NIPSCO launches tender for electricity procurement: The Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC (NIPSCO) is soliciting request for proposals (RFP) for a combination of potential electricity generation resources representing between 400 MW to 650 MW, to meet the future electricity needs of its clients. Launched under its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2021, it will consider wind energy and wind+storage projects, solar energy and solar+storage projects, thermal, standalone storage, emerging technologies and other capacity resources to meet its capacity needs starting from 2024. Last date to submit proposals is June 30, 2021, according to tender documents.
Hecate Energy starts construction on 600 MW capacity: Hecate Energy of the US has started construction on 2 solar power projects. One of the projects with 500 MW capacity, Roseland Solar Facility in Texas will also include a 50 MW battery energy storage system (BESS). It is expected to come online in Q3/2022. The other one, Highland Solar Project will have 2×50 MW capacity in Ohio, and both projects will supply 100% electricity generated to the Cincinnati city's municipal electricity to make all buildings and electrical services owned and operated by the government of Cincinnati carbon neutral by the end of 2021.
Recently, Spanish petrochemicals firm Repsol made its 1st investment into the US renewable energy market with a 40% stake in Hecate Energy. The latter holds more than 40 GW of renewable energy capacity, including 16.8 GW of solar projects and energy storage at advanced stages of development.
UL acquires Clear Sky Analytics: US based renewable energy testing and certification organization UL has acquired solar software developer Clear Sky Analytics whose proprietary platform analyzes solar asset performance and provides prescriptive insights. According to UL, this acquisition expands its solar offerings to assess and optimize solar plant performance. Both the founders of Clear Sky Analytics, Ajay Saproo and John Corson will join UL. "Clear Sky Analytics' cutting-edge prescriptive insight in the fast-growing solar market is the ideal complement to UL's advisory, certification and testing services," said President, Enterprise and Advisory at UL, Jason Fischer.