Masdar has signed an agreement with the government of the Republic of Armenia to develop a 200MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.

The Ayg-1 project will be developed on a design, finance, build, own, and operate basis with Masdar owning 85% and the Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) holding a 15% share.

The 500-hectare plant will be located between the Talin and Dashtadem communities of Armenia, in an area where solar radiation is high and land is unusable for agricultural purposes.

Gnel Sanosyan, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, said: “The gradual increase of renewable sources in our country’s energy system is one of the priorities set by the Government of Armenia.

“We regard this cooperation with Masdar as an important step towards this goal, as well as towards endorsing Armenia’s investment potential. The Ayg-1 industrial 200MW solar plant project is a milestone on this road.”

In July, the Armenian Government announced that Masdar was the winning bidder for the project, having submitted a tariff of US$0.0290 per per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: “We look forward to working with the Armenian National Interests Fund on further opportunities in this field, and leveraging the experience we have gained as a global leader in renewable energy projects to support the diversification of Armenia’s energy mix.”

According to Masdar, Armenia is looking to increase the share of renewables in its energy mix as well as to reduce its dependence on imported oil & gas.

The country also has significant solar energy potential, with an average annual solar energy flow per square meter of horizontal surface of around 1,720 kWh, compared with the average European figure of 1,000kWh.

The Government Support Agreement (GSA) was signed by His Excellency Gnel Sanosyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, at a ceremony today in Yeravan, the nation’s capital.

Mitsubishi Power has completed upgrade works for two GTCC power plants with M701F gas turbines at Singapore-based electricity provider Senoko Energy.

The upgrade is part of a long-term service agreement and is designed to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.

Mitsubishi Power applied its latest gas turbine technologies to the M701F gas turbine, achieving a heat rate improvement by reducing the volume of cooling air.

The result is reduced emissions of approximately 15,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.

“We are grateful to the project team for their meticulous planning and execution, the close collaboration with Mitsubishi Power and other contractors, as well as tremendous support from EMA in facilitating the entry of technical advisers from Japan to Singapore through the Green Lane arrangement. This was truly a team effort.”

Upgrade work began on 21 June 2019, as part of Senoko Energy’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and decarbonize in line with Singapore’s Carbon Pricing Act.

The successful upgrade led to Senoko Energy receiving Honorable Mention in the Best Practices category for the National Environment Agency’s EENP Awards.

Tan Cheng Teck, Executive Vice President, Operations & Maintenance, Senoko Energy said: “This project validates the hard work of our engineers, technicians and workers, particularly as the upgrade occurred during a challenging time of the pandemic.”

Congratulating Senoko Energy on the award, Osamu Ono, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Power in the Asia Pacific said: “Upgrading works, together with operations & maintenance, are not only essential for maximizing the asset value of existing power plant infrastructure but can also help improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the path towards decarbonization.

“Mitsubishi Power commends Senoko Energy for the EENP Award they received in recognition of this successful upgrade. We are honoured to build upon our long-standing relationship with Senoko Energy to provide critical gas turbine upgrading that supports their push for cleaner power generation in Singapore.”

Argentina Friday has paid Paraguay US $ 19 million for overdue Yacyretá energy, Nicanor Duarte Frutos, head of Paraguay’s side within Yacyretá’s Binational Entity (EBY) announced.

Of the US $ 100 million Argentina owed, it had agreed to pay US $ 44 million this year.

In fact, Argentina wired over some US $ 19,735,172, totaling US $ 45,759,943 in 2021. With these payments, Argentina has honored what it had pledged to pay this year.

The EBY also said the entire proceedings had been transferred over to the Finance Ministry. Last year, the EBY had requested the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry to negotiate with the Argentine government, which resulted in these payments.

Yacyretá Dam is 808 metres (2,651 ft) long, and its installed equipment has a maximum power output of 3,100 megawatts (4,200,000 hp), with a record

Duarte -a former Paraguayan President between 2003 and 2008- insisted there were over US $ 100 million in debt, of which US $ 44 million were to be paid this year, but Argentine ended up paying a sum above it and that the remaining part of the debt is to be canceled throughout 2022.

Argentina had made the first payment in September worth US $ 15 million, Duarte Frutos had announced after a meeting with Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo and President Mario Abdo Benítez.

Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari has taken over the Presidency of the Great Green Wall in Africa for the next two years.

This was disclosed by Nigeria’s Minister of State for the Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor at the end of the 4th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government (CHSG) of the Pan African Agency for the Great Green Wall held in Abuja, Nigeria’s Seat of power.

According to the Minister, “At the end of the 4th Ordinary Session of the CHSG, Nigeria took over the Presidency of the PAGGW. So for the next two years, Nigeria and President Buhari will be the President of the Great Green Wall Initiative in Africa.

“This means that within the period, Nigeria will work assiduously towards addressing the problems of land degradation, food security, desertification, Climate Change, depletion of the forest ecosystems and biodiversity in Africa, among others”.

Ikeazor expressed optimism that with the unparalleled commitment of Mr President on addressing issues of Climate Change and desertification, coupled with the immense respect he commands within the International Community, a lot would be achieved during his tenure.

He stressed that the realization of financial pledges that emerged as outcome of the “One Planet Summit” held on 11th January, 2021 in Paris, France would be given utmost priority.

He expressed optimistic assurances that the restoration of Africa degraded ecosystems and ensuring the resilience of our people against Climate Change effects shall be strengthened.
The Great Green Wall or Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel is a project led by the African Union, initially conceived as a way to combat desertification in the Sahel region and hold back expansion of the Sahara, by planting a wall of trees stretching across the entire Sahel.