Argentina launched the RenovAr Ronda 2 national auction for the supply of 1200MW of renewable energy capacity. Through the tender, announced via a resolution in the official gazette, authorities will seek to award 550MW wind, 450MW solar, 100MW biomass, 35MW biogas, 15MW biogas from landfills (waste-to-energy) and 50MW small hydropower capacity.

Maximum PPA prices for the respective technologies were set at US$56.25/MWh, US$57.04/MWh, US$110/MWh, US$160/MWh, US$130/MWh and US$105/MWh. For biomass and biogas initiatives, authorities will offer incentives based on the scale of projects. Technical and economic offers are due October 19, with the signing of PPAs scheduled for November 29.

Winning bidders will be able to tap the FODER national renewable energy trust, to which the World Bank committed US$480mn last week, for financing. The tender launch follows the RenovAr Ronda 1 and Ronda 1.5 auctions, through which 2.4GW of renewable projects were awarded in 2016. The RenovAr auctions were conceived as a way to help Argentina meet its goal of a 20% renewable-powered national grid by 2025, as mandated in the renewable energy law.