Page 10 - AsiaElec Week 37

AsiaElec RENEWWABLES AsiaElec
Total enters China’s solar market
CHINA
TOTAL and its Chinese partner Envision Group are looking to tap into China’s huge solar poten- tial by offering off-grid energy solutions that use Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
Their 50:50 joint venture TEESS aims to build generation solar projects using Envision’s artifi- cial intelligence software for business customers across China.
TEESS is to offer its services on Envision’s AIoT Operating System EnOS software, which will allow customers to reduce energy costs, enhance safety and improve energy security at off-grid locations.
“Companies of the industrial and commer- cial sector account for approximately two thirds of Chinese power consumption. More and more industrial and commercial clients are committed to 100% renewable power. Our joint venture is there to help these clients to fulfill this target,” said Alex Sun, CEO of TEESS.
“We aim to combine our respective strengths in [the] digitalised and distributed solar energy sector, to become the No.1 choice of industrial and commercial companies in China to support and enable their renewable transition,” he added.
Envision’s EnOS system currently manages 100 GW of energy assets worldwide. Envision has established eight global technology innova- tion centres in Singapore, Denmark, Germany, the United States and Japan.
“Total is delighted to partner with Envision to enter [the] Chinese booming distributed solar energy market. As a historic player of the solar sector, we are keen on growing our footprint in low-carbon electricity in China and enable local industries to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Julien Pouget, senior vice-president of renewa- bles at Total.
As well as solar, Total is also active in the onshore wind through its Total Eren develop- ment subsidiary and has ambitions in offshore wind in the UK and France.
Total Eren has secured a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan for the sale of electricity from a 100-MW power plant in the Samarkand region.
The moves are typical of oil companies mov- ing into renewable energy in a bid to boost their green credentials. Big Oil needs to take part in the Energy Transition in order to reduce emis- sions, combat climate change and to meet gov- ernment requirements to invest in green energy.
The French government, a major Total shareowner, has publicised its green energy tar- gets and will be leaning on Total to increase its footprint in the renewables sector. Total aims to have renewables account for 15-20% of its sales by 2040 and currently runs 3GW of green gen- erating capacity.™
Tata sells off African wind interests
INDIA
INDIA’S Tata Power has divested its 50% stake in its South African wind IPP Cennergi for $106mn as it sells off non-core assets in a bid to pay down debt.
Tata’s local subsidiary Khopoli Investments sold the shares to its partner, South African coal miner Exxaro Resources, which now owns 100% of Cennergi.
“The decision to monetise this South Afri- can asset is in alignment with our stated strat- egy to deleverage the balance sheet by divesting sub-optimal-sized international assets,” said Tata Power CEO Praveer Sinha.
“The proceeds from such sale would be re-in- vested in emerging areas where there is a huge growth opportunity. The company will focus on renewable power, power distribution and ser- vice-led businesses in India,” he added.
The ZAR1.55bn (106mn) deal is still subject to approval from the South African authorities.
Since 2012, Exxaro and Tata Power have developed two major wind projects with about 230 MW of capacity in South Africa through Cennergi.
Cennergi has a 95% stake in the 134.4-MW Amakhala Emoyeni wind farm and a 75% stake in the 95.3-MW Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm.
Each project has a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the state power utility Eskom.
Cennergi will gain the rights to the two pro- jects in the Eastern Cape from the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer’s Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
“Exxaro is pleased with this opportunity to consolidate its interest in this renewable energy asset at a time in South Africa where we need energy security as we respond to increasing neg- ative sentiment towards coal-based electricity generation,” said Exxaro Resources CEO Mxol- isi Mgojo.
Exxaro is one of the country’s largest black- owned resource companies. As well as wind assets, it owns the Grootegeluk coal beneficia- tion complex and is one of the largest suppliers of coal to Eskom.™
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w w w . N E W S B A S E . c o m Week 37 17•September•2019