Renewable Energy News

El Paso Electric (EPE) and Newman Solar, owned by juwi solar (JSI), have signed an agreement to build a 10 MW solar energy facility in Northeast El Paso, Texas,  next to EPE's Newman Generation Station. JSI will be responsible for developing, designing, building and operating the Newman Solar project. EPE and JSI signed a 30-year PPA for 10 MW of solar photovoltaic energy in which EPE will purchase all of the solar energy, renewable energy credits and associated attributes.

NRG Solar’s Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is now operational and delivering solar electricity to California customers. At full capacity, the facility produces a gross total of 392 MW. Ivanpah is a joint effort between NRG, Google, and BrightSource Energy and Bechtel is the EPC contractor on the project. The project received a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office. The facility achieved commercial operation on December 31, 2013.

FirstEnergy completed the sale of 11 hydroelectric power stations to Harbor Hydro Holdings, a subsidiary of LS Power Equity Partners, for approximately $395 million. The two companies originally announced the sales agreement in September 2013. The hydroelectric power stations included in this sale are owned by FirstEnergy Generation, Allegheny Energy Supply and Green Valley Hydro and have a total capacity of 527 MW.

Washington Gas Energy Systems completed two solar projects: one for Western University of Health Sciences and one for Corcoran Unified School District, both located in California. Both facilities will be owned and operated by Washington Gas Energy Systems under 20-year PPAs. The solar array at Western University is a 672-kW project with a roof-mounted system composed of 2,688 solar panels. Green Energy Partners developed the project; Conergy managed EPC activities. The 1,269-kW solar array at Corcoran Unified School District consists of 4,422 solar panels.

Lockheed Martin signed a contract with Victorian Wave Partners Ltd. to begin developing the world's largest wave energy project announced to date. The 62.5-MW peak power wave energy generation project will be built off the coast of Victoria, Australia, using the PowerBuoy wave energy converter technology of Ocean Power Technologies (OPT). The project is scheduled to be built up in three stages, with the first stage producing approximately 2.5-MW peak power.

SolarReserve began commissioning the 110-MW Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, the first utility-scale facility to feature advanced molten salt power tower energy storage capabilities, located near Tonopah, Nevada. Commissioning activities include energization of the utility interconnection system and other electrical systems.

Alstom will supply 5 Haliade' 150-6 MW offshore wind turbines for Deepwater Wind's 30-MW Block Island Wind Farm located off the coast of Rhode Island. Alstom will manufacture the turbines and will provide 15 years of operation and maintenance support. The project is aligned with The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's "Smart from the Start" offshore wind program, which aims to accelerate the development of clean, renewable offshore wind along the eastern seaboard of the U.S.

Canadian Solar Solutions entered into an agreement with a fund managed by BlackRock, whereby BlackRock will acquire from Canadian Solar the 10 MW Oro-Medonte (Oro) solar power plant. The fourth utility-scale solar power plant purchased by BlackRock is located in the Township of Oro-Medonte and is scheduled to start construction in the first quarter of 2014, with commercial operation expected in the third quarter of 2014. Canadian Solar is providing turnkey EPC services to complete the project and will provide operation and maintenance services after completion.

Sunrun acquired the residential division of REC Solar, AEE Solar and SnapNrack. The companies represent Mainstream Energy's residential solar sales, design and installation; wholesale distribution; and mounting systems and hardware businesses, respectively. In the commercial market, REC Solar will continue as an independent organization under the legal name REC Solar Commercial. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association entered into a 25-year agreement with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources for a 150 MW wind power generating facility to be constructed in eastern Colorado. Under the 25-year PPA, Tri-State will purchase the entire output and associated environmental attributes of the Carousel Wind Farm. The 150-MW facility will be Tri-State's largest wind energy PPA to date.