OMNI Features｜RIC Energy to Build California's Largest Green Hydrogen Facility in the Mojave Desert．Korea Energy Agency Announces 2024 Wind and Solar Fixed-Price Bidding

｜Spanish Solar Developer RIC Energy to Build California's Largest Green Hydrogen Facility in the Mojave Desert
RIC Energy, a Spanish solar developer, plans to construct California's largest green hydrogen facility at the Cadiz Ranch in the Mojave Desert. This project will involve a 100-120 MW electrolyser powered by 700MW-1GW of solar energy, supplemented by approximately 1GWh of battery storage. Cadiz Ranch, owned by Cadiz Inc., will supply 500 acre-feet of water annually for electrolysis, supporting sustainable energy production for California's transport, industrial, and power sectors.

The hydrogen produced will help replace fossil-based hydrogen and power Cadiz's water operations. With a projected daily output of 50 tonnes, this facility is designed to serve California's energy transition goals. Located near vital rail, highway, and pipeline infrastructure, Cadiz Ranch offers an ideal site for transportation access and future expansion within the state's ARCHES hydrogen hub program, potentially tapping into $1.2 billion in federal funding.

Complying with the strict 45V tax credit standards under the Inflation Reduction Act, this facility will rely solely on new solar energy, without grid dependence. RIC Energy, which is involved in other large-scale green hydrogen projects globally, aims to make this one of the world’s largest self-sufficient green hydrogen plants, advancing California's sustainable energy future.

｜Korea Energy Agency Announces 2024 Wind and Solar Fixed-Price Bidding
The Korea Energy Agency's New & Renewable Energy Center, has announced the 2024 fixed-price bidding for wind and solar installations, with a focus on wind energy. This year's bidding process incorporates feedback from power companies, manufacturers, and RE100 companies. The wind energy bidding targets around 1,800 MW, divided between onshore (300 MW) and offshore (1,500 MW), with fixed offshore installations at 1,000 MW and floating installations, introduced for the first time, at 500 MW.

In line with the "Roadmap for Auction for Korean Offshore Wind Power" introduced in August, a two-stage evaluation process has been established, increasing the non-price evaluation score from 40 to 50 points. The bidding ceiling prices have been adjusted to reflect global trends in Levelized Costs of Energy (LCOE), with onshore wind lowered to 165,143 KRW/MWh and offshore wind raised to 176,565 KRW/MWh from last year's prices.

Reference: hydrogeninsight｜Aju Korea Daily