News
Latest Policy & Regulation Analysis
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Thailand – transport of delight
Transport Asia PacificCasting an eye around the global infra market for this week’s missive, the first thought was to write about American airports, but Thanksgiving put the kibosh on that. The second option was PPP across Asia Pacific, but that’s just too much shoe-horn into one story. Then, after a few calls with chums in Singapore, the eye fell on Thailand… and stayed there
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Sakaka solar PV, Saudi Arabia
Renewables MENAThe 300MW Sakaka solar PV tender attracted two world record-breaking solar tariffs, and demonstrates market appetite for Saudi Arabia's nascent renewables programme
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Filling the void: corporate PPAs in Ireland
Renewables EuropeWith Ireland’s renewable energy feed-in tariff (REFIT) schemes slowly coming to an end – and increasing confusion around the new support scheme RESS – Irish developers are increasingly looking to corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs)
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The Caribbean – welcome to PPParadise
Renewables North AmericaMany people find it hard to look beyond sun-drenched beaches and cocktails when it comes to the Caribbean. But with 28 countries and a combined population of 42.5 million, there’s a strong argument for rebranding it “the land of sun, sea and PPP”… if it can follow the example of Jamaica
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Philippines: Build, Build, Build
Transport Asia PacificThe Philippines has gone beyond its historically mediocre growth pattern to become one of the fastest growing nations in Southeast Asia. However, the country still suffers high levels of unemployment and poverty, and its infrastructure is crumbling
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Airports – a folly by any other NAIM
Transport Latin AmericaThe worst thing any country with ambitions to drive an infrastructure investment programme can do is to cancel a headline project when it’s well on the way through construction
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Mexico: The more renewables, the better
Renewables Latin AmericaMexico has seen a rapid rise in renewables development over the last five years, with the Mexican Secretariat of Energy in October reporting a 35% increase in installed renewable energy capacity
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US and China – first responders
North AmericaThe US Senate on 3 October passed the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act. It aims to facilitate the investment of $60 billion in developing countries through a newly formed development finance agency – the US International Development Finance Corporation
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PPP – drip, drip… silence
Transport EuropeThroughout history the UK has been responsible for numerous infrastructure inventions that have rocked the world – from the jet engine through to pneumatic tyres, the telephone, railways, good old tar macadam… and PPP
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Qatar’s infrastructure race to 2022 and beyond
Transport MENAIn September, Qatar’s Minister of Municipality and Environment HE Mohammed bin Abdullah al Rumaihi unveiled the Gulf state’s plans to set aside around $5.49 billion in 2019 for the ongoing revamp of Doha’s infrastructure in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Powering down Peru's renewable energy auctions
Renewables Latin AmericaDespite being a steadily growing investment grade economy with a relatively stable currency and consolidated rule of law, Peru has in recent time not received as much attention from international energy developers and investors as some of its LatAm peers. This has much to do with the sense that Peru has overbuilt its power market
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Policy shaping Australian renewables landscape
Renewables Asia PacificAustralia's National Energy Guarantee may have been abandoned by new prime minister Scott Morrison, but appetite for renewables investments in the country remains strong, especially among infrastructure funds
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EIB… something for the weekend?
Transport EuropeBack in the PPP pipeline days, you could set timing on the project finance of any old piece of European infrastructure by the tired mantra of lenders intoning: “And… yes… you can count on the EIB taking half the debt”
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PABs: favoured financing
Transport North AmericaWith a sizable chunk of funding still available to developers, private activity bonds look set to be the gift that keeps on giving despite the growing availability of private placements
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Missed opportunity: Seattle monorail
Transport North AmericaWHAT WE SAID THEN: “It was an eminently finance-able project using modern technology, offering Seattleites a six-minute service on an elevated system that would provide a critical transport link that could boast both environmental and economic benefits. But it’s dead in the water”
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Beyond subsidies
Renewables EuropeThe first subsidy free contracts awarded for renewables in Europe could herald a transformation of energy markets
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Japan solar: sunset on greenfield
Renewables Asia PacificGenerous feed-in-tariffs drove the growth of Japan’s solar market. But with the government cooling on solar, industry players expect new greenfield developments to dry up
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Mexico readies for power auction amid uncertainty
Renewables Latin AmericaMexico's fourth round of power auctions will happen before the new government takes power, but AMLO's administration has already started to release policy changes
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Belgian offshore wind: betting on zero
Renewables EuropeLate last month (July 2018), following approval from the European commission, planned Belgian offshore wind farm Seastar and Mermaid merged. This union was prompted by Eneco joining Otary and Electrabel in the consortia for each project. The combined Seamade wind farm will have a total generating capacity of 487MW