From: PHOTON Newsletter <newsletter@photon.info>
Date: Fri, Sep 14, 2018, 3:11 AM
Subject: PHOTON Newsletter - International edition from September 14, 2018
To: <mbannerman@arcstarenergy.com>
| Newsletter – September 14, 2018 |  |
U.S. PV market decreased in the second quarter by 9 percent and installed 2.3 GW
U.S. PV Installation Forecast, 2010 – 2023E
© Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables
13.09.2018: »The U.S. solar market has experienced a tumultuous few quarters since the government last year began considering tariffs on imported solar modules and cells, but data for the second quarter of 2018 show signs of a turnaround in the market,« according to the latest »U.S. Solar Market Insight Report« from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables (previously known as GTM Research) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The data »show that tariffs took a bite out of the solar market.« Some previously-announced projects were canceled or delayed due to the tariffs. In Q2 2018, the U.S. market installed 2.3 GW of solar PV, a 9 percent year-over-year decrease and a 7 percent quarter-over-quarter decrease, despite the fact that module prices fell sharply in Q2 due to lower demand in China, says the study. The authors forecast an acceleration of solar deployment in the second half of 2018 driven by utility-scale projects. According to the report, 8.5 GW of utility PV projects were procured in the first six months of the year, the most ever procured in that timeframe. This includes 26 projects exceeding 100 MW. Some of these were on hold in 2017 due to uncertainty around the tariffs.
Developers and utilities began announcing new projects. »As we move toward 2019, we expect to see continued procurement growth as developers look to secure projects they can bring online before the Investment Tax Credit steps down to 10 percent in 2022,« says Wood Mackenzie Senior Analyst Colin Smith. Except for residential PV, U.S. system prices are at their lowest levels ever. Module prices are at their second lowest mark in history even with the addition of a 30 percent tariff. In the residential market, 577 MW were installed in the second quarter of the year, essentially flat on both a quarterly and an annual basis. Emerging residential state markets like Florida and Nevada posted large gains in installations. Led by Massachusetts and Minnesota, more than 300 MW of community solar were installed in the first half of the year. The build out is expected to continue in the second half of the year. In the first half of 2018, 29 percent of all new electricity generating capacity brought online in the U.S. came from solar PV.
Most of the utility solar being procured today will come online in the 2020 timeframe. By then, 28 states in the U.S. are expected to be adding at least 100 MW of solar annually, and 25 states will have more than 1 GW of solar PV; 2010 saw only two states at that capacity.
Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables has increased its 5-year forecast for utility-scale solar by 1.9 GW, still 8 percent lower than was projected before the tariffs were announced. The company forecasts flat growth in 2018 compared to 2017, with another 10.9 GW of new PV installations expected. »The data shows us that the tariffs have dampened solar's growth, as previously announced projects were canceled or delayed due to the tariffs,« said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA's president and CEO.
Over the next five years, total installed U.S. PV capacity is expected to more than double. By 2023, over 14 GW of PV capacity will be installed annually.
© PHOTON
Sungrow supplied 80 MW of inverters for Wyoming's first utility-scale PV plant
© Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.
13.09.2018: Chinese PV inverter manufacturer Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. supplied 80 MW of inverters for Wyoming's first utility-scale PV plant. Wyoming has strict regulations on the environmental protection. The plant is located in an unmanned area, with grid voltage usually fluctuating acutely, under extreme environmental conditions of extremely cold temperatures in winter and a sharp temperature difference in summer. Sungrow's PV inverters used in this project are rated at 2.75 MW and feature a turnkey solution for 1500 Vdc system. The inverters are able to perform with full power available from -30 to 60 degrees Celsius.
© PHOTON
40 percent of new large-scale solar capacity in the US added in 2017 was installed in the southeast
© Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
13.09.2018: The utility-scale PV market continues to expand geographically across the United States, with 33 states home to one or more utility-scale solar projects at the end of 2017. For the first time in the history of the U.S. market, the lion's share (70 percent) of new solar capacity added in 2017 is located outside of California and the Southwest, with the Southeast in particular accounting for 40 percent of all new capacity, according to the 2018 edition of Berkeley Lab's »Utility-Scale Solar« report.
Nearly 80 percent of all new utility-scale PV capacity added in 2017 employing single-axis tracking. Median installed project prices declined to $2.0 per watt (ac) ($1.6 per Watt dc) in 2017. PPA prices continued to decline, to below $40/MWh on average and with a few as low as $20/MWh.
At the end of 2017, there were at least 188.5 GW of utility-scale solar power capacity within the interconnection queues across the nation. The 2017 growth within these queues is widely distributed across all regions of the country, but is most pronounced in the up-and-coming Midwest region, which accounts for 27 percent of the 99.2 GW of new queue power capacity.
The study presents analysis of empirical project-level data from the U.S. fleet of ground-mounted solar projects with capacities exceeding 5 MW (ac). It explores trends in deployment and project design, installed project prices, operating costs, capacity factors, power purchase agreement (PPA) prices, and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) among both utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) projects.
»Utility-Scale Solar. Empirical Trends in Project Technology, Cost, Performance, and PPA Pricing in the United States – 2018 Edition« is available free of charge (PDF, 62 pages) at the homepage of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (www.lbl.gov).
© PHOTON
CSI, Enel, Fotowatio: Winners of the Victorian solar auction unveiled project details
© Wikimedia Creative Commons CC-BY-SA
13.09.2018: Canadian Solar Inc. through its Australian CS Sub Co Pty. Ltd has been awarded a Victorian government support agreement within the framework of the Victorian Renewable Energy Auction Scheme (VREAS). Location of the photovoltaic project is Carwarp, about 30 km south of Mildura, capacity is 121.6 MW (100 MWac). This award guarantees revenue for 100 percent of the energy produced by the »Carwarp« solar farm for the term of the support agreement. The project will utilize Canadian Solar's high-efficiency bifacial modules with single axis tracking technology. Commencement of construction is planned in Q1 2019, commencement of commercial operation in Q1 2020. The solar system will generate 267,000 MWh of electricity every year.
Cohuna Solar Farm Pty. Ltd. (Enel Green Power Australia) will build a 34.2 MW PV plant in Cohuna with construction starting in early 2019. Enel is expected to invest around $42 million. The plant is due to enter into commercial operation by the end of 2019 and will be backed by a 15-year support agreement with the State of Victoria. The Cohuna solar facility, which will be composed of around 87,000 bifacial modules, is expected to generate up to 77 GWh/year.
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) has been awarded support of a 85 MWac solar project. The »Winton Solar Farm« is located near Benalla. Construction starts in early 2019, commercial operation is expected in late 2019. The »Winton« project is FRV's fifth large scale photovoltaic project in Australia. In line with Victorian Government's goal to strengthen community support of renewable energy projects, FRV has designed a Community Engagement and Social Benefit Sharing Plan. It also includes the development of a local employment and procurement program. In addition, FRV is currently exploring options to support Benalla Sustainable Futures Group, a local volunteer organization, helping to deliver key aspects of their three-point plan to position Benalla as one of the first »zero net energy« towns.
As reported, the government of the Australian state Victoria will support three solar and three wind projects under the Victorian Government's reverse auction scheme as part of the Victorian Renewable Energy Targets (VRET) with a cumulative capacity of 928 MW. The tendered goal of 650 MW has been surpassed by almost 45 percent.
© PHOTON
Mecasolar and Anchor announced partnership in India
Mecasolar tracking systems in Spain
© PHOTON Pictures - Rolf Schulten
13.09.2018: Spanish tracking manufacturing company Mecasolar announced its further expansion in India with a new cooperation with Anchor Electricals Pvt. Ltd. The two companies are forming a new strategic partnership under which Anchor, a Panasonic Group Company, undertakes to exclusively control the production and distribution of Mecasolar's products Hyperion-SR and Hyperion-MR.
This set-up is expected to serve the growing demand that is experienced in the domestic market of India, as well as the surrounding region in south-east Asia and Africa, says Mecasolar.
© PHOTON
Masdar and PUC partner to build solar power plant with battery storage in Seychelles
13.09.2018: Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, will help he Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) in building a 5 MW PV power plant with battery storage in the Republic of Seychelles. The project is being financed by a AED 31 million ($8.4 million) loan from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) as well as funds from PUC's own equity. The project's engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract scope includes subsea cabling, switchgear extensions, and an underground water piping system for module cleaning.
The new project will also include an energy storage system with a capacity of 5 MW/3.3 MWh, allowing for the safe and stable supply of electricity to the main island of Mahé, while also ensuring the grid stability and safe operation of PUC's conventional fuel-fired power station.
The »Ile de Romainville« Solar Park will be located on the same site as the existing Port Victoria wind farm built by Masdar. Completion is expected in Q2 2019. It is estimated that the facility will save approximately 2,000,000 liters of fuel annually.
Seychelles currently relies on fossil fuels to meet its electricity demand, with fossil fuels accounting for around 20 percent of the country's imports. In response, it has set a target of 5 percent renewables by 2020 and 15 percent by 2030.
© PHOTON
Nigeria launches 1 GW solar electrification programme
13.09.2018: The Nigeria Rural Electrification Agency has received financing from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) hosted at the African Development Bank towards the development of the Jigawa 1 GW Solar IPP Procurement Programme. The Programme entails the design and implementation of a competitive IPP procurement programme for the design, construction and operation of 1 GW solar power plant, comprised of different technologies including, solar PV and concentrated solar power in Gwiwa, Jigawa State, North West Nigeria. The selected projects will sell the electricity to Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) through long-terms PPAs.
© PHOTON
CLP India and Suzlon partners in two solar projects of 50 MW and 20 MW in Maharashtra
© Suzlon Energy Ltd.
13.09.2018: CLP India, one of the largest foreign investors in the Indian power sector, and India's renewable energy solutions provider Suzlon announced a joint venture for two solar projects of 50 MW and 20 MW in Dhule, Maharashtra. CLP India has agreed to acquire 49 percent stake in Gale Solarfarms Limited and Tornado Solarfarms Limited, two special purpose vehicles (SPV) set-up by Suzlon. CLP India has the option to acquire the balance 51 percent stake in the future.
Suzlon is responsible to provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services for these projects, that are already commissioned. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) has a fixed tariff for 25 years at 4.115 INR/kWh ($0.057) for 20 MW and 3.66 INR/kWh ($0.050) for 50 MW. Off taker will be Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI).
© PHOTON
Arcvera hits 2 GW Brazilian wind and solar consultancy support and opens new office in São Paulo
13.09.2018: Arcvera Renewables has provided consultancy support on a total project pipeline exceeding 17 GW, including 2 GW of operating capacity, in the Brazilian renewables market. This milestone has been achieved as the business solidifies its Latin American presence with the establishment of a new office in São Paulo.
According to the company, activity in the Brazilian wind and solar markets is ramping up again as the country's economy recovers, with recent auctions – the first since 2016 – kick-starting development. Arcvera Renewables was formed in March 2017 through the merger of the technical consultancies V-Bar, LLC and Chinook Wind, LLC. Arcvera provides consulting and technical services for wind and solar energy throughout the project lifecycle.
© PHOTON
EBRD backs Turkey's Akfen Renewables with $102 million to build solar and wind farms
© PHOTON Pictures - Ronald Frommann
13.09.2018: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a financing package of up to $102 million to the renewable energy arm of the Turkish conglomerate Akfen Holding. For nine new solar photovoltaic plants in five locations across Turkey, the EBRD is lending up to $52 million. The combined capacity of the new solar PV plants will be 85 MW. Furthermore, Akfen is investing in four new wind farms with a total capacity of 242 MW.
Akfen Yenilenebilir Enerji (Akfen Renewables) owns and operates wind, solar and hydro power plants. The EBRD and the IFC, a private sector arm of the World Bank, are minority shareholders in the company with a 15.98 per cent stake each.
Turkey aims to install 27 GW of non-hydro renewable generation capacity by 2023, 20 GW of which is expected to be wind and 5 GW solar.
© PHOTON
TK Partners filed lawsuit against Sky Solar
13.09.2018: Owner and operator of solar parks Sky Solar Holdings Ltd announced that Solar Partnership Capital Ltd. (TK Partners) has filed a lawsuit against the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Sky Solar Japan Co., Ltd. (SSJ). In August 2015, SSJ entered into a silent partnership agreement with Solar Partnership Capital to build and operate approximately 107 MW of solar projects in Japan. According to Sky Solar, the lawsuit alleges that there are »significant differences in the understandings of the silent partnership between SSJ and the TK Partner, and purports to seek certain damages.«
The company believes that the lawsuit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend against it. Meanwhile, the company has been working cooperatively with the TK Partner in an attempt to reach a potential resolution. All TK operating power-generation facilities are in operation and SSJ continues to manage the TK assets.
© PHOTON
Reden Solar completes refinancing of its Iberian photovoltaic assets for €100 million
© Reden Solar
13.09.2018: French independent power producer (IPP) Reden Solar completed the refinancing of its Portuguese and Spanish assets, raising a total of €100.5 million ($116.6 million) in the process. This transaction takes the form of a 14-year non-recourse financing arranged by Natixis S.A. Sucursal en España. It restructures 13 historic loans contracted with 5 banks and involves around fifty photovoltaic power plants in operation in Portugal and Spain.
The refinancing »simplifies the debt structure« of the company and allows Reden »to generate a significant cash surplus,« said Thierry Carcel, President of the Reden Solar Group. »This, in turn, will enable us to continue to invest in the development and acquisition of new plants in the Iberian Peninsula, in Latin America, as well as in France.«
© PHOTON
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