Brazil publishes ceiling prices for A-5 energy auction, and cancels A-6 auction; Nextracker and FIT to launch Brazil Center for Solar Excellence; Colbun planning 422 MW bifacial solar plant in Chile.
MME scraps A-6 New Energy Auction: The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) in Brazil is cancelling the A-6 New Energy Auction of 2022, which does not include solar PV as a participating technology, citing 'absence of demand from distributors' to purchase electricity. "The cancellation of the A-6 Auction is a result of several measures in progress, such as the proposal to open the market, the expansion of distributed generation and the discounting of the Eletrobras plants. Thus, the energy distributors did not declare the need to purchase electricity for the 2022 A-6 Auction," explained MME.
Meanwhile it has approved ceiling prices for A-5 auction as proposed by the Energy Research Company (EPE), capping the same for solar and wind at BRL 280 per MWh, for 15 years. Both A-6 and A-5 auctions were announced to be held on September 16, 2022. For the A-5 auction, the EPE had registered 83 GW renewables capacity comprising 55.82 GW solar PV, with power generated to be supplied beginning from January 1, 2027. For A-6 auction, 56.13 GW was registered (see 55 GW Solar Registered For Brazil's A-5 Auction).
Brazil Center for Solar Excellence: In another news from Brazil, American solar PV tracker maker Nextracker said it will launch South America's largest solar tracker R&D facility in partnership with Flex Instituto de Tecnologia (FIT). The Brazil Center for Solar Excellence (CFSE) will be a solar research, test lab and training facility, encompassing the full lifecycle of solar tracker systems, including structural, mechanical, and electrical design, construction, operation, and maintenance. The US company said the facility will include an adjacent 770 kW solar installation to serve as an outdoor laboratory for prototyping and testing new products. It is modeled after Nexttracker's existing Center of Excellence facility located at its headquarters in Fremont, California. The multi-million dollar PV research and development (R&D) center will be unveiled on August 22, 2022. Nextracker says it has 5.5 GW smart solar trackers installed in Brazil currently.
Colbun proposes 422 MW solar & storage project in Chile: Chile utility Colbun has proposed a 421.9 MW solar power plant with 240 MW battery system with 5 hour storage capacity to be established in Camarones commune of the country. It has submitted Environmental Impact Study (EIA) of the project to the Environmental Assessment Service of the Region of Arica and Parinacota. It plans to install more than 700,000 bifaical solar panels for the proposed facility that can generate an average of 1,100 GWh annually once online. Dubbed Solar Cell, the project is Colbun's maiden generation facility in the Arica and Parinacota region. It will be installed on public land and grid connected on completion. In November 2020, it secured environmental clearance for its 925 MW Inti Pacha Solar PV Project in Antofagasta (see Environmental Approval For 925 MW Solar Project In Chile).