Oct 5, 2012 - At the start of October China-owned Ralls Corp initiates a lawsuit against US president Obama over a wind project ban, Japan's Sumitomo takes 25% in a 550-MW California solar project and French GDF Suez threatens to seek millions in compensations if Poland passed its proposed green energy bill.
Barack Obama was legally challenged on Monday by Ralls Corp, an affiliate of Chinese wind turbine maker Sany Group, over his move to prevent the Chinese firm from acquiring four wind farm projects located close to a US naval facility in Oregon.
The move came after on September 28 the president signed an order directing Ralls to dispose of its interest in the projects because of national security concerns. Ralls says Obama has acted unlawfully.
Sumitomo invests in 550-MW solar project in US
On Tuesday, Japan's Sumitomo Corp (TYO:8316) said it had purchased a 25% stake in the 550-MW Desert Sunlight photovoltaic (PV) project in California from GE Energy Financial Services, without disclosing financial details. The deal marks the company’s first investment in the US solar sector.
Following the acquisition, GE Energy's stake fell to 25%, while the remaining 50% are in the hands of a unit of NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE).
GDF Suez raises arms against biomass co-firing subsidy cuts in Poland
French power and gas utility GDF Suez (EPA:GSZ) might seek compensations from the Polish authorities if the country adopted a new bill proposing lower levels of support for biomass co-firing power plants, Polish daily Puls Biznesu said Wednesday citing Grzegorz Gorski, general director of GDF's Polish arm.
The company head was quoted as saying that GDF had already spent PLN 400 million (USD 128m/EUR 98m) in a local biomass project that might receive substantially lower incentives if the proposed new regulations came into force. The company threatens to ask the Polish State to give back several millions of Polish zloty, Gorski said.
October’s first week adds several hundreds of green megawatts globally
Australian power supplier AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGK) and New Zealand utility Meridian Energy Ltd said over the weekend that their 420-MW Macarthur wind farm in Victoria, Australia, had generated first power. All 140 turbines are to be fully operational by early 2013.
German Enfo AG and Airport Development Neuhardenberg on Wednesday wrapped up construction of a 145-MW solar park in Brandenburg, which is to be hooked to the grid by the end of the year. The facility adds to the 5.24 GW of solar PV capacity that has been installed in Germany between January and August.
On Thursday Ukraine's energy group DTEK said it had switched on the first 57 MW of capacity at its 200-MW Botievska wind farm in the Zaporizhia region. The company is to connect to the grid the first 90-MW phase of the project by end-December.
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