Cook Islands Renewable Energy Sector Project

What is EBRD doing with Tashkent solar PV & energy storage?

Nandita Parshad, Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group at EBRD, said: “We are proud to partner with ACWA Power and co-financiers on the pioneering Tashkent Solar PV and energy storage project in Uzbekistan, the largest of its kind in Central Asia. The project is core to Uzbekistan's ambition to install 25GW of renewables by 2030.

Will Uzbekistan generate 40% of its electricity from renewables?

By 2030, Uzbekistan is aiming to generate 40% of its electricity from renewables. The BESS will help to mitigate the effects of intermittency that are inherent in renewable energy sources, storing excess electricity generated during times of high production and make it available during periods of low production.

Why is ACWA partnering with Tashkent Riverside?

The agreement today for the Tashkent Riverside project reflects the strong trust placed in ACWA Power as the private sector partner, and one of the global leaders in renewables and energy storage.

Is ACWA Power a good investment in Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan is ACWA Power's second-largest market in terms of investments, underscoring the company's long-standing commitment to the country. The company's current portfolio in Uzbekistan now comprises 11.6GW of power, of which 10.1GW is renewable, as well as the Republic's first green hydrogen project, with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per year.

What is the Uzbek greenfield project?

The greenfield development will involve the development of a 200MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and a 500MWh BESS that will serve to stabilise the Uzbek grid.

What is the future of electricity storage in Switzerland?

One important pillar of this strategy is the further development of electricity storage capacity in Switzerland. In the next years, three large-scale pumped hydro storage power plants will be connected to the grid. The first, the Limmern pumped storage plant (1 GW), should become operational in 2016.

How does a cost-covering fee affect electricity production in Switzerland?

Further, the introduction of a cost-covering fee for feed-in to the electricity grid, in order to subsidise new renewable energy sources in Switzerland, disadvantaged traditional hydro electricity producers. As a result, high prices during peak load times dropped, which substantially lowered the revenue stream of pumped storage plants.

Does Switzerland support pumped storage operators?

Despite the government's objectives defined in the Energy Strategy 2050, there is currently no direct support via subsidy for pumped storage operators in Switzerland.

How many pumped hydro storage plants are there in Switzerland?

In the past, a total of 14, mostly small sized pumped hydro storage plants, were built, the last of which was commissioned in 1990. However, the combined capacity of these plants only amounts to 1380 MW contributing to approximately 4.4% of the total electricity produced in Switzerland.

How many pumped hydro storage plants will be connected to the grid?

In the next years, three large-scale pumped hydro storage power plants will be connected to the grid. The first, the Limmern pumped storage plant (1 GW), should become operational in 2016. Together with the existing storage plant, the capacity will be increased from around 480 MW to 1480 MW.

What is the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050?

In the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050, the government calls for a step-by-step withdrawal from nuclear energy. In the future, energy supply is to be secured through the development of additional hydropower capacity, the use of new renewable forms of energy and the promotion of energy efficiency.