Top 5 Hybrid Energy News (Solar- and Wind-Diesel-Hybrid + Microgrids) – April 2016 by THEnergy

The April edition of our “Top 5 Hybrid Energy News” underlines the boom of solar-diesel hybrid installations. We see more large installations and an increasing interest in storage solutions. This edition features a solar-diesel hybrid system with 30 MWp PV in Egypt by Masdar, an AES “microgrid” with 46 MWp PV from Wärtsilä in Jordan, 7.5 MWp of PV and 45MWh of Fluidic Energy storage for microgrids in Madagascar, from Solarcentury a 600 kWh storage system as part of a $2.5 million PV project in Kenya and 250kWp PV from DHYBRID for the island resort LA RACHA.

Top 1
Masdar adds 30 MW of PV-diesel in Egypt for tourism and rural electrification
The Abu Dhabi-based renewables developer Masdar completed seven solar-diesel hybrid plants in Egypt by adding PV elements to the existing diesel-based power plants.  Four of the plants with the total capacity of 14 MW are located in the governorate of the Red Sea, eastern Egypt, one of the country's most popular tourism areas: Marsa Alam (6 MW), Shalateen (5 MW), Abu Ramad (2 MW) and Halayeb (1 MW). In the rural electrification segment, Masdar has recently completed three PV-diesel installations in Al Wadi Al Jadeed Governorate, bringing electricity to Egypt’s least populated governorate. The biggest out of the three facilities with a capacity of 5 MW is located in Al Farafra. Two 0.5 MW plants are located in Abu Minqar and Darb Al Arbaeen.
http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/masdar-adds-30-mw-of-pv-diesel-and-installs-7-000-pv-kits-in-egypt_100024331/#axzz47opFxOrB

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Top 2
Wärtsilä to build 46 MW PV for AES microgrid solution in Jordan
The new project will be built in Jordan, in the Middle East, and is expected to be completed in 2017. It adds a PV farm to a 250 MW smart power generation plant comprising 16 Wärtsilä 50DF internal combustion engines, delivered to power producer AES Jordan in 2014. The tri-fuel plant so far uses either heavy fuel oil, light fuel oil or natural gas, according to availability and price. Wärtsilä's EPC scope includes 46 MW of PV covering an area of 81 ha and switchgear, control systems and overhead transmission lines. Wärtsilä expects rapid growth in its solar business, resulting in yearly sales of €300-million in 2020.
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/wrtsil-enters-the-solar-energy-business-2016-05-06/searchString:W%26auml%3Brtsil%26auml%3B
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Top 3
Fluidic Energy™ and Caterpillar announce 7.5 MWp of PV and 45MWh of storage for microgrids in Madagascar
Fluidic Energy™ announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Madagascar, represented by the Minister of Energy, H.E. Gatien Horace, and Henri Frasie Fils & Cie, the Caterpillar partner in Madagascar.  This collaboration will provide a renewable energy-based microgrid solution to 100 remote villages and communities with more than 400,000 people who currently do not have access to reliable electricity.  Minister of Energy H.E. Gatien Horace was in attendance for the signing of the MOU in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The village mini-grid systems will utilize more than 7.5MWp of photovoltaic panels, 45MWh of Metal-Air Fluidic energy storage systems, connections and pre-pay billing solutions.
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/pt/2016/04/fluidic-energy-takes-its-metal-air-energy-storage-to-africa.html
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Top 4
Solarcentury to install a 600 kWh storage system as part of a $2.5 million PV project in Kenya
The British solar company has agreed to build the largest lead-acid battery storage system for solar energy in East Africa. In total three PV plants will be installed at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), where the total capacity of the plants will be 1154 KW. The plants will incorporate roof systems, a carport, and the battery storage system, which will allow the PV system to provide 40-60% of the site’s energy, as opposed to 15% without the batteries. Work is due to begin on the site in July 2016, with the aim of being operational by October 2016. It is part of icipe’s Greening Project, which is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). One of the main objective is to reduce diesel fuel dependency.
http://www.bestmag.co.uk/industry-news/uk-firm-install-east-africa%E2%80%99s-biggest-lead-acid-battery-system-solar
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Top 5
Thai luxury island resort THE RACHA integrates 250kWp PV from DHYBRID
192 kWp of the new project are open-field PV. Before, the 85 luxury villas were fully powered by diesel generators. The island’s management pursues a sustainability concept with the aim of improving the resort’s ecological footprint and energy habits. Price fluctuations and other risks are associated with deliveries of fuel to the island. The solar plant saves 120,000 liters of diesel p.a. and avoids 295 tons of CO2 emissions every year.
http://www.lifepr.de/pressemitteilung/dhybrid-power-systems-gmbh/Luxury-resort-THE-RACHA-integrates-DHYBRID-technology-and-saves-120-000-liters-of-diesel-pa/boxid/589673

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