Headline: Strengthening Leadership: How Mentorship Supports Women in Wind Energy
Suzlon Group is among the world’s leading renewable energy solutions provider that is revolutionising and redefining the way sustainable energy sources are harnessed across the world. Presence in 17 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, Suzlon is powering a greener tomorrow with its strong competencies in renewable energy systems. Suzlon’s extensive range of robust and reliable products backed by its cutting-edge R&D and more than two decades of expertise are designed to ensure optimum performance, higher yields and maximum return on investment for the customers.
Sustainable development is the creed that underpins Suzlon’s bespoke initiatives to protect the environment, strengthen communities and propel responsible growth. Suzlon is headquartered at One Earth – Pune, which is a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) certified and GRIHA 5 star rated campus and is also among the greenest corporate campuses in the world.
Special Campaign 4.0 has been launched by Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) for institutionalising Swachhata and minimising pendency in Government offices from 2nd October to 31st October, 2024. The preparatory phase of SCDPM 4.0 from 16.09.2024 to 30.09.2024 is being implemented in Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) along with its two CPSUs i.e. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) & Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI) and three Autonomous Institutes i.e. National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) & Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio Energy (SSS-NIBE).
The Special Campaign 3.0 was also successfully implemented in the Ministry and PSUs/Institutions under the Ministry. The Ministry achieved 100% targets in following categories during Special Campaign 3.0:
Public Grievances.
Public Grievance Appeals
Physical files review
E-files review
Number of cleanliness campaigns
The following activities will be undertaken by the Ministry and PSUs/Institutions under the Ministry during Preparatory phase from 16.09.2024 to 30.09.2024:
Pendency will be identified on various parameters during the preparatory phase.
Exercise of the record management, categorization, recording, review and weeding out of physical records, as per extant guidelines contained in the CSMOP and Public Record Act, 1993 will be done.
Overall cleanliness of Government office (s) will be maintained for which Campaign (s) will be conducted.
A training Session on CSMoP provisions on Record Management (Chapter 10) will be conducted on 26th September, 2024 at 11:30 AM in the Conference Room No. 319 at Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan, New Delhi.
The Implementation Phase will start from 2nd October, 2024 during which efforts will be made to achieve the given targets identified in Preparatory Phase for Special Campaign 4.0
Suzlon Group is among the world’s leading renewable energy solutions provider that is revolutionising and redefining the way sustainable energy sources are harnessed across the world. Presence in 17 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, Suzlon is powering a greener tomorrow with its strong competencies in renewable energy systems. Suzlon’s extensive range of robust and reliable products backed by its cutting-edge R&D and more than two decades of expertise are designed to ensure optimum performance, higher yields and maximum return on investment for the customers.
Sustainable development is the creed that underpins Suzlon’s bespoke initiatives to protect the environment, strengthen communities and propel responsible growth. Suzlon is headquartered at One Earth – Pune, which is a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) certified and GRIHA 5 star rated campus and is also among the greenest corporate campuses in the world.
Manitoba’s Affordable Energy Plan Launches Historic Partnerships in Wind Generation
Next Generation of Energy Will Keep Rates Low for All Manitobans: Kinew
The Manitoba government is unveiling the plan to build the next generation of affordable energy, Premier Wab Kinew, Finance Minister Adrien Sala, minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, and Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt announced today.
“We are giving you the freedom to make climate-friendly choices by making those choices more affordable,” said Kinew. “Building more energy capacity starts with a new government-to-government partnership in wind, the best source of new clean energy. By building out the grid we’ll keep rates low for everyone and put more Manitobans to work in good union jobs. Together we’ll build the next generation of affordable energy to power Manitoba’s future.”
For the first time in the province’s history, the Manitoba Affordable Energy Plan formalizes into government policy Indigenous-owned, utility-scale electricity resource supply through the creation of government-to-government partnerships with Indigenous nations in wind generation, while ensuring Manitoba Hydro stays public.
“Manitoba has some of the lowest energy costs in the country, thanks to decades of investment in Manitoba Hydro’s clean energy grid and skilled workforce,” said Sala. “But we can’t just take it for granted. Now it’s time to build on our advantage to ensure we have low rates, good jobs and clean energy for years to come.”
Other actions in the plan include:
Creating an Indigenous loan-guarantee program to provide First Nations and Métis the capital support and capacity to participate in the energy transition and finance new partnerships in wind generation.
Refurbishing Manitoba Hydro generating stations to unlock up to 200 megawatts of power.
Ending the first-come, first-served approach for large grid connection to better align with Manitoba’s economic development goals.
Strengthening energy codes for homes and buildings to generate long-term energy savings for Manitoba families.
Stronger oversight of the oil and gas sector with regular provincial inspections to ensure environmental safety and reliability.
Installing new Manitoba Hydro owned and operated public electric vehicle chargers.
A renewed focus on energy security with stronger protections in place for procurement and data management to keep Manitoba’s energy supply safe and secure.
“Our plan supports Manitoba’s path to net zero emissions by 2050 and will help us protect our air, land and water for future generations,” said Schmidt. “By making clean energy choices more affordable, we’ll help families save money while they save energy.”
To read the plan, visit https://manitoba.ca/energyplan.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
09.20.24
City of Chehalis Gets Nearly $1M Grant to Plan Hydrogen Fueling Facility at Airport
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced that the City of Chehalis will receive a $994,653 federal grant to help plan a proposed hydrogen fueling facility as part of the Chehalis Hub for Aviation Innovation and Sustainable Energy (CHAISE) at Chehalis-Centralia Airport.
The grant will fund a feasibility study, design services, and public engagement for the proposed multimodal hydrogen fueling facility. The development may include a fueling station, on-site storage, or hydrogen generation. The Chehalis-Centralia Airport is an ideal location for a hydrogen fueling center, since it’s halfway between Seattle and Portland and close to I-5. Chehalis is also seeking funding from the SMART grant program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant program.
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces no dirty emissions — only water. Hydrogen can be produced from existing power resources, such as solar and hydropower.
The grant was awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Innovative Finance Asset Concession Grant Program, administered by the Build America Bureau, and is a new program authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The program provides $100 million over five years to help public entities scan existing assets to unlock value from them and explore innovative financing and delivery opportunities through, e.g., the Build America Bureau’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act?(TIFIA) low-cost loan program. The program awards two types of grants: technical assistance grants and expert services grants. According to USDOT, the technical assistance grants will use the funding to enhance their organizational capacity and advance a portfolio of assets by conducting pre-construction tasks, such as asset scans, market studies, delivery option analyses, financial modeling, and other activities considering innovative finance and delivery, including asset concessions. The expert services grants will use the funding to hire advisors to analyze a specific existing asset for innovative financing and delivery opportunities, including public-private partnerships.
Sen. Cantwell has helped position the Pacific Northwest to be a leader in hydrogen production. In July 2023, she announced that the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) will receive $27.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to kickstart the first phase of a $1 billion federal investment to develop hydrogen as a green energy source in the region. She called the July announcement “a huge milestone in our region’s efforts to create a hydrogen ecosystem that can help provide clean and affordable alternative fuels for our heavy-duty transportation and manufacturing facilities.”
Sen. Cantwell worked to include the H2Hubs program and other key hydrogen investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law during consideration in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where she served as a senior member, in July 2021, and pushed for its successful passage through the Senate.
Together with the clean hydrogen incentives included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), these investments represent a historic investment that will help spur hydrogen to be an important piece of the decarbonizing puzzle needed to reach our climate goals.
Source: African Development Bank Group In a groundbreaking move ahead of Climate Week NYC, a coalition of global organizations comprising the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and The Rockefeller Foundation has announced their support for an ambitious initiative to provide electricity access…
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
African Development Bank Group’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa approves €6 Million for Desert to Power – Burkina Faso Solar Project Burkina Faso is one of five priority countries under the Desert-to-Power initiative, which aims to generate 10 gigawatts of solar power across 11 Sahelian countries by 2030 ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, September 27, 2024/APO Group/ — The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a €6 million concessional financing package from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), a special multi-donor fund managed by the Bank, to accelerate the completion of Burkina Faso’s Dédougou photovoltaic solar project in support of the Bank’s Desert-to-Power initiative (https://apo-opa.co/3XKXpwG). The project involves designing, constructing and operating an 18-megawatt solar power plant in Dédougou, located 250 kilometres west of the capital, Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso is one of five priority countries under the Desert-to-Power initiative, which aims to generate 10 gigawatts of solar power across 11 Sahelian countries by 2030, promoting socio-economic development. This project stands as one of the first independent power producers (IPPs) in Burkina Faso and has secured both senior and subordinated loans, along with a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Société Nationale d’électricité du Burkina Faso (SONABEL). However, the project encountered challenges in reaching financial close due to cost escalations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The SEFA Covid-19 IPP Relief Programme (SEFA Programme) played a pivotal role in overcoming these hurdles. Through concessional financing, SEFA helped restructure the financial arrangements to absorb the pandemic-related cost increases, ensuring the project’s viability and preserving the originally agreed structure with the Government of Burkina Faso, thereby contributing to the country’s energy security. Under the SEFA Programme, a €2.5 million senior concessional loan and a €3.5 million reimbursable grant have been provided through its concessional finance facility. SEFA’s involvement has been instrumental in unlocking additional financing from the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, FMO (www.FMO.nl), including subordinated and senior loans. These funds will be disbursed to Dédougou Solaire SARL, the project company jointly developed by QAIR (www.Qair.Energy), which is responsible for managing the project. As part of the Desert-to-Power initiative, the project is expected to contribute to energy security, diversification of the energy mix, reduced electricity costs, and increased national electrification rates. “The Dédougou Solar PV project increases Burkina Faso’s renewable energy generation capacity in line with the objectives of the Desert-to-Power Initiative. By backing projects like this, we are making tangible strides toward electrifying the Sahel, bolstering energy security, and improving the lives of millions,” said Dr. Daniel SCHROTH, Director of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department at the African Development Bank. “Abdoulaye Toure, CFO at Qair Africa, acknowledged SEFA’s support and the project’s advancement: “We are pleased with this approval by SEFA and thank the African Development Bank for their support of the project. This allows us to move forward with our commitment to supporting Burkina Faso’s energy goals by developing a second solar plant, just a year after the successful commissioning of Zano. This achievement aligns with the country’s ambitions for energy supply and reinforces Qair’s vision of becoming a leading player in Africa’s renewable energy sector in the coming years.” Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Contact: Communication and External Relations media@afdb.org About SEFA: SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. SEFA offers technical assistance and concessional finance instruments to remove market barriers, build a more robust pipeline of projects and improve the risk-return profile of individual investments. The Fund’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and Sustainable Development Goal 7. About Qair: Qair is an independent renewable energy company developing, financing, building, and operating solar, onshore and offshore wind, hydroelectric, tidal energy, waste-to-energy, battery storage and green hydrogen production. With 1.1 GW of capacity in operation, the group’s 640 employees are developing a portfolio pipeline of 30 GW in 20 countries across Europe, Latin America and Africa. Our ambition is to become an independent leader in responsible energy. In Africa, Qair’s portfolio of wind, PV and BESS assets includes 65 MW operational projects, 174 MW/262 MWh under construction or financing and a robust pipeline under development of 2GW+. With over 15 years of presence in Africa and teams established in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritius, Morocco, Seychelles, and Tunisia, Qair continually expands its geographical footprint across North, Central and West Africa and the Indian Ocean. Qair has already completed another 24MW solar PV project (Zano) in Burkina Faso, which was awarded under a public-private partnership (PPP) with GoBF along with a PPA with the National Electricity Company (SONABEL). About FMO: FMO is the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank. As a leading impact investor, FMO supports sustainable private sector growth in developing countries and emerging markets by investing in ambitious projects and entrepreneurs. FMO believes that a strong private sector leads to economic and social development and has a 50+ year proven track record in empowering entrepreneurs to make local economies more inclusive, productive, resilient and sustainable. FMO focuses on three sectors with a high development impact: Agribusiness, Food & Water, Energy, and Financial Institutions. With a total committed portfolio of EUR ~13 billion spanning over 85 countries, FMO is one of the larger bilateral private sector development banks globally. About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org