The latest renewable energy news includes announcements on Voltalia, Cambridge Power, Sonnedix, Endesa, Bolobedu Solar Plant, and others.
Voltalia Commissions 148 MW Bolobedu Solar Plant Under 20-Year Rio Tinto PPA
Voltalia has commissioned the 148 MW Bolobedu solar power plant in Limpopo, South Africa, strengthening corporate renewable-power supply for the mining sector. The project was developed under a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement with Richards Bay Minerals, a Rio Tinto business. Bolobedu is expected to generate approximately 300 GWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be wheeled through Eskom’s grid to RBM’s operations in KwaZulu-Natal. The project illustrates South Africa’s growing private renewable-power market, where large industrial customers are signing long-term contracts with independent generators to reduce electricity costs, improve supply security and lower emissions. Corporate PPAs are becoming an important driver of large solar and wind developments as mining and industrial companies seek alternatives to carbon-intensive grid electricity.
Cambridge Power Secures Planning Approval for 50 MW Bedfordshire Solar Project
Cambridge Power has received planning permission for a 50 MW solar farm in Bedfordshire, England, advancing another utility-scale photovoltaic project into the UK development pipeline. At 50 MW, the scheme sits just below the threshold at which solar developments in England generally enter the nationally significant infrastructure planning regime, allowing the project to proceed through local planning processes. The development will add renewable electricity generation while potentially creating opportunities for complementary battery storage and grid services. Britain is rapidly expanding solar as part of its Clean Power strategy, with government targets requiring substantially more photovoltaic capacity by 2030. The approval gives Cambridge Power a clearer path toward detailed engineering, procurement, financing and construction, subject to completion of remaining project and grid requirements.
Sonnedix and Endesa Sign Hybrid Solar-Storage Hedge Starting in 2027
Sonnedix and Endesa have signed a customised financial hedging arrangement covering solar and battery-storage positions beginning in 2027. The transaction combines photovoltaic generation with storage flexibility, reflecting a shift from conventional fixed-output renewable PPAs toward contracts designed around the changing value of electricity throughout the day. Batteries can store low-priced midday solar generation and release electricity during higher-priced periods, while financial hedges can give developers greater revenue certainty. Sonnedix operates and develops renewable assets across multiple international markets, while Endesa is one of Spain’s largest power suppliers and traders. The agreement highlights how storage is changing commercial structures for renewable projects, allowing developers to manage price cannibalisation, balancing exposure and increasingly volatile intraday electricity markets.
