ADB and ACWA Power Sign Deal for Two Utility-Scale Wind Power Plants in Uzbekistan, the Region’s Largest Wind Development

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN (24 April 2023) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ACWA Power Company (ACWA) signed $174 million worth of loans to develop the Bash wind power and Dzhankeldy wind power plants, both located in the Bukhara region in Uzbekistan.

The financing comprises loans amounting to $40.5 million for Bash and $46.5 million for the Dzhankeldy funded through ADB’s ordinary capital resources. ADB will also administer $40.5 million for Bash and $46.5 million for Dzhankeldy from the Leading Asia's Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP), administered by ADB.

Each power plant consists of 79 wind turbines, for a total of 158 turbines that will generate 3,235 gigawatt-hours and displace nearly 2 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent a year. Together, Bash and Dzhankeldy will be the largest utility-scale wind power development in the Central West Asia region. The loans will also fund the construction of 282.5 kilometers of 500-kilovolt, single-circuit overhead transmission to connect to the power grid.

“Uzbekistan is one of the fastest-growing economies in Central Asia, and with it comes a growing demand for energy. This brings a unique opportunity to invest in decarbonization and expansion of renewables in the country’s energy mix,” said ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations Suzanne Gaboury. “Bash and Dzhankeldy are landmark greenfield wind power projects which have a significant demonstrative impact of private sector participation across the region’s energy sector.”

ADB has supported approximately 2,500 megawatts of renewable energy in Uzbekistan since 2019, after the country opened up the sector to private sector participants. The total cost of ADB’s latest collaboration with ACWA is approximately $1.35 billion.

Parallel lenders include the Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, OPEC Fund for International Development, and Proparco.

LEAP is an ADB-managed fund capitalized with a $1.5 billion commitment by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Established in 2016, LEAP focuses on delivering high-quality and sustainable private sector infrastructure projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and offer accessible and affordable health care, education, and communication services to ADB’s developing member countries.

Bash and Dzhankeldy are special-purpose vehicles owned by ACWA Power, a regional leader in renewable energy. ACWA was established in 2008 and is a developer, investor, and operator of power generation and desalination plants, with 67 assets in operation, construction, or advanced development across 13 countries. ACWA’s portfolio has a capacity of 43.4 gigawatts of power and 6.4 million cubic meters per day of desalinated water.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Source: ADB

SB19’s JOSH CULLEN redefines love song with edgy hip-hop twist in “Pakiusap Lang”

The song comes with a music video that stars KAIA’s Angela and Charice as his love interests

After debuting as a bonafide solo star with the edgy banger “Wild Tonight,” SB19’s Josh Cullen continues his winning streak with the release of his follow-up single under Sony Music Entertainment. 

Aptly titled “Pakiusap Lang,” the P-Pop artist proves that there are no four walls that can contain him when it comes to writing and producing a straightforward love song meshed with trap-laden beats and hip-hop verses.

“The lyrics came from my heart, and I wanted to make sure the arrangement and sonic vibe reflected my Filipino hip-hop side,” Cullen reveals. “My cousin and his friends helped out with the chorus, and we all had a good time putting it together.”

According to SB19’s resident lead rapper and sub-vocalist, “Pakiusap Lang” is a song that is based on his personal experiences and thoughts about relationships. He further explains, “It's all about the struggles of maintaining a relationship when you can't be with your partner all the time due to work or other struggles going on in life. The song encourages the listener to hold on and trust the process.”

A romantic rap ballad that forays into emotional honesty as much as it does with stylistic finesse, “Pakiusap Lang” shows a different side of Cullen: an entertainer that doesn’t need to resort to gimmicks just to prove his point.

The release of the track comes with an upcoming music video that explores the idea of “holding onto the memories of your loved one, even when you know it’s time to let go.” Directed by frequent collaborator Toothless (who also helmed the MV of SB19’s “Bazinga), the visuals bring Cullen’s ideas to life and expand on his initial concept with an element of mystery and an understated delivery.

It also stars KAIA members Angela and Charice, who happen to be the main characters in the MV. The two multi-talented artists also dabbled into acting prior to their debut as a P-Pop artist.  

Cullen shares, “When I was planning out the music video for ‘Pakiusap Lang,’ I knew I wanted to create a story that was emotional and impactful. As I was brainstorming ideas, I thought about the possibility of incorporating plot twists into the video, to really capture the viewer's attention. That's when I had the idea to feature KAIA members Angela and Charice in the video. I had worked with them before and knew that they would bring a lot of talent and creativity to the project. Plus, their presence in the video would add an extra layer of intrigue and excitement for viewers. It was a pleasure to work with such talented and dedicated individuals, and I couldn't be happier with how the video turned out.”

“Pakiusap Lang” will be part of Josh Cullen’s upcoming debut EP, which will be released sometime this year. According to the rising multihyphenate, the maiden record sounds like a fusion between hip-hop and pop music, with his cousin Ocho helping him out in producing, conceptualizing, and refining the tracks. “You can expect a mix of different sounds and genre influences, but overall, it's a reflection of my journey as an artist and a person,” Cullen adds.

JOSH CULLEN’s “Pakiusap Lang” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment. The music video of “WILD TONIGHT” will drop at 7pm on April 21, 2023 (Friday).

Source: Nyou

DON’T PANIC - LØREN IS BACK WITH A NEW MUSIC VIDEO

WATCH THE “PANIC” VIDEO HERE
 

UPCOMING PERFORMANCE AT COACHELLA APRIL 16TH

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Coachella, 88rising & THEBLACKLABEL

LØREN is giving fans another stunning visual with the music video for “Panic.” The track is featured on his debut EP, Put Up a Fight, which released March 24 to acclaim from Billboard, Variety, Associated Press, StyleCaster, and more. Watch the “Panic” music video HERE. Along with the video release, LØREN has announced that he will be performing a set at Coachella on Sunday, April 16. 

“Panic” is the second music video released off the EP, following the perfectly gloomy video for “Folks.” “Panic” is self-composed and written by LØREN, and he played all instruments for the track. The video shows LØREN performing on stage, shouting the lyrics to the song as he plays guitar, cut between shots of him inside a car. On his inspiration for the video, LØREN explains, “This is a very personal song for me and I’m excited to put the video out. My friends also took part in the shooting which makes it all that more special to me.”

To celebrate the release of his debut EP with 88rising, LØREN will be heading to California later this month to perform on Sunday, April 16th at Coachella, which is on the heels of SXSW where LØREN was named one of the “20 Best Acts We Saw at SXSW 2023” by Paste Magazine. He is also set to play at 88rising’s Head in the Clouds festival, which will take place May 20-21 in New York City. 

The Korean alt-rocker currently serves as the face of Saint Laurent and has graced the covers of Vogue Hong Kong, DAZED Korea, i-D, and Female Magazine as their first male cover star. LØREN has garnered a significant following internationally due to his work as a songwriter (and video costar) for BLACKPINK, along with acclaim from a series of singles released in 2021 which amassed over 14 million views in a year and grew his Instagram following to over 1.2 million.

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Source: Blackstar