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Category: South America

Argentina awards 895 MW of renewable energy concessions

July 13th, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

Argentina has concluded the public offer for renewable energy capacity by awarding 895 MW (of the planned 1000 MW) to 21 companies, spread out over 32 projects (of the 51 submitted in total), under its program called GENREN. The projects include wind, solar and biomass renewable energy power plants, and were considered and awarded by the Argentine state-managed company Enarsa (Energía Argentina SA). These awards are the results of the bidding process initially started in May 2010.

Of the total capacity awarded, most has been awarded for wind energy projects (17 projects) with 754 MW, while the remaining 15 were awarded for solar PV (6 projects, 20 MW), small hydro (5 projects, 10.6 MW) and biofuels (4 projects, 110.4 MW). Project locations are spread out all over the country, both on the eastern coastal areas, and in the mountainous western areas.

Enarsa further announced bidding for another 195 MW of renewable energy capacity, or more specifically, 120 MW for wind, 30 MW for geothermal, and 20 MW for biogas combustion power plants.

Enarsa's award result document outlines several benefits of this round of bidding, such as 7000 new jobs, promotion of clean energy in the country, and growth for local economies. The new capacity, once added, will contribute to a more diversified power supply in Argentina.

See Enarsa's document for more detail on the awarded projects here.

[source: ENARSA]

Alstom to build its first wind farm in Brazil

July 12th, 2010 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

Alstom has entered into a contract with Desenvix, a Brazilian renewable energy company (part of Engevix), to develop a 90 MW wind farm in Brazil. This will be Alstom's first such project in Brazil, marking the company's entry into the Brazilian wind energy market. The contract represents an investment of EUR 100 million.

The contract actually covers three wind farms in Bahia. The Brotas wind farm complex will consist of three wind farms – Macaubas, Novo Horizonte and Seabra. The projects will be using 57 ECO 86 1.67 MW units, to be delivered and installed by Alstom by summer 2011. The wind turbines will be manufactured in Spain and Brazil. Total capacity of the complex will be 90 MW.

Alstom and Engevix have collaborated on energy projects in Brazil, in the hydro sector. The total hydropower capacity between the two companies in Brazil is at about 12 GW. It is no wonder Brazil's energy sector relies mostly on hydroenergy with 77% of the total installed power generation capacity coming from hydropower.

[source: Alstom]

Panama reviewing 25 applications for 3.144 GW of wind energy capacity

June 10th, 2010 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

The Panamanian Public Services Authority is reviewing 25 applications for wind energy development, which if accepted, could total in 3144 MW of installed wind energy capacity in this Central American country, effectively doubling the amount of power produced from wind energy.

Two major projects under review are 600 MW Donoso wind farm (also the largest of the group), proposed by Fersa Panamá, and the 500 MW Eólico Bocas Bay wind farm in Bocas del Toro.

[source: Central America Data, image: Merriam-Webster]

Iberdrola to invest USD 1.13 billion in Brazil between 2010 and 2012

May 21st, 2010 | Posted in General Hydro | No Comments

Iberdrola has reaffirmed its plans to invest USD 1.13 billion in Brazil in the period from 2010-2012. The company plans to invest in mainly in expansion of hydroelectric capacity, but also in improvements for the electricity distribution infrastructure.

So far, Iberdrola has invested about USD 3.6 billion in Brazil, ever since the 1990s when the company first entered the Brazilian energy market. The new investment plans should result in an additional 710 MW of hydropower capacity by 2013.

[source: Iberdrola]

Magma Energy granted exploitation permit for 50 MW geothermal project in Chile

May 7th, 2010 | Posted in Geothermal | Comments (1)

Magma Energy's drill site in Chile.

Magma Energy announced the company has been granted an exploitation permit by the government of Chile for a 50 Mw geothermal plant at the Laguna de Maule property in Chile. Laguna de Maule is next to another property called Pellado, and together they make up the Mariposa Geothermal Reservoir. Magma Energy earlier reported a 320 MW inferred resource for this area.

The company is drilling the second of its five slim holes in the Mariposa Reservoir. Initially, temperatures near 200 degrees Celsius were discovered at depths of about 650 meters. The drilling is to be concluded in December this year, and is to total about USD 15 million in costs. Magma is targetting the depth of about 1500 meters for each hole. Once results have been collecte and analyzed, Magma Energy will be able to proceed with the development of Phase 1 with 50 MW of capacity. Mariposa is about 25 km away from the nearest installed power lines, so there will be additional work needed in order to connect the geothermal power plant with the grid.

[source: Magma Energy]

GDF Suez awarded 662 MW for development in Peru

April 20th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro | Comments (5)

GDF Suez was recently awarded rights for development of 662 MW of power generating capacity in Peru. Having won in four bidding processes, the company's subsidiary in Peru, EnerSur, secured rights for the development of hydropower and thermal power plants. The total investment for all the awarded capacity is estimated at about EUR 1.5 billion.

One of the projects is interesting for this site, being a renewable energy project, and that is the Quitaracsa I hydropower project. It is to be located about 500 km to the northeast of the country's capital Lima, in the Ancash region. It will have an estimated power capacity of 112 MW, and will be connected to the national power grid once completed.

Peru is experiencing growth in energy demand, as the country progresses into a more developed future. Projects such as these are part of a larger effort to increase the energy supply base in the country.

GDF Suez is not a newbie in the Peruvian energy market, having already completed a couple of energy projects in the country before, one of which is another hydropower project, the Yuncan. The company is also involved in gas transportation in the country.

[source: GDF Suez]

Venezuela planning major wind energy developments

April 15th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro Wind | No Comments

According to recent reports from local media, Venezueal is planning major wind energy developments in the country. New wind energy capacity could reach as much as 10 GW over the next 15 years, according to the official ABN news agency.

Ironically, Venezuela is one of the largest exporters of oil in the world, so this turn towards clean energy sources is a major change. Wind development in Venezuela will be the conclusion of a somewhat separate project which will determine the country's wind energy potential, and will be conducted by the Venezuelan Wind Energy Association, headed by professor Oswaldo Ravelo.

If the country's successfully installs the mentioned 10 GW of wind energy capacity, it will have reached 10% of the total electricity demand by 2025.

Not only wind energy is considered though, as there are plans to assess wave energy potential in the country's coastal areas.

[via: Latin American Herlad Tribune]

EDP Renovaveis breaks ground for 70 MW wind farm in Brazil

March 25th, 2010 | Posted in Wind | Comments (1)

EDP Renovaveis Brazil announced the official ground breaking for the 70 MW Tramandai wind farm in Rio Grande do Sul.

The Trmandai wind farm will be capable of supplying clean electricity to about 200,000 inhabitants of the region. The wind farm will feature 31 wind turbines ranging from 1.9 to 2.3 MW per unit. The units will have 98 meter tall towers, and rotors with 40 meter blades. It occupies about 832 hectares of land, and will generated an estimated 1000 jobs during the contstruction period.

EDP Renovaveis was awarded the permit to build the wind farm this January, after a two year period of obtaining requried regulatory permits, as well as provisions for protection and control of migrating birds and preservation of native plant and wildlife in the area.

[source: EDP]

Iberdrola planning to invest EUR 9 billion into renewables from 2010-2012

February 25th, 2010 | Posted in General Hydro Wind | Comments (3)

Iberdrola has announced a strategic investment plan involving some EUR 18 billion in total to be invested over the period of two years, from 2010 to 2012. Of the total amount, EUR 9 billion is planned for renewable energy, while the the other half of the investment funding is to be used for networks (EUR 6.3 billion) and generation and supply (EUR 2.7 billion).

Broken down according to markets, the US market will receive about EUR 7 billion (39%), the UK market about EUR 4.5 billion (25%), Spain EUR 4.3 billion (24%), while Latin America and other markets will get about EUR 2.2 billion (12%).

Along with investment plans, the company plans to diversify further internationally. Iberdrola sees the investment plan as means to face the future with optimism, while at the same time offering a "valid option for driving economic growth and recovery".

The company's current strategic areas of focus are strengthening its position in the Atlantic Area (US, UK, Brazil), creating foundations for future growth in these areas. For example, Iberdrola has been awarded a development zone as part of Round 3 offshore development in the UK, one of the biggest ones, which will bring about 7.2 GW of new capacity to the company's portfolio. In the US, the company is taking advantage of the formidable development climate created by the US government, with more than 23.5 GW of capacity lined up for development. Along with wind energy projects, Iberdrola is also involved in major hydropower development around the world. In Spain alone, about 1 GW of hydropower capacity will come online by 2012, and in Brazil the company is also developing 1 GW of hydropower capacity through a dozen power station projects.

[source: Iberdrola]

Toshiba bags more than 1 GW of hydropower contracts in Colombia

February 24th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro | No Comments

Toshiba Internationa Corporation (ITC) has signed contracts for three 324 MW (MVA) hydropower generators to be delivered to Isagen, a Colombian power generation company. TOshiba is to work on the new contracts in partnership with Mitsui Plant Systems.

All three generators are to be installed at the Sogamoso hydrpower plant in the state of Santander, in Colombia. This will not be Toshiba's first generator supply contract in Colombia. The company has already supplied 35 generators to the country in the past, so there is no lack of experience and track record. Delivery of the generators is expected by January 2012, with the hydropower plant to be commissioned by the end of 2013.

Colombia has big energy development plans, which involve an increase in power generation capacity by about 3000 MW over the next decade, with more than 2400 MW expected to come from the country's abundant hydrpower resources.

[source: Toshiba Internation Corporation]