SENS LSG energizes its maiden solar plant in Bulgaria with 66 MW capacity; EGP Italia and Renergetica to co-develop 300 MW solar in Italy; X-Elio's 386 MW DC solar plant gets favorable EIS in Spain; Photon Energy raises €28.1 million to refinance 14.6 MW operational solar capacity in Czech Republic.
66 MW solar plant commissioned in Bulgaria: SENS LSG GmbH, a joint venture between Germany's Steag Solar Energy Solutions (SENS) and Austria's LSG, has commissioned a 66 MW solar power project in Bulgaria's Dalgo Pole municipality. The project is equipped with more than 122,300 solar modules on single-axis trackers. It will generate about 100,000 MWh renewable energy annually. SENS said the project will contribute to fossil fuel generated power dependent Bulgaria's aim to achieve 25% share of renewable energy by 2030 through massive expansion. It is SENS LSG's 1st solar project in Bulgaria, and it is planning to bring online another 50 MW facility here.
300 MW solar partnership in Italy: Enel Green Power Italia and Italian renewable energy company Renergetica have signed a framework agreement to co-develop 300 MW solar power capacity in Italy. To be built over the next 3 years, it includes 100 MW capacity in Southern Italy for which Enel has acquired special legal rights. They will also explore the possibility of collaborating in the markets of Chile and Colombia and a new market in Eastern Europe to co-develop 150 MW solar PV projects for each of these locations over a 3-year period.
386 MW DC solar plant cleared in Spain: Spain's X-Elio has secured a favorable environmental impact statement (EIS) for its 386 MW DC/339 MW AC solar power plant in the country's Lorca, Murcia region. The Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has announced the same in the official state gazette BOE. The project will be built for €270 million and produce 748,000 MWh annually on completion. For this facility, X-Elio said it will make local hiring a priority, while involving small and medium enterprises (SME) from the municipalities of the region.
Refinancing for 14.6 MW solar in Czech Republic: Netherlands based Photon Energy has closed a long-term non-recourse project refinancing agreement with UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia (UCB) to fund 14.6 MW operational solar projects in the Czech Republic. The 9 solar power plants that make up this capacity were grid connected in 2009 and 2010. The €28.1 million financing brings significant liquidity to Photon Energy that plans to further expand its portfolio. The company claims to have a total development pipeline of 892 MW in its key Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) markets of Romania, Hungary and Poland, along with in Australia.