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

Saudi Arabia’s energy major ACWA Power has announced the beginning of construction on the 100 MW Redstone concentrated solar power project following the achievement of financial close. At ZAR 11.6 billion (~$824.61 million) total investment, the Redstone project is the largest renewable energy investment in South Africa to date. The project has secured financing from leading international and South African financial institutions, including the African Development Bank, ABSA Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, and CDC Group, among others. ACWA Power’s co-shareholders in the project include the Central Energy Fund, Pele Green Energy, and the local community.

 Moro Hub, a subsidiary of the digital arm of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, has signed an agreement with Huawei to build the largest solar-powered Tier III-certified data center in the Middle East and Africa at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The new sustainable, carbon-neutral green data center will use 100% renewable energy. With a capacity exceeding 100 MW, this would be the second solar-powered green data center in Dubai launched by Moro Hub. The facility will offer digital products and services using fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, such as cloud services, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence. The center will enable global hyper-scalers to access carbon-free computing and facilitate customers to achieve their sustainability initiatives.

Commercial electric vehicle manufacturer Volta Trucks has announced its ‘Road-to-Zero Emissions’ strategy, with a manufacturing roadmap to 2025. As part of the initiative, four full-electric Volta Zero vehicles will be offered from 7.5 to 19 tonnes to materialize on the auto maker’s vision of decarbonizing the logistic industry. The firm plans to expand its product portfolio with three additional variants within the medium to lower end of the heavy-duty class. With Volta Zero models available in the 7.5-tonne, 12-tonne, 16-tonne, and 19-tonne weight categories, the company will offer a comprehensive range of full-electric commercial vehicles that have been reimagined and redesigned. Given its sustainability ambitions, Volta Trucks will adopt a network manufacturing strategy with several assembly facilities distributed across its key geographies, minimizing unnecessary transportation and cost.

Sunseap Group has announced installing green energy systems at several StorHub self-storage facilities across Singapore as part of StorHub’s decarbonization efforts. The green energy modes comprise smart air-conditioning systems, electric vehicle charging points, green roofs, and solar energy systems. The systems are split across nine of StorHub’s thirteen facilities. These solutions will help StorHub to join the fight in acting more sustainably and energy-efficient. StorHub and Sunseap’s partnership towards this goal is in line with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030, an initiative by the Singapore government aimed at sustainable development.

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund for International Development has approved a $15 million loan in favor of NMB Bank Limited in Nepal to finance micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and renewable energy projects. The loan represents the OPEC Fund’s first financial institution transaction in the country. The OPEC Fund has supported development in Nepal since the organization’s inception in 1976. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than $224 million to the country via public sector financing.

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.