Innovation & Technology

Spanish renewables investor and fund manager Qualitas Energy has launched a competitive process to sell electricity from its portfolio of distributed generation and utility-scale plants in Chile, with contracts covering up to 517 GWh per year, energy marketplace Plataforma Energia announced. According to Plataforma Energia, which is coordinating the process through its online marketplace, the company is seeking to place power from two segments: its small distributed generation plants, locally known as PMGDs, and larger utility-scale projects located in central Chile and the Coquimbo region. The offering includes both physical and financial power purchase agreements with supply set to begin in 2028. Bidders can choose from 24/7, solar-only, or night-time supply products. Contract terms on offer range from 10, 12, to 15 years. The tender is open to a broad group of market participants, including power generators, electricity retailers, financial traders, investment banks, hedge funds, and large unregulated electricity consumers. Based on the maximum annual volume of 517 GWh and the longest 15-year term, Plataforma Energia estimates the process could cover more than 5,000 GWh of electricity over the lifetime of the contracts. Qualitas Energy entered the Chilean market in mid-2023 with the acquisition of a run-of-river hydropower plant. The firm subsequently opened an office in Santiago and expanded its footprint through Qualitas Energy Fund V with the purchase of a solar photovoltaic portfolio. The company said its mandate in Chile focuses on four core technologies: solar, wind, run-of-river hydro, and battery energy storage.

The Rural Electrification Agency, REA, has launched construction of 42 renewable energy projects in Adamawa and Kebbi states in partnership with federal and state governments, as part of a push to expand electricity access and power economic growth in underserved communities. The rollout includes 39 mini-grid projects in Adamawa State and a 3.5-megawatt solar power plant in Kebbi State. Both are being delivered under the Federal Government’s rural electrification programme. In Adamawa, the government flagged off the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up Programme. The package comprises three interconnected mini-grids and 36 isolated mini-grids. The interconnected facilities will be sited in Kofare, Saminaka and Mbamba, with capacities of 10MW, 2.6MW and 890kW respectively. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Minister of Power Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe said the Adamawa projects would add close to 27MW of clean electricity to communities across the state. According to him, about 40,000 homes and businesses in Kofare, Saminaka, Mbamba, Gulak, Michika, Shuwa, Bazza, Belel, Ganye, Song, Hong, Mubi, Guyuk and other areas are expected to benefit. He added that the intervention will also support around 6,000 MSMEs — including welders, tailors, grain millers, cold-room operators, ICT firms and agro-processors — and connect over 100 public institutions such as schools, health centres and water facilities. Tegbe said the mini-grids are designed to complement the national grid in areas with poor or no supply, while also attracting private investment into renewable energy. He commended Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for providing land and other support for project implementation. Fintiri described the projects as a critical step toward improving power access in the state. REA Managing Director, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said the initiative aligns with the agency’s mandate to expand electricity access through renewable energy solutions. In Kebbi, Governor Nasir Idris performed the groundbreaking for a 3.5MW solar power project and the Lot 7 Design, Supply and Installation of 33kV power infrastructure in Ambursa. Idris said the solar plant, which will include battery storage to provide power after sunset, will boost supply across the state and drive socio-economic activity. The state government provided the project site at no cost to the contractor, Kelm Elicon Joint Venture, and urged timely delivery. Aliyu disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a $750 million facility for REA to deploy interconnected mini-grids nationwide. About $10 million will go into the Kebbi project, which is expected to serve more than 1,000 households and key facilities including Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi. He said the investment will improve power reliability, support businesses and strengthen economic development in the state. Ali Kobeissi, CEO of Kobeissi Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Ltd., assured that the Kebbi solar project will be completed within eight months and called on host communities to support workers during construction. Officials said the projects in Adamawa and Kebbi form part of the Federal Government’s wider strategy to expand electricity access through renewable energy, increase private sector participation, and improve power supply in rural and peri-urban communities.

Market intelligence firm New Project Media, NPM, has entered the Asia-Pacific region, extending its data and events coverage to one of the world’s fastest-growing power and digital infrastructure markets. The company said its APAC platform will start by tracking Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and key Southeast Asian markets, with plans to broaden coverage across the wider region over time. The service will monitor renewable energy project pipelines, power market activity, grid interconnection, policy and regulatory changes, financing, mergers and acquisitions, and data center development. By combining renewables and data center intelligence at launch, NPM said it is applying the same supply-and-demand model it uses in other markets to APAC from the outset. Shaun Drummond will head the expansion. Drummond, who previously served as APAC Managing Editor at Infralogic, will lead NPM’s editorial direction and manage the company’s Asia-Pacific reporting team. The move follows NPM’s established growth pattern. It introduced its North American utility-scale coverage in January 2020, added distributed generation in April 2023, entered Europe after acquiring Energy Rev and launching coverage in April 2024, and rolled out data center coverage in February 2025. “APAC coverage is a defining milestone for NPM and marks our transition into a truly global intelligence platform,” said Ken Meehan, Founder and Chief Executive of New Project Media. He noted the firm began with utility-scale renewables in North America and has since expanded into distributed generation, Europe, data centers, API integrations, and AI-driven intelligence through NPM Edge. “APAC brings that full investment cycle together and extends our platform into one of the most important growth regions for power, renewables and digital infrastructure,” Meehan added. Brett Birman, Chief Commercial Officer, said client demand is driving the launch. “APAC is increasingly important to our customers, yet it remains complex and difficult to track with consistency,” Birman said. “That is exactly where NPM has always created value. We help clients see market and participant activity earlier, save time, assess what is viable and act before opportunities become obvious to everyone else.” New Project Media provides market intelligence, data, and events to 500 global clients, including developers, investors, advisers, corporates, and infrastructure operators.