$2.5 trillion of global financial assets are at risk from the effects of climate change, according to a report. The report, produced by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the Grantham Research Institute and Vivid Economics, looks at the value at risk (VaR) associated with financial assets should global temperatures increase by 2.5°C by 2100. This warming figure is believed by the report’s authors to be the ‘business-as-usual’ emissions path if all of the commitments made at December’s landmark Paris agreement are implemented. The summit concluded with an agreement to limit global warming to 2°C but the commitments made [...]

Mexico’s solar and wind sectors have experienced triple-digit growth rates over the last 10 years, outpacing the growth of renewable power generation in most developed countries. Will that explosive growth continue?   The abundance of diverse renewable energy resources, growing demand for power, macroeconomic stability, and historically high electricity prices continue to position Mexico as one of the most attractive destinations for investments in renewable power generation. Despite enjoying some of the highest wind and insolation levels in the world, Mexico has yet to develop most of the potential of its renewable energy sources.  As of 2013, thermal sources represented 75 percent of [...]

As the capabilities and companies in the solar market have now grown far beyond the low-hanging opportunities, we find ourselves pouncing on sound but short-lived requests for proposals. Hundreds of companies bid in to these processes, and the market is split between bidding to win and bidding a financially sound price. Companies often cannot do both. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were one large market with enough opportunities for everyone, with superb solar resources, supportive regulations and comfortable energy prices that aren’t driven by incentives? Such a market exists right next door in Mexico, where wind energy projects have enjoyed such [...]

Bill Goldie (Solar 350’s Head of Project Development) and Axel Schmid (Head of Project Origination) have now returned from California Baja to London and Santiago respectively. Their brief was to return with contracted “Greenfield Development Projects” in The Californian Baja of Mexico. Certain factors make this area very attractive for Solar. These are as follows: High Levels of Solar Irradiation – 2465 KWh / M2 – circa 3 times Bournemouth / 5 times Glasgow. Low intermittency – sunshine is relatively constant, so very little cloud, which means solar electricity can contribute effectively to the region’s baseload requirements. High Electricity Prices – due to lack of [...]

The Indian government will push to achieve renewable energy installation targets two years in advance, as it looks to enact more aggressive policies to promote development of renewable energy infrastructure. India has set a target to have 100 GW solar power, 60 GW wind energy, 10 GW small hydro power, and 5 GW biomass-based power projects operational by March 2022., but Minister of Power, Coal, and New & Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal recently stated that the Indian Government will try to achieve this target of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2020 instead of the set timeline of 2022. The Central Government [...]