Category: News

An alternative explanation for the Chinese Stock Market crash

We have a theory about the Chinese stock market crash. And it’s just that, a theory because as anyone who studies the Chinese economy knows, there’s a certain lack of transparency in the data that makes it difficult to pinpoint the real reason why the market has been lurching downward in recent months. But one thing is pretty much certain, it's not a crash. In fact, it's doesn't look like a market correction either. China’s recent stock market slump has provoked a lot of speculation about the cause. Over the last few years, many commentators have suggested Chinese banks [...]

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CMA energy market investigation: The UK needs a carbon tax?

On the surface, the latest CMA energy market investigation (Competition and Markets Authority) report appears to be criticising the big six consumer energy suppliers (CMA reports). Consumers have footed a bill between 2009-2013 (the report focus) that’s £1.2bn per year more than they should have paid in a competitive marketplace, the CMA concluded. It has led to rumours of a price cap whilst reforms are made to the energy market. The CMA chairman, Roger Whitcomb was quoted saying “There are millions of customers paying too much for their energy bills - but they don’t have to,” but [...]

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Introducing our new South America team leaders

Solar 350 is pleased to welcome onboard two very experienced project procurement experts to lead our South American business development programme. Axel Schmid will be heading-up our growing deal stream in South America, assisted by Jennifer Rivera Opazo. Together they bring with them the expert local business knowledge and contacts that are essential for operating projects like ours. Our team now brings together Chinese solar industrial partners (led by Bill Goldie) European and American financial partners (led by CFO Justin Passfield) and European engineering and carbon trading services (led by Nick Dimmock and Doug Marett of Grue [...]

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Declining renewable power subsidies vs. smart grids

Last week the wind industry was shocked (but not exactly surprised) by the government's announcement it would be ending subsidies for onshore wind projects a year earlier than previously promised. It’s a move that potentially threatens thousands of new jobs and places millions of pounds of investment at risk. But what we learn from declining renewable power subsidies is their failure to make low-carbon power a long term commercial proposition without smart grids. Up until now, UK renewable energy policies have been driven by carbon reducing logic. The principles are sound enough, fight climate change by reducing the [...]

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Creating value from global trends and “guanxi”

With our NDNCNSA (Non-Disclosure, Non Circumvent, Non Solicitation Agreement) and Term Sheets detailing the scope of our relationship with a major Infrastructure Fund now signed, Deal Stream 1 is coming online. Deal Stream 1 will consist of 6 projects, with the first now being submitted for acquisition. We’re progressing with development of Deal Stream 2, beginning operations with our Chinese solar manufacturers, codenamed CSC (Chinese solar conglomerate) 1 & 2. Which brings us to consider that facet of Chinese culture known as guanxi (pronounced ga-wan-chee and sometimes written guangchi). There’s no direct translation, but it’s a fundamental part [...]

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David Burns joins Solar 350 as Chairman

Solar 350 is delighted to announce David Burns' appointment as our new Chairman. Having been an early investor and independent director of the company in its initial stages, David is taking on the leadership of the board to oversee a critical phase in our expansion. His appointment is another step forwards for Solar 350’s plans for 2015/16, building a senior management team experienced in both developing and financing multiparty renewable energy projects. David is the right candidate to help us knit together our Chinese solar conglomerates, large infrastructure fund clients, equity/debt providers and local JV partners. His background in [...]

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Peruvian Solar Development Partnership – Update

Following-on from last week’s announcement of our partnership with a major Peruvian engineering firm, we’re pleased to formally announce our new plans with Tecnicas Metalicas, headquartered in Lima. Founded in 1979, Tecnicas Metalicas is a heavy engineering firm with a long standing track record in metal (especially steel) fabrication, with both the delivery capacity and resources to make it a leading player in Peruvian infrastructure... and soon to extend their reach (with us) into Peruvian solar development. With a 52,802 sqm fabrication plant (and a processing capacity of 2,400 tons steel per month) they’re firmly established as a major player [...]

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350 Signs New Peruvian Solar Development Partnership

After a successful trip to Lima earlier this year, we’re excited to announce we’ve partnered with a large Peruvian engineering firm ($100m turnover) to begin operations within Peru’s nascent solar energy industry. Our role is to take the backing of our partner’s enterprise-scale industrial build capacity and establish a local solar development company focused on small-scale solar parks facilitating rural electrification. Currently, there is significant Peruvian government support for these initiatives, high local electricity prices and geographically speaking, Peru receives the highest solar irradiation in the world (a function of global position, altitude and cloud cover). Therefore, we anticipate [...]

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“Is it raining?” and other strange election result predictors…

In a break from our usual focus on carbon reduction and renewable energy investment, this week I’ve hijacked Renewable Money with a prediction about the UK general election tomorrow. You might not know that old hands from the politics circuit often used some very strange (but often accurate) election result predictors, and in a too-close-to-call election, they might actually work... When the polls & data won’t cut it: These days the polls are pretty good (the closer you get to the election) but in a neck and neck tie, the poll margin of error means they’re no help at all in [...]

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Election Special!

Election Special: How to vote for lower carbon emissions?

As Britain is gripped by election fever it seems the issue of climate change and CO2 reduction has taken a back seat. But rising global CO2 emissions will have a significant impact on the nation’s future health and economic prosperity, so although the c-word isn’t high on the campaign agenda it remains a key underlying issue for the next government. More importantly, assuming the objective of a modern environmental policy should be (in part at least) to reduce carbon emissions, it should be pretty easy to work out which party has got the best offering… right? The story so far: As [...]

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