Energy Transition Update

Multiple economies and large businesses are working together to construct and operate large-scale projects that produce green fuels.

ThisWeekinFM Guest Editor, Daniel Lynn, has collected a selection of global news items that exemplifies the collaborative efforts between big business and national governments which aims to introduce an international clean energy transition. 

UK

Scotland based SSE Renewables and OCU Energy are working together to deliver a 150MW battery storage project in Warrington, north-west England. Construction will begin before summer.  

The UK government will offer £800 million to support new offshore wind farms. This financial package is triple the amount of capital incentives offered in the previous round of CfD offshore wind auctions that failed to attract a single bid.  

German multinational energy company Uniper has revealed plans to produce and distribute green hydrogen using a 120MW electrolyser. Uniper will manufacture green hydrogen at their Killingholme site located in the north-east Humber region.  

Europe 

Enova is allocating 2 billion kroner (€175m) towards the 75MW GoliatVIND floating offshore wind project located at Hammerfest, Norway. Once constructed the Hammerfest region will receive clean energy. 

French clean energy company Neoen has been awarded seven solar projects totalling 119MW in the latest round of tenders held by the French government. Construction of all solar farms aim to be completed between 2024 and 2028. 

Norwegian state-owned clean energy company Statkraft will invest in between 44 billion 67 billion kroner ($4.1-$6.3 billion) in Norwegian hydro and wind projects in the coming years.  

Asia/Pacific 

Denmark based renewable energy company European Energy has begun construction on a 56MW solar farm located in Victoria, southeast Australia. Physical assembly of the solar farm is expected to be completed by 2025.  

Dublin based clean energy company Mainstream Renewable Power will assist in developing two onshore wind farms with a combined power generation capacity of 440MW in the Philippines. 

SSE Pacifico, the Japanese wing of Scottish based SSE renewables aims to construct and develop a combined 6GW of offshore wind projects in the coming Japanese auctions. Japan has ambitions to construct and operate 10GW of new offshore wind facilities by 2030.    

North America 

Strata Clean Energy has generated $559 million of financing for the construction of the Scatter Wash battery and storage facility in Arizona. The complex aims to be operational by 2025. The Scatter Wash complex is capable of storing enough electricity for 50,000 people during peak summer conditions for 20 years.  

State-owned Danish wind company Orsted will offload US onshore wind projects with a combined capacity of 957MW to investment organization Stonepeak for $300 million. The deal will see Orsted continuing to operate each facility whilst Stonepeak will receive 80% of cash distributions associated with the projects.  

Canadian clean power group Concord Green Energy has acquired the 61MW Joffre solar facility in Alberta, Canada, from German solar power company Goldbeck Solar. The Joffre Solar installation has been operational since December 2023 and is capable of supplying 12,000 domiciles with clean power.