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Renewables

31 October 2019

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Cambodia

Cambodia has more to fear than most nations from the impending climate crisis. A 2015 United Nations report predicted that Cambodia would be the world’s ninth-most vulnerable nation for natural disasters brought on by rising temperatures – mainly in the form of the droughts and floods that have become an all-too-common occurrence in the Kingdom, costing lives and livelihoods every year.

And even when it’s not a matter of life and death, the stakes are still high. Last dry season, Cambodia was rocked by rolling blackouts brought on by low water in the hydrodam reservoirs and higher than expected electricity demands from new developments. In total, Cambodia was short 400MW. For the countless small business owners as well as larger manufacturers driving Cambodia’s booming economy, the losses were incalculable.

Cambodia certainly seems to be betting on a bright future. In the past year, the total amount of installed solar rose to 120MW

But while the government has moved to secure a series of power purchase agreements with neighbouring countries, much of the energy generated by these negotiations will not come online for as long as five years. Instead, the Kingdom is increasingly looking at shorter-term solutions to its energy needs – ones that can power Cambodia’s development without driving further climate collapse that could haunt the nation for decades to come.

And Cambodia certainly seems to be betting on a bright future. In the past year, the total amount of installed solar rose to 120MW, at least 30MW of which came in the form of rooftop solar systems. Chief among this push has been the installation of a massive 30,000 grid-tied panels from Chip Mong Insee Cement ranging from curved rooftop panels to those designed to float on water.

Perhaps even more significant than this infrastructure development has been the progress towards clarifying a regulatory framework for solar generation. In January 2018, the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) enacted a set of regulations allowing consumers to install their own solar power systems. Medium- and high-voltage consumers will be able to install systems while still being connected to the national grid – provided that they generate less than 50% of the capacity they have agreed to buy from the national provider. The EAC has announced new tariffs to start in 2021 for industrial and commercial customers that set monthly peak demand charges and kWh price. This will improve the case for rooftop solar projects. As far as next steps go, a future development that could help significantly would be regulation around a feed-in-tariff – that is, a price on electricity supplied back into the grid. Here, Cambodia would be building on the success that such guarantee in other ASEAN countries including Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Indeed, solar power is fast taking off in the Kingdom. Last month, four solar projects with a combined capacity of 140 MW were approved by the Council of Ministers across Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Svay Rieng. This brings the total amount of large scale solar projects that are either built, under construction or approved to 410MW. By comparison the total generation capacity in Cambodia in 2018 was 2,208MW.

The arguments for solar power as a solution to Cambodia’s energy woes are strong. Above all is price – Cambodia’s first solar auction set an electricity price at $0.03877/kWh
– according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a record low for Southeast Asia, and less than half the cost of coal power.

ADB office of public-private partnerships director Siddharta Shah said that the tender’s success showed the sheer power of competition.

“This is a new era for renewable energy development in Cambodia and the region, and particularly for solar power generation,” he said. “This is good news for EDC and the people of Cambodia. We believe more governments in the region will adopt auctions as a strategy to procure renewable energy generation capacity and this structure and tariff will serve as a benchmark for future projects.”

“This is a new era for renewable energy development in Cambodia and the region, and particularly for solar power generation”

And it’s not just cheaper – it’s cleaner. Renewable energy such as solar power releases no direct carbon emissions, while coal and fossil fuels contribute significantly to sulphur-oxide and nitrogen-oxide pollution linked to more than 7,000 deaths every year.

As good as clean energy is for the planet, it’s good news as well for workers. A renewables-led pathway proposed by McKinsey and Company for neighbouring Vietnam was projected to create more than twice as many jobs as the current emphasis.

And for a nation like Cambodia that has struggled to meet the energy demands of its citizens, the speed with which solar panels can be installed and scaled up makes it a quick fix for the dry-season blackouts have struck the Kingdom in past years.

Experts say that solar power can offset the dry-season limitations of the nation’s hydropower dams

Not that solar power doesn’t come with its own challenges – as you might guess, it tends to falter when the sun stops shining. Fortunately, Cambodia is in a uniquely strong position to pair its burgeoning solar power capacity with its existing hydropower infrastructure.

During the dry season, solar reigns supreme: Cambodia has almost six peak sunlight hours a day and an average solar irradiation of 5.0 kWh/m2 per day, placing it among the world’s top solar resources. When the water level runs low in dry season, solar power can run during the day, with hydropower taking over at night. Here, even more efficiencies can be made: when floating solar panels are installed directly on the reservoir, no storage is needed, as the energy from them can be fed directly into the dam’s system and on into the grid.

“Mini-grids are now one of the core solutions for closing the energy access gap… we are working with countries to mobilise public and private investment”

For remote areas without access to the national grid, renewable energy mini-grids using batteries have proved a viable option – namely, small renewable energy systems that do not need to be connected to the rest of the country. These are typically composed of a source of renewable energy – such as solar, wind, biomass or hydropower – combined with batteries, a diesel generator or both.

Ricardo Puliti, a senior director of energy and extractives at the World Bank, said that these self-contained systems were ideal for nations such as Cambodia that still fell short of providing equal access to energy regardless of location.

“Mini-grids are now one of the core solutions for closing the energy access gap… we are working with countries to actively mobilise public and private investment,” he said.

While Cambodia’s recent foray into wind and solar power to shore up its long-running reliance on hydropower dams is promising, there is no single solution to the challenges brought on by a warming world. Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis energy finance analyst told the ASEAN Post that renewable energy solutions were giving government’s across the region the power to take their energy needs into their own hands.

“Solar, wind, run-of-river hydro, geothermal, biogas, and storage are competitive, viable domestic options that can be combined to create a cheaper, more diverse and secure energy system,” she said.

Renewables

79% of Filipinos back nuke energy

31 October 2019

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Philippines

ABOUT 79 percent of Filipinos have signified their support for nuclear power as another source of energy for the Philippines, according to a survey commissioned by the Department of Energy (DoE).

The agency had tapped research company Social Weather Stations for the conduct of a nationwide survey to gauge public opinion on adopting a nuclear energy program.

The survey aimed to determine who the strongest endorser of the idea for the Philippines to go nuclear would be, as well as the reaction of the people to items in the survey concerning nuclear energy.

The DoE survey, with a sample size of 4,250 respondents, covered thousands of respondents from all regions of the Philippines.

In a speech, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi reported that 79 percent of Filipinos favor nuclear power.

“Sinasabi sa survey (The survey revealed that) 79 percent would follow or would believe the decision of the President. Pinakamalaking (The biggest) endorser [of] nuclear [energy] would be President [Rodrigo] Duterte,” Cusi said during the hand-over ceremony for the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“The only problem is that [they] do not want to have a nuclear power plant in [their] own backyard,” he added, referring to the respondents.

The Energy department has adopted a technology-neutral approach to tap all available energy resources, including nuclear, to ensure uninterrupted, secure, reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity across the archipelago.

The DoE, through the Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organization (Nepio), crafted and submitted the proposed national policy, as well as executive order on the adoption of nuclear energy.

On Wednesday, the Energy department received the Official Phase 1 Mission Report of the INIR Mission.

The report contains the IAEA’s initial findings on the country’s existing good practices, improvements undertaken, as well as the agency’s recommendations and suggestions for the DoE- Nepio’s preparation of the Integrated Work Plan.

The work plan will answer all IAEA concerns should the government decide to pursue the utilization of nuclear power as a potential source of energy for the country.

The IAEA conducts such activities to assist its member states in evaluating the status of the 19 infrastructure requirements for the development of a national infrastructure for nuclear power.

These requirements are national position, nuclear safety, management, funding and financing, legal framework, safeguards, radiation protection, regulatory framework, electrical grid, human resource development, stakeholder involvement, site and supporting facilities, environmental protection, emergency planning, nuclear security, nuclear fuel cycle, radioactive waste management, and industrial involvement and procurement.

Others

Report: Water-fueled electric car prototype to be built in Malaysia by year’s end

31 October 2019

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Malaysia

KUCHING: Even before Malaysia’s flying car has lifted off, a news report yesterday said an automobile project has been launched in Peninsular Malaysia to develop an electric car that could be powered by water.

Malay-daily Berita Harian reported that the prototype of the electric car, which is integrated with hydrogen fuel cells that uses water as an alternative power source, could be produced by year’s end.

The project under the Hydrogen Integrated Electric Race Car Programme (HyPER) is being developed by NanoMalaysia Bhd, Handal Energy Solutions Sdn Bhd, Pulsar UAV Sdn Bhd (Pulsar), MNA Energy Sdn Bhd (MNA Energy) and Wheelspin Motorsports, in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

NanoMalaysia was incorporated in 2011 as a company limited by guarantee under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry for the commercialisation of nanotechnology.

Its chief operating officer Mohamad Hafiz Zolkipli told Berita Harian in Kuala Lumpur that under the 11th Malaysia Plan, they had invested RM500,000 in the programme.

“We expect the car to be ready by year’s end. It is expected to enter the next testing phase followed by its marketing to gain investors by early next year.

“Potentially, this car can be developed within five years as we noticed that other countries have started this initiative. Therefore, there is no reason for Malaysia to be left out,” he said in an interview.

Mohamad Hafiz explained that the car was essentially electric-powered as the main power source was stored in ultra-capacitors using nano graphite technology and lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries.

As such, he said consumers in the city had easy access to the power supply to charge the car in just a few minutes, while the fuel cell was used to generate additional power or more torque during acceleration.

“In situations where the car cannot be charged or there is no access to electricity, consumers can turn to hydrogen for its main power source as it is fueled by water.

“Usually other fuel cells require the supply of hydrogen made available, but HyPER is developed through its own ability to generate hydrogen using a mixture of water and other chemical catalysts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prototype of the much anticipated Malaysian flying car is expected to be launched by the end of the year, Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof told the recent Parliament sitting.

He said the project was led by the private sector and spons

Renewables

Building the Next Phase of Growth in Southeast Asia Around Renewable Energy

31 October 2019

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ASEAN

It is one of the fastest growing and dynamic regions in the world. A global trade hub and a strong example of the benefits of regional cooperation, Southeast Asia promises to emerge as one the most successful economic development stories of the 21^st century. To fulfill its full potential however, the region should turn decisively to renewables to meet rising energy demand.

IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera will reinforce the importance of a low-carbon energy path in Southeast Asia at the Singapore International Energy Week 2019 (SIEW) this week. With energy consumption expected to double by 2040 meeting rising demands with secure, affordable and clean supply may be one of the most important priorities the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), face today.

In a keynote address at SIEW IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera will outline a pathway to prosperity bolstered by low-carbon technologies. With the event taking place under the theme of “Accelerating Energy Transformation” the Director General’s opening keynote highlighted that renewables are the only way to meet rising demand whilst reducing emissions, noting that the transformation can be done cost-effectively and with significant benefits to ASEAN.

The Director-General will point to recent auctions in the region that have seen bids below the cost of generating power from gas and that would, until just a few days ago, have made global records. Noting global trends that have seen renewables move from what was once a luxury just a decade ago, to now being seen as the lowest-cost source of new power generation in a growing number of contexts. IRENA believes renewables will compete with any fossil fuel in Southeast Asia by 2025.

In an op-ed published ahead of SIEW Mr. La Camera addressed the notion of cheap coal. He said that powering growth with fossil fuels – particularly coal – is unlikely to be the least cost option if externalities such as health and the consequences of climate change are factored in to economic projections. This is against a backdrop of the Asian Development Bank’s forecast that Southeast Asia’s GDP could shrink by 11 per cent by the end of the century due to climate change. In this context, the Director-General points out, coal is almost certainly not the least expensive power generation option.

Beyond the Director-General’s keynote speeches a new IRENA report on the decarbonisation of shipping will be presented at the Global Maritime Forum. The report, entitled: “Navigating the way to a renewable future: Solutions to decarbonise shipping“, explores the impact of maritime shipping on CO₂ emissions, characterises the shipping sector and identifies various clean energy solutions with the potential to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint. International shipping represents around 9 per cent of the global emissions associated with the transport sector, thus making the reduction of maritime emissions key to achieving climate goals.

To the ministers, business leaders and leading industry officials of Southeast Asia, the Agency’s message is that it’s possible to accelerate the speed of transformation and to meet climate and sustainable development goals, with renewables. Long-term policy decisions and a significant increase in investment flows should align with the region’s stated goal to scale up the share of renewables in primary energy to 23 per cent of by 2025. In its going commitment to ASEAN energy transformation, IRENA stands ready to support.

Energy Economy

Green finance for renewable energy

31 October 2019

–

Vietnam

NDO – As part of the strategy of sustainable national development, prioritizing capital sources for customers, who are investing in green production, environment-friendly production and renewable energy (RE) sectors is extremely important.

According to Simon James, Climate Change and Energy Adviser at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Vietnam, in order to meet electricity demands, in the period of 2016-2030, Vietnam needs an investment capital of about US$7.8 billion to US$9.6 billion per year. Consequently, under any scenario of electricity growth, with billions of dollars of capital each year, domestic capital is difficult to meet demand.

According to experts, the process of shifting the energy structure in Vietnam, from traditional energy sources to renewable energy sources, is a “golden opportunity” to attract investment, resulting in a huge demand for credit capital. This is considered as a opportune time for businesses to access green credit source for RE projects. An advantage now is that the investment costs of RE projects are decreasing, especially for solar power projects. It is estimated that the cost of constructing a solar or wind power plant will gradually be cheaper than the investment of a coal-fired power project. The motivation for investors of RE projects is the preferential credit interest rate; be given priority in terms of premises; tax exemptions; and signing a long-term power purchase agreement with Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

Marlon Apanada, Managing Director Allotrope Partners (Philippines), said that the total value of outstanding loans of green and sustainable bonds of ASEAN region increased to US$1.6 billion. In which, 81% of green bonds of ASEAN region have good prospects. Therefore, businesses have a lot of opportunities to access capital for RE projects from the green credit source.

According to many businesses, although there are more prospects and favorable conditions than before, currently, RE projects still face many difficulties in raising capital, especially for projects with fast construction time such as solar power projects.

Meanwhile, the time for appraising and approving loan documents of banks, especially banks that provide green credit from sources of international financial institutions, is often prolonged. Although renewable energy investment and development project costs have decreased significantly, it is still generally high compared to traditional energy investment, especially for projects using advanced technology.

In addition, the RE sector in Vietnam is newly developed, requiring a long payback period, large investment costs and high risks, so it is necessary to have incentives on term and loan costs. While capital mobilised by credit institutions is usually short-term.

Currently, banks have begun to gradually increase the proportion of green credit – credit for RE development, however, the efficiency has not been achieved as expected because the investment capital in this field requires long payback period, large investment costs; high risk and potential bad debt. At the same time, the complicated technical appraisal of RE projects – a very new field in Vietnam, is also a huge obstacle, leading to limited green credit.

it can be said that the development of green economic sectors requires comprehensive solutions from the government, ministries and branches; mechanisms on tax, fee, capital, technical, market, planning and development strategies for each sector and field. Therefore, in order to provide long-term credits and preferential interest rates for green industries, the credit institutions need be supported to access long-term capital sources, incentives or loan sharing mechanism.

Therefore, according to experts, in order to promote RE development strongly, the State Bank of Vietnam needs to promote the leading role to continue implementing credit policies in order to promote the operation of credit institutions towards the green growth. It is necessary to solve complicated and time-consuming appraisal processes in banks and improve the attractiveness of projects submitted by project investors.

Energy-Climate & Environment

Far more people at risk of rising seas than feared: Climate study

30 October 2019

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ASEAN

LONDON: Climate change will put three times more people at risk of coastal flooding by 2050 than previously thought, according to a study published on Tuesday (Oct 29), with swathes of Asia and cities in North America and Europe all vulnerable to rising seas.

The research by Climate Central, a US-based non-profit climate science and news organisation, underscored the scale of the upheaval projected to unfold as global warming increasingly threatens some of the world’s most densely populated regions.

The study found that 300 million people are now living on land that is likely to flood at least once a year on average by mid-century without adequate sea defences, even if governments manage to make sharp cuts in emissions.

Earlier estimates had put that figure at about 80 million.

The authors said they had used artificial intelligence to correct systematic errors in a previous dataset that had suggested many inhabited coastal zones were at higher elevations – and thus safer – than they actually are.

“We now understand that the threat from sea-level rise and coastal flooding is far greater than we previously thought,” said Benjamin Strauss, chief executive of Climate Central and co-author of the three-year study.

“It’s also true that the benefits from cutting climate pollution are far greater than we previously thought – this changes the whole benefit-cost equation,” Strauss told Reuters.

ASIAN CITIES UNDER SIEGE

The study found that more than 70 per cent of the world’s population currently living on land at risk are located in eight Asian countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

According to the coastal risk screening tool on the Climate Central website, Bangkok, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh are under particular threat, with these Southeast Asian cities projected to fall below annual flood level by 2050.

Bangkok sea level rise modelling — Land in and around Bangkok projected to be lower than local sea-level and/or coastal flood projection by 2050. (Screengrab: Climate Central, Coastal Risk Screening Tool)

Continued high carbon emissions, along with instability in the Antarctic, could lead to land currently occupied by roughly one-third of Bangladesh’s and Vietnam’s populations permanently falling below the high tide line by the end of the century.

Even with deep cuts to carbon emissions, data from the study showed that Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam could face high tide lines above land now home to 19 per cent, 17 per cent and 26 per cent of their respective populations.

Ho Chi Minh City sea level rise — Land in and around Ho Chi Minh City projected to be lower than local sea-level and/or coastal flood projection by 2050. (Screengrab: Climate Central, Coastal Risk Screening Tool)

The threat that advancing seas will overwhelm the ability of countries to build coastal defences and force many millions of people to migrate has long been regarded as one of the most potentially destabilising impacts of the climate crisis.

The risks were underlined last month when the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a landmark report on oceans that said sea levels could rise by one metre by 2100 – ten times the rate in the 20th century – if carbon emissions keep climbing.

A man carrying lunch boxes walks in water as roads are flooded due to heavy rain in Dhaka, Bangladesh July 26, 2017. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/

Even if governments manage some curbs on emissions, the new study, published in Nature Communications, said that about 237 million people spread across China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand are likely to face annual flooding by mid-century, unless they establish adequate sea defences.

By 2100, if emissions continue unchecked, and ice sheets rapidly disintegrate, then land where 250 million people now live in those six countries will fall below the waterline at high tide – putting almost five times more people at risk than assessments based on previous elevation data had found.

The study, which found that today’s dykes, sea walls and levees already allow 110 million people to live below the high tide line, did not factor in the impact of these or possible future defences, the authors said, citing a lack of data.

A woman directs traffic on a flooded road after typhoon Wipha in Hanoi, Vietnam August 4, 2019. REUTERS/Kham/

Although a certain amount of sea-level rise is baked into the climate system due to a legacy of past carbon emissions, rapid cuts in greenhouse gas pollution now could steer the world away from worse coastal flooding by century’s end, the study found.

The authors urged governments to urgently conduct surveys to find out how feasible it might be to hold back the rising waters as well as take action to reverse carbon emissions, which hit a record high last year.

“We don’t know whether today’s coastal defences will be sufficient for tomorrow’s sea levels,” Strauss said. “Every day of warning we’ve had for a hurricane saves lives and property. Every decade counts in preparing for sea-level rise.”

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/far-more-people-at-risk-of-rising-seas-than-feared-climate-study-12045180

Renewables

New solar targets ‘good start’, but unlikely to have significant impact, say experts

30 October 2019

–

Singapore

SINGAPORE – A recent announcement to ramp up Singapore’s solar energy production by 2030 is a step in the right direction, but the new targets are still too low to have much of an impact in the fight against climate change or on consumers’ electricity bills, experts said.

On Tuesday (Oct 29), Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing announced that Singapore now aims to produce at least 2 gigawatt-peak (GWp) of solar energy by 2030.

This is more than five times the target that the Republic previously set, of producing 350 megawatt-peak (MWp) of solar energy by 2020, which it is on track to meet, he said.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that carbon emissions need to be drastically reduced by 2050 to keep global warming below 2°C — failing which there will be disastrous effects on global economies and societies — and one way to do that is through the use of more green energy such as solar power.

Professor Anthony Owen, a principal fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Energy Studies Institute, said Tuesday’s announcement is a good step towards greening the Republic’s energy sector, but it will likely have “very little” significance for the climate as the solar targets are “so small by global standards”.

“However, in principle it’s a good start,” said Prof Owen, whose research interests include environmental impact of alternative power generation technologies.

Read also: Singapore to ramp up solar energy production, with 1 in 2 HDB rooftops having solar panels by 2020

Agreeing, Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, executive director of Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute, said that 2 GWp of solar energy represents only a small percentage of Singapore’s electricity demand.

According to this year’s energy consumption statistics from the Energy Market Authority, solar power currently meets less than 1 per cent of the country’s energy demand.

The new targets will represent about 4 per cent of Singapore’s current total electricity demand.

Read also: Sembcorp, Singapore Polytechnic team up to develop pilot solar panel recycling plant

Added Prof Subodh: “It is unlikely, even by 2050, that we will be in a situation where we have more electricity (generated) by solar than what we need.”

MINOR PRICE FALLS

The addition of more green energy to Singapore’s power grid may reduce the demand for electricity generated by non-renewable sources such as natural gas, but experts warned that this might not necessarily lead to drastic reductions in household electricity bills.

Read also: Student’s lightbulb moment leads to installation of solar panels on school’s roof

Solar is one of the cheapest sources of electricity today, noted Ms Kohe Hasan, a specialist energy and commodities lawyer at law firm Reed Smith.

For example, a new 60-megawatt solar farm project in Cambodia has announced a tariff rate of 3.877 US cents (5.283 Singapore cents) per kilowatt hour, the lowest power purchase tariff recorded in Southeast Asia, she said.

“It is hoped that in increasing (solar’s) contribution towards Singapore’s energy mix from less than 1 per cent to about 4 per cent, there will be a concomitant reduction in the tariff rate,” she said.

Prof Owen, however, expressed his doubts that this would happen.

He acknowledged that rooftop solar “effectively reduces market demand” for electricity during daylight hours, which consequently means that wholesale price of electricity should fall at these times.

But, he also pointed out that there are various factors that affect the operation and price-bidding behaviour of natural gas facilities.

“I would expect, on balance, that any retail price falls would be minor,” he said.

GOING BEYOND SOLAR

Singapore is working on ways to maximise the number of solar panels that can be deployed here, but space will remain an issue in this land-scarce country, experts noted.

One solution Mr Chan alluded to in his speech on Tuesday is the Asean Power Grid, an initiative conceptualised in the late 1990s that could see greater electricity integration in the region using renewable energy.

“Today in Southeast Asia, some countries have an abundance of hydro and other renewables,” said Mr Chan. “If we can connect the regional grid, it will provide greater resilience and stability for the entire system.”

Ms Kohe said that this is a feasible solution as cross-border power grid connections “could relieve burdens” related to excess power generation capacity.

However, she stressed that this is dependent on participating parties agreeing to support one another and work together to deal with technical issues, such as synchronising the various countries’ respective grids.

She added: “(The Asean Power Grid) offers the dual benefits of stronger energy and economic ties among member states, and the expansion of Asean’s influence in the global economy and environment.”

Meanwhile, Prof Subodh believes that a better alternative would be a future where solar energy is used to contribute to the production of hydrogen.

He said that hydrogen is the “ultimate clean fuel”, especially if it is “green hydrogen” generated from renewable energy sources that have zero carbon footprint.

Hydrogen itself, he said, produces water as a by-product when it is burnt.

Mixing hydrogen with natural gas would require little physical infrastructure changes, and it will also “burn a lot cleaner” than just natural gas alone.

He added that safety should not be something to be concerned about if a dedicated hydrogen power plant is ever built in the future. Prof Subodh explained that unlike natural gas, hydrogen is not combustible on its own.

“If we can handle LNG (liquid natural gas), we can handle hydrogen,” he said.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/new-solar-targets-good-start-unlikely-have-significant-impact-says-experts

Renewables

Helios Energy to build 110-MW solar park Uzbekistan

30 October 2019

–

Thailand

October 30 (Renewables Now) – Thai solar company Helios Energy Co has signed an agreement with the Ministry for Innovative Development of Uzbekistan to build a 110-MW solar plant in the region of Sirdarya.

Helios Energy has agreed to oversee the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work on the project, which involves the installation of about 220,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels across an 80-acre site.

The company said in a statement that this solar plant will supply power to a hotel and casino complex already under construction in the region. It expects to begin cable laying activities early next year and have the plant up and running by late 2023.

Just a month earlier, Helios Energy announced a similar deal for the construction of a 40-MW solar park in the economic free zone of the city of Namangan, eastern Uzbekistan. Now, the company unveiled it has a memorandum of intent with the Uzbek government to expand the Namangan site to a total of 360 MW. Moreover, it has two fixed rate power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 590 MW in Thailand.

Uzbekistan has pledged to develop up to 5 GW of solar capacity by 2030, Helios Energy noted.

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