Weekly renewables M&A round-up (Apr 22-May 1)

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Renewables Now covered M&A stories related to EDPR, TransAlta, John Hancock and Ørsted over the past 10 days. Below is the full list of deals:

-- Brookfield in talks to take control of India's Mytrah Energy - report

Brookfield Asset Management Inc (TSE:BAM.A) is negotiating the purchase of a majority stake in Indian renewable power producer Mytrah Energy, newspaper Mint reports, citing three informed sources.

-- Duke buys 150-MW solar project in California from Clearway

Duke Energy Renewables, part of US utility Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK), has acquired a 150-MW solar project in California from compatriot Clearway Energy Group for an undisclosed price.

-- GAIL makes top bid for 874-MW IL&FS wind portfolio in India

GAIL (India) Ltd (BOM:532155) has made the highest bid in the competitive process to buy an 874-MW wind farm portfolio in India from IL&FS Group.

-- AEP closes USD-1.05bn buy of Sempra Energy's renewables business

US utility American Electric Power Company Inc (NYSE:AEP) has closed the acquisition of Sempra Energy’s (NYSE:SRE) renewables business and its 724-MW portfolio of wind and battery storage capacity.

-- AboitizPower plans solar, wind buys in Vietnam

Aboitiz Power Corp (PSE:AP) seeks to buy solar and wind projects in Vietnam with individual capacities of between 50 MW and 100 MW, according to a top official.

-- EDPR to fully exit 997-MW European wind portfolio

EDP Renovaveis SA (ELI:EDPR), part of EDP - Energias de Portugal SA (ELI:EDP), has signed a deal to sell its interest in a 997-MW European wind portfolio to institutional investors advised by JP Morgan Asset Management.

-- CleanMax Solar pockets USD 39m from Macquarie-managed fund

Indian rooftop solar firm CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd, also known as CleanMax Solar, said it has secured INR 2.75 billion in equity financing from UK Climate Investments LLP (UKCI).

-- Excelsior Energy buys 25-MW solar park in California

US-based renewable energy infrastructure investor Excelsior Energy Capital has closed on the acquisition of the sponsor equity interests held by Grupo T-Solar Global USA Inc in a 25-MW DC solar plant in California.

-- TransAlta investor challenges Brookfield transaction in court

One of the largest shareholders of TransAlta Corp (TSE:TA) has initiated legal action against the company in an attempt to block a proposed partnership with Brookfield Renewable Partners LP (TSE:BEP.UN).

-- Canadian Solar to sell 483-MW project portfolio in Brazil

Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ:CSIQ) has reached a deal to sell an 80% stake in a 482.6-MWp portfolio of contracted Brazilian solar projects that are in advanced stages of development.

-- John Hancock to buy into 1.2 GW of Duke's renewables portfolio

US utility Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) said it has agreed to unload 1.2 GW of wind, solar and battery storage assets to the John Hancock group, part of Canada’s Manulife Financial Corporation (TSE:MFC).

-- Air Liquide, Chinese partner form hydrogen infrastructure JV

Air Liquide SA (EPA:AI) said it has formed a joint venture with Chengdu Huaqi Houpu Holding Co Ltd (SHE:300471) to produce and distribute hydrogen refilling stations in China for fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs).

-- Shunfeng in talks to sell 300-MW solar portfolio in China

Shunfeng International Clean Energy Ltd (HKG:1165) is holding preliminary talks to divest certain solar power plants in China with a combined capacity of about 300 MW.

-- NextEnergy Capital buys 46 MWp of Urban Solar's Virginia PV projects

UK investment and asset manager NextEnergy Capital Group has acquired 34 MW/46 MWp of solar projects in Virginia from US firm Urban Grid, the latter announced.

-- AES to sell interest in power plants of 2.1 GW in Jordan, UK

US electricity distributor AES Corp (NYSE:AES) announced agreements to sell its stakes in six power plants in Jordan and the UK, including one solar park under construction, in order to focus on fewer markets and grow in the renewables, energy storage and liquefied natural gas (LNG) segments.

-- Tata Power sheds 32-MW wind portfolio in Maharashtra

The renewable energy unit of Indian utility Tata Power Co Ltd (BOM:500400) has agreed to sell its 32 MW of operating wind assets in the state of Maharashtra, the parent company said.

-- Battery storage lures USD 130m of corp funding in Q1 2019

Battery storage companies raised a total of USD 130 million in corporate funding in the first quarter of 2019, down from USD 299 million a year earlier, a new report says.

-- BNDESPAR to sell its stake in Renova Energia

Brazilian energy company Light SA (BVMF:LIGT3) announced it has received confirmation that BNDES Participacoes SA (BNDESPAR) would exercise its right to "tag along" as part of the buyout of renewables developer Renova Energia SA (BVMF:RNEW11).

-- Luxcara expands in Scandinavia with 750-MW Swedish wind buy

German renewables investor and asset manager Luxcara GmbH said it has bought the 750-MW Oenusberget wind project in Sweden from German-Swedish developer Svevind, without disclosing the value of the deal.

-- CEE acquires 31-MWp Dutch PV plant

Hamburg-based private equity group CEE announced the purchase of a 30.7-MWp Dutch photovoltaic (PV) park, marking its first direct investment in the Netherlands.

-- Macquarie-led group wants control over Innogy's Czech grid business

A consortium of investors managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) has exercised an option to buy the shares it does not already own in Czech distribution grid operator Innogy Grid Holding (IGH).

-- ReNu Energy buying 9.9 MW of Aussie solar projects from Astronergy

Aussie firm ReNu Energy (ASX:RNE) said it has agreed to buy 9.9 MW of under-development solar projects in South Australia from Astronergy, part of China's Chint Group.

-- Meyer Burger wraps up CHF-50m sale of wafering unit

Swiss solar industry supplier Meyer Burger Technology AG (SWX:MBTN) said it has finalised the sale of its photovoltaic (PV) and specialised materials wafering equipment and service business.

-- ABO Wind sells 88.5 MW of Spanish projects

German renewables developer ABO Wind AG said it has sold 88.5 MW of consented wind projects in Spain to an unnamed international investor.

-- Ørsted to grow in solar, storage with buy of Coronal dev business

The development business of US solar and storage specialist Coronal Energy has been acquired by Lincoln Clean Energy (LCE), a unit of Danish energy company Ørsted A/S (CPH:ORSTED).