Page 8 - AsiaElec Week 34 2021

AsiaElec RENEWABLES AsiaElec

China Three Gorges buys

into MENA green markets

ASIA CHINA Three Gorges has bought Alcazar “We are proud of what we have achieved at
Energy Partners’ (AEP) renewables portfolios in Alcazar Energy Partners with the support of our
Egypt and Jordan as the Chinese giant expands investors, lenders and local governments over
into the Middle East and North Africa. the past six years. In this short period of time,
China Three Gorges South Asia Investment we have built the MENA region’s leading devel-
Ltd (CSAIL) and a group of Chinese investors oper and producer of renewable energy. Our
has bought the Dubai-based independent power plants have helped develop the renewable energy
producer (IPP), which over five years has built industry in Jordan and Egypt powering 275,000
up seven wind and solar projects in Jordan and households and saving over 15.6mn tonnes
Egypt with 411 MW of capacity. of CO2,” said Daniel Calderon, co-founder
Alcazar Energy Partners is backed by and chief executive officer of Alcazar Energy
BluStone Management and DASH Ventures, Partners.
as well as the IFC, the IFC’s Catalyst Funds and CSAIL is owned by China Three Gorges
Mubadala Infrastructure Partners. Since its Corp, while the IFC and the Silk Road Fund also
establishment in 2014, the company has mobi- hold stakes. The deal is its first in the Middle East
lised in excess of $700mn in debt and equity. and North Africa, although in 2020 it acquired
The MENA region’s renewable energy sector a 500-MW portfolio in Spain from developer
is exposed to strong structural growth trends, X-Elio.
with 157 GW of renewable energy capacity and China Three Gorges owns 75 GW of energy
additional $175bn anticipated to be invested in assets worldwide, although that consists mostly
the next ten years, AEL said. of hydro capacity in China, most of which is too
The deal could pave the way for further Chi- large to be regarded as renewable.™
nese purchases of green interests in the Middle
East.

MingYang launches 16-MW offshore turbine

CHINA CHINESE wind turbine manufacturer Ming- 11.0-203.
Yang Smart Energy has launched the prototype The nacelle weight of the MySE 16.0-242
of its new MySE 16.0-242, the world’s largest is competitively low at less than 37 tonnes per
hybrid drive wind turbine, with a nameplate MW, the company said. Compared to a heavier
capacity of 16 MW. nacelle, its modest head mass allows for more
MingYang said the MySE 16.0-242, which efficient use of the tower and foundation con-
was recently certified by DNV and China Gen- struction, resulting in fewer purchased materials
eral Certification Centre (CGC) for design, is and logistics.
scheduled for full prototype rollout in 2022. This According to MingYang, the MySE 16.0-
will be followed by prototype installation in the 242 is the start of the company’s new 15+MW
first half of 2023 and commercial production in offshore product platform. In the future, this is
the first half of 2024. planned to grow into a portfolio of model vari-
The MySE 16.0-242 is designed for high-wind ants that can adapt to various offshore settings,
IEC IB including typhoon-class IEC TC, and ranging from the typhoon-prone South China
features a 242-metre diameter rotor, 118-metre Sea to the constantly windy North Sea in Europe.
long blades, and a 46,000-square metre swept Qiying Zhang, president and CTO of Min-
area. gYang Smart Energy, said: “The launch of our
A single MySE 16.0-242 turbine can generate new largest wind turbine, MySE 16.0-242, is an
80,000 MWh of electricity every year, enough to apt illustration of the three essential drivers to
power more than 20,000 households, according technology evolution – demand, combination
to MingYang. It produces 45% more energy than and iteration.”™
MingYang’s previous turbine model, the MySE

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 34 25•August•2021