Latest news with #windpower
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Green energy is great, but…': Taiwan fishermen say they're paying wind farm price
YUNLIN (Taiwan), June 4 — Taiwan has set an ambitious goal to develop green, renewable energy as it seeks to play its part in tackling climate change, and the banks of wind farms visible in the haze off its blustery western coast are a major part of those plans. But for some Taiwanese fishermen who have trawled in the waters of the Taiwan Strait for generations, wind power and other renewables are coming with a sting in the tail - disrupted fishing, pollution and complaints about a lack of communication from the government. For Lee Ping-shun, 52, who has been fishing off Taiwan's Yunlin County for the past two decades, new wind farms have made getting out to traditional trawling grounds much harder and catches have declined. 'Yunlin needs green energy, because our life quality is affected by air pollution, if you can get energy from sun, from wind, why wouldn't we want that? For us, green energy is great, but I don't know why it turns out to be like this,' he said at his office by the coast. Natural resource poor Taiwan, which has traditionally relied on coal to generate electricity, has a goal of at least 60 per cent of total power generation to come from renewable sources by 2050. Koo Xian-shuen, chairman of Yunmeng Wind Power, told reporters in March while unveiling the latest offshore Yunlin wind project that communications with local communities could have been better and that was a lesson learnt. 'So from now on, we will continue to communicate with them about the problems they face, and help them to resolve it, not running away from it,' he said. The Taiwan economy ministry's Energy Administration told Reuters that communication was an important part of the development of offshore wind projects and the government has a mechanism for things such as compensation for lost fishery income. This is to 'enable the harmonious development of wind power and at the same time take into account the wellbeing of residents', it added. But Lee is not alone. Further up the coast in Changhua County, some fish farmers say wind turbines set up onshore have interfered with their business. Clam farmer Hung Chin-tun, 43, said oil has leaked into his ponds from a wind turbine abutting his land. 'I feel helpless, all my efforts this year are on this farm,' he said. — Reuters
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
AMEA Power launches 500MW wind farm in Egypt
Arab Finance: AMEA Power has successfully commissioned a 500-megawatt wind power plant in Ras Ghareb, Egypt, marking the largest operational wind farm on the African continent, as per a statement. The project reinforces Egypt's role as a key player in Africa's renewable energy transition. Developed as a joint venture between AMEA Power, which holds a 60% stake, and Japan's Sumitomo Corporation with 40%, the Amunet Wind Power Plant is expected to produce around 2,500 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. This is enough to power more than 500,000 homes while avoiding 1.4 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The commissioning comes just months after AMEA Power inaugurated a 500MW solar PV plant in Aswan in November 2024. With both projects, the company has now brought 1 gigawatt of clean energy capacity online in Egypt within six months. Constructed 2.5 months ahead of schedule, the wind farm employed over 800 workers at peak and included local training programs aimed at youth in nearby communities. The initiative reflects AMEA Power's focus on socio-economic development, job creation, and long-term skills building. The project was financed by a consortium including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank. The commercial tranche was insured by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), with working capital support from Egypt's Commercial International Bank (CIB). The Ras Ghareb wind farm is part of AMEA Power's expanding portfolio in Egypt, which also includes its Aswan solar plant and several other pipeline projects. These include a 1,000-megawatt solar PV development with 600-megawatt-hour battery storage in Aswan, a second 500-megawatt wind project in the Red Sea Governorate, an extension of the Aswan solar plant with a 300-megawatt-hour storage system, a 500-megawatt-hour battery energy storage project in Zarfana, and a 1,000-megawatt-hour facility planned for Benban. © 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Taiwan's ambitious drive for renewable energy troubles some fishing communities
YUNLIN, Taiwan, June 4 (Reuters) - Taiwan has set an ambitious goal to develop green, renewable energy as it seeks to play its part in tackling climate change, and the banks of wind farms visible in the haze off its blustery western coast are a major part of those plans. But for some Taiwanese fishermen who have trawled in the waters of the Taiwan Strait for generations, wind power and other renewables are coming with a sting in the tail - disrupted fishing, pollution and complaints about a lack of communication from the government. For Lee Ping-shun, 52, who has been fishing off Taiwan's Yunlin County for the past two decades, new wind farms have made getting out to traditional trawling grounds much harder and catches have declined. "Yunlin needs green energy, because our life quality is affected by air pollution, if you can get energy from sun, from wind, why wouldn't we want that? For us, green energy is great, but I don't know why it turns out to be like this," he said at his office by the coast. Natural resource poor Taiwan, which has traditionally relied on coal to generate electricity, has a goal of at least 60% of total power generation to come from renewable sources by 2050. Koo Xian-shuen, chairman of Yunmeng Wind Power, told reporters in March while unveiling the latest offshore Yunlin wind project that communications with local communities could have been better and that was a lesson learnt. "So from now on, we will continue to communicate with them about the problems they face, and help them to resolve it, not running away from it," he said. The Taiwan economy ministry's Energy Administration told Reuters that communication was an important part of the development of offshore wind projects and the government has a mechanism for things such as compensation for lost fishery income. This is to "enable the harmonious development of wind power and at the same time take into account the wellbeing of residents", it added. But Lee is not alone. Further up the coast in Changhua County, some fish farmers say wind turbines set up onshore have interfered with their business. Clam farmer Hung Chin-tun, 43, said oil has leaked into his ponds from a wind turbine abutting his land. "I feel helpless, all my efforts this year are on this farm," he said.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
AMEA Power commissions Africa's largest wind power plant in Egypt
AMEA Power commissioned its 500 megawatt (MW) wind power plant in Egypt, the largest operational wind farm in Africa, according to a press release. Located in Ras Ghareb in the Red Sea Governorate, the facility anchors Egypt's leadership in the continent's renewable energy transition. This follows the commissioning of AMEA Power's 500MW Solar PV plant in Aswan, bringing the company's total commissioned capacity in Egypt to 1 gigawatt (GW) within just six months. The Amunet Wind Power Plant is a joint venture (JV) between AMEA Power (60%) and Sumitomo Corporation (40%). It is expected to generate around 2,500 gigawatt hour (GWh) of clean electricity annually, which is enough to power more than 500,000 homes. The plant is also projected to offset 1.4 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually. The construction phase secured over 800 job opportunities at peak, supporting AMEA Power's commitment to job creation, skills development, and inclusive growth The project, which was completed 2.5 months ahead of schedule, was financed by a consortium of leading international financial institutions, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank. Meanwhile, the commercial tranche was backed by insurance from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), with additional working capital support from the Commercial International Bank-Egypt (CIB). Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, said: 'Bringing 1GW of clean energy online in such a short period is a tremendous achievement and a reflection of our deep commitment to delivering impactful renewable energy solutions. This is the future of power generation in Africa – clean, inclusive, and transformational' All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
The Physics Behind the Spanish Blackout
When a grid failure plunged 55 million people in Spain and Portugal into darkness at the end of April, it should have been a wake-up call on green energy. Climate activists promised that solar and wind power were the future of cheap, dependable electricity. The massive half-day blackout shows otherwise. The nature of solar and wind generation makes grids that rely on them more prone to collapse—an issue that's particularly expensive to ameliorate. As I wrote in these pages in January, the data have long shown that environmentalists' vision of cheap, reliable solar and wind energy was a mirage. The International Energy Agency's latest cost data continue to underscore this: Consumers and businesses in countries with almost no solar and wind on average paid 11 U.S. cents for a kilowatt hour of electricity in 2023, but costs rise by more than 4 cents for every 10% increase in the portion of a nation's power generation that's covered by solar and wind. Green countries such as Germany pay 34 cents, more than 2.5 times the average U.S. rate and nearly four times China's.
