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Malaysia: to HSR or not to HSR
Transport Asia PacificMalaysia's new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s pledge to review all foreign contracts and projects has those involved in the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail project resigned to yet another delay. But the market remains optimistic that the deal will be approved, and the wait will be rewarded with a more transparent tender process
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Battery power – applying the electrodes
Renewables EuropePerched in the Regency splendour of Le Méridien Piccadilly for the 19th gathering of REFF Europe, surrounded by the great and good of the renewable energy community for a couple of days this week, nervousness started to set in over what to write for Friday’s editorial...
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Scaling Solar in Africa
Renewables Sub-Saharan AfricaThree years on from the launch of the International Finance Corporation's Scaling Solar scheme in Zambia, the programme is gaining traction. Four other African countries are now running procurements – and Zambia is coming back for another helping. Between them, they account for over 1.2GW of capacity
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Redrawing the infrastructure map of Europe
Transport EuropeWith business slowing down in some of the countries that have seen most of Europe’s infrastructure activity over recent years, a number of other markets seem to be picking up the baton. Among these are Spain and Ireland, and unlikely candidate Belgium
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European floating offshore wind
Renewables EuropeA major milestone for renewable energy was reached in late 2017 with the world’s first floating offshore wind farm entering commercial operations in October. The 30MW Hywind Scotland pilot park is located offshore Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, and consists of five floating 6MW turbines
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Full speed ahead?
Transport North AmericaIf high speed rail is going to get successfully financed anywhere in the US, the flat empty expanse of Texas seems as good as place as any. But despite its developer’s bullish attitude, the Texas Central project has significant hurdles to overcome
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French offshore wind – and the first shall be last…
Renewables EuropeThe winner of France’s third round of offshore wind tenders will be confirmed later this year and – amusingly – the Dunkirk project stands a good chance of being operational before projects from either of the first two tenders are generating
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Fund analysis: CIP III
Renewables EuropeCopenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ third fund reached final close on 23 March 2018, at its hard cap
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Vietnam’s transport infrastructure
Transport Asia PacificIt may not be one of the largest economies in Asia, but Vietnam has made a strong commitment to infrastructure spending in recent years
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European renewables on the infra fund radar
Renewables EuropeEarly January this year saw the European Parliament approve a new renewable energy target of 35% by 2030, topping the existing agreement between member states on a 27% target by the same year.
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Oil majors – shuffling along the Road to Damascus
Oil & Gas Asia PacificIn a volte-face that’s enough to make a North Korean dictator blush, the oil majors are continuing to trip over their feet in a bid to reinvent themselves as good guys, having spent the last century-plus playing the black-hat cowboy
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EXCLUSIVE Arroyo Seco and Timbúes CHPs, Argentina
Power Latin AmericaProject finance is finally taking off in Argentina’s energy sector after a years-long dry spell, with only a precious few projects making it to financial close in 2017. Now Argentina’s second-largest energy producer Albanesi Energia has closed the financing for two cogeneration heat and power plant projects in Santa Fe
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More to Colombia than just 4G
Transport Latin AmericaColombian cities are following the lead of the capital Bogota and are trying to launch a pipeline of infra PPPs
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Infra funds – it’s hammer time
Oil & Gas EuropeInfrastructure’s full of surprises. Hardly a week goes by that the eyebrows don’t shoot up to the hairline (still got one) over some development or another. And this last week has seen more than its fair share of surprises
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Infra fund activity – lot more than you'd think
Oil & Gas EuropeAs a young journo working the local press world in 1990s north east Scotland, an old editor – a grizzled hack bearing the scars of hard-living hackery – once said: “Angus, the difference between doctors and journalists is that doctors get to bury their mistakes, ours are out there for everyone to see”
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Rantau Dedap geothermal, Indonesia
Renewables Asia PacificIt took four years for the sponsors of the Rantau Dedap geothermal power plant to reach financial close on the $700 million project in South Sumatra, Indonesia
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DEWA CSP
Renewables MENAAcwa Power and Shanghai Electric’s 700MW CSP project in Dubai represents the world’s largest thermal solar development. The sponsors are looking to finance the $3.9 billion development with a raft of European, Chinese and regional lenders under a soft mini-perm structure
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Friday the 13th – Nightmare on London Streets
Transport EuropeLike all best horror stories, this one is set in the near future – in this case a mere six months hence – a half-year since the C Virus ravaged the market, slashing value from listed infra funds and reducing managers to husks of their former selves
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Don Rodrigo solar, Spain
Renewables EuropeThis week German developer BayWa r.e. signed a 15-year PPA with Norwegian utility Statkraft for the 170MWp no-subsidy solar PV project in Spain, extending the tenors for PPAs in the market. Spanish and German banks are preparing to back PPAs with long-term senior debt as soon as this year