EU raises offshore wind target to 300GW by 2050
The EU has increased its offshore wind capacity target to 300GW by 2050, today's European offshore renewable energy strategy presented by the European Commission shows.
The commission aims to increase the EU's offshore wind capacity to 60GW by 2030 and 300GW by 2050, up from 12GW currently installed.
The commission wants to complement this with 40GW of ocean energy and other emerging technologies, such as floating wind and solar, by 2050.
Projected installed capacity would increase to only around 90GW by 2050 under current policies, the commission said.
The EU's offshore wind capacity accounts for 42pc of the global total, followed by the UK with 9.7GW and China with 6.8GW.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55pc by 2030 will require more than 80pc of electricity to come from renewables, an earlier impact assessment cited in the commission's strategy said.
The commission plans to launch EU-wide tenders from next year, under a new renewable energy financing mechanism that aims to facilitate participation and benefits with land-locked EU states.
Earlier this month, the German government set a new target of 20GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 40GW by 2040. The Netherlands plans to increase its offshore wind capacity to 11.5GW by 2030 and an additional increase of 20-40GW by 2050, Dutch transmission system operator Tennet said.
Offshore wind technologies
Hybrid offshore wind farms will play an important role in the planned increase in renewable capacity. Up to 7GW of these projects are already in the pipeline. They save money and space and improve energy flows between countries, European wind lobby group Windeurope said.
Floating offshore wind capacity is expected to grow. Europe has two small floating wind farms today but will have 300MW by 2022 and aims to have 7GW by 2030, Windeurope added.
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Colombia's electricity woes add to unrest against Petro
Colombia's electricity woes add to unrest against Petro
Bogota, 22 April (Argus) — Colombians took the streets of major cities and towns across the nation on Sunday to protest mainly against health, pension and labor changes, but potential power outages are also creating discontent. Authorities estimated that about 250,000 Colombians marched in widespread protests, sparked by changes in healthcare. Congress in April had rejected President Gustavo Petro's proposals in the sector, and the government the next day seized the two largest private-sector health insurers. Protesting healthcare workers say the government did this to implement changes through a back channel. "Regulatory noise and risk are likely to remain high amid announcements, proposals, and measures [that do not require congressional approval], aimed at changing the game's rules in strategic sectors," brokerage Credicorp Capital said. Colombians also protested being on the verge of electricity rationing like that in neighboring Ecuador as hydroelectric reservoirs remain at record-low levels. Several unions and other associations have long warned the Petro administration to take measures to offset the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon. Electricity distributors last year called for allowing bills for energy purchased on the spot market to be deferred and for loosening price index rules, among other proposals. The national business council sent at least three letters to the president on the issue. At least nine separate letters calling for preparation to prevent blackouts were sent to the president and ministers. Several actions were only recently implemented . "There are no risk of electricity rationing in Colombia," former energy minister Irene Velez said in 2023. "We do not understand why some people are interested in generating panic." Government weather forecasts also overestimated rainfall expected for March, leading hydroelectric plants to use more water in the reservoirs than they otherwise would have, said director of the thermoelectric generation association (Andeg) Alejandro Castaneda. Reservoir levels stood at 29.5pc today, rising thanks to rains since 19 April, up from 28.75pc on 18 April. Electricity rationing is set to begin when reservoirs drop below 27pc, according to grid operator XM. By Diana Delgado Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
TotalEnergies takes FID for Oman's Marsa LNG
TotalEnergies takes FID for Oman's Marsa LNG
Dubai, 22 April (Argus) — TotalEnergies has taken a final investment decision (FID) for the integrated Marsa LNG bunkering project it is carrying out in Oman with state oil company OQ. The project involves the production of 150mn ft³/d (1.55bn m³/yr) of gas from Oman's onshore block 10, the liquefaction of that gas at a new 1mn t/yr capacity plant to be built at the port of Sohar on Oman's north coast, and the construction of a 300MW solar generation facility that will power the plant. The ambition of the project is to serve as the first LNG bunkering hub in the Mideast Gulf region, showcasing "an available and competitive alternative marine fuel" to reduce emissions coming from the shipping industry. TotalEnergies said today that it expects to begin producing LNG by the first quarter of 2028. That LNG is "primarily intended to serve the marine fuel market in the Gulf", the company said, but all LNG quantities not sold as bunker fuel will be off-taken by TotalEnergies and OQ. "We are proud to open a new chapter in our history in the sultanate of Oman with the launch of the Marsa LNG project, together with OQ," TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said. TotalEnergies holds a majority 80pc stake in the joint venture, with OQ holding the remaining 20pc. "We are especially pleased to deploy the two pillars of our transition strategy, LNG and renewables, and thus support the sultanate on a new scale in the sustainable development of its energy resources," Pouyanne said. TotalEnergies, Shell and OQ formalised an agreement to develop the gas resources in Oman's block 10 in late 2021 . The consortium began producing gas from the Mabrouk North East field in block 10 in January 2023. At the time, the companies said they expected to reach plateau production of 500mn ft³/d by the middle of 2024. But TotalEnergies today said the consortium had already reached plateau this month. As part of the original agreement, Marsa LNG was due to deliver production from the block to the government for 18 years, or until the end of 2039. But the decision by TotalEnergies and OQ to take FID has triggered an extension of Marsa LNG's rights to block 10 until 2050. The planned 300MW photovoltaic solar plant should cover 100pc of the LNG plant's annual power consumption, which will help "significantly" reduce greenhouse gases. "By paving the way for making the next generation of very low-emission LNG plants, Marsa LNG is contributing to making gas a long-term transition energy," Pouyanne said. By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia to launch 6GW renewables tender in May
Australia to launch 6GW renewables tender in May
Sydney, 22 April (Argus) — Australia's federal government plans to launch the country's largest ever tender for renewable energy in May, with more than a third of the capacity to be allocated to New South Wales (NSW) state. The first major tender under the federal government's expanded Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) will offer support for 6GW of renewable generation capacity, with at least 2.2GW of the total set specifically to NSW, the federal and state governments said in a joint statement on 22 April. A market briefing outlining the tender process will be released in early May. A minimum of 300MW will also be exclusively allocated to projects in South Australia (SA), even though that is still subject to a final agreement between the federal and state governments. The remaining capacity will be allocated across the National Electricity Market, which apart from NSW and SA also includes Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Tenders will run every six months until 2026-27 under the expanded CIS, with up to 15 years of support for a total of 32GW . This will consist of 23GW of renewable capacity like solar, wind and hydro and 9GW of dispatchable capacity such as pumped hydro and grid-scale batteries with at least two hours of dispatch. The inclusion of generation projects in NSW in the first CIS tender will replace the state's scheduled long-term energy service agreements (LTESA) tender under its NSW Roadmap. NSW will proceed though with the LTESA tender for long-duration storage infrastructure in the second quarter of 2024, as well as processes to award access rights for its Central West Orana and South West Renewable Energy Zones. The federal government also said it plans to launch a separate tender in Western Australia in mid-2024 targeting 500MW of dispatchable capacity. By Juan Weik Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan's Jera shuts Chiba gas-fired power unit
Japan's Jera shuts Chiba gas-fired power unit
Tokyo, 22 April (Argus) — Japan's largest electricity producer by capacity Jera has shut the 360MW No.1-4 combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units at its Chiba power complex because of a technical problem. Jera closed on 22 April the CCGT units at the 4.38GW Chiba complex in east Japan's Chiba prefecture, according to a notice by Japan Electric Power Exchange (Jepx). It is unclear when the units will be brought back on line. The unexpected shutdown is likely to have limited impact on Japan's power market as the country has experienced mild weather lately that has capped power consumption. Jera consumed 16.7mn t of LNG in April-December 2023, lower by 4.8pc compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the firm's latest financial results. Japan's total power demand averaged 83GW during 15-21 April, down by 3pc from the previous week, data show from nationwide transmission system operator the Organisation for Cross-regional Co-ordination of Transmission Operators. Japan plans to add 1.1GW of thermal capacity during the week to 28 April, with the addition of 11.5GW outstripping the closure of 10.4GW, according to Argus' survey based on a Jepx notice. The difference incorporates the net increase this week in gas-fired capacity of 2GW and the net drop in coal-fired capacity of 887MW. By Reina Maeda Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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