June 30, 2010
A senior American energy official says the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico dramatically illustrates the need for investing in renewable sources of energy.
David Sandalow, a US assistant energy secretary, said yesterday that the oil spill is a “tragic situation” that “underscores the need for a transition to a clean energy economy.”
Sandalow was speaking during a meeting of international officials in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The oil-rich sheikdom is investing heavily in renewable energy projects.
This week’s meeting is meant to lay the groundwork for a clean energy summit to be held in Washington next month.
June 27, 2010
The UK Government announced plans this week to launch a Green Investment Bank.
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said in his Budget document that the government is “determined” to address barriers to a low carbon economy, and states: “Following the Spending Review, the Government will put forward detailed proposals on the creation of a Green Investment Bank to help the UK meet the low-carbon investment challenge.
“The Government is considering a wide range of options for the scope and structure of the Green Investment Bank. The options will be evaluated for effectiveness, fiscal affordability and transparency,” it adds.
An industry figure has hailed the government’s support of the green investment bank as a positive step for the future of cheap energy initiatives in Britain.
John Barwise, chairman of the Cumbria Green Business Forum, said the government’s backing of the bank is the most positive commitment to come out of the Budget and will send a clear message to investors that the UK is fully committed to supporting the environmental technologies sector.
He stressed that there should be a focus on investing in UK jobs and the government should use the Green Investment Bank to promote investment in manufacturing, ports and other facilities that will stimulate economic growth.
“Take the £75 billion offshore wind farm programme for example – most of the investment will help stimulate manufacturing jobs overseas,” Mr Barwise commented.
“Why pay others to deliver what we can build ourselves here in the UK?”
June 9, 2010
Australia:
Small wind-energy companies fear privatisations of power stations and retailers in New South Wales and Queensland could weaken competition in the electricity market, hindering their capacity to contribute to the federal government’s 20 per cent renewable energy target.
Under the renewable energy target, retailers are required to buy or create enough renewable energy certificates (RECs), each representing one megawatt-hour of emissions-free electricity, to meet an annual target.
But because they are generators as well as retailers, AGL Energy and Origin Energy have tended to get the certificates through wind farms they have built themselves, according to The Australian Financial Review.
As a result, independent wind power companies such as Infigen Energy, Pacific Hydro and Canberra-based Windlab, can have difficulty locking in long-term supply contracts for the certificates they produce. Without a long-term contract, banks will not provide finance for a wind project.
“The reality is you need competition in the market place at a retailer level,” Windlab chairman Roger Price said. “I’d rather see four or five major retailers that are looking to purchase RECs rather than just two which are extremely vertically integrated.”.
June 4, 2010
One of the largest offshore windfarms in the world, is to be built off the coast of Wales in the UK.
The £2bn Gwynt y Mor windfarm will have 160 wind turbines around 10 miles off the north Wales coast near Colwyn Bay and Llandudno.
Gwynt y Mor will be Wales’ largest wind farm, capable of powering around 400,000 homes, and preventing the release of 1.7m tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
The RWE Innogy-led project is expected to be completed in 2014.
It is claimed some 1,000 jobs could be created in relation to construction and the supply of components.
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said: “This is excellent news. Gwynt y Mor will be one of the single biggest private investment projects ever seen in Wales, creating up to 1,000 quality jobs and contributing many millions of pounds to the regional economy of north Wales.
“It will also become one of the largest offshore windfarm projects in Europe, able to provide enough clean, green electricity to power the equivalent of around 400,000 homes.
“In Wales we are ideally located to embrace the economic benefits of green technologies.
“Surrounded by wind, wave and tidal resources, we are in a prime position to be able to benefit from investment in the green economy whilst making a significant contribution to the [UK] government’s carbon reduction targets through safe, clean renewable means.”
June 1, 2010
Panasonic is making a big move into the domestic solar panel business.
Next month The Panasonic Group will launch in Japan its HIT(R) 215 Series* household solar power generation systems.
Panasonic will be able to provide overall energy-saving systems for homes that will include rechargeable batteries, heating and air conditioning, security systems and Net-linking gadgets besides solar panels, which will all be hooked up to each other, he said.
Homes will be able to save on utility costs by selling surplus power from solar power generation systems, and using water heaters at night when utility rates are cheaper, he said.
“You will be living with virtually zero carbon-dioxide emissions through creating, saving, storing and managing energy,” Sakamoto said in Tokyo.
It is the first series of collaborative products to be developed since SANYO became a part of the Group. The launch signifies how the newly extended group has combined its collective strengths for a full-scale entry into the solar cell business.
The new products combine SANYO’s solar power generation modules with Panasonic’s energy management technology, construction materials, and electrical technology, and will be broadly promoted across the companies’ various sales routes, including home appliances, electrical and construction products.
In doing so, the Panasonic Group and aims to establish a position as the top manufacturer in the market with a target share in Japan of at least 35% by 2012.
