Asia Pacific

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By 2036, Clean Energy Can Account for 37% of The Energy Mix For Thailand

With a stronger and more ambitious energy development plan, Thailand’s share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption could surpass its national target by a quarter and reach more than 37 percent by 2036, according to a new report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Ministry of Energy of Thailand. Renewable Energy Outlook: Thailand finds that decreasing imports of fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix to 37 percent would improve energy security and reduce the cost of Thailand’s energy system by USD 1.2 billion annually by 2036.

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India: Increased Commitment By Government Drives Demand For Solar Inverters

SMA has announced that it sold more than 1GW of solar inverters into all market segments in India in 2017. SMA inverter sales in the commercial sector have doubled compared to last year, corresponding to a market share of 30%. In total, the installed SMA inverter base in India exceeds 3 gigawatts. “India is one of the key markets for SMA in the Asia Pacific region. In the last 3 years, we have seen strong commitment from the Indian government driving growing market demand in the solar sector”.

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Siemens Gamesa Strengthens Lead In India With New Order For 200 MW Wind Farm

The agreement is a strong, positive development for the company in the Indian market in the wake of its temporary slowdown. The agreement encompasses the entire infrastructure needed to operate the project together with the supply of 100 of its G114-2.0 wind turbines with a hub height of 106 meters, specifically designed for the low-wind sites typical of India. The project is expected to be commissioned by February 2019. Present in the market since 2009, Siemens Gamesa has installed over 5 GW in India and the company has been the leading OEM in India for the last three years.

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Siemens Gamesa Sets Records: Largest Thailand Order And Asia’s Tallest Turbines

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has significantly enhanced its positioning in the Asia Pacific, having secured its largest-ever contract in Thailand; a market in which it is the leading OEM, responsible for more than 50% of the country’s total installed capacity. The company will supply a local developer 103 of its G126-2.5 MW turbines (260 MW) at the Hanuman wind complex, Chaiyaphum, northeast Thailand. The project also entails installing Asia’s highest wind turbines: with a tower height of 153 metres and blade length of 62 metres and total height of 215 metres.

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BNEF: Countries, Rich And Poor, Should Renew Efforts To Fulfil Paris Pledges

The Paris Agreement brought 195 countries together to agree on the urgency of addressing climate change. The accord showed its resilience when world leaders collectively condemned plans by the U.S. to withdraw from the pact. Yet Paris can only be judged a success when its signatories follow through on their promises. For wealthier nations, this means fulfilling the promise first made at Copenhagen to provide financial assistance to lesser developed countries. For non-OECD nations, this means adopting detailed clean energy policy measures shown to build investor confidence.

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Small Island States Drive To Scale-Up Clean Energy And Address Climate Change

Ministers and officials representing 30 countries and organizations met in Malé, Maldives, signalling the determination of small island developing states (SIDS) to strengthen global efforts to address climate change and accelerate renewable energy deployment. “In the wake of a deadly hurricane season in the Caribbean and at a time when the resolve to tackle the climate crisis has been called into question, small islands are sending the world a clear message: we are seizing the promise of renewable energy to grow our economies today and build a better future for tomorrow,” said Thoriq Ibrahim, Energy and Environment Minister for the Maldives and Chair of Alliance of Small Island States.

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Enel Starts Construction Of Australia’s Largest Solar PV Project

The Bungala Solar One facility is part of the Bungala Solar PV Project and will have an installed capacity of 137.7 MW out of a total of more than 275 MW for the whole project, that will be able to produce 570 GWh per year. The facility will cover an area of approximately 300 hectares and will consist of about 420,000 polycrystalline PV modules mounted on single-axis tracker structures which will follow the Sun’s path from east to west; increasing the amount of energy produced by the plant, compared to PV modules with fixed structures. The overall Bungala Solar PV project is expected to become fully operational in early 2019.

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India’s Vast Potential – Renewable Energy Can Meet 25% Of Its Energy Demand  

A new IRENA report states that India can meet 25% of its overall energy needs from renewable sources. “With one of the world’s largest and most ambitious renewable energy programmes, India is taking a leading role in the energy transformation both regionally and globally,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin. “India possesses a wealth of renewable resources, particularly for solar and bioenergy development, which can help meet growing energy demand, power economic growth and improve energy access, as well as boost overall energy security.”

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French Giant ENGIE Develops 55 MW Wind Farm; First Mongolian Renewable Project

ENGIE has announced that it will build and operate the Sainshand wind farm in Mongolia, its first renewable project in the country, located in the Gobi desert. This project, which is the third privately financed wind farm in Mongolia, will support the government’s objective to evolve towards a greener economy and a better environment. A US$120m project financing package has recently been signed by a group of international investors and financial institutions to develop the project. The wind farm will have a total installed capacity of 55 MW and will provide the equivalent of the electricity consumption of 130,000 people in Mongolia.

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IDFC Alternatives Fund Acquires Solar Projects Totaling 190MW From First Solar

India Infrastructure Fund II (IIF II), represented by its investment manager, IDFC Alternatives Limited, one of India’s largest alternatives fund managers, is to acquire seven operating solar projects owned and operated by the First Solar Group in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana aggregating to a capacity of 190 MW. All the projects utilise First Solar’s advanced CdTe (Cadmium Telluride) based thin film modules, one of the most environmentally friendly PV technologies, and sell the power generated to state utilities, under long term power purchase agreements. Aditya Aggarwal, Partner, IDFC Alternatives stated that “consistent with its stated strategy of aggregating operating renewable assets, IIF II is well on its way to achieving an installed base of 400-450 MW of operating renewable assets by the end of the current financial year.”

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NRG Systems And RK Systems To Commission India’s Tallest Lattice Met Tower

RK Systems created the 150m tower for one of India’s leading clean energy Independent Power Producers. The decision to commission the tower was spurred by the growing proliferation of taller turbines. The company overcame a number of design challenges to erect the 150m tower. To keep the tower stable, secure, and under the 250kg weight limit, a design was introduced, that used square tubes – a first in India. According to Arun Mehra, Director of RK Systems, “In response to the increase in hub heights, and in order to perform accurate resource assessment campaigns that reduce uncertainty, it has become necessary to capture data at these heights.”