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China Brings 2.2-GW Solar Park Online

October 11, 2020

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A Chinese company announced it has brought the world’s second-largest solar farm into commercial operation. Sungrow, which supplies inverters for renewable energy projects, and the state-owned utility Huanghe Hydropower Development on Oct. 9 said a 2.2-GW capacity solar park in the northwest province of Qinghai is now online.

The Qinghai project trails only the 2.3-GW Bhadla solar park in India, which covers more than 10,000 acres and was completed late last year, in generation capacity.

The largest operating solar farm in the U.S. is the 579-MW Solar Star installation in California, which came online in 2015 and at the time was the largest solar array in the world. A larger U.S. project, the 690-MW Gemini solar and battery storage installation in Nevada, was approved earlier this year and is scheduled to be operational by year-end 2023.

Site Includes Energy Storage

The Qinghai project, which also includes 202.86 MWh of energy storage capacity, is located in the desert near the city of Xining.…

IRS Grants Wind and Solar Sectors Critical COVID-19 Reprieves

May 29, 2020

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The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has granted a one-year extension of the continuity safe harbor, providing much-needed relief for many wind developers, which, crippled by pandemic-related delays, were racing to complete projects before crucial tax incentives expired at the end of this year.

In its May 27–issued Notice 2020-41, the IRS essentially modified prior notices addressing the “beginning-of-construction” requirements for both the production tax credit (PTC), which applies to renewables facilities under section 45 of the IRS code, and the investment tax credit (ITC), for energy property under section 48.

Responding to pleas by industry and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to extend the so-called “Continuity Safe Harbor,” the IRS now gives qualifying renewables projects that began construction in either 2016 or 2017 until December 2021 to complete projects. As crucially, the new notice also provides a three-and-a-half month safe harbor for taxpayer-paid services or property on or after Sept.…

Nation’s Largest Community Solar Program Set to Launch

March 4, 2020

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Florida Power & Light (FPL) on March 3 received approval from state regulators to launch the nation’s largest community solar program. FPL’s $ 1.8 billion SolarTogether project will more than double the amount of available community solar power nationwide.

The program, unanimously approved Tuesday by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC), adds almost 1.5 GW of solar power generation capacity across the state. It includes 20 solar arrays, each with about 74.5 MW of generation capacity—just below the 75-MW threshold that would require more regulatory oversight of the projects. The new projects are all expected to come online over the next year.

“This program represents significant forward progress for the solar landscape of not only Florida, but the entire United States,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL, on Tuesday. “For years, access to solar energy for many Floridians was not economical or easily accessible.…

TECO Announces $800-Million Investment in New Solar

February 21, 2020

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Tampa Electric Co. (TECO) on Feb. 19 said it plans to invest about $ 800 million to add another 600 MW of solar power generation capacity by year-end 2023. TECO on Wednesday said the expansion will increase its solar portfolio to more than 1.25 GW of solar generation, or about 14% of its total generation mix.

“Our customers want a cleaner energy future for themselves, and their children,” said Nancy Tower, TECO’s president and CEO, in a statement. “We are committed to continue to lead Tampa Electric toward cleaner energy while ensuring our prices remain affordable for customers.”

A Gas-Heavy Portfolio

TECO, like many U.S. utilities, is increasing its use of renewable resources as it phases out coal-fired generation. The company, which serves customers in west-central Florida, said it has cut its coal use by 92% since 2000. About 84% of its electricity comes from natural gas.…

Qatar Will Boost Middle East Solar with 800-MW Project

January 22, 2020

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Qatar’s energy minister on Jan. 19 said the country will build an 800-MW solar power project that will push the country far beyond its announced goal for solar energy. That goal of 100 MW of solar generation was established when Qatar in December 2010 was awarded rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament.

France energy giant Total, along with Tokyo, Japan-based investment group Marubeni, signed an agreement with Qatar to build the Al Kharsaah plant near Doha, Qatar’s capital. The project’s cost is estimated at 1.7 billion riyals ($ 467 million). It’s the latest in a string of projects bringing solar power to the Middle East.

“Today is the commencement of the project itself and we expected by the first quarter of 2021 to have half of the [plant’s] capacity up and running,” said Saad al-Kaabi, Qatar’s energy minister, in a news conference Sunday.…

Dominion Solar, Wind Projects Will Power Virginia Government Buildings

October 23, 2019

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Dominion Energy has entered a partnership with the commonwealth of Virginia in which government-owned buildings and facilities in the state will get power from Dominion’s solar and wind energy projects.

The agreement, signed by Dominion and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Oct. 18, is the largest procurement of renewable energy to date by the state as part of Northam’s plan to power the whole of state government with clean energy.

The deal includes a 75-MW wind project—the first onshore wind farm in Virginia—along with four proposed solar farms with total generation capacity of 345 MW. The projects are expected to come online in stages over the next three years, if all are approved.

The governor’s office said the new generation, along with previously announced solar projects, should produce enough power to support as much as 45% of the state government’s annual energy use. The agreement comes after Northam in September announced that state government agencies would lead the commonwealth’s push for renewables.…