The Briefing on Power

The latest news, trends and data from the power industry

In Data:

power in numbers

68%

The amount of electricity generated by European wind farms in February increased by 68% from the same period the year before.

Statistics from the Association of Issuing Bodies show European demand for renewable energy increased by 61 TWh from 2018.

16%

IHS Markit has predicted that global solar installations will decline by 16% this year due to the impact of Covid-19, down to 105GW from 125GW in 2019.

A letter has been sent to the EU by a group of 32 renewable and energy efficiency bodies, calling for anti-pandemic measures to follow the principles of the European Green Deal.

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2-3

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, Bloomberg has predicted that countries worst hit by the virus will see delays of two to three months for execution of wind projects.

in the news:

top projects kicking off this month

World Bank to provide $700m more for Pakistan hydropower project

The World Bank has agreed to provide additional financing for the Dasu Hydropower Stage I project in Pakistan. The $700m loan will fund the transmission line for the first phase of the Dasu hydropower plant. Situated along the main Indus River, the plant will have an installed capacity of 2,160MW.

OX2 and Fontavis complete 33MW Orrberget wind farm

Swedish renewable energy company OX2 and Swiss asset manager Fontavis have completed work on the Orrberget wind farm. OX2 CEO Paul Stormoen said: “We are pleased that we were able to implement another project with Fontavis. As with the Stigshöjden wind farm that was commissioned last autumn, the cooperation during the construction phase worked very well.

GCL System to build $2.54bn solar panel manufacturing plant

China-based solar manufacturer GCL System Integration Technology (GCL-SI) is reportedly planning to build a solar panel manufacturing plant with an investment of CNY18bn ($2.54bn). According to Bloomberg, the new facility will be built in eastern Hefei province and will have the capacity to make 60GW of solar panels on an annual basis.

The energy and natural resources sector is one of the most influential in the US, exerting its influence on decision-makers at every level, including at the White House, Congress and the Department of Energy (DoE). According to data coming from the US Centre for Responsive Politics, the energy industry occupies the ninth position for the amount of money spent on lobbying.