THE FRIDAY NOTE First Solar gets 370-MW enviro nod in Chile and more of the

May 1, 2015 13:26 CEST by Tsvetomira Tsanova

May 1 – This week Chile gave environmental licences to a 370-MW project by First Solar, 590 MW of wind and biomass energy projects won contracts in two Brazilian auctions and EU ProSun said it has requested an EC probe into PV imports from Malaysia and Taiwan.

Chile’s environmental authorities have given the green light to 392 MW of photovoltaic (PV) projects in Antofagasta according to information from Wednesday. One of the two schemes is the Sol del Desierto park by First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR).

In Wiki-Solar’s ranking of the top 10 countries for utility-scale solar capacity, Chile occupied the eighth spot with 1.1 GW of operational capacity as at end-March. In that same ranking, the UK has climbed two positions to the third spot after adding some 1.5 GW of large PV for a single quarter.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/chile-approves-392-mw-in-pv-projects-in-antofagasta-474709

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/uk-shines-with-nearly-1-5-gw-of-large-solar-installs-in-q1-474827

ABENGOA SIGNS SOLAR MOU IN EGYPT, ACCESS POWER UNVEILS 115 MW

Speaking of solar power in the desert, we cannot miss the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that Spanish firm Abengoa SA (BME:ABG) signed on Thursday with Egypt’s New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA). The company did not mention any specific plans but said the MoU is a step towards the development of concentrating solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) projects in the country.

Earlier in the week, Dubai-based solar developer Access Power MEA said it plans to build a 65-MWp solar park and a 50-MWp wind farm in Egypt for a total cost of USD 200 million (EUR 178m). In Access Power’s home market, meanwhile, Italy’s Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL) has been invited “to take part” in the 800-MW phase III of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/mou-opens-doors-for-abengoas-involvement-in-csp-pv-projects-in-egypt-474829

at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/access-power-plans-115-mw-of-solar-wind-parks-in-egypt-474489

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/enel-invited-to-join-phase-iii-of-dubais-3-gw-solar-project-474817

EU PROSUN CALLING FOR PROBE INTO PV IMPORTS FROM MALAYSIA, TAIWAN

Not all solar news this week were positive, though. On Wednesday sector association EU ProSun said it has asked the European Commission (EC) to launch an anti-circumvention probe into solar product imports from Taiwan and Malaysia. It says that PV modules and cells are being shipped from China to third countries and then imported into the EU in order to avoid the existing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties there.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/eu-prosun-calling-for-probe-into-pv-imports-from-malaysia-taiwan-474504

CENTERBRIDGE CONCLUDES SENVION BUY, SIEMENS’ MARINE TURBINES GO TO ATLANTIS

On the wind energy front, US buyout firm Centerbridge Partners LP has wrapped up its EUR-1-billion (USD 1.1bn) takeover of German wind turbine maker Senvion SE from Suzlon Energy Ltd (BOM:532667). Hamburg-based Senvion announced the completion of the transaction on Wednesday, and said it had also obtained a new EUR-950-million guarantee and credit line from a group of 15 international banks and credit insurances.

Also on Wednesday, tidal power expert Atlantis Resources Ltd (LON:ARL) said it has struck an all-stock deal to acquire UK sector player Marine Current Turbines Ltd (MCT) from Germany’s Siemens AG (ETR:SIE). The deal will provide the company with 200 MW of additional potential project development capacity.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/centerbridge-concludes-eur-1bn-acquisition-of-senvion-474599

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/atlantis-seals-deal-to-buy-siemens-uk-tidal-power-business-474415

HOT MARKET OF THE WEEK: BRAZIL

Not one but two energy supply auctions were held in Brazil this week, securing power sale contracts for biomass, wind, hydropower and conventional power generation capacity. The April 27 auction resulted in power supply deals for 90 MW of wind farms, proposed by Italian company Enel Green Power SpA (BIT:EGPW), and 390 MW of biomass power contracts. In the April 30 auction, another 111.4 MW of biomass projects secured off-take deals.

More details at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/brazils-april-27-auction-results-in-479-mw-of-renewables-deals-474285

at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/enel-green-secures-ppas-for-90-mw-wind-park-in-brazil-474824

and at: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/brazils-april-30-auction-secures-111-4-mw-of-biomass-projects-474842

(USD 1 = EUR 0.889)

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