Flanders completes 1st green electricity auction: The Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA) has selected 79 green electricity projects in the 1st green electricity auction held in Belgian region of Flanders. Local newspaper De Tijd reported that in response to the auction 90 projects were submitted between May 17, 2021 and June 3, 2021, to claim €7.5 million in subsidies. However, VEKA selected 79 projects to allocate €5 million for per MWh of green energy produced. To this list of 79, solar PV projects added up to 59 and will claim €4 million as investment support for 33 MW capacity. It will be enough to generate clean energy for 8,250 households. For solar PV, the paper reported winning bids as having ranged between €3.21 per MWh to €15.00 per MWh. A 2nd call will be launched in mid-September 2021. The auction system has replaced the previous green energy certificates system in place for medium sized solar and wind energy projects.
Croatian cooperative wins Google challenge: Green Energy Cooperative or Zelena Energetska Zadruga (ZEZ) of Croatia is one of the winners of Google.org Impact Challenge Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for its SOL4ALL Community-Led Solarization initiative. Through this project, ZEZ plans to encourage local citizens, especially women to actively participate in renewable energy projects by training them on investing correctly and efficiently producing solar energy using digital technologies. ZEZ aims to install 10 MW solar PV capacity across Western Balkans. The winners of the Google challenge will receive funding between €50,000 and €250,000 and also support from Google. The challenge aims to provide €2 million in funding to support efforts that use digitalization to help with economic recovery.
544 MW renewables capacity for EDPR in UK: EDP Renewables has entered agreements with Vento Ludens and Wind2 to acquire 544 MW wind and solar portfolio in the UK for GBP 71 million. It comprises 118 MW of solar PV capacity currently under development in the country. EDPR said this acquisition marks its presence in the onshore market of the UK, where it is already operating in the offshore segment. The company sees the UK as an attractive market since it aims to become a net-zero GHG emitter by 2050, and allow both onshore wind and solar to participate in the Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction rounds, expected to be held every 2 years until 2030. EDPR also believes the UK is one of the 'most developed PPA markets in Europe'.
49.9 MW solar project in London: France's Voltalia has commenced construction on a 49.9 MW solar power plant in the UK, power generated by which will be supplied to the City of London Corporation's buildings and services. The South Farm Solar project is contracted for 15 years under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the City of London Corporation, signed in November 2020 (see 15-Year Solar PPA With Voltalia For London City). Voltalia expects to complete the construction and commission the project in 2022.