 million grant as part of a multiphase Advancing Sustainability in Performance, Infrastructure, and Reliability of Energy Sector (ASPIRE) program to improve operational and financial performance of the Palestinian electricity institutions and diversification of energy sources. The program will benefit from an additional US$49 million grant from donor partners. The new program builds on the World Bank flagship report Securing Energy for Development and calls for sustained financing to undertake longer-term planning, infrastructure interventions and, concerted policy reform measures. The program will pay special attention to gender gaps. The solar funding mechanism available for households and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Gaza will strengthen support for female-headed households in Gaza and will be expanded to the West Bank. The program will also support women engineers and entrepreneurs through private sector participation in renewable energy. In the Palestinian fragile context, the multi-phase program will offer the flexibility to adapt the course of actions to new emerging challenges and opportunities while aiming for a more stable and sustainable energy sector. Over eight-years, the program will enable the sector to strengthen its creditworthiness and attract private sector investment.

Tender Buzz India: SECI Releases Final Zone Wise List of 52 Developers, Prepares For 100 MW Solar + BESS Project, NTPC, UERDA Release New Tenders And More

By
Sangita Shetty
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0

NTPC Issues NIT For 250MW Solar Monitoring & Data Analytics In Madhya Pradesh

The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has issued NIT for Centralised monitoring analytical tool for 250 MW Mandsaur solar PV plant for 06 months. The Last Date for Bid submission is 18.05.2020 at 3:00 PM. The Bid Opening Date is 20.05.2020 at 3:00 PM. Domestic Competitive Bidding will be followed for this tender. The last date to Clarify anything regarding this bid is 12-May-2020 at 03:00 PM. The bid will be valid for 180 days and the successful bidder will have to complete the project in 180 Days. It has been highlighted that the Special Purchase Conditions will supersede any other related conditions anywhere in the tender documents and will prevail for evaluation/finalization of the tender. Performance Guarantee (CPG) for an amount equal to 10% of the total order value. CPG should be valid for a period of three months (3 months) beyond the expiry of the warranty period. The CPG should be submitted within 30 days of placement of the award.

SECI Releases Final Zone Wise List of 52 Developers Selected for 97.5MW Grid Connected Rooftop Solar PV System Scheme

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has announced the list of successful bidders selected for its 97.5 MW rooftop solar tender. There are 52 winners in total. The total capacity of 97.5 MW has been divided into 3 categories. The first category is for 10 MW, the second is for 85 MW and the third is for 2.5 MW. In Zone 1, Part A, B, and C Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited, Broil Solar Energy Private Limited And Pink city Energy Private Limited has been allotted the highest capacity of,1000,5000 AND1000 kwp individually. In Zone 2, Part A most of the companies have been allotted capacity of 1000 Kwp, Part B AMP Solar has been allotted the highest capacity of 5000 Kwp and in Part C Solanki energy and Relitech Enercon Opc Pvt Ltd has been allotted the highest capacity of 250 Kwp.In Zone 3, Part A most of the companies have been allotted capacity of 1000 Kwp, In Part B Sunsource energy Pvt Ltd. has been allotted the highest capacity of 4000 Kwp and three companies have been allotted 250 Kwp under Part C.

UERDA Issues EOI For Empanelment of EPC Contractors for Upto 500kW Grid-connected Rooftop Projects

The Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) has issued Expression of Interest(EOI) for Empanelment of EPC contractors for installation of Grid-connected Rooftop and small Solar Power Plant. The Scope of work for the bidders includes Designing, manufacturing, supply, erection, testing, net metering, and commissioning including Annual Maintenance Contract AMC for 5 years Of 1KWp to 500 KWp Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plant at various locations in the State of Uttarakhand. The last date for bid submission is 5 June 2020, and the Bid Opening Date is 11 June 2020. The last date of clarification regarding this tender is 05-Jun-2020. Along with the bid bidders will have to submit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of Rs 5 lakh and document fee of Rs 11800/-. The Bid will be valid for 90 days and the Period Of Work is 365 days. The eligibility to participate in this tender is the bidder should at least have an annual turnover of Rs 25 Lacs. Bidders should have experience in supply, installation, and commission of solar PV projects ranging from 100-500 kWp.An added advantage will be the bidder’s company which is registered in Uttarakhand and sales and service center in Uttarakhand.

SECI Extends Bid Deadline for 81 MW Solar Projects In Telangana, 2nd Extension

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a notification regarding the extension of the bid submission deadline for three solar PV projects.The location of all the tenders is at SCCL Telangana. The three tenders are: 34 MW (AC) ground-based Solar PV Power Plant for different packages at SCCL, 32 MW (AC) OB Dump based Solar PV Power Plant for different packages at SCCL and 15 MW (AC) Floating Solar PV Power Plant for different packages at SCCL Telangana State for which date has been extended from 13.05.2020 to 12.06.2020 till 1400 HRS, from 15.05.2020 till 1400 HRS to 15.06.2020 till 1400 HRS and from 18.05.2020 till 1400 HRS to 17.06.2020 till 1400 HRS respectively.

SECI Prepares For 100 MW Solar + BESS Chhattisgarh Project

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) recently announced that it will be organizing a Stakeholders Consultation Meeting regarding its upcoming project for the Design, Engineering, Supply, Construction, Erection, Testing & Commissioning of 100 MW(AC) Solar PV Project (200MWp DC capacity) along with 50MW/150 MWh Battery Energy Storage System at Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. SECI stated that “Due to the current pandemic and ongoing lockdown situation on account of COVID19, the meeting shall be conducted online”.It guided that Maximum 02 (Two) persons from the respective Bidder company are allowed to attend the Meeting. The discussion aims to brief the various stakeholders about the large scale Hybrid Project along with the widespread outreach of the Project. 

CEL Invites Start-Ups For Waterless Solar Module Cleaning

Central Electronics Limited (CEL) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) for a tie-up with start-up companies as a technology partner for waterless solar photovoltaic (SPV) module cleaning systems. The Last Date and Time for Submission of EOI is 30-09-2020 at 15:00 Hours.No formal Pre-Submission meeting has been planned for this EOI. However, in case of any clarifications needed, bidders may send their clarifications on mail. The scope of work includes Supplying systems to CEL, Assist CEL in manufacturing such a system at CEL facilities, and Improve upon the system as per market requirements and as requested by CEL. To be eligible for participating in this bid, bidders must have experience in Design & Development of Waterless SPV Module Cleaning system without any moving parts. The company/firm should be registered under start-up India initiatives as per the DIPP guideline. Along with the bid, the bidder must submit a List of Development Tools & software/test equipment and their license availability.

SECI Issues Intimation Of Pre-bid Meeting For Its 2000 MW Solar PV Projects

SECI has issued intimation about a pre-bid meeting for its tenders of 2000 MW ISTS-Connected Solar Power Projects (Tranche-IX). The notice states that the pre-bid meeting has been rescheduled to 20.05.2020, at 14:00 hrs (IST). The meeting will be conducted through video-conferencing, and invitations to the meeting shall be sent on 19.05.2020. Prospective bidders interested to participate in the pre-bid may intimate the Names and email ids of respective participants latest by 18.05.2020 (18:00 hrs). It has been highlighted that those who have already emailed regarding participation in the meeting, need not email again.




BELECTRIC commissions 46 MW Jordan Solar and Storage Project

By
Sangita Shetty
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0
Representational image. Credit: Canva

BELECTRIC is delivering a utility scale PV plant on challenging terrain: the company has completed a solar plant in Jordan on a mountainous terrain with varied ground composition close to the airport of Amman. BELECTRIC, via its subsidiary BELECTRIC Gulf Ltd., has built and commissioned the South Amman Solar Power Plant with a total installed capacity of 46.33 MWp as EPC (Engineering-Procurement-Construction) provider on behalf of the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. In addition to the turnkey PV solution BELECTRIC is delivering a battery storage system with a capacity of 2.6 MWh for the South Amman solar project. The battery storage facility is expected to be commissioned this summer. BELECTRIC will also provide operation and maintenance services (O&M) to the facility. A corresponding agreement has already been signed. The long-term service contract includes remote power plant monitoring, regular inspections and on-site support in the event of a fault.

“If you are able to plan, construct and commission a solar plant in such an uneven mountainous landscape with an extremely steep downward gradient, you are able to realise solar projects almost everywhere”, explains Frank Amend, CCO of BELECTRIC Solar & Battery GmbH. “This extraordinary project underpins our position as a leading general contractor and O&M service provider for ground mounted PV. In addition, we are pleased that the Jordanian Government has extended the scope of the project, allowing us to demonstrate our competencies as battery storage systems integrator.“

The PV plant consists of more than 395,000 photovoltaic panels arranged in rows hundreds of metres long covering an area roughly the size of 140 football pitches. The solar plant is connected to Jordan’s national grid to support the energy needs of the local community and helps the country to provide clean energy to a number of refugee camps in Jordan. During the construction phase, the South Amman Solar Power Plant provided employment to workers from the local Jordanian community.

“We’re more than proud to support the Jordanian government with its initiatives for the refugees by providing green and much-needed power to different camps”, adds Martin Mock, Managing Director of BELECTRIC Gulf Ltd. “We have completed the majority of the construction work within a period of three months. This was really fast considering the difficult topography of the construction site and the harsh weather conditions our local workforce had to deal with. Nevertheless, we have met our high standards regarding health, safety as well as quality.”

BELECTRIC Gulf Ltd. has already realised seven solar projects in Jordan with a total capacity of around 100 MW. Among them is the largest solar plant ever built in a refugee camp. The PV plant with an installed capacity of 12.9 MWp went live in 2017, providing clean and much-needed additional power to 80,000 Syrian refugees living in Jordan’s Za’atari camp.

Solis to Raise $100M and Double Production Capacity

By
Press Desk
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0

Ginlong Technologies, a global leader in photovoltaic string inverter manufacturing, announced plans to raise over $100M USD (» 700M Chinese Yuan), through a non-public offering to finance the expansion of its manufacturing capacity. Facing a rise in the global string inverter market, Ginlong will use these funds to double its production capacity of Solis products to 20GW per year. This expansion will enable Solis to boost its supply to grid-connected and solar-plus-storage projects for customers world-wide.

“The demand for our ultra-reliable Solis inverters has driven this push to double our capacity,” says Yiming Wang, Ginlong President. “We are seeing a boost in demand for string inverters over other technologies due to its cost-competitiveness and reliability. This doubling of our production represents an exciting milestone for Solis.” 

The expanded factory will add 1,000,000 square feet to its existing facility in the Binhai Industrial park, bringing the company’s total capacity to 20GW. Construction plans include a new state-of-the-art R&D center, high-volume production lines equipped with advanced automation machinery, increased warehousing capacity and new offices.  A new corporate campus includes state-of-the-art offices, a multi-functional conference center and apartments for dedicated personnel.

“Our new corporate campus will  add more than 500 new jobs to the Solis team, bringing in fresh talent and new ideas to boost innovation and drive growth,” adds Wang.   Ginlong raised 533 million yuan during its IPO on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in March of 2019, making it the only publicly-traded company focused exclusively on PV string inverters. Solis has since experienced strong demand fueled by residential, commercial and utility solar markets across Asia, the Americas and Europe. In Q1of this year the company reported its strongest quarter ever with first quarter profits up 766% from 2019.

Facebook’s green energy goals are speeding the transition of New Mexico’s electricity sector. says IEEFA

By
Sangita Shetty
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0

Construction of a major data center in Los Lunas, N.M., has lifted the local economy and accelerated the state’s transition toward renewable-powered electricity, says the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

Facebook’s Green Energy Goals Are Speeding the Transition Of New Mexico’s Electricity Sector – details how a Facebook data complex that broke ground in 2016, and that is now being expanded from 973,000 to 3 million square feet, has increased municipal revenues, created local jobs and driven Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) to speed the buildout of utility-scale solar and wind statewide.

“While the state of New Mexico gave Facebook ample taxpayer-supported incentives to build at Los Lunas, such incentives are not uncommon, and they don’t always work,” notes the report. “What sets the Los Lunas example apart are its clearly beneficial local economic impacts and its market-moving renewable energy requirements.”

The report suggests the data-center business is more pandemic-resistant than much of the economy, as businesses and households rely increasingly on the Internet.

Report highlights:

  • Los Lunas gross receipts tax (GRT) revenues, the main source of municipal funding in the state, have increased by 85% since Facebook came to town.
  • The data center is driving a rapid shift toward renewable energy by PNM, which is projected now to get at least 36.8% of its power generation from wind and solar by 2023, up from 9.7% in 2013.
  • Coal, once the mainstay of PNM’s generation, will account for less than 7% of the utility’s power needs within two years.
  • The Los Lunas model could be replicated in any number of communities seeking fiscal and payroll stability built on economic diversification and sustainable energy models.
  • Karl Cates, an IEEFA analyst and lead author of the report, said the New Mexico example is one that can be replicated widely as corporate buyers of electricity push their preference for clean energy.

“These early results make the model one worth considering elsewhere, particularly given expectations of continued strong growth in the tech sector as the COVID-19 pandemic creates lasting effects that will keep commerce and cultural activities more digitally reliant than they have been historically,” Cates said. “Data centers can be seen also as catalysts for bringing broadband Internet to rural areas that don’t have it yet.”

“One consideration in data-center development is that it requires large tracts of land. Data centers are rural, small-town or semi-suburban projects for a reason: The Los Lunases of the world have acreage in abundance, and most have underdeveloped renewable resources in abundance too,” the report said.

Candidate locales include Wyoming and Montana, where solar and wind, especially, remain rich and underdeveloped resources. The same can be said of the Midwest, the Southeast and parts of coalfield Appalachia.

“Tech giants that will require more and more data center capacity tied to renewables can find skilled workforces, inexpensive land, and extensive transmission infrastructure in all of these locales,” the report concluded.

COVID-19 Update: Government Announces Rs 90,000 Crore Liquidity Injection For DISCOMs

By
Sangita Shetty
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2

The outbreak of Coronavirus has far-reaching impacts around the world but the Government is implementing various plans to counter the economic damage from the coronavirus. These packages offer an excellent opportunity to ensure that the essential task of building a secure and sustainable energy future doesn’t get lost amid the flurry of immediate priorities.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Special economic and comprehensive package of Rs 20 lakh crores – equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP. He gave a clarion call for the Self-Reliant India Movement. 

During the press conference which was recently held, Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman said in her opening remarks that the Prime Minister has himself ensured that inputs obtained from widespread consultation form a part of the economic package in the fight against COVID-19.

Following measures were announced:-

Rs 90,000 crore Liquidity Injection for DISCOMs

Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation will infuse liquidity in the DISCOMS to the extent of Rs 90000 crores in two equal installments. This amount will be used by DISCOMS to pay their dues to Transmission and Generation companies. Further, CPSE GENCOs will give a rebate to DISCOMS on the condition that the same is passed on to the final consumers as a relief towards their fixed charges.

It has also stated that Revenues of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) have plummeted and Loans to be given against State guarantees for the exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of Discoms to Gencos. Digital payments facility will be provided to Discoms for consumers, liquidation of outstanding dues of State Governments and Central Public Sector Generation Companies shall give a rebate to Discoms which shall be passed on to the final consumers (industries). The government plan is to reduce financial and operational losses during this epidemic.

To provide relief to the business, additional working capital finance of 20% of the outstanding credit as on 29 February 2020, in the form of a Term Loan at a concessional rate of interest will be provided. This will be available to units with up to Rs 25 crore outstanding and turnover of up to Rs 100 crore whose accounts are standard. The units will not have to provide any guarantee or collateral of their own. The amount will be 100% guaranteed by the Government of India providing total liquidity of Rs. 3.0 lakh crores to more than 45 lakh MSMEs.

Provision made for Rs. 20,000 cr subordinate debt for two lakh MSMEs which are NPA or are stressed. The government will support them with Rs. 4,000 Cr. to Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). Banks are expected to provide the subordinate-debt to promoters of such MSMEs equal to 15% of his existing stake in the unit subject to a maximum of Rs 75 lakhs.

Govt will set up a Fund of Funds with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore that will provide equity funding support for MSMEs. The Fund of Funds shall be operated through a Mother and a few Daughter funds. It is expected that with leverage of 1:4 at the level of daughter funds, the Fund of Funds will be able to mobilize equity of about Rs 50,000 crores. E-market linkage for MSMEs will be promoted to act as a replacement for trade fairs and exhibitions. MSME receivables from Government and CPSEs will be released in 45 days.

Besides, General Financial Rules (GFR) of the Government will be amended to disallow global tender inquiries in the procurement of Goods and Services of the value of less than Rs 200 crores.

Sumant Sinha, CMD, ReNew Power in regards to this stated, “The 90,000 cr liquidity infusion into discoms will breathe fresh life into the power sector and protect distribution companies from going bankrupt. This money will help the discoms to repay most of the Rs 92,000 crore outstanding payments that they owe to power generators, restarting the virtuous cycle of liquidity, higher investments and rapid growth for the power sector. This may also be an opportune time for the government to convince states to expedite distribution sector reforms so that distribution companies don’t need a bailout next time and are able to become financially viable entities.”

In past some of the actions taken by various Government bodies during coronavirus are: India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced relief measures for taxpayers and businesses on statutory and regulatory compliance matters related to several sectors. The Ministry of Finance ordered that Coronavirus will be covered in the force majeure clause and should be considered as a case of natural calamity. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a notice to Discoms stating to clear their dues regularly as was being done before the lockdown and the notice also states that they should continue to buy power from renewable energy producers but some state Discoms, however, used that order to start curtailing renewable energy power(Partially or completely) terming the prevailing situation a ‘force majeure’ condition. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has rescheduled the implementation of the fifth amendment of deviation settlement regulations from April 1, 2020, to June 1, 2020. The Ministry of Power has directed CERC to provide a moratorium of three months to DISCOMs, to make payments to the generating companies and transmission licensees and not levy any penalties for late payments. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) In an email notice stated that the Ministry of Shipping has directed all major ports to ensure that no penalties, demurrage, charges, fees, or rentals are imposed on traders, shipping lines, concessionaires, licensees or other port users for any delays due to the lockdown in the country.

SECI Issues Intimation Of Pre-bid Meeting For Its 2000 MW Solar PV Projects

By
Sangita Shetty
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0

SECI has issued intimation about a pre-bid meeting for its tenders of 2000 MW ISTS-Connected Solar Power Projects (Tranche-IX).

The notice states that the pre-bid meeting has been rescheduled to 20.05.2020, at 14:00 hrs (IST). The meeting will be conducted through video-conferencing, and invitations to the meeting shall be sent on 19.05.2020.

Prospective bidders interested to participate in the pre-bid may intimate the Names and email ids of respective participants latest by 18.05.2020 (18:00 hrs).

It has been highlighted that those who have already emailed regarding participation in the meeting, need not email again.

Recently, The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) announced that it will be organizing a Stakeholders Consultation Meeting regarding its upcoming project for the Design, Engineering, Supply, Construction, Erection, Testing & Commissioning of 100 MW(AC) Solar PV Project (200MWp DC capacity) along with 50MW/150 MWh Battery Energy Storage System at Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. SECI stated that “Due to the current pandemic and ongoing lockdown situation on account of COVID19, the meeting shall be conducted online”.It guided that Maximum 02 (Two) persons from the respective Bidder company are allowed to attend the Meeting.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) also issued a notification regarding the extension of the bid submission deadline for three solar PV projects.The location of all the tenders is at SCCL Telangana. The three tenders are: 34 MW (AC) ground-based Solar PV Power Plant for different packages at SCCL, 32 MW (AC) OB Dump based Solar PV Power Plant for different packages at SCCL and 15 MW (AC) Floating Solar PV Power Plant for different packages at SCCL Telangana State.

How is the ultra-reliable quality of LONGi modules achieved?

By
Press Desk
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0

In recent years, LONGi’s monocrystalline modules have been recognized by global
customers for their excellent performance and reliability, leading to fast-growing
shipments, industry-leading brand awareness and product bankability. This article will
reveal how the reliable quality of LONGi’s modules is created from the aspects of product
design, manufacturing and testing.

  1. Module Design

1.1 Design and Simulation
LONGi’s module design fully combines theoretical modelling, experimental results and
historical experience, comprehensively considering efficiency, power generation capacity
and reliability in various scenarios. LONGi’s product research and development center has
established optical, electrical and mechanical models related to the design of photovoltaic
modules, to carry out corresponding simulation calculation at the initial stage of product
design, and choose the solution with the best comprehensive performance according to the results. In the fundamental research into new photovoltaic materials, testing and analysis of photovoltaic devices, product reliability and system integration, LONGi has forged an in-depth research cooperation with scientific research institutions such as the University of New South Wales in Australia to provide guidance for new product development.

1.2 Material Selection and Testing Standards
For the selection of module materials, LONGi has always maintained a highly cautious
approach, usually preferring materials that have already been fully validated by the
industry. For new materials and corresponding processes, LONGi carries out more
rigorous evaluation and verification: first of all, it makes a theoretical analysis of the
material’s performance, based on its composition and structural characteristics, followed
by targeted and stringent tests. Finally, the module containing the material must pass a
reliability test to a level which is twice (or even 3 times) more demanding than the IEC
standard, only being approved for use after its successful completion.

In terms of selection of its suppliers, LONGi insists on cooperating with organisations with
an industry-leading reputation and guarantee of long-term operations, to ensure the
stability and reliability of material performance. With a corporate culture of being “reliable, value-added and fair”, LONGi advocates equality in dealing with supply chain partners, a win-win cooperation and innovation to promote the progress of both products and the industry in general.


1.3 Performance Verification

In addition to theoretical analysis and laboratory tests, the evaluation of the reliability and power generation capacity of photovoltaic modules also needs to be supported by outdoor test results. LONGi’s product research and development center has a 200kW field test station for special research, such as energy gain on the rear of bifacial modules in different application scenarios, light-induced and medium and long-term degradation of modules, anti-PID performance, shading analysis, analysis of working temperature and module hot spots. For research into the outdoor field test performance of modules under various climatic conditions, LONGi has successively cooperated with authoritative institutions including the China Electric Institute, TÜV SÜD, TÜV Rheinland, RETC, the China General Certification Center and DNV GL, and set up field test power stations in different locations around the world to fully verify performance under different conditions. These field test power stations have obtained a great deal of valuable data and provided strong support for the verification and analysis of the reliability of products and materials.

2. Module Manufacturing

2.1 Comprehensive Quality System and Quality Control
LONGi has a comprehensive quality control system, and has obtained ISO 9001 and IEC
TS 62941 certifications in the photovoltaic field. Quality management covers processes
such as supplier management, new product development, product change, product
production and test equipment measurement. With respect to production, quality and
equipment information are collected through the MES (Manufacturing Execution System).
The quality control of a factory is highly respected by customers and third-party factory
auditors.

2.2 Advanced Manufacturing Capacity

LONGi’s 10GW-class cell and 20GW-class module capacity have both been built in recent
years and high levels of automation not only greatly improve production efficiency, but also help to ensure the stability of the production process.

In addition, compared with other manufacturers in the industry, LONGi has a better
product structure. At present, the mainstream products are the Hi-MO4 series and the
half-cell monofacial and bifacial modules based on M6 silicon wafers. M2 half-cell modules
will exit the market after delivery of existing orders. Unified product specifications bring
great convenience for material procurement, product production and inventory
management, and are also conducive to the optimization of product quality.

2.3 Reliable Supply

LONGi has the largest module production capacity in the world, and can meet client-side
demand from its own capacity, without the need for OEM. As a vertically integrated
enterprise, LONGi adopts only high-quality, low-degradation silicon wafers, which, when
coupled with a high level of in-house cell supply, guarantees module quality.

In line with the “reliable” corporate culture, LONGi has always communicated openly with
customers on issues such as supply capacity and technical parameters without making false promises. In the rush-to-install period with tight supply in the industry over the years, LONGi has effectively supported customers to put their projects, including “Top Runner” projects, on grid on schedule, and have therefore earned their support and trust.

3. Reliability Testing

3.1 In-house Reliability Testing

As mentioned in 1.2, LONGi tests the reliability of new products according to 2~3 * IEC standard, and for the passing standard of 1 * IEC test, LONGi’s internal control index is much stricter than the common degradation (< 5%) in the industry. In addition, LONGi has established a variety of differentiated reliability testing methods based on the research results of well-known institutions and third-party bodies in the industry. Here are 3 examples:

A. HATC (Highly Accelerated Thermal Cycling)

TC (Thermal Cycling) testing is to verify the welding performance of products under certain temperature changes. The analysis and study of the key influencing factors of a TC test shows that increasing the maximum temperature (Tmax) of the test is helpful to quickly evaluate the aging lifespan of products under thermal cycling. Therefore, LONGi
introduced HATC into the reliability test, increasing the Tmax from 85 °C to 125 °C. The
lifespan of a product assessed by HATC is 2.9 times that of one assessed by IEC TC. HATC can not only evaluate the weldability of modules more quickly, but also help to find failure risk points that cannot be identified in the conventional IEC standard test. This is due to more stringent condition settings and ensures a more comprehensive evaluation of product reliability.

B. UV+DH Ageing
In the IEC standard test, UV (ultraviolet) or DH (damp heat) tests are conducted separately to evaluate the damp heat stability of the module, which is quite different from the outdoor environment. When working in the corresponding area, the module is not only in a damp heat environment, but is also subjected to solar irradiation. In order to better and more strictly simulate the service condition of module materials in an outdoor environment, LONGi introduces a UV+DH ageing test. The UV and DH tests are carried out at the same time to evaluate the long-term outdoor service of module materials, and represent a more stringent and typical set of testing criteria.

C. Cell-side Metal Corrosion Testing
According to the degradation curve of a module in long-term outdoor service, the main
failure mode in the stable and later stage is power degradation caused by interior cell metal corrosion, which is difficult to evaluate via the IEC standard test. In order to assess the corrosion of cell metal more effectively and quickly, LONGi carries out a cell-side
electrochemical (positive and negative bias) corrosion test in an acetic acid solution by
simulating a DH or PID test connection mode to verify the corrosion of cell surface metal,
assess the possible corrosion risk points of modules in long-term outdoor service, and
design reliability to minimize the outdoor metal corrosion risk and improve long-term
reliability.

3.2 Third-party Accredited Enterprise Lab
LONGi’s Taizhou module test lab not only has CNAS certification, but also meets the
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard criteria. It has also been certified by institutions including
the China Quality Certification Center (CQC), the China General Certification Center (CGC), TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, CSA and UL. Accurate testing and measurement ensure the accuracy of the reliability analysis conclusions.

3.3 Third-party Evaluation of Module Quality
Over the years, LONGi’s modules have achieved excellent results in third-party testing and evaluation:

A. RETC 2019 (High Achievers in PV Module Index 2019 edition)
In order to enter the US market, photovoltaic modules usually need to pass stringent
reliability tests higher than the IEC standard in laboratories including RETC and PVEL.
RETC (Renewable Energy Test Center) released their PV Module Index report for the first
time in 2019, based on the data of more than 2,500 crystal silicon and thin film modules
from 46 companies tested in 2018. The products of LONGi and Panasonic delivered an
outstanding performance in the evaluation of the three major indicators and won the high
achievers award. The tests involved in the evaluation included TC600, DH2000, HF30
(Humidity Freeze), DML+TC50+HF30, PID196h; module efficiency, Pan File & energy
yield simulation and LID. LONGi’s modules performed well in all tests.

B. AON test
In 2018, Japan’s AON insurance company commissioned TÜV Rheinland Japan to
evaluate the long-term reliability of LONGi’s single-glass modules. Testing included HATC,
stringent hot spot endurance and backplane endurance sequence testing
(DH800+UV60+TC200+static load). The subsequent report concluded that the annual
degradation of LONGi’s single-glass module is 0.31% / year, which is less than the warranty value (0.55%).

C. TÜV Rheinland “All Quality Matters” award
TÜV Rheinland began to host “All Quality Matters” events at the end of 2016 to evaluate
photovoltaic products. Photovoltaic modules are selected from 1,000 mass produced
modules for Pan file testing, simulating power generation in five cities around the world
(later adding outdoor power generation comparisons). Among the three events organized
from 2017 to 2019, LONGi won first place in energy yield simulation in the monocrystalline group in 2017 and 2018 (the simulated energy yield is more than 1.5% higher than the first place in the polycrystalline group), and won first place in the monofacial group in the outdoor power generation field test in 2019.

D. PV Magazine test
The German PV Magazine Group, in conjunction with the American CEA and Chinese
Gsolar, took samples from 2,000 modules to test their performance and carry out outdoor
power generation field testing. LONGi’s PERC monofacial and bifacial modules were found
to be far ahead of similar products in terms of energy yield, demonstrating their excellent
power generation capacity and anti-degradation performance.

A photovoltaic project is an investment that lasts for more than 20 years, and reliable
products can bring long-term ROI for investors. Reliable products come from reliable
companies. In the process of its long-term operation and accumulation, LONGi always
gives priority to its financial health and enterprise robustness, maintaining fast-growing
shipments in many markets around the world. With reliable products and leading
technology, LONGi continues to create higher value returns for both customers and
partners.

Duke Energy teams with City of Charlotte to build 35MW solar facility

By
Geeta Takkar
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0

The City of Charlotte has become the first municipality to execute a renewable power agreement under Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program – further expanding solar energy in North Carolina.

The 35-megawatt (MW) solar facility will be constructed in Iredell County. Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, Duke Energy will secure zero carbon power to partially offset the city of Charlotte’s energy demand.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles proudly commented that, they are proud to be a municipal leader in North Carolina and in the U.S., not only setting ambitious climate and energy goals, but also taking actions on those goals to support the environment and health of their community.

The city will partner with Carolina Solar Energy, a North Carolina-based solar energy company, and Ecoplexus, an international solar energy company with offices in Durham, N.C., to build the solar farm, which is expected to be fully operational in 2022. The facility will be along Tomlin Mill Road near Statesville.

Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president stated that, their customers wanted more options to secure renewable energy and the Green Source Advantage would make that happen. He also added that, the company has designed the program to be flexible and allow larger users to negotiate directly with third-party developers. It would support their customers’ goals and expand renewable energy in North Carolina.

The GSA program is an outgrowth of 2017’s landmark solar legislation in North Carolina. Programs such as solar rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation. In 2015, Duke Energy’s pilot program for GSA – the Green Source Rider – had companies like Google and Cisco participate.

The GSA allows large customers to offset its power purchases by securing renewable energy from projects connected to the Duke Energy grid. The customer may keep the renewable energy certificates (RECs) from the projects and use the energy purchased to satisfy sustainability or carbon-free goals.

The move fits well with Charlotte’s goal to have its municipal fleet and facilities be fueled by 100% zero-carbon energy sources by 2030.

Participation in Green Source Advantage means the City of Charlotte will offset a portion of the energy supplied to its municipal operations with renewable energy. The city and the solar developer agreed on the specific project and additional costs associated with energy from the facility. Other Duke Energy customers will not pay for any part of the project.

Overall, 600 MW of capacity is available under the Green Source Advantage program for large Duke Energy customers in North Carolina. Currently, Duke Energy maintains more than 3,300 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina and operates 40 solar facilities. North Carolina currently ranks No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power.

53 MW Rooftop solar assets acquired by Spruce Finance

By
Geeta Takkar
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0

Spruce Finance, the largest private owner and operator of distributed generation solar residential assets in the U.S., has bought Clearway Energy’s entire portfolio of residential solar assets. The deal is Spruce’s largest to date and the latest example of the company’s residential solar asset “growth by acquisition” strategy in the U.S.

The 53 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar assets acquired from Clearway expands Spruce’s portfolio by 20 percent to more than 250 MW. This brings Spruce’s year-to-date portfolio growth to more than 30 percent, which already matches the 30 percent increase that the company achieved during 2019.

The deal also benefits Spruce’s independent subsidiary, Energy Service Experts (ESE), which has entered into a transitional asset management services partnership with NRG. As a result, ESE has grown to become one of the largest independent providers of residential solar servicing in America, with more than 70,000 customers nationwide.

Christian Fong, CEO of Spruce Finance commented that, despite the current global crisis, the company expects strong and stable returns—both financial and environmental—from investing in a renewable future. He also added that, the Clearway acquisition came because of their strong relationships with others in the industry, and underscoring their ability to stay the course in the challenging times. As a preferred sector in the broader energy and power industry, Spruce is enjoying continued access to the capital markets and will keep growing in the residential and distributed generation solar markets.

News of the Clearway deal comes on the back of Spruce’s recent announcement that it closed a $124 million debt financing deal for its portfolio of residential solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) and leases with Vantage Infrastructure and Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund (SEQI). A portion of the capital infusion from those funds has been used to acquire the Clearway assets as part of Spruce’s strategic plan for expanding its holdings through organic growth and M&A activities.

Revenue increase of 4% for The Peck Company Holdings in First Quarter 2020 Results

By
Geeta Takkar
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The Peck Company Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PECK) announced the Company’s financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020 (“Q1 2020”).

Key Financial Highlights for Q1 2020

  • Revenues increased 4% to $4.0 million
  • Gross profit decreased 66% to $0.3 million
  • Backlog and pipeline increased to $40.8 million

Subsequent to the End of Q1 2020

On April 22, 2020, Peck and GreenBond Advisors formed a strategic Green Bond partnership to align capital for construction of new solar projects. The partnership will acquire, build and own the new solar projects. The new investment partnership is designed to increase Peck’s access to capital for the construction of new solar projects and to scale its existing pipeline of new EPC business. Peck has partnered with GreenSeed Investors LLC and its affiliate GreenBond Advisors LLC to gain access to the rapidly growing Green Bond segment of the fixed income markets. Of note, this partnership provides Peck with access to project growth capital through additional EPC contract work from Green Bond proceeds while improving working capital and strengthening liquidity ratios.

GreenBond Advisors was recently formed to deliver financial product innovation into the Green Bond market. They have created a new Green Bond product that allows risk-adverse investment capital to be more easily directed into new green energy infrastructure development at an earlier stage of the project development cycle than is typically the case for existing Green Bonds. This innovation by Green Bond Advisors will provide Peck with a strategic advantage in the marketplace as an EPC company, because Peck can bring a level of funding certainty to developers for early stage projects that will meet the project performance criteria.

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

Revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $3.98 million, an increase of $0.13 million, or 4%, compared to $3.85 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company had a few projects that were ceased or delayed due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The Company anticipates that these projects will continue or begin once the current Stay at Home orders are lifted or relaxed.

Backlog and pipeline at March 31, 2020 was $40.8 million.

Gross profit for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $0.3 million, a decrease of $0.5 million, or 66%, compared to $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The resulting gross margin was 7.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to 23.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Lower gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was the result of inefficiencies in labor costs due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Company incurred unplanned expenditures on two large solar projects due to the winter conditions in the Northeast.

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $0.6 million, an increase of $0.3 million, or 134%, compared to $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in general and administration expenses were primarily due to activities related to administrative expenses costs of becoming a public company as well as supporting infrastructure expansion in the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Warehousing and other operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $0.2 million, compared to $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Warehousing and other operating expenses include Company-owned solar array depreciation and salaries associated with Company-owned solar arrays, general warehousing costs, project-related travel and performance related expenses.

Operating loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $0.6 million, compared to an operating income of $0.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in operating income was primarily due to an increase in the operational infrastructure required to support the current growth trajectory as well as the additional expense of being a publicly listed company.

Depreciation expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $155,012, compared to $150,483 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Depreciation expenses were stable when compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019 as the Company has not had significant capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Income tax benefit for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $142,311 compared to the income tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2019 of $500.

Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $0.4 million, compared to a net income of $0.4 million for the there months ended March 31, 2019. The net loss was the result of inefficiencies in labor costs due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Company incurred unplanned expenditures on two large solar projects due to the winter conditions in the Northeast. The resulting earnings per share (EPS) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was a loss of ($0.08) per diluted share, compared to $0.12 for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was a loss of $0.3 million, compared to income of $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Adjusted EPS for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was a loss of ($0.06), compared to $0.18 for the three months ended December 31, 2019.

NREL Researchers Evaluate a Peer-to-Peer Blockchain

By
Sangita Shetty
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A common vision for the future of the nation’s energy grid involves homeowners selling unused power generated from rooftop solar panels to others in their communities, and working together to help ensure the reliability, resiliency, and security of the power grid everyone uses. Sounds great in theory. But how can the grid manage such complex energy transactions at scale?

Several emerging solutions to this opportunity rely on blockchain technology. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are evaluating the use of blockchain for transactive energy using hardware in the laboratory’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) and it may reshape the world of electric systems operation.

“Distributing grid operational decision-making is revolutionary,” said Dane Christensen, a mechanical engineer in NREL’s Residential Buildings Research Group and a principal investigator on a blockchain pilot project. “It’s really like somebody in the 1980s expounding on the economic opportunity of the Internet. Everyone would have laughed at you. That’s kind of what’s happening right now with blockchain applications—the foundational tools for another technology revolution are emerging, and this could be one of them.”

The Potential for Blockchain in the Energy Sector : For the uninitiated, blockchain serves as a distributed digital record of actions agreed and performed by multiple parties. Blockchain’s primary value is providing mathematical proof about the state of data, so that different parties to a transaction can agree on the outcome even if they do not know or trust each other. Though commonly associated with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, blockchain technology can be used with virtually any type of transaction involving digital ownership in real time. These technologies rely on established cryptography and consensus mechanisms to ensure transactions remain secure, and an entire industry has emerged to apply blockchain technology in resolving real-world challenges.

Potential opportunities abound for the use of blockchain in the energy sector. The Congressional Research Service last year noted increasing interest among producers of distributed energy resources (DERs)—such as rooftop solar—to sell electricity to neighbors. Congress’ public policy research arm predicted that if this approach proves “practical and economical, blockchain technology could alter the manner in which electricity customers and producers interact.”

Today, utilities use complex software platforms called an energy management system (EMS) and advanced distribution management system (ADMS) to manage the demand, supply, and reliable delivery of electricity on the power grid. But it is difficult to scale EMS and ADMS to interoperate transactions between thousands of homes, let alone the millions of connected devices in use in those homes.

“When you have hundreds of thousands or millions of devices out there that want to interact, you face a significant trust challenge,” said Tony Markel, a senior engineer in the Energy Systems Cyber-Physical Security Research Group at NREL. “Trust between devices can only be achieved through methods that verify and enable proof that each system does what it said it was going to do. With blockchain, we may have a path to achieve secure, trusted communications between players without a need for central control.”

NREL Researchers Evaluate a Peer-to-Peer Blockchain : NREL researchers conducted experiments to learn what could happen when two homes were connected via a blockchain with the ability for one to sell excess solar power to another. This required two blockchain transactions: a secure transmission of data about the amount of energy generated, and a payment to the seller.

Central to this research is an NREL-developed software solution called foresee. The software uses homeowners’ energy preferences—such as the temperature of their home, or their energy budget—to control connected appliances within the home. In the blockchain experiment, foresee alerted the second home when it would be cheaper to buy renewable energy from its neighbor rather than paying the utility’s charges, then used a digital currency to complete the transaction. The demonstration showed the ability to automatically match energy generation and demand between these two homes.

“There’s a lot of talk and buzz out there about blockchain but very little documentation,” said Dylan Cutler, principal investigator on the project. “This project was a necessary first step in this field—for me, at least, and I think the lab in general—to get some comfort with the technology.”

The results highlighted the path for future research. Notably, Cutler pointed out, the use of blockchain in the energy markets will require an examination of grid reliability and resiliency and cybersecurity concerns. One area Cutler’s initial research did not consider was the role a utility would play in peer-to-peer energy transactions, and that is something he said a future study must consider.

“I think we just have to recognize that utilities own our grid infrastructure and are on the hook to deliver and maintain a reasonable power quality,” he said. “If you were to sell power to your neighbor, it would be using the utility’s assets. Somehow, the utility needs to be aware and maybe compensated for that.”

Cutler, a senior researcher in NREL’s Integrated Applications Center, said the emergence of blockchain technology requires a newly designed market. While the common assumption of blockchain is the end user holds sway over the distributed control of energy, in reality it is likely that electric power utilities will at minimum be responsible for coordinating these neighborly transactions. “That’s the logical entity that would step in and operate this,” he said, “but the nature of blockchain enables it to not be a single party. It doesn’t have to be a utility.”

Community-Scale Energy Collaboration : NREL is building on this prior work to study the benefits for building owners and utilities. Using a blockchain-based market technology, the research centers on the operation of the electrical grid as homes and businesses continue to adopt rooftop solar generation, battery storage, electric vehicles, and smart appliances. The laboratory’s partners are Exelon Corporation, a utility based in Chicago, and Energy Web Foundation, which develops open source blockchain software solutions.

Christensen and Sivasathya Pradha Balamurugan, NREL’s co-principal investigators on the project, said the use of blockchain would allow increased coordination between utilities and customers to achieve mutual benefits. Electricity generated from renewable resources such as solar and wind that customers cannot use can be diverted to the grid, but there are limits. Feeders—which carry voltage from a substation to transformers—were not designed for the bidirectional flow of electricity.

“There will soon be feeders in the U.S. where if you plug in one more electric car, you could damage transformers or activate safety cutoffs because we’re reaching the limits of the capacity of the distribution grid,” Christensen said. “Utilities are very interested in how to manage electric service without having to up-size all the grid equipment. Coordination of buildings’ energy use is a way to keep costs down, make better use of distributed generation, and improve reliability of the power grid.”

Using NREL’s ESIF systems, the research team is examining how blockchain-based energy markets can allow buildings to coordinate within a distribution feeder, under appropriate constraints defined by the utility. In particular, the team will explore how a blockchain-based approach to digital identity can help utilities verify the attributes and the operations of distributed energy resources in their territory. The project goal is to allow high levels of solar and flexible loads to be installed in buildings, while eliminating the occurrence of energy backfeed into the bulk power grid. If successful, this will allow building owners and utilities to work together to accelerate adoption of advanced energy technologies. It may also unlock new opportunities for customers with solar or storage assets to earn money or lower their bills by providing grid services.

By relying on blockchain, Christensen said, utilities could integrate many different types of DER with core operational tools (such as EMS and ADMS software) securely and efficiently. “Traditionally, integrating new resources into the grid comes at a substantial cost for a utility. A large part of that cost is driven by custom and manual processes for different DER types. Every feeder is different. Every home is different. As more renewables are adopted, as more electric vehicles are adopted, continuous expert engineering has to be done.”

The engineering to ensure one feeder operates efficiently and effectively in balancing supply and demand does not necessarily translate to another feeder. “What blockchain allows,” Christensen said, “is a scalable solution that you can easily set up on another feeder because it can be self-customizing.”

NREL and Exelon said a utility can use the findings of the new blockchain research to make a case for allowing a pilot project. “The virtual pilot occurring at NREL is as close as possible to installation on a live grid. The project will establish customer benefits, utility cost/benefit, and help to de-risk the blockchain market solution prior to a deployment.”

Other National Laboratories Collaborate with NREL : NREL has also embarked on a two-year effort with other national laboratories to accelerate the use of blockchain in the energy sector. A new collaborative effort called Blockchain for Optimized Security and Energy Management (BLOSEM) intends to develop the architecture and infrastructure so that utilities can safely explore the technology.

“The interest specifically around blockchain is knowing that utilities need to be able to move faster on the integration side of things,” Markel said. “There’s an expectation that this could provide them some consistency in outcomes and knowledge that accelerates the adoption process. There are still quite a few unknowns: How do you make this work and what information sets will stakeholders need to share? Would the blockchain systems help highlight an untrusted device that’s been compromised by a cyber attack? It’s a good space for the lab to really spend the time and effort to clarify those unknowns so we can guide necessary future developments.”

NREL’s initial role in BLOSEM expands on the laboratory’s previous accomplishments, with additional simulations planned to expand the use of blockchain. The National Energy Technology Laboratory is the lead organization on the project, with Ames Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory also part of the research team. The Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium is funding BLOSEM. U.S. Department of Energy offices funding this project include the Office of Fossil Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, and Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.

“From a national lab perspective,” Markel said, “we are in a good position to lead energy and security related application of blockchain technologies. Our work should offer consistent metrics relevant to utilities on leveraging blockchain to enable millions of systems to behave in a trusted manner. That’s a big chunk of what we need to demonstrate along with resolving some key unknowns.”

Blockchain Technology Connects Us to the Future : Juan Torres, NREL’s associate laboratory director for energy systems integration, estimates it will take 5-10 years before blockchain technology solidifies its place in the energy sector. The mechanisms allowing neighbors to buy electricity from each other are not operational today.
There is a significant amount of communication that’s required across the users, the folks who want to buy the energy,” Torres said. There’s communication and negotiation between the various devices. And somewhere along the way, we have to make sure those micro transactions won’t cause instabilities on the larger grid. Utilities need to be able to get information about these transactions he said.

Duke Energy, City of Charlotte team up on solar power project in North Carolina

By
Press Desk
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 The City of Charlotte has become the first municipality to execute a renewable power agreement under Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program – further expanding solar energy in North Carolina.

The 35-megawatt (MW) solar facility will be constructed in Iredell County. Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, Duke Energy will secure zero carbon power to partially offset the city of Charlotte’s energy demand.

“We are proud to be a municipal leader in North Carolina and in the U.S., not only setting ambitious climate and energy goals, but taking actions on those goals to support the environment and health of our community,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles.

The city will partner with Carolina Solar Energy, a North Carolina-based solar energy company, and Ecoplexus, an international solar energy company with offices in Durham, N.C., to build the solar farm, which is expected to be fully operational in 2022. The facility will be along Tomlin Mill Road near Statesville.

“Our customers want more options to secure renewable energy and the Green Source Advantage makes that happen,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We designed the program to be flexible and allow larger users to negotiate directly with third-party developers. It supports our customers’ goal and expands renewable energy in North Carolina.”

The GSA program is an outgrowth of 2017’s landmark solar legislation in North Carolina. Programs such as solar rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation. In 2015, Duke Energy’s pilot program for GSA – the Green Source Rider – had companies like Google and Cisco participate.

The GSA allows large customers to offset its power purchases by securing renewable energy from projects connected to the Duke Energy grid. The customer may keep the renewable energy certificates (RECs) from the projects and use the energy purchased to satisfy sustainability or carbon-free goals.

The move fits well with Charlotte’s goal to have its municipal fleet and facilities be fueled by 100% zero-carbon energy sources by 2030.

Participation in Green Source Advantage means the City of Charlotte will offset a portion of the energy supplied to its municipal operations with renewable energy. The city and the solar developer agreed on the specific project and additional costs associated with energy from the facility. Other Duke Energy customers will not pay for any part of the project.

Overall, 600 MW of capacity is available under the Green Source Advantage program for large Duke Energy customers in North Carolina. Currently, Duke Energy maintains more than 3,300 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina and operates 40 solar facilities. North Carolina currently ranks No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power.

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