Daily News Wrap-Up: Iberdrola Looks to Invest in Innovative Agri Solar Solutions

BEAM launches first integrated green building cloud data platform in Hong Kong

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Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:

Spanish electric utility company Iberdrola group is looking for low-cost and environment-friendly solutions to combine the roll-out of photovoltaic projects and agricultural activities in rural areas in a sustainable way. The group plans to invest €150 billion (~$182.17) by 2030, raising its renewable capacity to 95 GW by the end of the decade. Through its international startup program – PERSEO — Iberdrola is launching a challenge to identify competitive and innovative solutions that allow combining solar photovoltaic plants with activities related to agriculture, horticulture, livestock, fish-farming, or bee-keeping in such a way that they improve land use.

Eelectric power holding company Duke Energy’s 5 MW solar project – the company’s first that will be located on a retired county landfill – in Buncombe County received approval from North Carolina regulators. Duke Energy will own and operate the project. The plant is expected to be in service by the end of 2021 and will produce enough energy annually to power about 1,000 homes and businesses. This project will reportedly allow the county to reach nearly 20% of its renewable goal with locally sourced clean energy.

Gujarat-based Shivman Wind Energy Private Limited’s arm Opera Energy has been awarded a grant by The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to develop clean and renewable energy in India. USTDA’s investment will fund a feasibility study to assess resource and simulation, storage, wind-solar forecasting, and environmental impact of a 300 MW wind-solar hybrid project with battery storage in Dwarka, Gujarat. USTDA’s engagement with the regional company is expected to create export opportunities for U.S. suppliers of batteries, expand energy access in partner countries, and promote trade relations between India and the U.S.

Spectra Solar Park Limited, a joint venture between Bangladeshi Spectra Group and Chinese Shunfeng Investments Limited, has developed a 35 MW solar project at Shibalaya Upazila in Manikganj, Bangladesh. The project received $15 million financial support from the Asian Development Bank. Sungrow Power Supply was the engineering, procurement, and construction collaborator for the initiative. The project went into commercial operation, supplying electricity to the national grid in March this year. Bangladesh Power Development Board will purchase electricity from this independent power producer project at a rate of TK 11.12/kWh ($0.13) under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Srinwanti is a copy editor at Mercom India, where she writes and edits news stories across the clean energy spectrum. Prior to Mercom, she has worked in book publishing at Macmillan Publishing House and Integra and honed her editorial and writing skills in both online and print media such as Reuters, Times Group Books, The Times of India, and Pune Mirror, covering local to international stories. More articles from Srinwanti Das.

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