German solar PV subsidies will drop by 1% per month in Q3 2018

The German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur or BNetzA) will cut subsidies for solar PV projects commissioned between 1 August 2018 and 31 October 2018 by 1% per month. The BNetzA estimates that the newly solar PV added capacity (2,727 MW) is above the planned capacity expansion path of 2,500 MW. For this purpose, a slight regulation of the subsidies will be implemented and the funding rates will be adjusted to avoid overcapacity.

Germany is shifting from a subsidy-based system to an auction-based one. Since the beginning of 2017, solar and wind power projects over 750 kW have to compete in tenders in order to secure power purchase deals, as feed-in tariff (FiT) contracts are no longer available. However, projects that were approved in 2016 are still eligible.

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TEPCO targets 7 GW of renewable energy capacity in Japan and overseas

The Japanese utility Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) plans to develop between 6 GW and 7 GW new renewable energy capacity both in Japan and overseas. The group plans to focus on offshore wind power (2 GW of which to be built in Japan, including floating wind projects, and 2 GW overseas) and on hydropower operations in Japan and South East Asia.

TEPCO aims to gain a competitive advantage and will pursue new renewable energy projects instead of nuclear power. Renewables currently account for only 15% of its power output, which is less than any other Japanese power company. The company is seeking partners and expects to build its first wind park in Japan.

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Total acquires two 400 MW CCGT plants from KKR-Energas (France)

The French oil and gas company Total has acquired two gas-fired combined cycle power plants (CCGT) in France from the US-based private equity firm KKR-Energas.

The two plants have a total combined capacity of 825 MW (roughly 400 MW each) and are located in Toul (Meurthe-et-Moselle, France) and in Pont-sur-Sambre (Nord, France). They were previously sold by Verbund (Direct Energie) to KKR-Energas (Direct Energie) in 2014 for a total consideration of approximately €150m. The two assets experienced significant difficulties and their margins were squeezed by low power prices and high gas prices. Verbund considered mothballing the two plants but sold them to KKR-Energas instead.

With this acquisition, Total continues to integrate its activities along the gas and electricity value chain, from production to marketing. Once the acquisition is completed, it will have around 1.6 GW of gas-fired capacity in France and Belgium thanks to its 73% share in Direct Energie.

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AEMO expects Australia to phase out coal power in the next 20 years

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has unveiled the new Integrated System Plan for the National Electricity Market, which forecasts the likely changes that will be occurring over the next 20 years across the domestic power market. Despite the anticipated electrification of the transport sector over the next 20 years, electricity grid demand will flatten, due to the growth of solar rooftop PV installations and energy storage coupled with energy efficiency efforts.

Existing coal-fired power plants that generate around 70 TWh/year - one third of the NEM's demand - will continue operating until the end of their operational life (by 2040 at the latest) as it would be uneconomical to retire them before the end of their operational lifespan. Replacing them later on with renewables - whose costs are falling -, gas-fired capacity, distributed generation capacity and energy storage systems (including pumped-storage) would be more cost efficient.

The domestic power grid will shift to a more decentralised system model: 28 GW of solar, 10.5 GW of wind, 17 GW of storage and 500 MW of flexible gas-fired generation will be set up along with a significant upgrade of the domestic power transmission system.

More energy news: https://goo.gl/JX6nho
For more detailed analysis and energy data on Australia and over 100 countries worldwide, try our Global Energy Research service: https://goo.gl/ViGPaJ

Israel passes law to break-up monopoly of state-run power utility IEC

The Israeli cabinet has passed a law approved by the government in June 2018 which opens the domestic power sector to competition for private electricity producers and breaks up the monopoly held by the state-run power utility Israel Electric Corporation (IEC). This is the final chapter of a reform which began in May 2018, when IEC, the government and the main trade union Histadrut agreed to launch the process.

IEC has been managing the domestic power supply chain for decades but has agreed to sell five of its power plants over the next five years and will set up a new subsidiary for the development of two new power stations projects, which are yet to be built. IEC's system management and planning unit will be sold to another government-owned company, but the state power utility will retain its power distribution monopoly. However supply will be gradually opened to competition.

In recent years, the Israeli power generation market has been opened to competition and independent power producers (IPPs), such as Edeltech, IC Power or Dalia Power Energies, operate more than 3 GW, i.e. more than 20% of the total installed capacity.

More energy news: https://goo.gl/JX6nho

Enerdata's free online applications: EnerOutlook and Yearbook

EnerOutlook

EnerOutlook fossil fuel prices up to 2040

EnerOutlook is a free online interactive data software which enables you to browse data through intuitive maps and graphs, for a visual analysis of the expected long-term trends in the energy industry.

These can be viewed globally and by world region. The interface provides robust forecasts on energy supply and demand as well as information on fossil fuel prices, renewable energies and CO2 emissions.

This application is an excerpt of the complete EnerFuture global forecast service based on the POLES model.

Global Energy Statistical Yearbook 

Global Energy Statistical Yearbook interactive map

The Global Energy Statistical Yearbook is Enerdata's free online application that displays global energy statistics through an interactive interface with maps and graphs. Browse the latest data (last update: 2018) by region, energy and year; compare and benchmark countries; and download data series to integrate to your model. 

The Yearbook provides statistics on : 

• production, consumption and trade of oil, gas, coal, power and renewables;
• CO2 emissions from fuel combustion;
• covering 60 countries and regions throughout the world;
• including updated data until 2017.