October 2018
Written by Ivan Suarez, Portfolio Manager – Americas, Energy Council

The top headlines from October 2018 from the Latin America Clean Energy sector. Please contact Ivan Suarez if any specific topic is of particular interest to you so that he can tailor the news feed. 

Business

• YPF Luz started first-stage operations of its 100Mw wind farm in Manantiales Behr. The farm is part of a 1Gw project to operate under the MATER (non-regulated electricity market)
• Total Eren inaugurated its first project in Argentina: a 30Mw solar PV plant in San Luis Province (Caldenes del Oeste plant)

Auctions

• Argentina signed 3 contracts (solar power projects) that were selected in Renovar’s Round 2. Each of the projects – La Pirka, Ullum X and Verano Capital Solar One have an installed capacity of 100Mw and have guaranteed PPAs

Politics

• The Secretariat of Energy inaugurated a 1.7Mw PV plant in Las Lomitas. The project belongs to Latinoamericana de Energia and it is worth USD 2.12 million

Business

• Enel Green Power began the construction of a new solar facility (Sao Goncalo) in Brazil for a total capacity of 475Mw solar facility and required expenditure of USD 390 million for the project
• Statkraft signed an agreement with EDP Energias do Brasil and acquired eight operational hydropower plants (131.9Mw) in the state of Espírito Santo
• Vestas announced it will start manufacturing in the Brazilian state of Ceara. Total investment needed to develop the facilities is USD 26.16
• Goldwind took a first step into Brazil with an assembly plant after 5 years of testing the waters
• Sebigas acquired contracts for the construction of a 17.5Mw biogas plant from Raízen-Geo

Investment

• China's State Power Investment Corporation declared the institution is in talks to acquire two hydroelectric dams and thermal plants in Brazil

Politics

• Cade – Brazil’s antitrust agency approved the sale of a distribution company owned Centrais Eletricas Brasileira. This distribution company was sold by Eletrobras, and the buyers were Oliveira Energia and Atem’s Distribuidora de Petróleo
• Piaui State Government approved the start of a competitive process for the selection of contractors for eight PV projects of 5Mw each. The winning companies will build, operate, maintain and manage the solar farms

Auctions

• The Ministry of Energy communicated it would hold its first gas auction specifically towards gas-fired thermoelectric plants. The main objective is to increasing the reliability of electricity supplies as the grid grows increasingly reliant on intermittent sources.

Business

• Ienova secured another long-term solar PPA in Mexico. The production is to be sold to multinational bank Novascotia under a 15-year contract
• SMA Solar announced it surpassed 1Gw of installed solar capacity in Latin America- mainly from utility-scale installations in Mexico, Central America, South America (Brazil and Chile), and the Caribbean
• Ienova is also evaluating its participation in the upcoming government tenders for two major power transmission projects: one of the transmission infrastructures will guarantee 3,000Mw of power between Ixtepec and Yautepec. The second – led by Mexico's Energy Secretariat (SENER) will connect  1,500Mw from Hermosillo to Mexicali. Bids are scheduled on the  20^th of  November and 1^st of February, respectively

Investment

• Acciona Energy announced the company is targeting to achieve 2000Mw  of capacity in Mexico and Central America within the next 3 years
• Enel Green Power informed it is looking to invest USD 160 million. The main project to deploy is the Tlaxcala solar plant, expected to become the largest in the Americas (231.8Mw)

Colombia

• Economist Diego Mesa, a former IMF advisor was appointed Colombia's new Energy Undersecretary
• Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) completed an expansion of its gas distribution network in the northwestern Colombian department of Antioquia

Peru

• Peru authorized operational work for a 392Mw hydroelectric plant in Huallaga. Expected cost is USD 570 million. The project is being developed by Central Hidroelectrica Huallaga Hydro (Grupo Ibereolica Renovables)

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