Climate Change News
CleanBiz Asia - CleanBiz Asia - News and video on environment, business sustainability and cleantech in Asia
Asia steams ahead in carbon-cutting ratings
Wed Mar 27 17:24:47 +0800 2013
Asia, especially China, is now taking center stage in preparedness for the low-carbon economy according to a report released on Tuesday by The Climate Institute, an independent research organization based in Australia.
Three of the top G20 countries best placed to compete in the global low-carbon economy are now from East Asia, having overtaken their European and American competitors, according to an index which measures how carbon-competitive countries are.
Shenzhen sets date for the start of carbon emissions trading
Sun Apr 07 10:23:33 +0800 2013
Shenzhen, the Chinese Special Economic Zone and across the border from Hong Kong, will open carbon emissions trading market on Monday 17 June, according to city’s mayor.
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh goes Dutch in fight against climate change
Mon Apr 08 17:35:10 +0800 2013
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and the Dutch city of Rotterdam are set to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see them co-operate in the fight against climate change.
Mekong region facing six degree-warming, climate extremes
Tue Apr 09 16:25:37 +0800 2013
Temperatures in South-East Asia's Lower Mekong Basin are set to rise by up to three times the global average temperature increase, according to a USAID-funded study.
Previous reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that the basin would see increases in line with the global average of around two degrees Celsius.
But according to a preliminary report by the Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change Project (Mekong ARCC), parts of the basin could see annual temperatures increase by as much as six degrees Celsius by 2050.
Philippines bumps climate change budget by 13 times
Thu Apr 11 16:55:13 +0800 2013
The Philippine government has announced that it will increase its spending on climate change adaptation and mitigation from PHP1 billion (USD24.4 million) in 2011 to PHP13 billion (USD317 million) next year.
Shanghai joins Shenzhen in announcing start of carbon trade
Thu Apr 11 17:02:21 +0800 2013
Shanghai – China’s domestic financial center – has confirmed it will start its carbon emissions trading exchange in June, becoming the second market to announce commencement of a carbon cap-and-trade scheme, after Shenzhen said last week that it would launch its carbon market on June 17.
India may be coming around to binding carbon emissions cuts
Fri Apr 12 17:12:01 +0800 2013
India could be on the verge of departing from its long-held negotiating position on climate change and preparing to adopt binding emission reduction commitments.
A report in the Times of India says that as part of the preparation, the government is likely to commission four studies including one assessing by when the country’s emissions will peak in absolute terms.
“The year when India’s emissions trajectory peaks before it starts to dip is expected to influence the date from when the government will be ready to take on a cap in absolute terms on greenhouse gases under the new global climate compact to be signed in 2015,” the newspaper said.
Mekong region facing 6 degree-warming, climate extremes
Tue Apr 09 16:25:37 +0800 2013
Temperatures in South-East Asia's Lower Mekong Basin are set to rise by up to three times the global average temperature increase, according to a USAID-funded study.
Previous reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that the basin would see increases in line with the global average of around two degrees Celsius.
But according to a preliminary report by the Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change Project (Mekong ARCC), parts of the basin could see annual temperatures increase by as much as six degrees Celsius by 2050.
US and China to intensify climate change co-operation
Mon Apr 15 16:26:43 +0800 2013
The United States and China will establish a high-level joint working group on climate change in order, they say, to intensify global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the face of "increasing dangers" from global warming.
The two countries "recognize that the increasing dangers presented by climate change measured against the inadequacy of the global response requires a more focused and urgent initiative", they said in a joint statement issued in Beijing on Saturday.
The issue of how to deal with climate change has long vexed relations between the world's two biggest economies, which are also the biggest greenhouse gas emitters.
Asian nations seek voice in addressing melting Arctic ice
Tue Apr 16 15:29:09 +0800 2013
A new global forum aimed at intensifying the dialogue on the deteriorating conditions in the North Pole could include the likes of China, India and Singapore among its member countries.
China accountable for 68% of new global energy emissions
Tue Apr 16 15:19:55 +0800 2013
A new report by the US based Climate Policy Initiative has revealed that China was responsible for a mammoth 68 percent of the increase in energy-related global CO2 emissions during the first decade of this century.
Allowing carbon markets to collapse would be a disaster, report warns
Mon Apr 29 14:23:49 +0800 2013
Allowing carbon markets to collapse would be a “disaster” as they are a key driver for investment in the biggest emerging nations’ greenhouse-gas reducing efforts, according to the Center for American Progress.
Australia calls China global leader in climate change fight
Mon Apr 29 17:03:49 +0800 2013
A new report by Australia’s Climate Commission says that China is one of the world’s bright spots in global action to curb the effects of climate change.
Though China remains the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, the report, The Critical Decade: global action building on climate change, found that in 2012 China reduced the carbon intensity of its economy more than expected and almost halved the rate of growth for electricity demand.
China faces $243 bln per year climate fund gap by 2020
Mon Mar 25 14:43:59 +0800 2013
China will need to raise up to USD243 billion of additional funds per year by 2020 in order to adequately finance action to curb the impacts of climate change and invest in low carbon development, according to a new report commissioned by the Chinese government’s powerful National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The report, authored by The Climate Group and the Research Centre for Climate and Energy Finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics, China, is to be presented to the NRDC, the Ministry of Finance and other top Chinese government entities later this month. It calls for a two stage plan to reform China’s climate finance mechanisms by 2020.
China mulls tax on resource-hungry, polluting products
Mon Mar 25 14:30:59 +0800 2013
China may introduce a consumption tax on products that make heavy use of resources and cause pollution, according to the China Daily.
China scientist says South Asia behind receding glaciers
Tue Mar 26 15:26:07 +0800 2013
About 90 percent of glaciers in the world’s “Third Pole” are shrinking, accelerated by black carbon being transferred from South Asia to the Tibetan Plateau, a prominent Chinese scientist claims.
Covering more than five million square kilometers and with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, the Tibetan Plateau contains the headwaters of several major rivers flowing into surrounding countries and regions.
The region has been drawing increased scrutiny from the international academic community over the past three decades, but the results of former studies have been inconsistent, according to Yao Tandong, director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research.
China will face $243 bln per year climate fund gap by 2020
Mon Mar 25 14:43:59 +0800 2013
China will need to raise up to USD243 billion of additional funds per year by 2020 in order to adequately finance action to curb the impacts of climate change and invest in low carbon development, according to a new report commissioned by the Chinese government’s powerful National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The report, authored by The Climate Group and the Research Centre for Climate and Energy Finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics, China, is to be presented to the NRDC, the Ministry of Finance and other top Chinese government entities later this month. It calls for a two stage plan to reform China’s climate finance mechanisms by 2020.
Chinese scientist says South Asia behind receding glaciers
Tue Mar 26 15:26:07 +0800 2013
About 90 percent of glaciers in the world’s “Third Pole” are shrinking, accelerated by black carbon being transferred from South Asia to the Tibetan Plateau, a prominent Chinese scientist claims.
Covering more than five million square kilometers and with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, the Tibetan Plateau contains the headwaters of several major rivers flowing into surrounding countries and regions.
The region has been drawing increased scrutiny from the international academic community over the past three decades, but the results of former studies have been inconsistent, according to Yao Tandong, director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research.
Centre for Southeast Asia climate and weather research launched
Wed Mar 27 16:41:29 +0800 2013
The Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS), the first institution dedicated to tropical climate and weather of Singapore and the wider Southeast Asia region, has been officially opened.
China CO2 tax to be delayed for at least a year
Thu Mar 07 18:33:12 +0800 2013
China’s tax authorities will wait at least another year to introduce a tax on carbon, deferring to concern that economic growth might suffer, according to a Ministry of Finance (MoF) official.
Planning for a carbon tax has been underway since China’s 12th Five-year Plan was announced two years ago. At the beginning of last year MoF experts suggested levying a carbon tax in 2012 at 10 yuan (USD1.6) per tonne of CO2, increasing to 50 yuan (USD8) per tonne by 2020. Just last month Jia Chen, head of the Ministry of Finance’s Tax Policy Division, revealed a new set of taxation policies, including a tax on CO2 emissions, designed to preserve the environment.
Better forecasting of Asia's rain fronts
Fri Mar 01 11:29:22 +0800 2013
Researchers have developed a more accurate model for predicting the amount of summer rainfall and number of tropical storms in East and South-East Asia.
The study, published last month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, advances understanding of the East Asian summer monsoon, a weather system that affects agricultural production and the lives of billions of people across the continent.
Researchers say the model could “significantly improve” monsoon and rainfall predictions in the region, which could aid governments and disaster-management specialists.
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‘Heart of Borneo’ gets conservation backing from ADB
Wed Feb 27 12:56:38 +0800 2013
The conservation of one of the world’s most critical but threatened forest areas in the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo is to get USD4.5 million financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Maldives to become first UNESCO biosphere reserve
Wed Feb 20 18:00:26 +0800 2013
The Maldives has pledged to become the first nation where the entire country and its exclusive economic zone will be a biosphere reserve.
An EU-China airline emissions deal on the cards?
Mon Feb 18 16:19:23 +0800 2013
It appears that there may be light at the end of the tunnel in the ongoing dispute between China and the EU over aviation emissions by skirting the latter’s provocative Emissions Trading System (ETS).
Study claims $9 bln daily cost of not using renewable energy
Tue Feb 12 18:05:53 +0800 2013
In a groundbreaking study issued by the World Future Council the future usage loss resulting from current oil, gas and coal consumption has been put at between USD3.2 and 3.4 trillion per year.
Opponents of renewable energy claim conventional energy sources are cheaper on the whole, but the new World Future Council report asks what costs are incurred when renewable energies are not used.
An EU-China deal on airline emissions on the cards?
Mon Feb 18 16:19:23 +0800 2013
It appears that there may be light at the end of the tunnel in the ongoing dispute between China and the EU over aviation emissions by skirting the latter’s provocative Emissions Trading System (ETS).
Philippines Court of Appeals says yes to coal
Tue Feb 12 14:53:56 +0800 2013
The Philippines’ Court of Appeals has dismissed a “Writ of Kalikasan” case against the construction of a USD1.28-billion, 600-MW coal-fired power plant by Redondo Peninsula Energy (RP Energy) at the Subic Bay Freeport. The court’s decision allows PR Energy to push through with the project with the aim of providing baseload power to the Luzon grid by 2016.
Wise resource management critical to economic survival
Thu Feb 07 17:36:20 +0800 2013
Delegates at the recent Delhi Sustainable Development Summit were told repeatedly that wiser management of resources in this time of uncertain climate and weather patterns could be key to some countries’ very survival.
Obama's co-opting strategy to push green policy
Thu Feb 07 17:20:58 +0800 2013
There's been a debate rumbling on in the US environmental press as to how 'green' President Obama will be during his second term. There are some indications that he might be trying to outflank political opponents in subtle renewable policies, after having been dealt several body blows in previous policy fights.
Apart from having the apparently minor side-effect of trying to preserve the global ecosystem, any major policy edicts from the White House can have major economic benefits for international companies, and those in China in particular.
Asian countries to put brakes on short-lived climate pollutants
Mon Feb 04 17:01:50 +0800 2013
Government representatives from 19 Asia Pacific countries are meeting in Bangkok to look at ways to catalyze fast action to reduce the impacts of short-lived climate pollutants – so-called SLCPs – in the region.
SLCPs – such as black carbon or soot, methane, tropospheric ozone and some hydrofluorocarbons – are responsible for a substantial fraction of both the warming experienced to date and the current rate of global warming and can be dangerous air pollutants, with various detrimental impacts on human health, agriculture and ecosystems.
Vietnam aware of climate change dangers to power and coast
Tue Feb 05 14:58:25 +0800 2013
Vietnam's government is aware of the dangerous repercussions of climate change on energy supplies and demand. Deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Institute of Energy, Nguyen Ba Cuong, told a workshop that climate change impacts could cause an increase in demand for energy, leading to an increased dependence on imported energy, especially coal.
Survey shows big GHG emission cuts from Japan industry
Thu Jan 31 16:55:43 +0800 2013
Japan's big manufacturers reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 15 percent annually on average over the past five years compared to 1990, according to a survey in the Nikkei.
Climate change impacts in Pakistan becoming extreme
Fri Feb 01 16:09:48 +0800 2013
Data presented at a seminar on climate change in Pakistan highlighted trends where this South Asian country, which stretches from high, snow-capped mountains to a deltaic coast, could be in for a sharp rise in average temperatures and extremely erratic weather.
The seminar, held at the end of December, analyzed data in a new report produced by top non-government organizations, LEAD-Pakistan and the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, with funding from the European Union.
Report urges new approach to China’s coal plant emissions
Fri Feb 01 16:00:30 +0800 2013
China should adopt a strategy of multi-pollutant control in reducing emissions from its coal-burning power plants, according to a report released this week.
Azerbaijan joins UK and Canada in $280 mln IFC climate fund
Wed Jan 30 15:03:55 +0800 2013
World Bank group member International Finance Corporation (IFC) has created a USD280 million IFC Catalyst Fund to address issues related to climate change.
China’s CO2 market experiment faces time and price imperatives
Wed Jan 30 17:09:01 +0800 2013
China is forging ahead with development of a national carbon market, beginning with seven pilot programs in major industrial centers, even as the viability of carbon markets is being questioned amid collapsing prices in Europe.
“This is a commitment, to a certain level, even a political commitment, at the very top level,” Changhua Wu, Greater China Director at the Climate Group, said at the CleanBiz.Asia seminar on China’s Emerging Carbon Market – Opportunities and Challenges Ahead held yesterday.
China key in move to green economy, global leaders told
Wed Jan 30 15:54:23 +0800 2013
The world needs to spend a massive USD5 trillion a year on infrastructure to keep up with transport, energy and water needs, says a coalition of institutions including the OECD and World Bank.
That’s equivalent to the combined GDPs of the France and the UK, each and every year.
But finding the cash isn’t the only challenge, warn the authors of the report Green Investment, who presented their findings at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos – the world`s largest annual jamboree for business and politicians — last week.
70% of companies believe climate change will hit business
Wed Jan 30 15:54:12 +0800 2013
Seven out of 10 companies believe that climate change has the potential to significantly affect their revenue, with over half saying that it was expected within five years.
Based on responses from 2,415 companies, made up of suppliers and 52 major buying businesses, the research by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and Accenture found the risk of supply chain failure was “intensified by a chasm between the sustainable business practices of multinational corporations and their suppliers”.
Green investment fund shrinks on China bank withdrawal
Wed Jan 30 15:44:56 +0800 2013
A high profile fund to buy renewable energy assets, announced in October as a partnership between private equity firm Terra Firma and the China Development Bank, is going ahead on a smaller capital base after the Chinese bank failed to commit.
Yingli joins exclusive WWF climate club
Wed Jan 30 15:41:23 +0800 2013
Yingli Green Energy is the first Chinese company to join the WWF's Climate Savers program and has committed by 2015 to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by per MW of PV module production by 13 percent compared with 2010.
Maersk cruises past CO2 target eight years ahead of schedule
Mon Jan 28 17:27:56 +0800 2013
Maersk Line, the world’s largest container shipping company, has reached its 2020 target of reducing CO2 emissions by 25 percent from its benchmark 2007 levels.
Report on climate laws cites China and Mexico as leaders
Mon Jan 14 16:46:24 +0800 2013
A major international study scheduled for release at the 1st GLOBE Climate Legislation Summit to be held in London over the next two days will show that 32 of 33 major economies, led by China and Mexico, have progressed or are progressing significant climate and/or energy-related legislation.
The report, produced by the Global Legislators Union (GLOBE) in partnership with the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics and supported by the Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), shows that 18 countries made “significant” progress in 2012.
World Bank to fund Nepal climate resilience program
Tue Jan 22 18:55:49 +0800 2013
In a bid to mitigate climate-related hazards in Nepal the World Bank is to fund a project that will improve the accuracy and timeliness of weather, flood forecasts and warnings for climate-vulnerable communities.
Funded by a Strategic Climate Fund grant of USD16 million, and a Strategic Climate Fund Loan of USD15 million, the Building Resilience to Climate Related Hazards Project : Indigenous Peoples Plan, also aims to develop agricultural management information services to help farmers mitigate climate-related production risks.
Economics titan warns on climate change and Sino-Japanese rivalry
Tue Jan 22 18:47:47 +0800 2013
A Reuter's conference has outlined a pessimistic future for much of Asia as national security is threatened by fights over natural resources and global climate change hits business.
Black carbon research points to opportunity
Tue Jan 22 18:58:46 +0800 2013
It is early days yet but the new research that shows that black carbon, more commonly known as soot, could be contributing twice as much to global warming than previously thought, and may have a future impact on climate talks. It has also been found to be affecting rainfall patterns on the Asian monsoon more than previously thought.
Particles from diesel engines, wood burners and coal fires, according to the research published in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, have a total warming effect greater than methane and two thirds that of carbon dioxide. That was almost double the effect estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007.
Economic's titan warns on climate change and Sino-Japanese rivalry
Tue Jan 22 18:47:47 +0800 2013
A Reuter's conference has outlined a pessimistic future for much of Asia as national security is threatened by fights over natural resources and global climate change hits business.
Japan to set new carbon emissions target by November
Fri Jan 25 17:03:26 +0800 2013
After many month of dancing around the issue, and the election of a new government last month, Japan will revise its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by November when it completes a review of the current 25 percent reduction goal, which is now officially conceded to be out of reach.
Davos summit told climate fight to cost $700 bln-a-year
Thu Jan 24 19:03:55 +0800 2013
World leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this week were given the stark news that USD700 billion annual spend on green investments is required to save the planet from the harsh realities of climate change.
The figure – which amounts to USD14 trillion between now and 2030 – will be needed to meet global energy demand and avert the economic challenges that will be created by untracked climate change.
Humanity should prepare to be downsized
Thu Jan 10 15:56:03 +0800 2013
Hobbit-sized humans, able to exist on less nourishing food, will have the best chance of survival in a warmer world, scientists say.
Vietnam prepares for the worst from climate change
Tue Jan 08 12:44:16 +0800 2013
The Vietnam government has earmarked VND379 billion (USD18 million) for two programs this year to improve environment quality and the country's ability to cope with climate change.
Global computing produces emissions equivalent to aviation
Mon Jan 07 17:01:53 +0800 2013
A new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology has concluded that the Internet and other information communication and technology (ICT) elements produce over 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year.
Calls to make Vietnamese agriculture more sustainable
Thu Jan 03 12:43:59 +0800 2013
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hoang Trung Hai, has urged the country’s agriculture sector to make drastic changes in order to become more sustainable.
Climate change and illegal logging a lethal combination
Fri Dec 21 12:44:43 +0800 2012
Questions are again being asked of how environmental degradation contributed to the human and financial cost of Typhoon Bopha (or Pablo, as it was known in the Philippines). With the toll continuing to climb well beyond 1,000 and another 841 still missing, and damages are being put in excess of USD173 million, the figures are sadly unsurprising.
Snow, ice - festive cheer comes with sinking feeling
Thu Dec 27 13:49:45 +0800 2012
Sitting in South-East Asia contemplating Santa Claus and Christmas largesse, it's easy to forget the snow and ice associated with Saint Nicholas. The European tradition of elves at the North Pole, sleighs and reindeer, dating from the 1820s doesn't have the same immediacy when you're preparing for a typhoon or sunning yourself on a beach.
But the future effects of having less snow and ice could make those typhoons more intense and perhaps make that beach disappear altogether.
The ecological impact of growing consumption in China
Thu Dec 20 12:19:42 +0800 2012
At the Climate Change Conference, held in Doha earlier this month, United Nation’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Governments to “accelerate action” to ensure global temperatures do not rise above two degrees Celsius. Beyond this point there is strong consensus in the scientific community that climate change would result in severe human costs through, inter alia, rising sea levels and widespread droughts.
As a powerhouse behind the global economy, and as the world’s largest polluter, China, and more specifically its megacities must be at the center of these efforts.
Call for independent system to enforce India’s environmental laws
Mon Dec 17 17:10:13 +0800 2012
An Indian Supreme Court judge, AK Patnaik, has called for an independent regulatory system to enforce environmental laws and monitor the conservation of biodiversity in the country.
ADB's 3-year, $525 mln plan for Cambodia
Wed Dec 19 13:52:32 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a new three-year assistance plan to Cambodia. The plan includes of USD525 million to help the country reduce poverty, promote growth and mitigate climate change, the bank said.
Severe economic natural disaster threat to Asia warns UN
Wed Dec 19 13:51:44 +0800 2012
A new United Nations report has identified Asia, especially China, as the world’s most vulnerable region to climate change and natural disasters.
In assessing the financial impact of global disasters, the report says the economic toll in 2012 exceeded USD10 billion and that future disasters may represent a serious threat to the region’s otherwise healthy economies.
Hooked on the black stuff, part 2
Thu Dec 20 17:34:03 +0800 2012
News from the International Energy Agency (IEA) that coal will catch up with oil as the world's leading energy source by 2022 should come as no great surprise to readers of CleanBiz.Asia. It is nonetheless alarming.
The IEA’s Medium-Term Coal Market Report 2012 says that increased demand from India and China are fuelling the push.
Although the growth rate of coal slows from the breakneck pace of the last decade, global coal consumption by 2017 will stand at 4.32 billion tonnes of oil equivalent, versus around 4.40 billion tonnes for oil, based on IEA medium-term projections
Developing nations demand $100 billion climate aid timetable
Thu Dec 06 17:31:21 +0800 2012
Developing nations, led by China, are demanding a detailed timetable for the USD100 billion a year in climate aid that is to be made available in 2020 and beyond under the Green Climate Fund agreed at the 2009 COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen.
Up to $1.5 tln/year to fill gap in climate-friendly tech says ADB
Thu Dec 06 17:24:28 +0800 2012
Massive investment is required to develop and deploy climate-friendly technology if global warming is to be halted and developing countries prepared to cope with the adverse consequences of climate change, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) told climate change delegates in Doha earlier this week.
India orders Doha delegation to give no quarter on emissions
Wed Dec 05 17:47:17 +0800 2012
The government of India has told its Doha delegation in no uncertain terms that it is not to pledge any further reductions in emissions intensity, according to a report in the Times of India.
Stern warning on climate change for developing countries
Wed Dec 05 18:09:11 +0800 2012
The "brutal arithmetic" of climate change means developing countries must make the biggest cuts in greenhouse gas emissions going forward, according to Lord Nicholas Stern, author of the landmark Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change.
A new paper written by Stern and colleagues from the UK’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy says countries are making “recklessly slow” progress on reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and need to choose a more rapid transition to low-carbon economic development and growth.
India orders Doha delegation ‘no compromise’ on emissions
Wed Dec 05 17:47:17 +0800 2012
The government of India has told its Doha delegation in no uncertain terms that it is not to pledge any further reductions in emissions intensity, according to a report in the Times of India.
Rich world fossil-fuel subsidies five times climate aid
Mon Dec 03 17:04:29 +0800 2012
With the funds transferred between economically developed nations and the developing world to support climate change mitigation and adaption well behind target – and one of the major issues at the UN COP18 talks in Doha – a new report has revealed that rich countries spend five times more on fossil-fuel subsidies than on climate aid.
In 2011, 22 industrialized nations paid USD58.7 billion in subsidies to the oil, coal and gas industries and to consumers of the fuels, compared with climate-aid flows of USD11.2 billion, according to calculations by the Washington-based campaign group Oil Change International.
Three top green business groups join forces against climate change
Tue Dec 04 16:57:37 +0800 2012
Three of the world’s largest energy and sustainability networks have joined forces within the Global Electricity Initiative (GEI) to support electrical utilities’ efforts to tackle climate change and improve energy access.
Three top green business groups unite against climate change
Tue Dec 04 17:06:34 +0800 2012
Three of the world’s largest energy and sustainability networks have joined forces within the Global Electricity Initiative (GEI) to support electrical utilities’ efforts to tackle climate change and improve energy access.
Thailand led world in 2011 weather-related losses
Wed Nov 28 16:30:46 +0800 2012
Thailand, followed by the US, suffered the most economic damage from extreme weather events in 2011, the Berlin-based research group Germanwatch says.
Vietnam plans national carbon market from 2020
Mon Nov 26 17:52:23 +0800 2012
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a plan to manage the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and establish a global carbon trading scheme after 2020.
The carbon reduction plan is included in the country's commitment to implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international conventions on environmental protection adopted by Vietnam.
Vietnam will compile a periodical report about greenhouse gas emissions every two years which will be based on results from the soon-to-be-established National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory System.
Doha talks a serious business for China as others soft pedal
Mon Nov 26 18:37:12 +0800 2012
For the past several days China’s official media has had a lot of focus – primarily for domestic consumption – on COP18, the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which began in Doha, the capital of Qatar, today.
The contrast with Western media could not be starker. Although not entirely scientific, a quick scan of the front pages on major news sites in the US and UK found not a single reference to the Doha talks.
China's elite assess climate finance options: report
Thu Nov 22 16:24:48 +0800 2012
China has been called on to strengthen its institutions and governance in climate finance if it wants to tackle climate change. An independent report for China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) by The Climate Group and the Research Centre for Climate and Energy Finance at the Chinese University of Finance, says central and local government should be setting aside at least five percent of income to tackle climate change.
The report, Shaping China’s Climate Finance Policy, says not only are large sums required but the country needs create a new, high-level Climate Change & Energy Agency and an International Climate Development Agency.
Calls for Vietnam's environmental laws to be redrafted
Tue Nov 27 11:46:25 +0800 2012
Planned future revisions of Vietnam's Environmental Protection Law should have stricter and smarter rules on environmental planning and monitoring. Government officials have also said that the earlier drafts have proved ineffectual.
GHG from permafrost not fully counted in climate predictions
Tue Nov 27 16:00:08 +0800 2012
Permafrost covering almost a quarter of the northern hemisphere contains 1,700 gigatonnes of carbon, twice that currently in the atmosphere, and could significantly amplify global warming should thawing accelerate as expected, according to a new report released today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Warming permafrost can also radically alter ecosystems and cause costly infrastructural damage due to increasingly unstable ground, the report says.
China's elite assess climate options: report
Thu Nov 22 16:24:48 +0800 2012
China has been called on to strengthen its institutions and governance in climate finance if it wants to tackle climate change. An independent report for China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) by The Climate Group and the Research Centre for Climate and Energy Finance at the Chinese University of Finance, says central and local government should be setting aside at least five percent of income to tackle climate change.
The report, Shaping China’s Climate Finance Policy, says not only are large sums required but the country needs create a new, high-level Climate Change & Energy Agency and an International Climate Development Agency.
Doleful prospects for Doha
Fri Nov 23 11:37:21 +0800 2012
Doha. Despite the evident energy, generosity and reasonable success of recent Qatari diplomatic efforts, their capital city remains synonymous with international diplomatic failure and national intransigence.
Eleven years ago the World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a new round of multinational negotiations for which there has been no agreement to date. The latest news headline on the WTO web page about The Doha Round says it all: “Chair reports no ‘no’ but also no ‘yes’ for farm talks proposal”.
Climate change impacts Vietnam worse than expected
Thu Nov 22 15:25:22 +0800 2012
Vietnam's own research is showing that the dangers to its coastal and river areas from sea level rises could be catastrophic, with up to 39 percent of the Mekong Delta and 20 percent of Ho Chi Minh City being lost. What's worse is that towns and cities have not made any preparations for flooding.
GHG concentrations hit new record in 2011: WMO report
Wed Nov 21 17:45:58 +0800 2012
The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2011, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, released Tuesday.
The report found that carbon dioxide rose to 390.9 parts per million (ppm), up two ppm on 2010 levels.
Since the start of the industrial era in 1750, about 375 billion tonnes of carbon have been released into the atmosphere as CO2, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, according to the report, which had a special focus on the carbon cycle.
World's biggest companies call for global carbon pricing
Tue Nov 20 15:50:25 +0800 2012
A roll-call of multinational companies have called on governments ahead of Doha to introduce a global carbon price. They also called unequivocally on world leaders to find agreement in order to drive change “at a pace commensurate with the 2°C goal”.
Launch completes China’s environmental satellite family
Tue Nov 20 15:41:28 +0800 2012
China on Monday launched the third satellite in its "Environment I" family to provide more data for environmental monitoring and disaster forecasting.
Salt poisoning threatens Mekong Delta
Wed Nov 21 11:51:45 +0800 2012
Salt poisoning is hitting the Mekong Delta because of the annual floods have not happened. Both agriculture and water supplies are being affected, according to a report in the Vietnam News.
APEC committee chooses Da Nang as next low-carbon town
Wed Nov 21 11:40:16 +0800 2012
The Vietnamese city of Da Nang was selected at last week’s 44th APEC energy meeting in Washington DC as the site of Low-Carbon Model Town Project, according to Pham Thanh Tung, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's International Co-operation Department.
Salt poisoning threatens Mekong Delta crops
Wed Nov 21 11:51:45 +0800 2012
Salt poisoning is hitting the Mekong Delta because of the annual floods have not happened. Both agriculture and water supplies are being affected, according to a report in the Vietnam News.
ADB counsels focus on green, inclusive growth
Wed Nov 21 15:21:10 +0800 2012
While advanced economies gradually rebuild their balance sheets, Asia’s emerging markets need to diversify sources of growth to boost GDP, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda said Tuesday during an address at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Global Dialogue in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Regulation seen driving CO2 risk and opportunity in Asia
Thu Nov 15 19:23:35 +0800 2012
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has enjoyed a reasonable bump in responses to its annual Asia ex-Japan survey with 129 of 400 companies in its target sample reporting, representing a 32 percent response rate compared to 27 percent in 2011.
As in 2011, PwC Hong Kong undertook an analysis of these submissions – and those made by Asia ex-Japan companies to the CDP Global 500 – to identify the region’s leaders. According to the report, co-authored and analysed by natural capital research company Trucost Plc, South Korean companies are now the region’s clear leaders with a dozen included among the 20 ranked, along with five from Hong Kong and one each from China, India and Singapore.
Biomass power generation may hinder climate fight
Fri Nov 16 16:06:05 +0800 2012
A report by a group of UK campaign groups has warned that burning biomass (such as wood) in power stations may hinder attempts to tackle climate change.
Biomass-based power generation has been promoted as an economic means of low-carbon power but the report by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the RSPB, warns that it will take too long for trees to re-absorb the carbon emitted by burning wood.
Korea plans carbon trading tests next year
Fri Nov 16 16:04:29 +0800 2012
South Korea will start trial operations of its cap-and-trade carbon system next year. Nam Kwang Hee, director general of the Presidential Committee on Green Growth, told Bloomberg that Korea plans to use the European Union’s model for emissions trading.
Climate change mitigation 'far cheaper than inaction'
Thu Nov 15 15:24:18 +0800 2012
Tackling the global climate crisis could reap significant economic benefits for both developed and developing countries, according to a new report.
Vietnam pulls in over $1 billion in environment-related loans
Mon Nov 12 16:34:51 +0800 2012
The Word Bank has agreed to loan Vietnam USD449 million to improve “environmentally-friendly” electricity distribution, including the introduction of smart grids, throughout the country.
China’s energy consumption to double by 2020
Mon Nov 12 16:27:02 +0800 2012
China's total power consumption is estimated to double by 2020, Liu Zhenya, general manager of the State Grid Corporation of China, the country's largest grid operator, was reported as predicting on Saturday.
EU halts aviation carbon cap and trade — temporarily
Tue Nov 13 17:36:48 +0800 2012
The European Union (EU) announced yesterday that it will apply a one-year moratorium on the controversial inclusion of civil aviation under its Emissions Trading System (ETS), which has mandated that all airlines flying to and from EU pay for their carbon emissions.
The freeze follows threats of widespread international retaliation from such heavyweights as the US, China, Russia and India, and is said to allow for the EU rethink its approach.
Flights by airlines within the EU will still have to pay for their carbon emissions.
Vietnam hauls in over $1 billion in environment-related loans
Mon Nov 12 16:34:51 +0800 2012
The Word Bank has agreed to loan Vietnam USD449 million to improve “environmentally-friendly” electricity distribution, including the introduction of smart grids, throughout the country.
South Korea sets tough rules for offsets under cap and trade
Wed Nov 14 16:07:29 +0800 2012
South Korea announced this week that its largest local polluters will be forced to cut domestic emissions before they will be given any carbon offset credits for reductions overseas, according to a Bloomberg report.
China’s energy strategy will make waves for years to come
Mon Nov 12 15:46:15 +0800 2012
The economic turmoil of the financial crash saw China being feted as a white knight with drawbridges being lowered to investment from Chinese companies. This has turned to bitterness, like a liberating army becoming an occupying force.
Even with struggling solar and wind sectors, China has become the dominant global power it terms of renewable energy companies. This has resulted in the US Department of Commerce increasing tariffs to between 23.75 and 250 percent on solar cells which it calls a way of offsetting subsidies provided by China through one mechanism or another.
Chinese premier reaffirms eco stance on rattan and bamboo
Thu Nov 08 15:55:47 +0800 2012
Chinese vice premier Li Keqiang has reassured a group of visiting delegates representing the global bamboo and rattan industries that China is fully committed to boosting the development of the sector.
Indonesia's fisheries most 'vulnerable to collapse'
Wed Nov 07 11:51:48 +0800 2012
Indonesia and Liberia's coral reef fisheries are most vulnerable to collapse, says a study that has ranked the vulnerability of coastal nations based on indicators for their coral reef management, fisheries and food security.
Indian monsoon failure more frequent with warming
Wed Nov 07 11:14:10 +0800 2012
Global warming could cause frequent and severe failures of the Indian summer monsoon in the next two centuries, new research suggests.
PwC report warns of a much hotter planet
Wed Nov 07 14:14:04 +0800 2012
The annual rate of reduction of carbon emissions per unit of GDP needed to limit global warming to 2°C, has passed a critical threshold according to new analysis from PwC. The rate of reduction now required has never been achieved before.
Aid money for flood mitigation on Mekong
Thu Nov 08 15:51:17 +0800 2012
In a move reflecting the realization of the greater risk of flooding through climate extremes the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has put together a USD87.4 million aid package for Laos and Vietnam.
Forget the world as we knew it
Tue Nov 06 17:03:02 +0800 2012
It was like an elephant in the corner of the room as Hurricane Sandy came roaring through the Northeast United States, disrupting the lives of millions while chalking up to USD45 billion worth of damage, and yet neither presidential candidate mentioned climate change or flagged it as a policy imperative. Throughout the latter weeks of the campaign trail it became painfully obvious that neither Obama nor Romney were willing to utter policy pledges on climate change or anything environmental that could be considered hippy yogurt-weaving scare mongering.
Carbon export taxes could prevent trade wars
Mon Oct 29 15:08:52 +0800 2012
Recent studies have highlighted that sizable amounts of carbon emissions are transferred between world regions in the form of traded goods and services. That is, considerably more emissions are generated for the production of imports to countries, such as the EU and US than those associated with their exports.
This observation has frequently been regarded as an indication that energy-intensive industries are being relocated from industrialized to developing and newly industrializing countries, especially to China.
Korea Southern aiming for stake in UK carbon capture project
Mon Oct 29 15:15:05 +0800 2012
A subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is in talks to buy a stake in a leading-edge carbon-capture and storage (CCS) project in the United Kingdom that may cost 5 billion pounds (USD8 billion) to develop.
REDD+ biodiversity and carbon impacts change with landscape
Fri Oct 26 16:52:10 +0800 2012
Impacts of actions under Reduction of Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) – a UN mechanism to stem deforestation and degradation – on biodiversity and carbon vary across forest types and landscape conditions, a new global assessment shows.
Key findings of the preliminary assessment of links between biodiversity, carbon, forests and people, prepared by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations’ Global Forest Experts Panel (GFEP), were released recently at the international biodiversity meeting in Hyderabad.
UN report finds that APAC bears 80% the brunt of global disasters
Thu Oct 25 13:06:39 +0800 2012
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have suffered 80 percent of the global economic losses caused by disasters during 2011, says a United Nations report released at the fifth Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction that opened in Jakarta on Monday.
Malaysia calls for science, business teamwork to boost green tech
Thu Oct 25 12:53:11 +0800 2012
The two-way communication between the scientific and business communities must be enhanced to ensure competitiveness of the Malaysian green technology industry in the global market, according to a report by Malaysia’s state-run news Agency, Bernama.
Indonesia’s palm oil sector GHG emissions to overtake Canada
Fri Oct 19 14:36:57 +0800 2012
A new study by researchers at Stanford and Yale universities predicts that emissions from Indonesia’s palm oil industry alone could release 558 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2020 – an amount more than Canada’s total national emissions now.
South Korea to push GHG emissions growth below that of GDP
Fri Oct 19 16:00:25 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Ministry of Environment has outlined its plan for the control of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from its major industries and may link an energy taxation system to emissions as part of efforts to reduce emissions.
As announced Monday, estimated emissions from 480 companies that are being reined in during 2013 are 590 million tonnes of CO2 and the target is to cut that back to 572 million tonnes for a reduction of 3.02 percent.
South Korea to push GHG emissions growth below GDP
Fri Oct 19 16:00:25 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Ministry of Environment has outlined its plan for the control of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from its major industries and may link an energy taxation system to emissions as part of efforts to reduce emissions.
As announced Monday, estimated emissions from 480 companies that are being reined in during 2013 are 590 million tonnes of CO2 and the target is to cut that back to 572 million tonnes for a reduction of 3.02 percent.
South Korea gets nod as Green Climate Fund HQ
Mon Oct 22 15:57:46 +0800 2012
The Board of the Green Climate Fund agreed on Saturday that Songdo, South Korea, be the permanent headquarters of the Fund, beating out Germany, Mexico, Namibia, Poland and Switzerland for the highly coveted position.
Petronas levers investment in LanzaTech for carbon capture
Tue Oct 23 14:18:11 +0800 2012
Bio-fuel company LanzaTech is moving into the carbon capture sector following an agreement with Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas. The deal is the first concrete benefit to LanzaTech's third round of fund-raising which saw USD55.8 million raised, mainly from Malaysian investors.
Climate Group calls on China to improve climate financing
Tue Oct 23 14:07:14 +0800 2012
The Climate Group said in a report issued on Monday that China should set up an effective institutional governance mechanism for its climate financing sector.
China should upgrade climate financing and improve related policies, said the report, titled "China's Climate Financing Management Mechanism."
China’s new energy initiatives merely a local gov’t slush fund?
Wed Oct 24 07:50:04 +0800 2012
Following Beijing's repeated pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, local governments have been quickening their steps to accelerate the development of new energy sectors, including wind and solar power.
Chinese city decrees tree planting for gov’t car users, residents
Thu Oct 18 18:28:35 +0800 2012
Authorities in Chenzhou, a city in central China's Hunan Province, said Wednesday that government car users are required to plant trees for carbon sinks, according to Xinhua.
Environmental concerns used to halt Philippine mining projects
Thu Oct 18 14:00:00 +0800 2012
Environmental and revenue concerns have postponed any new mining concessions in the Philippines until new legislation has been approved.
China launches survey to gauge environmental protection sector
Wed Oct 17 19:30:23 +0800 2012
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection yesterday launched a nationwide survey to examine the country’s environmental protection industry according to a report in the China Daily.
Hilton to offset SE Asia customer events to fund renewables
Wed Oct 17 19:15:41 +0800 2012
Hilton Worldwide has launched a carbon offset program across Southeast Asia which will measure carbon generated at all events at 11 of its properties in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand at no additional cost to customers.
Panasonic expands 'eco ideas' factory concept to Vietnam
Wed Oct 17 19:08:23 +0800 2012
Panasonic has opened an “eco ideas” Factory in Vietnam which is aimed at producing eco-friendly products with sustainable industry practices and raising the level of eco consciousness in the local community.
Vietnam piloting policy making based on ecosystem services
Thu Oct 18 17:13:43 +0800 2012
A Global Environment Fund (GEF)-funded umbrella project, the Project for Ecosystem Services (ProEcoServ), will be in full swing in Vietnam In 2014 aimed at bundling ecosystem services into a biodiversity development and preservation policy decision making process.
ProEcoServ has been implemented in the country’s Ca Mau Province under the direction of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment.
China prepares to charge emission fees for cars
Thu Sep 27 18:22:48 +0800 2012
The Chinese government is preparing to charge emission fees on cars and is currently discussing this policy, according to Li Zuojun, deputy director of Resources and Environment Institute under the Development Research Center of the State Council.
Pacific island staring global catastrophe right in the face
Tue Oct 02 17:33:31 +0800 2012
The United Nations is counting on the leadership and active engagement of Pacific island nations in tackling some of today’s pressing challenges, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told delegates at the first-ever meeting of the UN and Pacific Islands Forum Leaders.
He called on them to align priorities to tackle climate change objectives. Noting that Pacific States are also particularly vulnerable to disasters, he recognized the work done by these countries and their partners to implement the Pacific Regional disaster risk management framework of action.
New Japanese environment tax aimed at fantasy CO2 target
Wed Oct 03 16:59:54 +0800 2012
Japan introduced an environment tax on Monday which the government says is aimed at deterring greenhouse gas emissions but critics say will lead to higher prices for consumers.
Belief in climate change is global mainstream, even in US
Fri Oct 05 18:19:15 +0800 2012
An online poll of 13,000 adults in 13 countries, carried out on behalf of insurance group Axa, has found nine out of 10 believe that the climate has changed significantly in the past 20 years.
The survey was carried out from July 5 to August 6 in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States by Ipsos Public Affairs.
Hong Kong residents and Mexicans appear most convinced about climate change, with 98 saying they were believers
Japan may meet Kyoto carbon emission target
Mon Oct 08 18:52:33 +0800 2012
A new report from Japan’s Environment Ministry claims the country is on target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated average of 8 percent below 1990 levels for the five years ending in March, meaning it will meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
China’s big plug-in EV program an environmental hazard
Wed Oct 10 19:52:17 +0800 2012
New research from the The Norwegian University of Science and Technology study suggests that electric cars may be worse for the environment than petrol or diesel-powered cars. This could mean China’s ambitious plans to promote plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) could make things worse rather than better.
What’s the problem? PEVs rely on mains electricity to run, and most of the world’s electricity still comes from unsustainable sources. The study found the impact – especially on greenhouse gas emissions - even worse when coal is the main source of power generation, and China relies on coal for over 80 percent of its electricity.
Software for street-level CO2 emissions view
Thu Oct 11 11:53:50 +0800 2012
It is being claimed that new software developed in the US is capable of accurately measuring greenhouse gas emissions down to individual buildings and streets.
Pepsi develops rapid carbon footprinting tool
Fri Oct 12 17:50:06 +0800 2012
PepsiCo has developed a tool to calculate the carbon emissions of different materials and activities in a company’s supply chain and operations, and within minutes pinpoint which of these carries the largest carbon footprint.
South Korea doubles carbon reduction targets for 2013
Mon Oct 15 17:34:15 +0800 2012
South Korea’s economy ministry said today that it wants companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 3 percent to 553.4 million tonnes next year, effectively doubling the reductions achieved in 2012, as it prepares for its new cap-and-trade scheme starting in 2015.
The local industrial and power sectors are on track to record emission of 570.6 million tonnes this year which is a reduction of 8 million tonnes or 1.42 percent over 2011. The ministry said it wants to see further cuts of 17.2 million in 2013.
Germany pledges $352 mln to help green Vietnam
Mon Oct 15 18:04:34 +0800 2012
The German Government has committed to helping Vietnam to develop a green economy and vocational training by loaning the country EUR272 million (USD352 million), according to a report in the Vietnam News.
China to promote low-carbon day from 2013
Thu Sep 20 18:33:14 +0800 2012
China’s State Council announced yesterday that it plans to promote a “National Low-Carbon Day” beginning next year in a bid to cut carbon emissions in the world’s second largest economy.
Shenzhen targets 800 companies for carbon quota scheme
Thu Sep 20 19:07:21 +0800 2012
About 800 companies in China’s booming southern city of Shenzhen will be issued carbon quotas and face penalties for exceeding emissions targets from next year.
The city, which borders Hong Kong in the Guangdong province and was once home to the majority of the Pearl River Delta’s manufacturing operations, is one of seven carbon trading test zones appointed by the central government in October.
Vietnam looks to clean up rural industry
Fri Sep 21 16:26:17 +0800 2012
Businesses unite with government to promote China biodiversity
Fri Sep 21 17:40:30 +0800 2012
Representatives from at least 13 companies gathered in Beijing recently to sign an agreement to co-operate with governmental agencies and research institutes for the promotion of biodiversity in China.
China, EU agree to work closer together on climate policy
Fri Sep 21 17:13:29 +0800 2012
The European Commission (EU) announced on Thursday that it had struck an agreement with China to co-operate more closely on cutting carbon emissions through various project including the development of Chinese emissions trading schemes, according to Reuters.
Koreans claim world’s most efficient carbon-capture technology
Wed Sep 12 19:07:45 +0800 2012
The Korea Institute of Energy Research claims to have developed a new carbon dioxide capture technology which is “the most energy-efficient among currently available methods”.
Indonesia acts on Norway’s $1 bln notice over deforestation
Fri Sep 07 17:51:15 +0800 2012
Indonesia seems to be responding to Norway’s urging for it to stop “backtracking on its own policies to protect tropical forests,” and up to USD1 billion in aid promised by Oslo in exchange for Indonesia implementing the two-year moratorium hinged on proof of slower rates of forest clearance.
APEC ministers will mull green product tariffs at Vladivostok
Fri Sep 07 17:37:24 +0800 2012
The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting this weekend in the Far Eastern Russian city of Vladivostok has put drawing up a list of environmentally friendly goods on its agenda, according to a report in the China Daily.
No international links to China carbon trading — yet
Wed Sep 05 17:34:30 +0800 2012
China is researching the foundation of a national carbon-trading market before linking with other countries' carbon trading schemes, a top climate change official was quoted by the China Daily.
The United States, Australia, Japan and the European Union are all discussing building a sub-regional or regional carbon market with China, said Xie Zhenhua, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, but the country is holding off while it gets its own ducks in a row.
Climate-smart agriculture aims to be part of the solution
Wed Sep 05 16:30:01 +0800 2012
Vietnam has been playing host to delegates from 150 countries to discuss food security and develop agricultural policies to mitigate climate change.
“We are facing unprecedented challenges in the context of over-exploitation of natural resources, increased negative impacts of drought, flooding, salinity, a rising sea level and other environmental consequences that are directly caused by humans,” Cao Duc Phat, Vietnam's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development told the opening plenary session of the 2nd Global Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change
Shanghai rejects floods criticism
Mon Aug 27 14:41:31 +0800 2012
A Shanghai official has mounted a robust defense against claims made in new research, A flood vulnerability index for coastal cities and its use in assessing climate change impacts, published in the journal Natural Hazards, which ranked the Chinese city as being most at risk.
China to revamp decades old environmental protection laws
Tue Aug 28 10:34:47 +0800 2012
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Monday started its first reading of a draft amendment to the Environmental Protection Law, the China Daily reports.
Water problems mount for South Asian farmers
Tue Aug 28 10:08:07 +0800 2012
The lack of rains in large, monsoon-dependent, agricultural areas of South Asia has compounded concerns expressed in a recent report about an impending global water crisis and its detrimental impact on agriculture.
Oh Shanghai! China city tops flood vulnerability index
Wed Aug 22 19:14:17 +0800 2012
A new study, using a broad range of criteria and data, suggests Shanghai is the world's most vulnerable major city to flooding. In spite of gleaming skyscrapers and state-of-the-art mass transit systems, China's most flamboyant city surpasses other Asian coastal conurbations as being the most at risk from the rising sea levels driven by changing climate.
The new research, A flood vulnerability index for coastal cities and its use in assessing climate change impacts, published in the journal, Natural Hazards, looks not just at cities’ physical characteristics but also at their socio-economic and institutional systems, to assess the impact of flooding.
Climate change may boost Southeast Asian agriculture
Wed Aug 29 14:01:03 +0800 2012
A somewhat contrarian piece of research suggests agriculture in Asia could benefit from climate change. Following numerous doom-laden reports on the effects of extreme weather conditions on populations and economies in the region, scientists from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) have predicted increased rainfall and temperature due to climate change could bring benefits to south-east Asian agriculture.
This contradicts the more common expectations that a warmer planet will reduce agricultural productivity in the region.
Shanghai has China’s first pilot CO2 emission trading scheme
Fri Aug 17 18:56:05 +0800 2012
Shanghai has become the first city in China to launch a pilot carbon emission rights trading scheme, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to control and ultimately reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
About 200 major local polluters, including industrial companies whose annual carbon dioxide emissions reach 20,000 tonnes and non-industrial enterprises whose annual emissions total 10,000 tonnes, will take part in the trading, the city government said in a statement.
Climate change, ozone depletion and marine destruction
Mon Aug 13 13:52:48 +0800 2012
Marine species are under threat from increased levels of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation as a result of damage to the ozone layer according to a new study.
First UNEP low-carbon transport initiative takes on Indian cities
Thu Aug 09 18:24:15 +0800 2012
India’s Ministry of Environment & Forests and the Ministry of Urban Development have launched a project called “Promoting Low Carbon Transport in India” as the first-ever transportation project to be financed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
China world first carbon capture and storage in saline aquifer
Wed Aug 08 11:53:02 +0800 2012
The first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in China has sequestered 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to Shenhua Group Corporation, the country’s leading coal energy company.
Located in China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region the CCS system has been operating for 15 months taking carbon dioxide from a Shenhua’s Direct Coal Liquefaction Megaton commercialized demonstration plant, which produces diesel and naphtha from coal.
Mangrove offer Asian nations a sustainable resource
Sat Aug 04 01:02:19 +0800 2012
Asia's mangrove swamps may offer the region a future carbon trading option and pollution cleaning solution. Two new sets of research show that the value of mangrove swamps to the environment has been vastly underestimated and that there are solid arguments for including such habitat in carbon-trade schemes similar to REDD.
Mangrove offers Asian nations a sustainable resource
Sat Aug 04 01:02:19 +0800 2012
Asia's mangrove swamps may offer the region a future carbon trading option and pollution cleaning solution.
Two new sets of research show that the value of mangrove swamps to the environment has been vastly underestimated and that there are solid arguments for including such habitat in carbon-trade schemes similar to REDD+.
US GHG emissions at 20-year low, but there’s little to celebrate
Mon Aug 06 18:49:03 +0800 2012
According to figures released last week by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the country’s energy-related carbon emissions hit a 20-year low during the first quarter of the year.
Japanese cleantech transfer deals for India, Indonesia and Vietnam
Tue Aug 07 13:25:21 +0800 2012
According to a report in the Nikkei newspaper, Japan is preparing to sign a technology-transfer agreement with India, aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions, later this year and will also sign similar accords with Indonesia and Vietnam.
Inaugural UN green climate fund meeting finally scheduled
Tue Aug 07 16:26:40 +0800 2012
Coming five months later than originally planned, the first board meeting of the UN's Green Climate Fund (GCF) is scheduled for August 23-25, according to Reuters.
Australia tips solar as its cheapest electricity source by 2040
Tue Aug 07 18:23:21 +0800 2012
A comprehensive new study has been published by Australia’s new Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE), providing “the best available and most up-to-date cost estimates” for 40 utility-scale electricity generation technologies between now and 2050, albeit under Australian conditions.
Japanese building claims world's lowest CO2 emissions
Tue Aug 07 18:13:20 +0800 2012
One of Japan's largest construction companies is making a bold claim. Shimizu Corp believes its new Tokyo headquarters emits less carbon dioxide per square meter than any other building in the world.
Thanks to a myriad energy-efficiency technologies and renewable energy installations, the building uses only 38 kilograms per square meter of CO2 annually, estimates Shimizu. That's 62 percent less than the average emissions of most Tokyo office buildings, says the company.
EU spends over $306 mln to curb Indonesia’s carbon emissions
Fri Aug 03 10:47:13 +0800 2012
The European Union has spent 250 million euros (USD306 million) on environmental projects in Indonesia aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
EU’s ETS opponents urge multilateral emissions approach
Thu Aug 02 18:32:09 +0800 2012
Seventeen countries opposed to an EU law that forces their air carriers to pay for the carbon they emit on flights to and from Europe reaffirmed they want to keep working on a multilateral framework under the United Nation’s global aviation body, a senior US official said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Finland throws support behind Vietnam’s climate battle
Thu Aug 02 18:14:51 +0800 2012
The Embassy of Finland in Vietnam launched a project to back Vietnam's central Quang Tri province to deal with climate change's impacts in agricultural production, Vietnam’s state-run news agency reported on Tuesday.
Higher shipping costs with new N. American fuel standards
Thu Aug 02 18:05:15 +0800 2012
A long-planned environmental regulation requiring ships to use cleaner, low-sulfur fuel while operating near the North American coast took effect on Wednesday, despite concerns that suppliers may not be ready.
Shanghai first off the mark with carbon trading guidelines
Thu Aug 02 18:21:05 +0800 2012
Shanghai municipal government issued guidelines for a pilot carbon trade market that will allow companies to buy and sell carbon credits, Xinhua announced today.
Global investors re-examine climate change risk positions
Thu Jul 26 05:12:12 +0800 2012
Institutional investors concerned about climate change have retained, and in many cases, boosted their commitment to addressing the issue despite wider economic and financial challenges and continuing policy uncertainty according to a new report.
Jointly published by three institutional investor forums covering Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand, the 2011 Global Investor Survey on Climate Change says more progress is needed in translating climate-related investment policies, research and risk assessments into investment decisions that reduce climate risks to portfolios and seek to capture climate-driven investment opportunities.
Indonesian plant to produce 30 mln litres biofuel per annum
Mon Jul 23 11:19:53 +0800 2012
Indonesian plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara X says it will build a bioethanol production plant in Mojokerto, East Java, with a total capacity of 30 million litres of fuel annually
China lays out plan for 50-GW solar by 2020
Mon Jul 23 11:29:02 +0800 2012
The Chinese government said it will accelerate the pace of solar power installations after 2015, part of a program including funds from the state to cap carbon emissions while satisfying the nation’s demand for electricity, according to a report in Bloomberg.
China hopes to learn from Europe’s carbon-trading blunders
Mon Jul 23 11:52:39 +0800 2012
Price control mechanisms and tightly regulated markets are among the measures China is considering for its emissions trading schemes in a bid to avoid the price volatility and scandals that have hit Europe's USD148-billion scheme, Reuters Point Carbon reported Friday.
China to train developing countries on climate change mitigation
Fri Jun 22 15:41:02 +0800 2012
China will offer training programs on climate change to 1,000 officials and technicians from developing countries from 2012 to 2014, a Chinese official told Xinhua in Beijing yesterday.
Sustainable energy budgets require massive increase: report
Fri Jun 22 15:26:21 +0800 2012
Global investments in sustainable energy must increase by USD500 million a year to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to a report launched in Rio this week, website SciDev.com reports.
India decries developed countries ‘weak’ political will
Fri Jun 22 15:19:03 +0800 2012
India Thursday said it is disappointed with the "weak" political will in developed countries to provide developing nations enhanced means of implementation of objectives of Green Economy, which will also be a "green-wash" if the process is not democratized.
Japan to step up its geothermal activities in Indonesia
Mon Jun 25 17:19:38 +0800 2012
Japan is seeking to increase its co-operation with Indonesia in the field of geothermal energy development as part of efforts to find energy sources to meet its needs, according to the Antara News Agency.
Changing climate altering native species in Korean waters
Tue Jun 26 15:45:00 +0800 2012
South Korea’s National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), President Ahn Yeon-soon under the Ministry of Environment yesterday released the results of a study that showed that growth of temperate and subpolar algae in waters off Jeju have decreased while subtropical/tropical algae have increased
Foreign allies urge WTO to settle China rare earth dispute
Thu Jun 28 13:42:19 +0800 2012
The European Union, the United States and Japan on Wednesday requested a dispute settlement panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) after failing to resolve a battle over China's export restrictions on rare earth minerals, according to Reuters.
With cap and trade looming, Korean firms record 9.1% GHG increase
Thu Jun 28 13:29:10 +0800 2012
Output of greenhouse gases at 467 companies which will probably be in South Korea’s proposed carbon market starting in 2015 rose 9.1 percent in 2010 according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Report calls for immediate halt to hazardous Indian coal plant
Wed Jul 04 17:47:16 +0800 2012
An independent report into a huge coal power station being built in energy-starved India on Tuesday called for construction to be halted immediately due to environmental damage, according to AFP.
The Tata Mundra plant in the western state of Gujurat was approved by the government in 2006 and, when completed, will provide 4,000-MW of power to 16 million people across the fast-developing country, the news agency reported.
Thai politics may undermine NASA’s SE Asia climate study
Mon Jul 02 15:28:31 +0800 2012
The US space agency NASA said last week that it was leaving the door open to reviving a canceled plan for a major Southeast Asia climate study that may have run afoul of internal Thai politics, according to Reuters.
As new FiT kicks in Japan previews energy policy options
Mon Jul 02 18:07:25 +0800 2012
Japan opened several solar energy parks on Sunday as its new feed-in tariff (FiT) law came into force, requiring the country’s 10 regional electricity companies to purchase renewable energy at a fixed prices in a push for alternatives to nuclear power.
Ahead of the start of its new FiT regime the Japanese government held a press conference on Friday to present three long-term energy policy options for public debate. It aims to select one of the three in August, officially shifting the country away from its previous goal of raising the share of power generated by nuclear energy to at least 50 percent by 2030.
Struggling Pakistan maps out strategy for sustainable future
Wed Jul 04 18:45:26 +0800 2012
Pakistan’s new national sustainable development strategy (NSDS) boasts a “green action agenda” and proposes to set up a knowledge management system that is based on science, technology and innovation, according to a report from website SciDev.
Dual sea level studies bode ill for S. China and SE Asia
Thu Jul 05 16:05:00 +0800 2012
Two new studies show that a significant rise in sea levels due to climate change threatens the coastal areas of more than a thousand islands in South-East Asia, the Pacific region, and southern China,
Chinese official sees little progress in 2012 anti-pollution efforts
Fri Jul 06 14:27:40 +0800 2012
A senior Chinese environmental official has warned that pollution control did not progress well in the country in the first half of this year.
Iimmediate global action needed to save Asia’s Coral Triangle
Mon Jul 09 19:15:43 +0800 2012
Scientists meeting at the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium in Cairns, in Cairn, Australia this week have said that more than 85 per cent of reefs in Asia's “Coral Triangle" are directly threatened by human activities such as coastal development, pollution, and overfishing,
Immediate global action needed to save Asia’s Coral Triangle
Mon Jul 09 19:15:43 +0800 2012
Scientists meeting at the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium in Cairns, Australia this week have said that more than 85 percent of reefs in Asia's “Coral Triangle" are directly threatened by human activities such as coastal development, pollution, and overfishing,
Mitsubishi center to assist vessels meet global environmental curbs
Wed Jul 11 15:58:13 +0800 2012
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has completed "4UE-X3," a testing facility for full-scale low-speed, 2-stroke marine diesel engines, in the company's Kobe Shipyard and Machinery Works in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.
China carbon trading rules a big step forward: The Climate Group
Tue Jul 10 22:05:43 +0800 2012
The Chinese Government has released a regulation on domestic voluntary carbon trading and market development, which puts the nation on track towards achieving a compulsory carbon market.
According to NGO The Climate Group, China's influential National Development and Reform Commission (NRDC) has this month released a new document entitled The Interim Regulation of Voluntary Greenhouse Gases Emission Trading in China.
UNDP helps Malaysia study a carbon disclosure program
Wed Jul 11 03:55:16 +0800 2012
A carbon emissions' disclosure system is being developed by Malaysia as part of its green effort. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is helping the Malaysian government with a study to develop National Carbon Disclosure Program, reports Xinhua.
China moves set stage to become net importer of rare earth
Wed Jul 11 16:44:08 +0800 2012
China, the world's biggest producer of rare earth metals, is likely to turn an importer of the vital industrial ingredients by as early as 2014 as it boosts consumption in domestic high-tech industries rather than just shipping raw material overseas, according to Reuters.
China coal pants look to US Fuel Tech to quell NOx emissions
Wed Jul 11 15:00:15 +0800 2012
US-based Fuel Tech has won three separate air pollution control orders worth USD3.9m in China utilizing the company’s Ultra technology, which limits emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) from power plants.
Scientists gather in Jakarta to discuss links to green economies
Thu Jul 12 13:27:06 +0800 2012
Some 100 scientists from 15 Asian countries are gathering this week in Jakarta at an international symposium to discuss the connection between science and green economy, Antara news agency reported.
Indonesia prepares biomass FiT to help manage waste problems
Thu Jul 12 16:28:04 +0800 2012
The Indonesian government will soon be issuing a new pricing regulation for biomass power plants to encourage investors to take advantage of the city’s waste for power generation, an official with the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said.
Pacific island nations urge more access to climate funds
Sat Jul 14 17:29:47 +0800 2012
Pacific island countries have highlighted access to climate change funds in the region, saying it remains critical for the vulnerable countries, said the Suva, Fiji based Pacific Islands Forum in a press release yesterday
It also said that the regional countries stressed the need at the 2012 Forum Economic Ministers' Meeting (FEMM) recently held in Tarawa, Kiribati.
The ministers were updated on climate change financing efforts coordinated by the Forum Secretariat and other stakeholders.
Is REDD+ a risky, uber-complex business?
Mon Jul 16 19:35:48 +0800 2012
Tropical forests cover about 15 percent of the world’s land surface but every year around 13 million hectares of forest are cleared for crop cultivation, cattle, logging and mining (FAO 2010). Forests are both carbon guzzlers (sinks) and emitters (sources) and deforestation and forest degradation accounts for a whopping 15-17 percent of man-made GHG emissions each year.
In the context of climate change, a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions is needed by 2030 to prevent global temperature rising above 2 degrees Celsius (IPCC 2007, AR4) but the positive news is that reducing deforestation is the “single largest opportunity for cost-effective and immediate reductions of carbon emissions.”
Indian state shuts pharmaceutical plants over pollution violations
Mon Jul 16 19:09:39 +0800 2012
India’s Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has ordered closure of 12 manufacturing units of different pharmaceutical companies for allegedly violating pollution regulations.
Kyocera provides Marshall Islands hospital with solar power system
Mon Jul 16 15:00:00 +0800 2012
Kyocera Corporation along with Marubeni Corporation and Wakachiku Construction Co., Ltd. have collaborated to supply a solar power generating system to the Majuro Hospital in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a part of Micronesia.
Air pollution fee for Taiwan in 2015
Wed Jul 18 03:41:10 +0800 2012
Taiwan's minister of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has revealed the country will start collecting air pollution fees in 2015.
The charge is part of the administration’s plan to cut down Taiwan’s greenhouse gas emission by resorting to the effective Air Pollution Control Act. Minister Shen Shih-hung pointed out that the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Bill should be the legal basis of the fees, although the bill has yet to clear the legislative floor, according to an exclusive interview Chinese-language Economic Daily.
Biogas provides Vietnam villagers a cleaner sustainable lifestyle
Thu Jul 19 17:55:37 +0800 2012
The Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), an international community development organization, has built a biogas system in the Phong Binh commune of rural Vietnam to help provide villagers with a sustainable fuel source for their daily living needs.
S. Korea fulfills marine tech ‘give-away’ for developing nations
Thu Jul 19 18:40:54 +0800 2012
Nine months after showcasing the protection of marine ecosystems at its international exhibition Expo 2012, the Korean government is in the process of transferring advanced technologies to the developing world.
Monitoring system gives China coal province immediate GHG data
Thu Jul 19 19:12:31 +0800 2012
A monitoring system for greenhouse gas concentrations has been launched in north China’s coal-rich Shanxi province as local authorities hope to better deal with climate change by using first-hand emission data.
China’s per capita emissions now on par with the EU
Thu Jul 19 18:10:24 +0800 2012
Last year, China's CO2 emissions rose by 9.0 percent, meaning the country produced the equivalent of 7.2 tonnes of the gas for each resident, according to a report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.
The 27-nation European Union produced 7.5 tonnes of CO2 per person, while the United States remained one of the world's top CO2 emitters, with 17.3 tonnes per resident in 2011, according to the study.
Existing Indonesian geothermal plants burned by new prices
Sun Jul 22 13:43:18 +0800 2012
The Indonesian government has identified 23 existing geothermal power plant projects, with a total combined capacity of 2,114-MW, that are at risk of being halted because they are no longer feasible, according to the Jakarta Post.
Energy, environment top of China’s strategic industries plan
Sun Jul 22 14:27:41 +0800 2012
China has released a plan for the development of its new strategic industries from now to the end of 2015, according to a statement released Friday by the State Council.
Japan commits $3 bln, China $38 mln aid at Rio+20
Thu Jun 21 18:47:48 +0800 2012
Japan will provide USD3 billion in aid to developing countries in the next three years to make the transition to a green economy, the country’s foreign minister, Koichiro Gemba, announced yesterday in his address to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, yesterday.
Indian consumers faulted for Indonesian deforestation
Wed Jun 20 16:40:43 +0800 2012
Surging demand for palm oil in India for cooking and everyday grocery items is driving tropical forest destruction in Indonesia, Greenpeace said on Tuesday.
Differences aside, US and China agree new low-carbon initiatives
Fri Jun 15 13:25:46 +0800 2012
China and the United States are strengthening ties in reducing carbon emissions through new agreements involving energy efficiency cooperation, despite recent trade disputes over renewable energy products.
Singapore government unveils climate change battle plan
Fri Jun 15 15:33:54 +0800 2012
Singapore has released a national climate change strategy document which outlines the country's plans to address climate change through a whole-of-nation approach, according to Channel News Asia.
Foreign investors see good business in a green Taiwan
Tue Jun 19 17:07:46 +0800 2012
The largest group of foreign investors in Taiwan is backing the country’s Low Carbon Initiative (LCI) which aims to share European expertise in low-carbon solutions and initiate partnerships with the government and Taiwanese firms to speed up Taiwan's transition from a fossil-fuel-dependent economy to a low-carbon model.
Int’l pressure may delay EU’s aviation emissions scheme
Wed Jun 20 15:31:06 +0800 2012
Draft proposals to tackle the carbon impact of aviation look set to be delayed until March 2013, according to the head of the UN body overseeing long-running negotiations to deliver a global deal to curb greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, according to UK website Business Green.
Greenpeace faults India consumers for Indonesian deforestation
Wed Jun 20 16:40:43 +0800 2012
Surging demand for palm oil in India for cooking and everyday grocery items is driving tropical forest destruction in Indonesia, Greenpeace said on Tuesday.
China owns wind and sun under new provincial decree
Wed Jun 20 16:33:34 +0800 2012
A new regulation imposed by China’s Heilongjiang Province last week is provoking some controversy in the energy sector as to who owns what.
World Bank, New Zealand back 1,000-MW Indonesia geothermal bid
Wed Jun 20 16:23:02 +0800 2012
Indonesia’s Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, has launched a 1,000-MW geothermal energy investment package with financial assistance from the World Bank and the government of New Zealand, according to the Jakarta Post.
Confidence and collaboration key to sustainable future
Thu Jun 14 19:54:01 +0800 2012
In the run-up to the UN’s Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development next week two groups of researchers have come out with the perspective that, in their different ways, point to the lack of sufficient belief rather than a lack of means as the principle barrier to a more sustainable future.
In its soon to be published book, Energy Technology Perspectives 2012 (ETP 2012), the International Energy Agency (IEA) points to a host of new technologies that are ready to transform the energy system, offering the potential to drastically reduce carbon emissions, enhance energy security and generate a huge investment return – if only the right policies are put in place.
Seoul plans 100-MW of solar panels for 1,000 public schools
Thu Jun 14 19:26:12 +0800 2012
The Seoul municipal government said it is seeking to build solar power facilities at about 1,000 of its schools in an effort to cope with the effects of global climate change, the Korea Herald reported yesterday.
Hooked on the black stuff: can China kick its coal addiction?
Wed Jun 13 16:07:13 +0800 2012
The latest round of figures on global greenhouse gas emissions makes depressing reading.
Last month the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that, after a 3.2 percent rise of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) emission to 31.6 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2011, the world is running out of time to prevent catastrophic climate change.
"When I look at this data, the trend is perfectly in line with a temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius (by 2050), which would have devastating consequences for the planet," Fatih Birol, IEA's chief economist told Reuters.
Top China climate scientist says CO2 emissions may be overstated
Wed Jun 13 18:50:07 +0800 2012
Responding to the study published at the weekend in Nature Climate Change, which suggested China’s greenhouse gas emissions could be understated by nearly 20 percent, the director of the Climate Change Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Sciences says his institute’s research points to the opposite conclusion.
China’s green spending to reach $706 bln by 2015
Thu Jun 14 18:55:14 +0800 2012
Xie Zhenhua, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said yesterday that the value of the output from the energy conservation and environmental protection industry would reach 4.50 trillion yuan (USD706.58 billion) by 2015.
China’s anti-ETS measures could include seizing EU aircraft
Wed Jun 13 15:18:03 +0800 2012
China will take swift counter-measures that could include impounding European aircraft if the EU punishes Chinese airlines for non-compliance with a scheme to curb carbon emissions, the China Air Transport Association warned yesterday, according to Reuters.
Citing India coal deaths, IMF chief warns of rising eco-social crisis
Wed Jun 13 15:05:19 +0800 2012
International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde said in Washington yesterday that pollution from coal generation plants was resulting in about 70,000 premature deaths every year in India.
New research center will tackle China’s climate change challenges
Wed Jun 13 11:00:00 +0800 2012
China's top economic planner this week announced the establishment of a national research center designed to facilitate the country's efforts to cope with climate change, reports Xinhua.
Tibet on board with first resource recycling market
Wed Jun 13 10:00:00 +0800 2012
Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region will start constructing its first resource recycling market at the end of June in the regional capital of Lhasa.
Signs of hope but APAC still a leader in global unsustainability
Fri Jun 08 16:22:54 +0800 2012
The world continues to speed down an unsustainable path, despite over 500 internationally agreed goals and objectives to support the sustainable management of the environment and improve human well-being, according to a new and wide-ranging assessment co-ordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The fifth edition of the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5), launched Wednesday in Beijing on the eve of the Rio+20 Summit, assessed 90 of the most-important environmental goals and objectives and found that significant progress had only been made in four.
Gigatonne gap in China’s carbon dioxide inventories
Mon Jun 11 19:52:28 +0800 2012
China's carbon emissions could be nearly 20 percent higher than previously thought according to a new analysis of official Chinese data, suggesting the pace of global climate change could be even faster than currently predicted.
China is generally reckoned to have overtaken the United States in 2006 to become that world's top greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter and is currently thought to produce about a quarter of mankind's emissions that scientists say is heating up the planet and triggering more extreme weather.
But pinning down an accurate total for China's carbon emissions has long been a challenge because of doubts about the quality of its official energy use data.
India’s steel industry fails to meet even basic environmental norms
Mon Jun 11 19:48:17 +0800 2012
India’s steel industry is lagging behind in meeting environmental norms according to a Green Rating Survey released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Pakistan prefers nuclear to agriculture and climate research
Mon Jun 11 19:20:48 +0800 2012
Pakistan's 44 per cent hike in outlay for atomic energy in its 2012–2013 budget contrasts with a massive drop in funds for crop research and overshadows a much smaller hike in overall allocation for science.
Despite drawing international attention in the past two years to its increased vulnerability to climate change, Pakistan allocated a meager 135 million Pakistani rupees (USD 1.43 million) to its newly formed climate change ministry – a fraction of the USD416 million given to the atomic energy sector in the budget presented on 1 June.
New renewables plan to accelerate China’s move to green economy
Mon Jun 11 20:01:00 +0800 2012
China will accelerate the industrialization of its renewable resources to foster a new industry with strategic significance, said Xie Zhenhua, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Friday.
Nissan fund to generate CO2 credits for Japan's LEAF owners
Tue Jun 12 12:29:28 +0800 2012
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has launched the Nissan Zero Emission Fund, a new fund for individual Nissan electric vehicle (EV) owners in Japan which converts the amount of CO2 emissions that are offset by driving the electric Nissan LEAF to generate credits, according to a report in the Green car Congress..
ADB Manila headquarters now powered by Suntech panels
Thu Jun 07 17:26:50 +0800 2012
Chinese photovoltaic (PV) company Suntech has completed installation of a 571-kW solar array at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Manila, the Philippines in partnership with local engineering, procurement and construction service provider Propmech.
China government spurs on wind power developers
Thu Jun 07 17:03:33 +0800 2012
Among the 131 power projects approved by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) from the first half of the year, wind power accounts for 95 percent, reported Securities Daily earlier this week.
World Bank issues dire warning of global garbage crisis
Thu Jun 07 17:58:05 +0800 2012
The World Bank predicted a sharp rise in the amount of garbage generated by urban residents between now and 2025 in a report released yesterday.
China to ‘blacklist’ polluting companies from public listing
Mon Jun 04 16:49:08 +0800 2012
The China Securities Regulatory Commission and Ministry of Environmental Protection are expected to start exchanging results of their environmental protection inspections of companies applying for listings, according to a report by Economic Observer operated by Xinhua News Agency.
Fujitsu pilot will help Thailand monitor industrial pollution
Mon Jun 04 16:17:04 +0800 2012
Fujitsu of Japan is offering to allow the Thai government to use its innovative environment monitoring system to ease pollution at Map Ta Phut industrial estate through a pilot project.
Japan backpedals on emissions targets in wake of nuke shutdown
Mon Jun 04 17:10:21 +0800 2012
Japan’s deputy prime minister, Katsuya Okada, indicated last week that the government may scrap an international pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020 because of the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
Cambodia’s largest micro financier boosts green farming
Tue Jun 05 18:56:34 +0800 2012
Cambodian microfinance institution PRASAC MFI Ltd says it is bolstering its green credentials by increasing loans for eco-friendly farming methods in the kingdom.
Investors studying climate risk to key Asian industrial regions
Fri Jun 01 14:48:24 +0800 2012
The Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC) and BNP Paribas have begun a unique collaboration to develop a series of reports with detailed scenario analysis of the impact of climate change-related risks in major cities and industrial and logistics centers in Asia Pacific.
In collaboration with a number of leading universities around Asia, projections and simulations will be created using computer modeling to establish the physical impacts on these areas and to determine the risks to high-value infrastructure, construction and supply chain assets.
China seeks to tie domestic carbon markets to global partners
Fri Jun 01 16:53:44 +0800 2012
China aims to link its domestic carbon market with others around the world as it seeks to cut emissions, a government official said according to Bloomberg.
Vietnam holds SE Asia’s biggest wind potential: Expert
Fri Jun 01 17:05:59 +0800 2012
Vietnam has the biggest potential for generating wind power in all of Southeast Asia, said a Germany-based expert.
China facing uphill battle on sustainable development: Report
Mon Jun 04 16:56:26 +0800 2012
China's sustainable development faces greater challenges ranging from a fragile natural ecological environment to resource constraints, senior Chinese officials said ahead of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro.
S Korea to use 'waste' hydrogen to power pilot town
Tue May 29 13:04:37 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy said Monday that it will launch what it calls a "Hydrogen Town Pilot Project" in the first part of a program to establishing a community energy infrastructure that uses waste hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cell technologies, writes The Korea Herald.
Korean atmospheric environmental research satellite by 2018
Tue May 29 17:51:11 +0800 2012
South Korea plans to launch its own geostationary satellite by 2018 for atmospheric environmental research over the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, the country’s Environment Ministry said on Monday.
Korean atmospheric environmental satellite by 2018
Tue May 29 17:51:11 +0800 2012
South Korea plans to launch its own geostationary satellite by 2018 for atmospheric environmental research over the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, the country’s Environment Ministry said on Monday.
Japan to lend green expertise to Thailand's eco-town program
Thu May 31 14:46:01 +0800 2012
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has agreed to assist Thailand in developing provincial level eco-towns under the Green Partnership Program between the two countries, it was revealed yesterday.
World Bank grants China $5 mln to tackle climate change
Thu May 31 14:36:38 +0800 2012
The World Bank has announced a grant of USD5 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to China to support efforts to assess climate mitigation and adaptation technology needs and adopt corresponding global best practices under the government’s so-called China Climate Technology Needs Assessment Project.
EU leads as global carbon market hits record $176 bln
Thu May 31 15:19:18 +0800 2012
Carbon market trading reached a record value of USD176 billion in 2011, rising 11 percent spurred by secondary trading volumes that offset lower prices and slowing economies, the World Bank said yesterday.
Companies and governments are turning to emissions trading as a tool for fighting climate change, with the EU the most active since its cap-and-trade scheme began in 2005.
China inches closer to consumption tax on polluters
Thu May 31 15:00:00 +0800 2012
China is mulling whether to impose a consumption tax on "high-polluting, high resource consuming" products, according to officials from the Ministry of Environment Protection, The Global Times reported today.
Back from the dead: carbon tariff plan for EU imports
Thu May 24 11:04:03 +0800 2012
The row over including the greenhouse gas emissions from civil aviation under the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) notwithstanding, France’s new government wants to the EU to impose a carbon tax on goods imported from outside Europe.
The idea is not new, having originally been floated by the European Commission in 2008 and championed by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit. At the time it was dismissed as being overtly protectionist.
Persistent environmental abuse hitting Indonesia’s GDP hard
Thu May 24 13:34:37 +0800 2012
The continuing environmental pollution and damage in Indonesia is eroding five percent of the country`s gross domestic product growth per year, according to the World Bank.
Japan alarmed at record high CO2 levels
Mon May 21 17:55:36 +0800 2012
The average monthly concentration of carbon dioxide has topped 400 parts per million in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, the first time this level has been reached in Japan
Pumping groundwater a big contributor to rising seas
Mon May 21 18:49:41 +0800 2012
Groundwater pumping appears to have been a significant factor in the rising sea levels recorded over recent decades.
Between 1961-2003 global sea levels rose by an average of 1.8 millimetres (0.07 inches) per year but, according to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), only 1.1-mm (0.04 inches) per year of this has been due to thermal expansion of the oceans and to meltwater from glaciers and icecaps
Indonesia bows to int'l pressure on peatland protection
Tue May 22 11:33:12 +0800 2012
Indonesia's government said on Monday it would protect a strip of peatland in Aceh province at the centre of an international storm over palm oil development, in a case that had become a test of the country's commitment to halt deforestation, according to a Reuters report today.
Norway doubts Indonesian forestry reforms can make the grade
Wed May 23 18:43:06 +0800 2012
Indonesia's progress in reforming its forestry sector will not be sufficient to meet its pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 26 percent by 2020, Norway's environment minister said in a Reuters interview yesterday.
Vietnam government mandates use of biofuel mix in major cities
Fri May 18 10:00:00 +0800 2012
Vietnam’s car and motorbike drivers in several big cities must start buying petrol mixed with bio-fuel E5 by the end of next year, under new rules outlined by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) this week.
Taiwan inks MOU with Dutch for joint green research projects
Fri May 18 12:59:12 +0800 2012
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one of Taiwan’s leading scientific centers, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands to develop green energy applications.
Beijing to impose near Euro V fuel standards
Fri May 18 13:10:19 +0800 2012
Beijing will introduce new fuel standards on May 31 that municipal officials say are nearly on a par with the European Union's Euro V, the first Chinese city to do so.
Unsustainable water use threat to China, India & Pakistan future
Tue May 15 18:16:35 +0800 2012
The viability of water supplies throughout key regions of China, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the US are under threat from unsustainable domestic, agricultural and industrial demands, according to a new study that maps water use down to 10km² worldwide.
The growth economies of China and India, and the world’s largest economy USA are identified by risk analysis company Maplecroft, in its newly released Water Stress Index, as having vast geographical regions and sector areas where unsustainable water use is outstripping supply.
Beijing sets up subsidy scheme for local rain makers
Wed May 16 17:29:54 +0800 2012
China's central government is to launch a special fund to support weather modification operations by local authorities in areas prone to drought and haze, according to a Ministry of Finance announcement yesterday.
Philippine government to ease lofty biofuel expectations
Wed May 16 18:38:48 +0800 2012
The Energy Department will revisit the country’s biofuel program and come up with “more realistic targets,” a government official said.
Ten Chinese and Indian airlines slip EU emissions report deadline
Wed May 16 18:21:22 +0800 2012
A total of 10 Chinese and Indian airlines failed to submit carbon-dioxide emissions data for 2011, rebuffing European rules that seek to expand the region’s emissions trading system to include aviation, according to news agencies.
There has been “systematic non-reporting” of emissions to and from Europe from 10 airlines based in India and China, according to a statement on the European Commission’s website yesterday.
All other international carriers flying to or from Europe have complied, the European Union's climate chief told reporters on Tuesday.
India miffed as UNDP suggests Asia take more climate action
Mon May 14 18:57:34 +0800 2012
The Government of India has taken umbrage over perceived “biases” in the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP's) Asia Pacific Human Development report, One Planet To Share – Sustaining human progress in a changing climate, which was released on Thursday.
The report argues that in the face of climate change, countries in Asia and the Pacific “will need to change the way they manufacture goods, raise crops and livestock, and generate energy.” This will mean “moving to greener, more resilient, lower-emission options that not only sustain the environment but also offer opportunities to the poor for employment and income.”
India report shows increased climate risk to Himalayan forests
Tue May 15 16:09:08 +0800 2012
Citing a government report released recently, the Times of India reported that climate change will be an additional stress on Indian forests, especially in upper Himalayan stretches, which are already subjected to multiple challenges including over-extraction, livestock grazing and human impact.
Beijing’s ozone pollutants now in full public view
Mon May 14 18:24:37 +0800 2012
Beijing’s environmental authority started publishing daily readings of ozone levels in the air over the weekend, in line with China's new edition of air quality guidelines, according to the Global Times.
World’s largest capacity power line to reduce China’s emissions
Tue May 15 16:36:22 +0800 2012
A new power line boasting the world's largest capacity is underway in China's far western Xinjiang region, which, when complete, will ultimately reduce 317,000 tonnes of sulfur dioxide and 267,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxide that would result from transportation of coal.
Beijing marks 1,200 heavy polluters for elimination
Thu May 10 18:08:52 +0800 2012
Beijing plans to eliminate 66 highly polluting enterprises this year in an effort to improve the city's air quality, the municipal environmental protection bureau announced Wednesday.
Korea aspires to take center stage of global green growth
Mon May 14 17:59:17 +0800 2012
Korea, the world’s fifth-largest oil importer, is fast shifting its growth paradigm to an environmentally-friendly, energy efficient one to achieve both sustainable economic growth and protect the earth, according to the Korea Herald.
President Lee Myung-bak unveiled his plans for the country to play a leading role in drawing up a plan for sustainable growth at last week’s opening ceremony of the Global Green Growth Summit 2012, which was attended by national leaders, heads of international organizations, noted scholars and businesspeople,
UNDP prompts dissipating Pacific islands to adopt clean energy
Wed May 09 15:42:59 +0800 2012
A UN Development Programme ( UNDP) official has released a proposal to change the energy sector for the Pacific Islands by substituting carbon-intensive energy sources with investments in clean energy.
World bank urges governments to embrace sustainable growth path
Wed May 09 15:30:51 +0800 2012
The World Bank today released a report urging governments to think green when pursing growth policies, which can be inclusive, efficient, affordable and above all necessary to sustain economic expansion in years ahead.
Nepal mountaineer takes WWF’s inaugural conservation award
Wed May 09 16:26:08 +0800 2012
Dawa Steven Sherpa, 28-year-old Nepalese mountain guide and adventure pioneer, has been awarded the first ever WWF International President’s Award during a special ceremony at global conservation organization WWF’s Annual Conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Indonesia govt hits back at green groups over deforestation charges
Wed May 09 16:01:50 +0800 2012
The Antara News reported yesterday that the Indonesia government has declared that a report regarding the country’s loss of almost 5 million hectares of forest and peatlands since the implementation of a moratorium on deforestation is a misleading falsehood.
China slaps toughest energy over-use warnings on 6 regions
Tue May 08 13:45:08 +0800 2012
Six regions in China received "red-light warnings" for their failure in the first quarter of 2012 to do enough to conserve energy, according to a progress report the country released by the National Development and Reform Commission recently.
Nepal festival to raise public awareness of water risks
Tue May 08 13:37:26 +0800 2012
A three- day Water Festival was held in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu over the weekend aimed at increasing awareness among the public for sustainable use of water.
India’s IFC-backed rooftop solar pilot expanded to 5 more cities
Tue May 08 13:17:03 +0800 2012
The World Bank’s IFC is supporting the Indian state of Gujarat to replicate a rooftop solar project first completed in Gandhinagar to five more cities, improving access to power and reducing air pollution from the burning of wood and fossil fuels.
Vietnam targets 20% cut in emissions to exploit carbon trade
Mon May 07 18:59:41 +0800 2012
Vietnam will attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent in the agriculture and forestry sectors by 2020, according to a plan being developed by the Ministry of National Resources and Environment.
Frost & Sullivan report green progress among Indian companies
Mon May 07 18:44:16 +0800 2012
Indian companies are increasingly becoming aware of sustainable practices and adoption of these, as they realize that it will help mitigate their sustainability issues and bring business benefits in the future, business consultancy firm Frost & Sullivan has said.
Shenzhen's fume spewing cars first to face fines
Mon May 07 18:10:20 +0800 2012
The National Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality announced yesterday that it expects to collect fees from owners of high-emissions vehicles by the end of this year.
China looks to capping total energy use by 2015
Thu May 03 15:51:53 +0800 2012
China may set an energy consumption cap, equivalent to no more than 4.2 billion tonnes of coal, by 2015, an expert in the sector said.
Japan now the land of the rising solar panel?
Thu May 03 15:33:59 +0800 2012
As Japan opens itself more to renewable energy to fill the void as the country reduces its dependence on nuclear power, Chinese solar companies are seeing a whole new market for expansion.
China’s public transport fleets could run on kitchen waste
Thu May 03 15:21:04 +0800 2012
Researchers in east China's Zhejiang Province are working on a project that aims to convert kitchen waste into biofuel, according to Xinhua.
Australian rare earths miner sues Malaysian opponents
Thu May 03 17:21:19 +0800 2012
Australian rare earths miner Lynas has launched legal action against the most vitriolic opponents of its proposed plant in Malaysia following fierce criticism that it is unsafe, according to AFP.
Korean cap-and-trade legislation adds to global momentum
Fri May 04 10:51:23 +0800 2012
After many months of delay in the face of lobbying from business groups, South Korea has finally passed legislation that creates a cap-and-trade system to control its greenhouse gas output. In the end it was near unanimous, with the new emissions trading scheme, due to start in in January 2015, being passed by 148 votes in favor and none against with three abstentions.
The 2015 start-up coincides with new cap-and-trade schemes in Australia and California but is two years behind the Korean government's original schedule. Nonetheless, passing the Korean legislation marks another very significant step in the globalization of GHG emissions trading.
China encourages EU to take part in $796 bln green projects
Fri May 04 16:53:28 +0800 2012
China will invest more than 5 trillion yuan (USD796 billion) in energy saving and environmental protection projects and was hoping for closer collaboration between China and the EU, Vice Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday during the EU-China Cooperation on Urbanization Forum in Brussels.
Greens chide “weak” Indonesian deforestation pledge
Fri May 04 17:20:07 +0800 2012
A coalition of green groups in Indonesia on Thursday criticized a moratorium on deforestation as "weak", saying the year-long ban still excludes large tracts of the country's carbon-rich forests, according to news agencies.
Greenpeace, which is leading the coalition, said government maps that mark protected areas exclude 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) of peatland -- biodiverse swamp-like forests that hold rich carbon reserves.
China must act fast to clean up sprawling cities says World Bank
Fri May 04 17:10:46 +0800 2012
Several major Chinese cities have some of the world's highest per capita carbon footprints, a World Bank warned in a new report issued on Thursday. According to a story in the China Daily, greenhouse gas emissions in Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing far exceed those of cities such as Paris, Tokyo, London, Barcelona and Jakarta the report stated.
Globally, most urban emissions come from transport, buildings and waste, but these three sectors only account for about 20 percent of China's urban emissions which are driven mainly by industry and power generation, largely because of its reliance on coal for energy.
Bangladesh officials back opposition to mangrove coal plant
Thu May 03 14:02:57 +0800 2012
A report this week in the Gulf Times claims that Bangladesh’s environment department as well as environmental activists are opposing the setting up of a coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans, which they fear would adversely affect the world’s biggest mangrove forest in Bagerhat district of Khulna.
WWF calls on investors to step up on sustainable palm oil
Thu May 03 14:34:30 +0800 2012
WWF is urging investors to do more to promote sustainable palm oil, backed by findings from a new survey released during a high-level meeting of investors and producers in Singapore.
Australians talk-up pan-APAC carbon trading pact
Wed Apr 25 17:03:17 +0800 2012
Australia’s minister of climate change and energy efficiency, Greg Combert, says the country’s carbon trading system could be linked to those in China and other Asia-Pacific countries, eliminating “competitive disadvantage” between the region’s economies.
Australian carbon tax threat to East Timor gas revenues
Fri Apr 27 16:47:34 +0800 2012
The law of unintended consequences is poised to strike East Timor, one of the world’s poorest nations, which could lose millions of dollars as Australia’s new carbon tax takes a bite out of revenue from offshore natural gas fields shared between the two countries.
Asian investors slowly finding a voice on climate change
Mon Apr 30 18:21:43 +0800 2012
Asia may represent an increasingly large chunk of global economic activity and greenhouse gas emissions but the institutional infrastructure for Asian investors to weigh in on the issue of climate change is still in its infancy.
That is not to say there is nothing happening. In the months since the foundation of the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC) was announced, a large number of baby steps have been taken according to Alexandra Tracy, chairman of the Association for Sustianaiable and Responsible Investment in Asia, which provides AIGCC's secretariat.
Honda develops LPG -powered portable generator
Mon Apr 30 20:37:29 +0800 2012
In what will be welcome news to many electricity-challenged Asian communities, Honda Motor Co has announced a portable generator capable of generating electricity by using propane gas which is far cleaner than the standard diesel or gasoline powered units.
RenewableUK and Korean wind association ink to collaborate
Tue May 01 15:55:58 +0800 2012
RenewableUK, the trade and professional body representing the wind, wave and tidal energy industries, on Friday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korean Wind Energy Association.
India’s 5-year-plan calls for $44.6 bln climate change warchest
Tue May 01 16:19:48 +0800 2012
The fight against climate change will take a strategic jump in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-2017) with the government intending to plough in almost Rs 2 lakh crore (USD44.6 billion) through the various missions, the working group on climate of the 12th Five-Year Plan has said.
UBS and Malay officials face probe over illegal-logging money
Mon Apr 23 16:23:47 +0800 2012
UBS, Switzerland's largest bank, is facing money-laundering allegations following the disclosure of a series of documents linking Malaysian top politicians to secret UBS bank accounts in Hong Kong and Zurich.
According to Malaysian media reports, the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) have been tracing the flow of over USD90 million through UBS bank accounts in Hong Kong, which are alleged to be kickbacks for the illegal logging of tropical hardwoods in the Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo, one of the world’s most biodiverse habitats.
UBS and Malay officials face probe over illegal-logging money wash
Mon Apr 23 16:23:47 +0800 2012
UBS, Switzerland's largest bank, is facing money-laundering allegations following the disclosure of a series of documents linking Malaysian top politicians to secret UBS bank accounts in Hong Kong and Zurich.
US introduces federal rules on air pollution from fracking
Fri Apr 20 18:40:17 +0800 2012
In a move that will be closely watched elsewhere, particularly China, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the first-ever national standards to control air pollution from gas wells that are developed though hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Much of the air pollution from fracked gas wells is vented when they transition from drilling to actual production, a three- to 10-day process that is referred to as completion. During this time hundreds of tons of chemicals ranging from cancer-causing benzene, smog-forming volatile organic compounds, and climate-changing methane escape into the atmosphere.
Mekong nations to focus $7.4 bln Japanese aid on environment
Mon Apr 23 14:40:30 +0800 2012
Japan is planning to pump 600 billion yen (USD7.4 billion) into developing infrastructure in countries along the Mekong River, much of which will be aimed at clean energy and climate change projects.
China tax may allow resolution of EU climate aviation dispute
Mon Apr 23 14:10:30 +0800 2012
The EU is investigating whether a Chinese plan to use revenues from a passenger tax on international flights towards emissions reduction initiatives is sufficient to exempt the country's airlines from the bloc's own carbon reduction laws.
Swiss help HK probe Malaysian illegal logging money wash
Mon Apr 23 15:43:12 +0800 2012
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland confirmed on Friday that Switzerland has given legal assistance to Hong Kong in a money-laundering case against Musa Aman, Chief Minister of the Malaysian State of Sabah on Borneo and older brother of Malysia’s foreign minister, Anifah Aman.
China, Iceland join forces to tap geothermal reserves
Mon Apr 23 15:05:18 +0800 2012
Iceland Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation for the development of geothermal energy.
Asia to lead thriving global wind industry for years to come
Thu Apr 19 17:29:50 +0800 2012
Asia is again predicted to drive the wind power industry which is expected to top 46-GW globally in 2012, according to a five-year industry forecast released this week by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
The Brussels-based international trade association said in its annual market update report that by 2016 total global wind power capacity will be just under 500 GW, with an annual market in that year of about 60-GW.
Overall, GWEC projects average annual market growth rates of about 8 percent for the next five years, but with a strong 2012 and a substantial dip in 2013.
Ex-Im Bank, IFC prop up Indian cleantech sector
Wed Apr 18 14:34:23 +0800 2012
The US Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) has approved an USD80.32 million loan to India’s Reliance Power for the purchase of concentrated solar power (CSP) technology.
Tata favors wind and solar over coal as smarter investment
Fri Mar 09 15:16:34 +0800 2012
India’s gigantic Tata Group has said that it will pursue renewable energy projects for its overseas investments as coal-fired plants become more difficult to justify, according to Bloomberg.
Groups push for renewable energy at former Philippine US naval base
Mon Mar 12 16:51:13 +0800 2012
A group of businessmen and residents in the Philippines Subic Bay freeport are lobbying President Benigno Aquino III to consider the sprawling former US naval base for alternative energy projects, including wind and solar farms, instead of a planned coal-fired plant.
Nonprofits join forces to build multi-country Asian ‘super grid’
Mon Mar 12 18:38:04 +0800 2012
Two major non-profit organizations have announced that they will start to co-operate on promoting an Asian super grid necessary for the acceleration of the deployment of renewable energy in Asia.
Coal-fueled Shanxi province turns over a green leaf
Mon Mar 12 19:24:28 +0800 2012
Shanxi, a major powerhouse of China, is taking a lead in the country to make its resources-based economy greener and more diversified.
EU digs in its heels over carbon tax as China retaliates
Mon Mar 12 19:14:16 +0800 2012
While the European Union said it is prepared to adopt counter-retaliatory measures in the face of retaliation by countries to the EU airline carbon emissions tax, experts noted that such moves are likely to be futile.
Non-profits join forces to build multi-country Asian ‘super grid’
Mon Mar 12 18:38:04 +0800 2012
Two major non-profit organizations have announced that they will start to co-operate on promoting an Asian super grid necessary for the acceleration of the deployment of renewable energy in Asia.
China’s environment paying the price of 20 years rampant growth
Wed Mar 14 18:20:24 +0800 2012
Chinese Premier Wen Wen Jiabao vowed yesterday in a report delivered during China’s annual legislative session that the country would “never seek economic growth at the expense of its ecological environment and public health.”
Turn climate migration from threat to opportunity says ADB
Wed Mar 14 18:20:05 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned of an upward surge in migration caused by climate change this century, and counseled governments in disaster-prone Asia-Pacific nations to promptly enact a broad range of measures to stave off future humanitarian crises.
In its new report, Addressing Climate Change and Migration in Asia and the Pacific, the ADB notes that more than 42 million people in the region were displaced by environmental disasters over the past two years alone. An undetermined number of those displaced became migrants, unable to return home or choosing to relocate to safer ground.
Beijing to adopt European-level car emission regulations
Thu Mar 15 15:54:07 +0800 2012
In a bid to counter growing air pollution concerns, Beijing is reported to be looking at adopting vehicle emission standards as strict as those in Europe, according to Xinhua.
Outlook for China's maritime environment "not optimistic"
Thu Mar 15 16:50:47 +0800 2012
The head of China's oceanic authority has said that the outlook for China's maritime environment is "not optimistic," calling for further efforts to build the ocean conservation culture, according to a report in Xinhua.
Taiwan’s waste incinerators to power industrial air conditioning
Thu Mar 15 16:45:32 +0800 2012
Taiwan is poised to make better use of surplus heat generated by the nation’s 24 incinerating plants, according to the country’s Environmental Protection Administration.
Law maker proposes lottery to raise cash for China’s clean-up
Thu Mar 15 16:29:22 +0800 2012
A Chinese legislator has raised eyebrows by trying to raise funds for environmental improvement projects through a public lottery.
China's huge ground-water and carbon footprint nexus revealed
Thu Mar 15 17:03:17 +0800 2012
Irrigation in China dates back more than 2,500 years and has been a major factor in supporting Chinese civilization and prosperity over the millennia. While the traditional system of dams, levees, canals and sluices continue to be used, it has been greatly augmented by ground water pumping in recent decades.
The impact of this on water tables is quite well known but new research has revealed that the practice also has a significant carbon footprint. A paper, published in Environmental Research Letters, estimates that the pumping systems that support China’s immense irrigation network produce 33.1 MtCO2e (33.1 mega tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) per year.
Asian cities head global list of flood vulnerability
Fri Mar 16 15:56:53 +0800 2012
The rapid growth of cities across the developing world has resulted in urban areas overtaking rural communities as being the most vulnerable to wide scale flooding, according to a report from the World Bank.
China coal plant to transform oven gas to clean natural gas
Fri Mar 16 15:40:57 +0800 2012
An energy firm in north China's Hebei Province has started constructing the country's largest plant for producing natural gas from oven gas, according to Xinhua.
Minister proposes relief for India's solar sector in budget speech
Mon Mar 19 17:13:58 +0800 2012
The Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday announced relief for the solar energy sector by proposing to scrap duties on imports of solar-thermal equipment as the country it seeks to reduce project costs for Reliance Power and other developers adding plants as part of his annual budget speech
China sets serious targets for shale gas recovery
Mon Mar 19 18:11:18 +0800 2012
China has set a goal of producing 6.5 billion cubic meters of shale gas a year by the end of 2015 as part of a five-year plan to increase the country's capacity to tap the unconventional resource, China's top energy authority said on Friday.
South Korea to take another go at cap-and-trade bill
Mon Mar 19 18:01:10 +0800 2012
South Korea will once again attempt to pass a bill that sets up emissions trading in 2015 and allows lawmakers to work out details later this year, a top climate official was quoted by Bloomberg today.
Australia a long way off the low-carbon growth curve
Mon Mar 19 19:11:18 +0800 2012
A new report by Australian think tank The Climate Institute, backed by multinational GE, has found that Australia is the only G20 country that has gone backwards on its low-carbon competitiveness since 1995 and ranks 16th out of 19 countries in being ready to deal with a low-carbon world — ahead of just India, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
The Global Climate Leadership Review 2012 rankings are based on 19 measures, including emissions growth, energy generation, export industries, transport and investment in clean technology.
2010 the hot one says British team
Tue Mar 20 11:21:07 +0800 2012
An update of HadCRUT, the global temperature dataset compiled by the UK Met Office’s Hadley Centre and the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit, has resulted in 2010 rather than 1988 being listed as the hottest year on record.
Compiled from temperature observations obtained over land and sea, HadCRUT is used as a basis for a global temperature record going back to 1850. The latest version of the dataset, called HadCRUT4, includes newly available data; notably adding much more information from the sparsely observed higher northern latitudes.
Italian minister lauds China’s emissions, cleantech achievements
Tue Mar 20 15:42:43 +0800 2012
Corrado Clini, Italy's minister of environment, said Monday that China's efforts to reduce CO2 emissions will drive clean energy innovation and introduce new technology to the field.
Coal-fouled Chinese city looks to a sunny, low-carbon future
Tue Mar 20 16:22:56 +0800 2012
The city of Datong, famous for its rich coal resources in China’s Shanxi province, is being transformed into a new center for solar energy, according to a report in the China Daily today.
Singapore miffed at WWF carbon footprint report
Tue Mar 20 16:12:54 +0800 2012
Singapore is taking umbrage at a recent report published by the WWF that claims the Island state has the highest per capital carbon footprint in the Asia-Pacific region.
Italy, China commit to expand joint environmental programs
Thu Mar 22 17:50:39 +0800 2012
The Italy Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea signed a MOU with China's Ministry of Environmental Protection last week to further promote bilateral cooperation in environmental protection between the two countries.
APP’s continued deforestation a ‘double default’ on int’l creditors
Tue Mar 27 13:09:23 +0800 2012
Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) has been accused of a “double default” on international creditors, after an investigation revealed that the company has decimated tropical forests it promised to conserve under “legally binding” debt restructuring agreements.
Vietnamese firm seeks to build 200-MW wind farm near HCMC
Thu Mar 29 13:54:04 +0800 2012
A private company is seeking permission from the government of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to build a large scale wind farm with 125 GE-supplied wind turbines in the outlying district of Can Gio’s Can Thanh Town.
Vietnam to introduce Green GDP index by 2014
Thu Mar 29 14:53:00 +0800 2012
Vietnam is in the process of developing a "green" gross domestic product (GDP) index which is expected to be ready for use in 2014, according to a report yesterday in the Vietnam Economy News.
Royal Dutch Airlines to fuel planes on refined Chinese cooking oil
Thu Mar 29 14:39:04 +0800 2012
The first 20 tonnes of processed waste oil refined from leftover Chinese cooking oil is en route to the Netherlands for further treatment into aviation fuel for Royal Dutch Airlines, the world’s first airline to adopt bio-fuel in June 2011.
KLM to fuel planes on refined Chinese cooking oil
Thu Mar 29 14:39:04 +0800 2012
The first 20 tonnes of processed waste oil refined from leftover Chinese cooking oil is en route to the Netherlands for further treatment into aviation fuel for KLM, the world’s first airline to adopt bio-fuel in June 2011.
New entity helps Japan firms reduce overseas environmental impacts
Fri Mar 30 10:56:23 +0800 2012
Japan’s Panasonic Corporation yesterday announced it will set up an engineering company for its energy saving, purification and recycling businesses for air, water and soil in Malaysia as part of the company's drive to globally expand its environmental engineering business.
New entity helps Japan reduce overseas environmental impacts
Fri Mar 30 10:56:23 +0800 2012
Japan’s Panasonic Corporation yesterday announced it will set up an engineering company for its energy saving, purification and recycling businesses for air, water and soil in Malaysia as part of the company's drive to globally expand its environmental engineering business.
Beijingers take to the rooftops to help clear the air
Tue Apr 03 16:39:17 +0800 2012
The Beijing municipal government has announced plans to improve the quality of the city's air by covering 100,000 sq m of roofs with greenery by the end of this year as public discourse over the city’s pollution heats up.
Taiwan green energy center to promote public/private cooperation
Tue Apr 03 16:22:16 +0800 2012
Taiwan opened its first solar and wind power promotion office in Taipei City last week, underscoring a commitment by the ROC government to promoting green energy island-wide.
Two Japanese reactors remain offline – for now
Wed Apr 04 15:38:59 +0800 2012
Japan needs more time to decide whether to restart two offline nuclear reactors, the trade minister said on Tuesday, as concerns about a summer power crunch vie with safety worries in the wake of last year’s Fukushima crisis, according to a Reuters report.
Singapore, Indonesia to legally mandate energy conservation
Tue Apr 10 16:13:24 +0800 2012
Singapore’s parliament passed a new Energy Conservation Bill on Monday to introduce mandatory energy management practices for large energy users in the industrial and transport sectors.
China hails first 100 days of world’s largest wind-solar plant
Tue Apr 10 16:00:00 +0800 2012
The national wind-solar demonstration project in China’s Zhangbei county, Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, marked 100 consecutive days of safe operation last week with cumulative output of power over 100 million KWh.
India threatens to scuttle climate talks over EU tax
Thu Apr 12 18:19:21 +0800 2012
The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme is "a deal-breaker" for global climate change talks, India's environment minister said, hardening her stance on a scheme that has drawn fierce opposition from non-EU governments, according to media reports today.
Rising temperatures risk SE Asia’s multi-billion dollar cassava industry
Mon Apr 16 17:24:52 +0800 2012
According to research presented at the Climate Smart Agriculture conference in Bangkok last week, climate change may be causing outbreaks of new, invasive pests that could threaten Southeast Asia's multi-billion dollar cassava industry and the livelihoods of thousands of small farmers.
Vietnam to establish its own Green Climate Fund
Tue Apr 17 17:07:57 +0800 2012
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to set up a national Green Climate Fund to facilitate future financial flow from the global Green Climate Fund into the country.
US and Japanese GHG emissions both up in 2010
Tue Apr 17 18:51:10 +0800 2012
The United States and Japan have both reported that their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rose in 2010, reversing the declining trend of the previous years.
In its annual submission to the UN climate organization, the US said that its GHG emissions were up 3.2 percent in 2010 compared with the previous year after two consecutive year-on-year falls. Emissions hit 6.82 billion metric tonnes in 2010, up from 6.61 billion in 2009 but still below the 7.25 billion recorded in 2007 before the onset of the global recession.
Three Gorges landslides to send 100,000 Chinese packing
Wed Apr 18 13:26:07 +0800 2012
About 100,000 people living in the southern China’s Three Gorges Dam area could be relocated over the next three to five years with massive landslides and bank collapses expected to hit the area, a government official said yesterday.
Vietnam launches long-term national climate change plan
Thu Mar 08 17:03:26 +0800 2012
The Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) yesterday kicked off its new environmental initiative, dubbed the National Strategy on Climate Change
Half 2011 targets missed but China confident on 5-year plan
Tue Mar 06 18:16:27 +0800 2012
China revealed yesterday that it had failed to attain half of its energy conservation and emissions control targets in 2011 but the country's top economic planner maintains that it will reach all the goals set out last year for the 12th Five-Year Plan.
Zhang Ping, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told journalists on the opening day of the Fifth Session of the 11th National People's Congress that targets for energy consumption per unit of GDP, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP, and nitrogen oxide emissions were not met due to "a couple of complicated reasons".
Metro Manila celebrates arrival of first electric jeepneys
Tue Mar 06 19:54:29 +0800 2012
Any frequent traveler to smog-choked Manila will cheer the arrival of the first commercial electric jeepney service in the Philippines.
Beijing City looks to replace coal-fired energy
Tue Mar 06 19:28:03 +0800 2012
Authorities in Beijing have committed to replace all coal-fired equipment in the city's core areas by 2013 in an effort to curb pollution stemming from its dominant energy source, according to Xinhua.
Asia’s largest incinerator to supply 300 mln KWh to Beijing residents
Wed Mar 07 12:15:04 +0800 2012
When completed in October of this year, Asia’s largest incineration plant will be capable of processing 3,000 tonnes of trash per day and while providing 300 million kWh of power per year to Beijing’s residents.
Fukushima plan may pave way for new off-shore wind exports
Wed Mar 07 13:31:46 +0800 2012
Japan's earthquake and tsunami stricken Fukushima prefecture could rise from the rubble to become an export hub for offshore wind technology under plans put forward by a consortium to build the world's first floating wind farm.
Boeing joins with China’s COMAC in green aviation drive
Wed Mar 07 13:17:18 +0800 2012
Boeing and a smaller rival Chinese aircraft manufacturer, The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), yesterday announced that they have entered an agreement to jointly promote energy saving and emission reduction in the civil aviation industry.
Industry indecision makes EU action on ship CO2 likely
Tue Mar 06 19:34:05 +0800 2012
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) could soon find itself in the same predicament as its aviation counterpart in trying to fend-off European Union regulation on greenhouse gas emissions.
Aviation is responsible for 40 percent of the value of internationally traded freight but 90 percent of the world’s traded goods are transported by ocean-going vessels - making the trade implications of an EU move far wider.
Sparkling Singapore tops list as Asia's worst carbon emitter
Tue Mar 06 18:51:56 +0800 2012
Singapore, which has long prided itself on its pristine cleanliness, had the largest carbon footprint per head in the Asia-Pacific in 2010, conservation group WWF said Monday.
Though missing half 2011 targets, China confident on 5-year plan
Tue Mar 06 18:16:27 +0800 2012
China revealed yesterday that it had failed to attain half of its energy conservation and emissions control targets in 2011, the country's top economic planner maintains that it will reach all the goals set out last year for the 12th Five-Year Plan.
Thais allot US$1 bln to forests after King expresses concern
Wed Feb 29 18:44:56 +0800 2012
The Thai government has put forest rehabilitation and preservation on the national agenda by allocating about USD99 million to regenerate land over the next five years, the Bangkok Post reported on Tuesday.
Koreans to replant Indonesian rainforest for carbon credits
Mon Mar 05 19:17:16 +0800 2012
South Korea has signed an memorandum of understanding with Indonesia whereby it will receive 100 million tonnes of carbon emission credits over the next decade in return for planting trees in a 200,000-hectare plot of land in Sumatra.
Two of three Chinese cities unable to meet new air standards
Fri Mar 02 19:32:03 +0800 2012
Only two days after China’s State Council announced new air quality standards, the, vice-minister of environmental protection, Wu Xiaoqing, said that two-thirds of China's cities cannot meet the standard and that air pollution control will be "an arduous task for the country."
Sparkling Singapore tops list as Asia`s worst carbon emitter
Tue Mar 06 18:51:56 +0800 2012
Singapore, which has long prided itself on its pristine cleanliness, had the largest carbon footprint per head in the Asia-Pacific in 2010, conservation group WWF said Monday.
EU aviation tax at risk as 29 countries ink opposition pact
Thu Feb 23 16:37:46 +0800 2012
The battle lines were firmly drawn in Moscow yesterday when 29 countries signed a joint declaration to oppose the EU’s aviation emissions tax scheme as part of an international conference on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Eyeing greener fields, PwC shifts China climate specialist to UK
Thu Feb 23 17:23:56 +0800 2012
Allan Zhang, a specialist in China climate change policy and sustainable business has appointed to PwC’s UK Sustainability and Climate Change team.
Opponents of EU aviation cap'n trade sign Moscow declaration
Thu Feb 23 16:54:35 +0800 2012
A joint declaration was signed in Moscow yesterday by representatives of 23 countries that oppose the European Union's inclusion of civil aviation in its greenhouse gas emissions cap and trade regime, the European Trading Scheme.
Sino-Singapore Eco-City to get $2.54 bln cash injection
Fri Feb 24 16:50:38 +0800 2012
The Sino-Singaporean Eco-City in north China's port city of Tianjin will get another 16 billion yuan (USD2.54 billion) this year to speed up construction of the massive green city, one of the largest in the world, according to Xinhua.
South Pacific states to create giant marine reserve
Fri Feb 24 18:14:38 +0800 2012
The 15 states of the South Pacific are to link up their marine reserves this year in an effort to sustainably manage one tenth of the world's oceans and boost maritime conservation globally.
At the World Oceans summit in Singapore this week the Micronesian and Polynesian nations, together with Australia and New Zealand, have been outlining their plan to implementing the network in conjunction with environmentalists to ease the impacts of over-fishing, pollution, acidification and climate change that are threatening their economic and social systems.
China bank regulator unveils plan for more green loans
Mon Feb 27 18:08:48 +0800 2012
Chinese banks have been urged to use green credits as a tool to support the nation to cut carbon emissions while achieving a sustainable growth, according to China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC).
Sluggish climate change progress leaves HK SMEs adrift
Tue Feb 28 22:04:58 +0800 2012
The establishment of an “environmental super ministry” and the introduction of very aggressive emissions targets, particularly for the building industry, were mooted today as a way of getting Hong Kong’s small business community more engaged in helping combat climate change.
The suggestions came amid growing discontent among environmental experts over the performance the government of one of China’s most modern and wealthiest cities has shown towards environmental stewardship, and as Hong Kong prepares to appoint a new Chief Executive to lead it through the next five years.
Shanghai ups air pollution war chest while Beijing gasps for relief
Wed Feb 29 17:49:30 +0800 2012
As its fellow countrymen in Beijing gasp for clean air in near record pollution levels, Shanghai says it will spend 10.3 billion yuan (USD1.6 billion) on air pollution reduction over the next three years, a 40-percent increase over the amount spent over the last three years combined.
Three Chinese provinces to trial methanol-fueled vehicles
Wed Feb 29 17:29:59 +0800 2012
China's industrial authority said Tuesday that it will introduce trials for methanol-fueled cars in three provincial level regions starting this month.
China begins testing first local aviation biofuel
Wed Feb 29 17:19:40 +0800 2012
China Petrochemical Corp, or Sinopec Group, announced yesterday that it had successfully produced China’s first jet biofuel at its chemical plant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province
China takes climate battle to the forests with 26 billion new trees
Thu Dec 15 12:38:03 +0800 2011
China plans to plant 26 billion trees over the next 10 years, or two trees annually for every Chinese citizen, to greatly boost its environmental credentials, a senior forestry official said Tuesday, the Global Times reports.
China urges Canada to remember is responsibilities despite Kyoto exit
Thu Dec 15 12:05:59 +0800 2011
China yesterday voiced its regret over Canada's decision to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol, and expressed hope that Canada will continue to implement its commitments on emission cuts, acccording to Xinhua.
Reasons to be cheerful (part 2)
Tue Dec 13 14:43:41 +0800 2011
The COP17 climate talks in Durban have come to an end with 16,000 delegates from 190 countries having struggled for a fortnight with the sheer procedural difficulties of negotiation on that scale. The drama of shifting alliances, with the less developed nations and island states siding with the EU to fire a warning shot across the bows of the BASIC block (or should that now be the BASICUS block) was diverting, but it is no surprise that the new roadmap for international action on climate change doesn't actually provide much guidance to the future.
New reports confirm significant reduction in Himalayan glaciers
Thu Dec 08 13:05:59 +0800 2011
Millions of people are under threat from melting of Himalayan glaciers, according to scientists carrying out the most comprehensive ever assessment of climate change in the region.
Climate change blamed for massive fish deaths in Philippines
Thu Feb 02 11:37:52 +0800 2012
Local officials are blaming climate change for the deaths of around 49 metric tonnes of fish found dead in Sebu Lake in the south Philippines province of South Cotabato.
Google tops Greenpeace IT ranking, Apple shunned again
Thu Feb 09 19:38:24 +0800 2012
Greenpeace's has just released its 2012 Cool IT Leaderboard, with Google taking the top spot in the ranking technology firms' environmental efforts, seizing the crown from networking giant Cisco.
Full environmental costing would cut average earning 41%
Fri Feb 17 13:26:00 +0800 2012
New research from KPMG International has found that that if companies had to pay for the full environmental costs of their production, they would lose 41 cents for every USD in earnings on average.
The finding is contained in a newly released study by the firm, Expect the Unexpected: Building Business Value in a Changing World, which identifies 10 “megaforces” that will significantly affect corporate growth globally over the next two decades.
Carbon emissions driving Pacific Ocean acidity to new high
Mon Feb 13 16:18:38 +0800 2012
The current trend of increasing ocean acidification, which threatens fisheries around the world, is driven mainly by man-made changes and is higher even than that seen at the end of the last ice age, some 11,000 year ago, a study has said.
Much of the carbon released by human activity ends up in the oceans, increasing their acidity and reducing the growth of corals and molluscs, which in turn may affect fisheries and aquaculture.
EU ready to talk but won't scrap aviation carbon tax
Mon Feb 13 17:22:40 +0800 2012
Europe is willing to discuss its new carbon emissions tax for airlines with disgruntled governments but has no plans to scrap the levy, a top EU official said Monday according to The Associated Press.
Himachal Pradesh aims to be India's 1st carbon-neutral state
Mon Feb 13 17:09:53 +0800 2012
The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is undertaking a "carbon-smart” growth strategy in order to become carbon neutral by 2020 according to its chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.
PM bases India’s stance on climate change on ‘equity’
Fri Feb 17 14:49:40 +0800 2012
The Time of India reported yesterday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told chief climate negotiators of South Africa, Brazil and China that 'equity' and the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities' will remain central to India's stance at the UN talks as the world negotiates a post-2020 climate regime.
Certifiers distance themselves from APP's sustainability claims
Wed Feb 15 11:44:50 +0800 2012
Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) claims of independent sustainability certification for its operations aren’t supported by the certification schemes and assessors it has nominated, an investigation by WWF has found.
None of these certifications cover the most controversial operations of APP’s wood suppliers – mass clearing of native forests which are home to critically endangered tigers, elephants and orang-utans and clearing and drainage of peat areas which result in massive greenhouse gas emissions.
Taiwan sees results from CO2 reduction measures
Wed Feb 15 17:33:27 +0800 2012
The Taiwan government claims that some 229 energy projects it has promoted cut carbon emissions in the country by 4.82 million metric tonnes in 2011, according to a report by the Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
India, China unite on EU airline carbon tax spat
Wed Feb 15 17:19:47 +0800 2012
India and China joined forces on Tuesday in saying they firmly rejected the EU's "unilateral" decision to impose a carbon tax on air travel, the Associated Press reports.
The good, the bad and the ugly of Asia's environmental rankings
Mon Feb 20 16:00:00 +0800 2012
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which recognizes economies in the world and their performance in protecting the environment, has ranked Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines and South Korea as “strong performers” beating out Australia, the United States and even ultra-clean Singapore, all of which could only manage “moderate performance” ratings.
UN-backed plan to deliver solar to 33 mln poor by 2016
Fri Feb 17 15:19:32 +0800 2012
Up to 33 million people in Africa and Asia living in poverty will have access to low-cost energy by 2016 through a global initiative supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the UN agency announced Thursday.
Urumqi to spend $712 mln on air pollution
Thu Feb 16 18:11:36 +0800 2012
China's northwestern city of Urumqi, one of the country's worst polluted cities during the winter months plans to invest 4.45 billion yuan (USD712 million) this year to curb air pollution.
Opponents prepare for Moscow showdown on EU aviation tax
Tue Feb 21 17:21:13 +0800 2012
Twenty-six countries are set to meet this week in Moscow to discuss possible responses to the EU’s plan to place a levy on foreign airlines for the emissions they use on incoming and outgoing flights.
ADB to help China design its pilot ETS
Thu Jan 26 17:12:21 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help China set up a pilot provincial emissions trading system that is expected to pave the way for a national scheme and help cut emissions of the largest green house gas emitter on the planet.
"Emissions trading encourages companies to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy supply, which would ultimately result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions" said Pradeep Perera, senior energy specialist in ADB's East Asia Department. "This pilot will provide valuable lessons for the design of a nationwide system to reduce the carbon intensity of the Chinese economy."
EU now looking at ways to curb GHG emissions from ships
Wed Jan 25 15:19:55 +0800 2012
Following on form its controversial move to extend its greenhouse gas emission trading system to cover the aviation industry, the European Union (EU) is now asking for views on how to curb emissions from the shipping sector. The consultation is open for submissions until 12 April.
Last week it published a consultation document which outlines a number of options, including a market-based mechanism that would apply to ships' emissions from the port they left to any EU port, and then on to the next port of call
Seven China regions ordered to cap GHG, prepare for carbon market
Mon Jan 16 15:18:51 +0800 2012
China on Friday ordered seven provinces and cities to set caps on greenhouse gas emissions in preparation for the launch of local pilot carbon markets, according to a notice issued by the country's state planning agency, Reuters reports.
Incentive design key to cut Indonesia forest emissions
Sat Jan 14 17:08:55 +0800 2012
Indonesia has the potential to realize major reductions in national greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation, and simultaneously earn significant new income for national and regional governments, if policies to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) are developed with strong and specific economic incentives, said scientists in a new paper published in the leading scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Climate change chief puts China carbon tax into question
Fri Jan 13 17:08:34 +0800 2012
Despite reports to the contrary, China remains undecided whether to tax carbon emissions, as the government weighs how it could impact plans to launch an emissions trading scheme and whether it is feasible given current high domestic tax levels, a senior official said in the US on Wednesday.
Russia calls for Asian unity on environmental protection laws
Fri Jan 13 16:53:41 +0800 2012
A session of parliamentarians from several countries of the Asian-Pacific region currently under way in Tokyo will consider Russia’s proposals to create a common system of laws for environment security, including nuclear security, in the region.
Smog extending winter in south Asia
Mon Jan 09 16:10:49 +0800 2012
Experts have noticed that smog intensity has increased so badly throughout Bangladesh, India and Nepal that it is extending winter and increasing health problems.
Carbon tax likely for China polluters within 3 years
Fri Jan 06 12:51:36 +0800 2012
China looks likely to levy a carbon tax within the next three years to tighten its regulations on polluting industries and put the economy on a greener path according to a China Daily report.
India makes its own moves on aviation carbon reductions
Fri Feb 03 15:44:17 +0800 2012
Indian airlines and airports have been asked to record their annual carbon emissions in what would be a first step towards creating a national inventory that could be used to reduce the aviation sector's CO2 output, reports the Times of India.
The Directorate
China bans airlines from paying into EU carbon scheme
Mon Feb 06 19:37:56 +0800 2012
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has told the country’s airlines that they may not pay a charge on carbon emissions imposed by the Europe Union (EU), and not to increase passenger fares or freight rates to allow for the EU charge without government permission.
The CAAC said in a statement that it had been authorized to issue the ban by the State Council, China's Cabinet.
The EU scheme, implemented from 1 January, levies a charge on flights that originate or terminate in any of the EU’s 27 member countries. It is estimated that around 4,000 airlines have been told by the EU to pay for their carbon emissions.
Report reveals the clean up costs of China’s prosperity
Mon Feb 06 19:29:50 +0800 2012
China is paying an increasing price for pollution brought about by economic development, says a report by the country's environmental protection academy.
Vietnam increases sweeteners for green business adopters
Tue Feb 07 15:32:46 +0800 2012
Vietnam has adopted investment policies that will encourage businesses to use green technology for generating energy and manufacturing non-toxic products according to the VNEconomyNews.com.
China’s growth sparks increase in environmental accidents
Tue Feb 07 15:20:11 +0800 2012
China is suffering from an increasing number of environmental accidents, mainly triggered by the rapid growth of the chemical industry in the wake of urbanization, a senior environmental official said.
Slamming the West, India official seeks heavy fines for own polluters
Mon Feb 20 17:31:20 +0800 2012
Indian environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan is planning to extend a round-the- clock pilot program which monitors effluents of industries in the state of Tamil Nadu throughout the country, according to a report in the Deccan Chronicle.
Even the military can’t duck China’s emissions cuts
Wed Feb 08 15:55:03 +0800 2012
No green trade-off for higher speed trains
Wed Feb 08 16:43:27 +0800 2012
China's railway project builders have been told to reappraise and renew their environmental approvals to account for major design modifications designed to speed up trains, Xinhua reported today.
Even the military can’t duck China’s emissions aspirations
Wed Feb 08 15:55:03 +0800 2012
The Chinese government's efforts to save energy and reduce harmful emissions have spread from schools, enterprises and government departments and are now being applied to the country’s proliferating military.
China's farming calendar 'out of step' with climate change
Fri Feb 17 11:33:16 +0800 2012
The traditional Chinese farming calendar, still used by millions of farmers to guide their farming activities, should be adapted to reflect global warming, say scientists.
The 24 'solar terms', a set of timings reflecting the seasonal cycle, were laid down 2,000 years ago as a supplement to the traditional Chinese calendar. They are marked on the calendar under specific dates — two terms per month — and refer to agricultural activities.
The terms, which mark seasonal transitions and indicate the stages crop growth, include 'great cold', 'great heat', 'rain water', 'waking of insects' and 'grain in ear'.
South Korea now moving ahead with carbon trading plan
Thu Feb 09 16:40:38 +0800 2012
A key committee of South Korea’s National Assembly has voted in favour of much delayed plans to introduce a national carbon emissions trading scheme from 2015. Approval by the Climate Change Committee paves the way for the bill to go before the Legislation and Judiciary Committee before being voted on in a plenary session of the Assembly on 16 February.
Under the planned legislation, a national cap-and-trade scheme similar to that deployed in Europe will be introduced in 2015, covering almost 500 carbon-intensive firms.
EU buyers backing out of Chinese carbon credit commitments
Thu Feb 09 18:15:41 +0800 2012
According to a China Daily report, European companies are playing hardball with their Chinese counterparts over the price paid for Certified Emmission Reductions (CREs) under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
Following last year’s plunge in the price of carbon under the European Trading Scheme (ETS), about half of China’s CERs are being renegotiated or terminated, according to estimates by industry insiders. No official figures are available.
Carbon credits were one of the worst performing commodities in 2011 with prices plunging by about 70 percent.
Indonesia hits out at US plan to disqualify palm-based biodiesel
Fri Feb 03 15:54:06 +0800 2012
Indonesia’s state run Antara News Agency reported yesterday that the country is preparing to file an objection to a United States’ plan to impose biodiesel standards which, among other things, disqualifies biodiesel made from palm oil as a renewable fuel.
Opposition boycotts threaten South Korean polluter pay laws
Tue Dec 20 10:53:27 +0800 2011
South Korea said conflicts between opposition and ruling party lawmakers are disrupting efforts to make polluters pay for their emissions starting in 2015, according a Bloomberg report yesterday.
China looks to raise $536 bln for environmental spending
Fri Dec 23 12:59:43 +0800 2011
China needs about 3.4 trillion yuan (USD536 billion) of investments for environmental protection in the five years through 2015, the State Council said in a blueprint on pollution reduction.
Philippine bank throws weight behind renewables
Fri Dec 23 13:13:47 +0800 2011
The Philippine Sun reports that the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) has said it will fund renewable energy projects like solar, wind, hydro and biomass.
Land Bank of the Philippines National Director Under National Director Tommy de Leon told Sun.Star that the LBP, together with other government financing institutions, is mandated under the Renewable Energy Act to fund renewable energy projects. On the other hand projects are yet forthcoming.
China to sue EU over carbon tax despite “dim” chance of success
Tue Dec 27 15:19:01 +0800 2011
China's transport association will file a lawsuit against the European Union over an EU law to charge airlines for carbon emissions on flights to and from Europe, despite dim prospects of winning the legal action, Chinese media reported Monday.
China takes hard line over EU court’s airline emissions decision
Fri Dec 23 14:56:48 +0800 2011
Beijing has warned that the EU's highest court's decision to permit the controversial carbon tax on international airlines is protectionist and could ignite an international trade war.
In an editorial yesterday, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said the move is nothing short of "green protectionism and will deal a blow to the world aviation industry."
China plans Asia's largest coal plant, despite clean air pledges
Thu Dec 29 12:39:08 +0800 2011
China's Shenhua Group will build the largest coal-fired power station in Asia over the next five years, the Xinhua news agency said Tuesday, as the country struggles to meet its energy needs.
India puts economic growth over any binding emissions pacts
Wed Dec 28 13:21:27 +0800 2011
New supercomputer model predicts 2012 seasonal climate
Wed Feb 01 16:28:04 +0800 2012
Here is the Asia Pacific 2012 seasonal weather forecast: Japan is set for a warm spring and the south of the country will by dryer than normal this summer, with lower than average rainfall also affecting eastern China. The Indian sub-continent will experience a weaker summer monsoon but meanwhile, in Indonesia and Australia, the winter rains will be heavier than normal.
Will these predictions turn out to be true? Professor Toshio Yamagata, head of the Application Laboratory at Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), is pretty sure they will be
CleanBiz Asia - CleanBiz Asia - News and video on environment, business sustainability and cleantech in Asia
Hong Kong has new plan for solid waste – again
Tue May 21 20:24:31 +0800 2013
The Hong Kong Government has a new, multi-prongeed solid waste management plan that maps out the city’s strategy for the next decade. It's aimed at slowing the rate at which rubbish is sent to the city’s three existing mega-dumps, which are projected to reach capacity in 2015, 2017 and 2019 unless something is done.
Unveiled by Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing, Hong Kong: Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022 repackages the familiar mantra of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” as “Use Less, Waste Less” and envisages building of at least two organic waste treatment facilities together with a large waste-to-energy incineration plant.
Thailand’s Ratchaburi looking at ASEAN power plays
Wed May 22 16:56:59 +0800 2013
Thailand-based Ratchaburi Electricity has “seriously assessed” the potential to invest in neighboring countries including Cambodia.
Israeli wave energy company turns on Chinese subsidiary
Wed May 22 16:40:39 +0800 2013
The Chinese government has signed an agreement with Israeli hydrokinetic developer Eco Wave Power (EWP) in a bid to promote economic trade and collaboration between the two parties.
Philippines finally approves projects under delayed FiT
Thu May 23 15:39:05 +0800 2013
The Philippines’ Department of Energy has finally given the go ahead for three proposed wind farms, with a generating capacity totaling 208.5-MW, as the country looks to escalate the development of its wind power potential, estimated to be 76-GW. These approvals are the first to be given under the country’s feed-in tariff scheme for renewable energy.
While there has been plenty of interest from local and international investors in the Philippines wind sector since the passing of the country’s Renewable Energy Law in 2008, regulatory developments have been slow with the FiT scheme only agreed in July last year.
Sparring solar trade parties discuss resolution to dispute
Tue May 21 15:40:45 +0800 2013
China, the US and the EU appear to be looking for common ground in an effort to settle the long-running tit-for-tat dispute over the trade in solar equipment between the world’s largest economies.
Japan Asia to refocus its solar business on homeland
Mon May 20 15:04:58 +0800 2013
The Japan Asia Group is reportedly preparing to roll out 500-MW of solar projects in Japan as it considers reducing its European operations, according to Bloomberg.
Japan to boost solar power generation with low-interest loans
Tue May 21 14:41:59 +0800 2013
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will provide low-interest loans to companies that borrow residential rooftop space for solar power generation.
China seen to be readying tariffs on EU, US solar imports
Mon May 20 15:21:23 +0800 2013
China may be on the verge of imposing anti-dumping duties on imports of polysilicon in apparent retaliation for levies the EU is considering and the US has already imposed on Chinese solar exporters.
According to a Bloomberg report, quoting anonymous sources, China’s Ministry of Commerce has completed probes that determined the US and EU are subsidizing producers of polysilicon and that imports of the commodity harmed its domestic companies.
Goldman targets $487 mln war chest at Japanese renewables
Tue May 21 15:47:38 +0800 2013
Goldman Sachs is reported to have committed JPY50 billion (USD487 million) for the development of solar and wind power generating projects in Japan over the next five years.
Philippine FiT scheme takes another baby step forward
Thu Mar 28 15:31:25 +0800 2013
After years of official wrangling, the Philippines looks like it will finally kick off its feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme for renewable energy by next year, according to Agence France-Press (AFP).
India hits 1.4-GW of solar, wants a lot more
Thu Mar 28 15:26:15 +0800 2013
The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) says the country now has a total 1.44-GW of grid connected solar capacity, and is targeting close to another 300-MW by the end of the month to bring the fiscal year’s total to 800-MW.
Foxxcon big on solar as electronics business slows
Thu Mar 28 15:22:20 +0800 2013
Taiwan’s Foxconn is moving more steadily into the solar PV market as its traditional business of building cellphones and other electronic devices starts showing cracks.
Foxxcon big on solar as electronics business wanes
Thu Mar 28 15:22:20 +0800 2013
Taiwan’s Foxconn is moving more steadily into the solar PV market as its traditional business of building cellphones and other electronic devices starts showing cracks.
Japan to list world’s first LNG futures
Tue Apr 02 16:09:22 +0800 2013
Japan will list the world’s first futures contract for liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange (Tocom) within two years.
Japanese cabinet agrees to power market liberalization
Wed Apr 03 17:03:55 +0800 2013
The Japanese cabinet is moving ahead with a proposal to revamp the country’s electricity industry and foster competition by obliging utilities to split power generation and distribution into separate businesses.
The plan, which requires parliamentary approval, is aimed at encouraging innovation and grid modernization as Japan grapples with its energy policy after the shutting down of almost all its nuclear power plants in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
The idea of liberalizing Japan’s electricity market has been around for years and was included in a series of economic overhauls, intended to improve the country’s competitiveness, being discussed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration.
Japanese banks shell out $191 mln on wind farm expansion
Fri Apr 05 17:37:05 +0800 2013
A consortium of six Japanese banks led by the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) will loan 18 billion yen (UD191 million) for a lrage wind power project in western Japan.
Biofuels poised for big growth as coal subsides
Fri Apr 05 17:31:59 +0800 2013
Biofuels are becoming big policy and big business as countries around the world look to decrease petroleum dependence, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector, and support agricultural interests.
Korea’s CK Solar to install 300-MW Pakistan solar
Fri Apr 05 18:12:56 +0800 2013
CK Solar Korea has reached an agreement to build a 300-MW solar park in Pakistan’s Balochistan province for a cost of around USD 900 million, according to a Pakistani official.
China to build largest coal-to-gas project
Mon Apr 08 17:45:00 +0800 2013
In a bid to meet China’s rising demand for natural gas, state energy giant Sinopec Group is to invest up to USD11.3 billion (70 billion yuan) to build the country's largest coal-to-gas project.
Ormat signs 330-MW Indonesian geothermal deals
Mon Apr 08 17:40:47 +0800 2013
Geothermal company Ormat Technologies says that Sarulla Operations has signed joint operating and energy sales contracts for its 330-MW Sarulla geothermal power project in Indonesia.
Asia's future prosperity requires major change in energy use
Tue Apr 09 16:40:28 +0800 2013
Asia is moving along a dangerously unsustainable energy path that will result in environmental disaster and a gaping divide in energy access between rich and poor unless the region dramatically changes course, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.
“Asia could be consuming more than half the world’s energy supply by 2035, and without radical changes carbon dioxide emissions will double,” said ADB chief economist Changyong Rhee. “Asia must both contain rising demand and explore cleaner energy options, which will require creativity and resolve, with policymakers having to grapple with politically difficult issues like fuel subsidies and regional energy market integration.”
European solar industry split over trade war with China
Tue Apr 09 17:29:18 +0800 2013
Over 1,000 companies from across the European solar power industry sent an open letter to the European Commission warning that the potential outcome of the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation against Chinese solar manufacturers could have a grave impact on the industry.
China market volatility drives global solar PV downturn in Q1’13
Tue Apr 09 17:18:46 +0800 2013
Seasonality and policy incentive deadlines from the end-market in China drove global solar PV demand down to 6.2-GW in 1Q’13, 23 percent below the previous quarter.
Over the next four quarters, China will account for more than 20 percent of global PV market demand, ranging between 0.9 and 3.6-GW, according to the new NPD Solarbuzz Quarterly report, but its volatile PV demand cycles will create new supply challenges for leading manufacturers.
High wind power capacity wasted on inadequate grid
Tue Apr 09 17:06:53 +0800 2013
The average amount of time wind turbines in China were generating electricity shrank last year according to data released by the country's energy watchdog, underlining the need to boost grid construction to absorb more wind power.
China wind power generation up 41% on 2012
Wed Apr 10 17:09:37 +0800 2013
China generated 100.8 billion KWh of wind power in 2012, marking a 41 percent rise from 2011, the National Energy Administration said in a statement on its website yesterday.
SE Asia to see 28% growth in PV demand by 2017
Wed Apr 10 17:02:51 +0800 2013
Solar PV demand from the Emerging Asia Pacific and Central Asia (EAPCA) region is forecast to exceed 3-GW by 2017, according to a new report by NPD Solarbuzz.
JX Oil aims to lock up rights to First Solar cells in Japan
Thu Apr 11 16:49:11 +0800 2013
Japan’s largest refiner, JX Nippon Oil & Energy (JX) says it is in talkd with America’s First Solar to sell its share of US-based PV manufacturer TetraSun.
India to build renewable energy corridor
Thu Apr 11 16:42:19 +0800 2013
India is to strengthen the renewable energy transmission system in several states thanks to a EUR1 billion (USD1.3 billion) soft loan from Germany. According to a top official the loan will be used to develop a "renewable energy corridor".
China wind firmly in the hands of government
Fri Apr 12 16:43:58 +0800 2013
China’s state-owned enterprises are behind some 81 percent of the country’s booming wind power industry, according to data released by the National Energy Administration (NEA).
New rules aimed to stop another Fukushima
Fri Apr 12 16:16:58 +0800 2013
Japan's nuclear watchdog has published new draft safety standards hoping it will prevent another Fukushima disaster.
A geothermal giant begins to stir
Fri Apr 12 17:18:42 +0800 2013
Japan is considering at least 21 new geothermal power projects as it searches for alternative energy sources to replace at least some of its idled nuclear power plants.
Japan's generous feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme for renewable energy, together with the lifting of a moratorium on geothermal prospecting in national parks, has sparked a revival in interest in the sector which hasn't seen any new capacity added since 1999. The government is guaranteeing smaller geothermal plants a rate of JPN40 (40 US cents) per kWh after tax (the same level as the FiT for solar energy) while plants of over 15-MW capacity get JPY27.3 (27.4 US cents).
India and neighbors to maximize hydro in major river basins
Mon Apr 15 14:43:16 +0800 2013
Nepal, India and Bangladesh are to jointly develop and finance hydropower projects in the Ganges river basin while Bhutan, India and Bangladesh have also agreed to co-operate on maximizing hydropower potential of the Brahmaputra Basin.
ADB chips in to support waste-to-energy in smaller China cities
Mon Apr 15 14:39:44 +0800 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending USD200 million in loans to the Dynagreen Environmental Protection Group to help small and medium-sized cities in China turn their growing mountains of solid waste into a sustainable source of renewable energy under an agreement signed on Friday in Beijing.
China Wind Power to construct 700-MW of renewables with CNNC
Mon Apr 15 15:14:02 +0800 2013
Hong Kong-listed China Wind Power has signed a strategic co-operation agreement with CNNC Rich Energy to co-invest in a total of 700-MW of renewable energy capacity.
Unilever factories and logistics reduce CO2 by 1 million tons
Tue Apr 16 14:56:28 +0800 2013
Consumer product giant Unilever has announced that its five-year strategy to slash carbon emissions has resulted in the reduction of more than one million tonnes of CO2 from its manufacturing and logistics operations.
LDK default may signal another major solar failure for China
Wed Apr 17 16:56:55 +0800 2013
China-based LDK-Solar’s announcement that it could not pay almost USD24 million in debt due on April 15 has raised the specter of yet another massive solar-industry failure this year as the company needs to repay a loan 10 times larger by June.
Japan FiTs attract 7.6-GW in renewables
Wed Apr 17 16:52:41 +0800 2013
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has announced that the country added 1.39-GW of clean energy capacity from April 2012 until January this year.
EU grants $4.5 mln to help Philippines flip the green ‘switch’
Wed Apr 17 16:49:43 +0800 2013
The European Union (EU) has agreed to bestow PHP189 million (USD4.5 million) to the Philippines to help it promote cleaner and more energy-efficient initiatives in the country.
The drive for clean energy has stalled says IEA
Wed Apr 17 17:00:00 +0800 2013
The rapid expansion of renewable technologies is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak assessment of global progress towards low-carbon energy, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in an annual report to the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).
“The drive to clean up the world’s energy system has stalled,” IEA executive director Maria van der Hoeven told the CEM, which brings together ministers representing countries responsible for four-fifths of global greenhouse-gas emissions.
China eco-resort to pilot ocean thermal energy conversion
Wed Apr 17 16:44:04 +0800 2013
And now for something completely different: A Thai-Chinese “Red Bull” billionaire has teamed up with US aerospace and arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin to pilot a potentially revolutionary system that exploits the temperature difference between the deep sea and the surface to generate electricity.
The Reignwood Group – which produces Red Bull in China and is owned by Chanchai Ruayrungruang (also known as Yan Bin) – plans to use a 10-MW Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) off-shore power plant to provide electricity for a new “green resort community” it is developing somewhere on the coast of Southern China.
India looks to turn local content augment against US at WTO
Thu Apr 18 16:58:21 +0800 2013
India looks set to use the same argument on local regulations against the United States that the US has been accusing India of in its dispute over solar trade restrictions at the World Trade Organization.
Japan to install world's largest battery to store solar energy
Thu Apr 18 17:23:46 +0800 2013
The Japanese government announced yesterday that it will install the world's largest battery to store renewable energy at an electrical substation in Hokkaido, where solar power generation facilities are rapidly increasing, according to a report by the Kyodo News Service.
Hefei state takes over struggling LDK Solar
Thu Apr 18 17:01:43 +0800 2013
Financially battered Chinese solar PV maker LDK Solar yesterday announced the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, LDK Solar High-Tech Co, located in China’s Hefei City of Anhui Province, to an affiliate of the Hefei City government, Hefei High Tech Industrial Development Social Service Corp, for approximately RMB120 million (USD19.4 million).
Toshiba joins SunEdison in solar pant deal
Fri Apr 19 14:59:31 +0800 2013
Japan’s Toshiba Corp and US-based SunEdison have agreed to build solar power plants in Japan, according to the Nikkei.
Fujian’s first nuclear power plant starts operations
Fri Apr 19 14:20:47 +0800 2013
The first reactor at the Ningde Nuclear Power Station in China’s Fujian Province became operational on Thursday. The 1.09-GW CPR-1000 reactor, which is largely domestically produced, is the first of four that will be running at Ningde by 2015.
India to double non-hydro renewable energy capacity by '17
Fri Apr 19 15:48:29 +0800 2013
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced his government’s intention to double the country’s non-hydro renewable energy generating capacity by 2017.
"It is proposed to double the renewable energy capacity in our country from 25,000-MW in 2012 to 55,000-megawatts by the year 2017," Singh told the two-day Clean Energy Ministerial conference in New Delhi.
He said India that ramping up its use of wind, solar and biomass energies in the coming years, in line with the country’s low carbon strategy, was necessary for sustainable growth.
India's grid-connected wind and solar power capacity reaches 27 GW
Fri Apr 19 15:11:46 +0800 2013
India's grid-connected non-hydro renewable energy capacity, mainly solar and wind, has reached 27-GW, while the country’s total grid-connected power generation capacity is about 215-GW, according to a top Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) official.
Toshiba joins SunEdison in solar plant deal
Fri Apr 19 14:59:31 +0800 2013
Japan’s Toshiba Corp and US-based SunEdison have agreed to build solar power plants in Japan, according to the Nikkei.
LDK 4th quarter sales a debacle, confidence wanes
Fri Apr 19 16:25:17 +0800 2013
In addition to being hit with the same industry woes that all global solar manufacturers have had to contend with, including over-supply and collapsing prices, China’s LDK Solar is now watching sales tumble as customers desert the troubled wafer and module supplier.
Even as the company struggles to avoid the fate of its now bankrupt rival Suntech, LDK yesterday reported net loss of USD517 million for the quarter ending 31 December 2012. But what be even more telling is that its USD135.9 million in revenues for the final quarter of 2012 are only slightly half the USD230 million it predicted when it released its third quarter results at the end of last year.
Tokyo’s pressure to conserve energy seen in world’s tallest tower
Mon Apr 22 16:29:09 +0800 2013
Builders of Tokyo Skytree, the 65 billion yen (USD656 million) broadcast tower which is almost double the height of the Empire State Building, say they aim to make their mark on more than just the Japanese metropolis’s skyline.
US to support S. Korea's exports of nuclear power plants
Mon Apr 22 16:18:56 +0800 2013
The United States has agreed to actively support South Korea which is seeking to export its nuclear power plants, although government sources also say the countries have failed, at least for now, to renew their bilateral accord on civilian nuclear cooperation.
India, Bangladesh sign $1.6 bln power plant JV
Mon Apr 22 16:06:28 +0800 2013
India and Bangladesh signed a USD1.6 billion joint venture agreement to build a 1,320-MW coal-fired power plant which is expected to be operational within five years.
76% of Indian states fail to meet 2012 renewables targets
Tue Apr 23 16:58:17 +0800 2013
Greenpeace India on Monday said 22 States in India failed to meet their Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets.
Sichuan quakes linked to China’s frenetic hydropower program
Tue Apr 23 17:11:41 +0800 2013
The massive hydroelectric dam building program in Southwest China may have a causal link to the magnitude-7 earthquake that rocked Lushan, in China’s Sichuan province on Saturday, killing 179 and leaving thousands injured and homeless.
The April 20 earthquake occurred along the same Longmenshan Fault Belt as the magnitude-8 tremor that killed more than 80,000 people in Sichuan five years ago. According to Fan Xiao, a geologist and chief engineer of the Regional Geological Survey Team of the Sichuan Geology and Mineral Bureau, the latest quake is likely to have been part of a stress adjustment process, making the region more dangerous after the Wenchuan quake.
US supporting Indonesian rural green energy to the tune of $332m
Wed Apr 24 16:42:05 +0800 2013
Indonesia and the US have launched a USD332.5 million project to promote economic development in the rural region.
Osaka to get Asia’s largest solar PV airport installation
Wed Apr 24 16:35:12 +0800 2013
Osaka’s Kansai International Airport is to get the biggest solar installation at an Asian airport following an agreement to develop a 11.6-MW rooftop solar plant.
India to offer big construction subsidies for new solar plants
Wed Apr 24 17:53:01 +0800 2013
Draft guidelines from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) show India’s central government is prepared to offer subsidies of up to 30 percent on new solar plants, totaling 750-MW of capacity, to be built under Phase-II, Batch-1 of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).
This is the first time such extensive direct grants, made under a “Viability Gap Funding” (VGF) scheme, have been offered to India’s solar power industry. The government, which has previously used the funding model to build roads, railways and coal-fired power plants, is seeking to boost renewable-energy output to curb chronic blackouts that shave an estimated 1.2 percentage points off annual economic growth.
Suzlon gets breathing space with $1.8 bln debt restructure
Wed Apr 24 17:42:51 +0800 2013
Indian wind turbine maker Suzlon on Tuesday said it has implemented a USD 1.8 billion debt restructuring package in an effort to put the company back on a sound business footing.
Singapore zeros in on large users of industrial energy
Wed Apr 24 17:10:17 +0800 2013
New mandatory energy management requirements for large energy users in Singapore will come into effect Monday, April 29, the city-state’s National Environment Agency announced this week.
China Eastern completes biofuel test flight
Thu Apr 25 15:26:53 +0800 2013
China Eastern Airlines has successfully completed its first test flight of an aircraft powered by biofuel.
Yingli gets powered by $165 million CDB loan agreement
Thu Apr 25 15:23:01 +0800 2013
Yingli Green Energy has signed two loan agreements with the China Development Bank (CDB) totalling US$165 million.
Renewable energy firm gets BOI perks
Fri Apr 26 15:49:21 +0800 2013
Asiapac Green Renewable Corp – a subsidiary of Canadian-registered but Frankfurt-listed Asiapac Capital Services – will enjoy tax perks after the Philippines’ Board of Investment approved its four mini-hydro power projects in the Mountain Province of northern Luzon.
Vietnam’s leaders asked to kill controversial hydro projects
Mon Apr 29 14:54:14 +0800 2013
Authorities in Vietnam’s southern Dong Nai Province have asked the country’s National Assembly to reject the two proposed hydro-power projects, Dong Nai 6 and Dong Nai 6A, because of environmental risks.
There has been continuing controversy for two years over the Dong Nai 6 and Dong Nai 6A dam proposals due to their potentially serious environmental impact.
"Residents along Dong Nai River, including those in Ho Chi Minh City, would suffer an unimaginable disaster if the reservoirs of these hydro-power plants broke," said Tran Van Tu, chairman of Dong Nai People's Council, who also heads the group of National Assembly deputies from Dong Nai Province.
LDK taps HK-based Fulai for another $25.75 mln share deal
Mon Apr 29 17:13:42 +0800 2013
Following the fire sale of one of its subsidiaries to a Chinese government entity earlier this month, financially battered LDK Solar has now announced that it will sell 25 million new ordinary shares to Fulai Investments Limited for USD25.7 million, which is about an 8 percent discount.
EU launches another probe into China solar subsidies
Mon Apr 29 17:10:06 +0800 2013
The European Commission on Saturday announced it had initiated an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of solar glass from China acting on a compliant by the association EU ProSun Glass.
ADB taking $30 million stake in India’s NSL Renewable Power
Thu May 02 13:59:05 +0800 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is making a USD30 million equity investment in NSL Renewable Power (NRP), a subsidiary of the NSL Group, an agribusiness-to-infrastructure conglomerate.
Toshiba lands major smart meter deal with Tepco
Fri May 03 11:19:49 +0800 2013
Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) has called on Toshiba to supply it with smart meters as part of it ambitious plan to deploy such devices in 27 million Japanese households over the next 10 years.
EU to propose punitive duties on Chinese solar panels
Mon May 06 15:50:25 +0800 2013
The European Trade Commissioner, Karel De Gucht, is expected to tell his fellow EU commissioners on Wednesday that Brussels should levy punitive import duties on solar panels made in China, according to Reuters.
India’s Supreme Court gives ‘green light’ to controversial nuclear plant
Mon May 06 16:12:01 +0800 2013
The controversial Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu state has been given the go-ahead to start operations following a ruling by India's Supreme Court.
The judges said the plant was "safe and secure" and "necessary for the welfare and economic growth of India".
EU expected to propose punitive duties on Chinese solar panels
Mon May 06 15:50:25 +0800 2013
The European Trade Commissioner, Karel De Gucht, is expected to tell his fellow EU commissioners on Wednesday that Brussels should levy punitive import duties on solar panels made in China, according to Reuters.
Warren Buffett denies Suntech interest
Tue May 07 15:39:34 +0800 2013
Billionaire Warren Buffett has no plans to buy Suntech Power Holdings, according to an interview he gave to the China Business News at Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholder meeting.
Wind leads the way as renewable investments rebound in India
Tue May 07 16:56:43 +0800 2013
About USD500 million worth of clean energy contracts have been signed in India so far this year with not a single deal being struck in the conventional energy sector, according to a report in the Economic Times.
REC scores another Thai solar win
Tue May 07 16:48:48 +0800 2013
Norway’s Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) has announced it will deliver 72-MW of its high efficiency solar panels for the construction of six solar farms in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom and Suphan Buri provinces.
Game on in Burma’s nascent solar power market
Wed May 08 15:06:32 +0800 2013
Burma's first solar power plant - a 210-MW project which its developer claims will be the world’s third largest – is to be built within the next 21-months to provide a much-needed boost to the country’s electricity generating capacity.
The developer, Thailand’s Green Earth Power (GEP), has signed a memorandum of understanding with Myanmar's Ministry of Electric Power for what will be the country's first solar power plant, with a total project cost of USD275 million. GEP president and chairman Paul Bernard Yang said the company would sign the power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Ministry of Electric Power within the next 90 days.
India closing thin-film loophole in solar local content rules
Wed May 08 17:21:26 +0800 2013
India intends to level the playing field between solar photovoltaic (PV) power modules made from crystalline silicon and those using various thin-film technologies during the country’s next grid-connected solar PV power capacity auction due to start at the end of this month.
During the first phase of the country’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) – under which solar PV and solar thermal were each allocated 500-MW of capacity – there was a mandate that 60 per cent of equipment by value was to be locally sourced for solar PV projects and 30 percent for solar thermal projects.
EU steps up the fight in China solar panel war
Thu May 09 15:40:33 +0800 2013
The European Commission is ready to impose punitive import duties on solar panels from China in a move to guard against what it sees as Chinese dumping of cheap goods in Europe.
Hyundai Motor to install largest solar powered roof in South Korea
Fri May 10 14:54:45 +0800 2013
Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, is to install the nation’s largest rooftop PV power plant at its manufacturing factory in the city of Asan, on the northern outskirts of Seoul.
China Guangdong Nuclear to invest $731m in wind farm off Fujian
Mon May 13 17:20:20 +0800 2013
China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGN) is planning to invest 4.5 billion yuan (USD731 million) in an offshore wind farm adjacent to one of the islands of Pingtan Country, off the coast of Fujian Province. The company says, rather optimistically, that it hopes to start project construction next year.
China Merchants to invest in Chinese solar farms
Mon May 13 17:15:47 +0800 2013
China Merchants New Energy Group, a Hong Kong-based renewable-energy project developer, will form a joint venture with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Investment Co to invest USD489 million to develop solar farms.
Suzlon toppled as India’s wind leader
Mon May 13 17:00:09 +0800 2013
India once dominant wind giant Suzlon Energy has been booted from its top spot and replaced by another local turbine supplier, Wind World (India) Ltd, formerly known as Enercon (India) Ltd.
China, Hong Kong renewable firms drowning in debt
Tue May 14 16:30:26 +0800 2013
Renewable energy companies from China and Hong Kong are facing debts of USD3.5 billion this year and the equivalent of USD5.3 billion of notes due next year, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, citing Bloomberg data.
US-based Solaria expands into China
Wed May 15 15:09:40 +0800 2013
California’s Solaria Corporation, which specializes in solar photovoltaic modules for tracking applications, has announced new operations in China to meet what it calls “demand for high-efficiency, large-scale solar projects.”
Japan begins first post-quake permanent reactor shutdown
Thu May 16 15:44:56 +0800 2013
Japan has begun what will likely be the first permanent shutdown of one of its reactors since the Fukushima disaster on the grounds that it is built atop an active earthquake fault.
Eurus Energy plans $480 mln Japan solar plant
Thu May 16 15:41:06 +0800 2013
Japan-based renewable energy projects developer Eurus Energy Holdings, a joint venture between Toyota Tsusho and Tokyo Electric Power, is planning to construct a USD480 million solar plant.
The 115-MW solar plant planned in the northern part of the country is expected to commence construction in July 2013.
China close to ushering in new solar FiT scheme
Thu May 16 15:36:21 +0800 2013
A source from China's top economic planning body said the authority has finished collecting opinions about the feed-in tariff ratings of China's solar industry, which indicates the finalized scheme may be issued soon, according to the China Securities Journal.
Sinovel’s new chairman steps down as financial woes continue
Thu May 16 15:21:55 +0800 2013
The chairman and acting president of Sinovel Wind Energy Group, Wei Chiyuan, has resigned as of one of the country's largest makers of wind turbines struggles amid an industry downturn, according to a report in news portal, Caixin Online.
China gives nod to tallest hydro dam despite damage assessment
Thu May 16 15:15:42 +0800 2013
Despite acknowledging that it will negatively impact rare fish and flora on the upper reaches of Dadu River in Sichuan province, China's environment ministry has approved the construction of the country's tallest hydroelectric dam
Many losers as sun sets on China's solar darling
Thu Mar 21 14:22:13 +0800 2013
What virtually anyone with even a passing interest in the energy industry has known for weeks has finally come to pass with yesterday’s announcement that the main operating unit of China’s Suntech Power has officially gone under.
Once the darling of the Chinese solar industry and the biggest solar company in the world, Suntech now lies in smoldering ruins, along with its founder and former chairman, Shi Zhengrong, formerly China’s richest billionaire.
China’s wind power growth surpasses coal for first time
Fri Mar 22 14:10:35 +0800 2013
Amid all the news about coal and pollution problems in China you might have missed this one: According to new statistics from the China Electricity Council, China’s wind power production actually increased more than coal power production for the first time ever in 2012.
Thermal power use, which is predominantly coal, grew by only about 0.3 percent in China during 2012, an addition of roughly 12 terawatt hours (TWh) more electricity. In contrast, wind power production expanded by about 26 TWh.
Punjab opens 300-MW of solar to bidding
Mon Mar 25 12:44:52 +0800 2013
The Indian state of Punjab has released a request for proposal document for allocation of 300-MW of solar PV in the first phase of its state solar policy.
India to smoothen path for shale gas and methane exploration
Mon Mar 25 14:15:35 +0800 2013
The Indian government, which believes the road to energy security lies in shale gas and coal bed methane, is looking at policy initiatives to smooth the way for exploration of both within its boundaries.
China grid monopoly denies break-up rumors
Mon Mar 25 14:10:45 +0800 2013
The State Grid Corporation of China, the country’s largest energy distributor, has denied earlier reports that it would be split into five independent regional grid companies.
GCL-Poly and Yingli sign major PV module supply pact
Mon Mar 25 14:05:57 +0800 2013
Hong Kong-headquartered GCL-Poly and China’s Yingli Green’s have signed a major new agreement for the supply of PV modules to fill the former’s project pipeline estimated at about 1-GW.
Punjab opens bidding for 300-MW of solar projects
Mon Mar 25 12:44:52 +0800 2013
The Indian state of Punjab has released a request for proposal document for allocation of 300-MW of solar PV in the first phase of its state solar policy.
China warns restraint on EU solar trade probe
Tue Mar 26 15:18:14 +0800 2013
A senior Chinese official said yesterday that a cautious approach by the European Union (EU) to the on-going solar trade dispute is needed to avoid countermeasures by China.
Turkish tycoon to invest $2.5 billion in East Java geothermal
Wed Mar 27 16:35:51 +0800 2013
Turkey’s Hitay Investment Holdings plans to invest USD2.5 billion in three geothermal power projects in East Java, Indonesia, with a total estimated power potential of about 1.1-GW.
Int’l consortium pledges $532 mln to Pacific renewables
Wed Mar 27 16:13:43 +0800 2013
At the close of the Pacific Energy Summit in Auckland, New Zealand yesterday a consortium of countries and international banking institutions announced that a funding package of USD532 million has been secured to fund renewable energy projects across the Pacific.
Modest FiT cut no hindrance to plan for Japan’s biggest solar project
Wed Apr 03 16:53:00 +0800 2013
Approval has been given for the construction of Japan’s largest solar power plant to date on an island off the city of Sasebo in southern Japan, according to a local media report.
Sun shines on new Japanese solar power plants
Fri Mar 22 13:49:37 +0800 2013
Chinese solar mounting supplier Grace Solar has announced the completion of a 1.5-MW solar power plant in Japan. The company constructed the project for an unnamed local customer in Kawasaki.
Jinko CEO optimistic about China’s solar outlook
Thu Mar 14 12:31:07 +0800 2013
JinkoSolar’s CEO said China’s troubled solar-panel manufacturing industry will see the light at the end of the tunnel this year.
Karnataka fails to innovate in 2nd round of state solar allocation
Thu Mar 14 13:43:59 +0800 2013
There will be some disappointment among developers after the Indian state of Karnataka announced the second round of allocations under its state solar policy.
Another chairman goes as Sinovel boss resigns for personal reasons
Thu Mar 14 13:51:42 +0800 2013
Sinovel Wind Group, China’s biggest wind-turbine maker by market value, has become the third big Chinese renewable-energy company to replace the head of its board this month following the resignation chairman Han Junliang, for the usual euphemism of for personal reasons.
India’s PV manufacturing capacity reaches 2-GW
Fri Mar 15 15:50:50 +0800 2013
India’s domestic manufacturing capacity of photovoltaic cells and modules has increased from 200-MW to 2-GW since 2010, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
India to open more solar capacity to auction
Fri Mar 15 16:09:58 +0800 2013
India may auction more solar capacity than planned this fiscal year to reduce power shortages in the South Asian country, Bloomberg reports.
JinkoSolar says industry consolidation to end in China this year
Mon Mar 18 16:47:06 +0800 2013
Following a 20 percent drop in prices and tighter margins, China is set to see the results of reorganization among solar-component manufacturers this year.
Japan’s clean-energy capacity on the rise
Mon Mar 18 16:42:51 +0800 2013
Japan continues to curb its reliance on nuclear power after it added 1,178-MW of mostly solar clean-energy capacity in the nine months to the end of December, according to Bloomberg.
JinkoSolar says China industry consolidation to end this year
Mon Mar 18 16:47:06 +0800 2013
Following a 20 percent drop in prices and tighter margins, China is set to see the results of reorganization among solar-component manufacturers this year.
Singapore fund in $151 million India clean power bid
Tue Mar 19 14:48:53 +0800 2013
Indian clean energy specialist Greenko has been boosted by a GBP100 million (USD151 million) investment from a Singaporean sovereign wealth fund which will allow the company to further build out its portfolio of clean power in India where the rapidly expanding economy has been throttled by a lack of reliable power supplies.
Siemens to build 18-MW wind in Japan
Tue Mar 19 14:45:56 +0800 2013
Germany’s Siemens will install 18-MW of wind power in north west Japan after being awarded a contract from Japanese developer Eurus Energy.
Siemens will deliver and maintain six turbines Six 3-3.5 MW turbines which will be installed at Japan’s Akita Port and are expected to be operational by mid-2014.
Nuclear cooling restored after Fukushima power failure
Wed Mar 20 13:08:19 +0800 2013
A power outage at Japan’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear station which brought water pumps used to cool spent uranium fuel to a stop has been brought under control.
FiTs to catapult Japan into second biggest solar market
Tue Mar 19 15:41:51 +0800 2013
FiTs to catapult Japan into second biggest solar market
The Japanese photovoltaic (PV) market is set to grow by 120 percent this year with more than 5-GW of newly installed capacity, which would make it the second biggest solar market after China, according to a new report.
In its report “The PV Market in Japan,” IMS Research, part of OHS, Inc, predicts that Japan solar will benefit from the world’s most attractive PV incentive policy to surpass both Germany and the US. New installations are expected to exceed 1-GW in the first quarter alone.
Dark times ahead for China’s Suntech
Tue Mar 19 16:09:01 +0800 2013
One of the world's biggest solar-panel manufacturers, said it has defaulted on a USD541 million bond payment in the latest sign of the financial squeeze on the struggling global solar industry. Suntech Power Holdings’ notice that it defaulted brings China a step closer to consolidating its solar industry, which includes four of the top six panel makers.
Beleaguered Suntech appoints a president
Wed Mar 20 13:06:04 +0800 2013
With insolvency looming, Suntech Power Holdings has appointed Weiping Zhou to the newly created position of president, effective immediately.
ADB venture expands pay-as-you-go solar to rural India
Wed Mar 20 13:02:18 +0800 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a USD2 million equity investment in Simpa Networks, a company that offers a simple, prepaid payment platform to enable affordable clean energy solutions for underserved consumers in India.
PV materials market to double on back of Indian gov’t backing
Thu Mar 21 12:44:38 +0800 2013
The boom in India’s solar market, brought about by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), will result in a near doubling of the solar panels materials market in the next three years.
Who will be biggest losers as Suntech finally folds?
Thu Mar 21 14:22:13 +0800 2013
What virtually anyone with even a passing interest in the energy industry has known for weeks has finally come to pass with yesterday’s announcement that the main operating unit of China’s Suntech Power has officially gone under.
Once the darling of the Chinese solar industry and the biggest solar company in the world, Suntech now lies in smoldering ruins, along with its founder and former chairman, Shi Zhengrong, formerly China’s richest billionaire.
Lights out for Suntech
Wed Mar 13 17:59:37 +0800 2013
The fascinating end game being played over Suntech Power Holdings, the world’s biggest solar PV manufacturer in 2011, is rapidly gathering pace.
On Monday news broke that 60 percent of the company’s bondholders have entered a forbearance agreement under which they will not press for repayment of their loans, due this Friday, until 15 May. Given that Bank of China, one of the Wuxi, Jiangsu-based company’s largest creditors, had initiated legal proceeding for unpaid debt, the agreement should have come as a relief to some.
Japan first with offshore ‘ice’ gas, India close behind
Wed Mar 13 19:02:10 +0800 2013
Following on from the publication of a draft Japanese Government plan for the commercialization of methane hydrate deposits 10 years from now, Japan Oil, Gas & Metals National Corp (JOGMEC) announced yesterday that it has it produced gas in the world’s first offshore test to extract the fuel from the frozen depths.
The experimental gas field is in the Nankai Trough, about 50-km off the coast of Honshu, Japan's main island. JOGMEC estimates that the surrounding area holds at least 1.1 trillion cubic meters of methane hydrate, the equivalent of 11 years’ of Japanese natural gas imports.
Two years on, Japan still adapting to Fukushima fallout
Mon Mar 11 18:46:11 +0800 2013
Yesterday thousands of protesters were out in the streets of Tokyo calling for the Japanese Government to forgo nuclear power, a day before the second anniversary of an earthquake and tsunami that triggered the world's worst atomic disaster in 25 years.
The nuclear meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power's (Tepco) Fukushima Daiichi plant forced 160,000 people from their homes, to which many will never return. It also sparked an unprecedented protest movement against nuclear power.
Shanghai allows residents to sell back excess solar power
Fri Mar 15 15:58:26 +0800 2013
Shanghai residents will be able to sell some of the electricity generated by rooftop solar panels back to the power grid in an upcoming program.
A small cut to Japan solar FiT will keep sector booming
Tue Mar 12 15:43:44 +0800 2013
The Japanense government look at a proposal to reduce its generous feed-in tariff (FiT) for solar power by a mere 10 percent from the beginning of April, essentially leaving in place the conditions that have created a boom since the new FiT was introduced in July last year.
China WindPower, Development Bank team for solar investment
Tue Mar 12 18:00:10 +0800 2013
Hong Kong-based China WindPower Group and China Asset Management Capital have signed an three-way MOU with a unit of China Development Bank and to invest in solar power projects inside and outside China.
82-GW of distributed diesel generators predicted for 2018
Tue Mar 12 17:55:28 +0800 2013
A somewhat sobering new report from Pike Research says annual installations of diesel generator sets (gensets) will reach 82-GW of capacity by 2018. To put this in perspective, this is nearly twice as much new wind-powered generating capacity installed in 2012 and more than two-and-a-half times last year’s solar installations worldwide.
China, Japan and India will be 36% of PV demand in '13
Wed Mar 13 17:28:41 +0800 2013
It looks like being another year of single-digit growth for the global solar photovoltaic industry but with strong growth in Asia Pacific making up for weakness in other regions, according to industry analyst firm NPD Solarbuzz.
In its new Marketbuzz 2013 report the firm predicts global solar PV shipments will be about 31-GW this year, up only 7 percent on the 29-GW shipped last year. For the first time, China will outpace Germany to become the leading PV consumer, while the top 10 markets will still account for 83 percent of global PV demand.
China subsides for distributed solar fall short
Wed Mar 13 18:55:26 +0800 2013
China's top economic planner has issued a draft regulation showing lower-than-expected subsidies for distributed solar power projects, industry insiders said.
China to add 20% more nuclear capacity this year
Wed Mar 13 18:52:08 +0800 2013
According to a report by China’s National Development and Reform Commission presented to the ongoing annual parliamentary session, the country will add another 3.24-GW, of nuclear power this year, representing a 20 percent increase in capacity.
Currents blowing strong in favor of Japan wind power
Fri Mar 08 16:27:18 +0800 2013
Following its success in solar, Japan is now ripe for a boom in wind power as investors seek to cash in on the country’s generous subsidies for clean energy, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Hold on! The US's been beating China on renewables trade
Fri Mar 08 16:36:02 +0800 2013
The US notched up a massive clean energy trade surplus with China in 2011 despite conventional beliefs that the latter is dominating the world’s renewable energy sector, according to a new report by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Considering all aspects of the value chain, US exports and trade to China actually exceeded Chinese exports to the United States by USD1.63 billion in 2011, the report, Advantage America: The U.S.-China Clean Energy Technology Trade Relationship in 2011, states.
Deficit-ridden India considers new funding model for solar mission
Mon Mar 11 16:52:40 +0800 2013
India plans to adopt a new Viability Gap Funding (VGF) model for the second phase of its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), according to media reports.
Led by China, solar sector set to bounce back in 2013
Mon Mar 11 16:44:03 +0800 2013
China is poised to become the world’s largest consumer of solar panels this year and spearhead a global rebound of the USD77 billion sector.
Tibet’s largest water project to generate power
Mon Mar 11 17:19:47 +0800 2013
Tibet’s largest water control project will start generating electricity this year, local officials said.
82-GW of distributed diesel generators for predicted for 2018
Tue Mar 12 17:55:28 +0800 2013
A somewhat sobering new report from Pike Research says annual installations of diesel generator sets (gensets) will reach 82-GW of capacity by 2018. To put this in perspective, this is nearly twice as much new wind-powered generating capacity installed in 2012 and more than two-and-a-half times last year’s solar installations worldwide.
Welspun lines up funding for India’s largest solar plant
Thu Mar 07 17:25:40 +0800 2013
India’s Welspun Group has received 8.85 billion rupees (USD 161 million) from lenders including the Central Bank of India to finance the country’s largest solar project.
Indian targets 15-GW of new wind power at a cost of $18 bln
Fri Mar 08 15:55:57 +0800 2013
The Indian government announced in a press statement earlier this week that it has set a target of 15-GW for new wind power installations during the country’s 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17).
Writing on the wall as Suntech sued by home creditors?
Fri Mar 08 15:44:33 +0800 2013
Suntech’s problems just seem to get worse every moment with news yesterday that the debt-ridden Chinese solar manufacturer is being sued by the Bank of China (BoC) over unpaid debt.
According to the 21st Century Business Herald, the BoC filed suit some time ago and a hearing is expected to take place this month. This, the newspaper says, signifies that further loans for the oft bailed-out firm are unlikely.
A board of seven Chinese lenders led by BoC was formed in the fourth quarter last year as the company's billions worth of debts were due to mature, the newspaper quoted an unnamed source as saying.
Hold the phone! US’s been beating China on renewables trade
Fri Mar 08 16:36:02 +0800 2013
The US notched up a massive clean energy trade surplus with China in 2011 despite conventional beliefs that the latter is dominating the world’s renewable energy sector, according to a new report by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Considering all aspects of the value chain, US exports and trade to China actually exceeded Chinese exports to the United States by USD1.63 billion in 2011, the report, Advantage America: The U.S.-China Clean Energy Technology Trade Relationship in 2011, states.
Wind sector happy but others not thrilled with new Indian budget
Fri Mar 01 15:43:12 +0800 2013
In his FY2014 budget speech yesterday India’s finance minister, P Chidambaram, announced two measures to address the dramatic slowdown in the development of new wind power generating capacity.
From the beginning of April the country will reinstate the generation-based incentives for wind energy — to the tune of 50 paise (1 US cent) per kWh – that were scrapped in last year’s budget. The central government is allocating 8 billion rupees (USD147 million) to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in FY2014 to support the subsidy.
Wind sector happy, others not thrilled with new Indian budget
Fri Mar 01 15:43:12 +0800 2013
In his FY2014 budget speech yesterday India’s finance minister, P Chidambaram, announced two measures to address the dramatic slowdown in the development of new wind power generating capacity.
From the beginning of April the country will reinstate the generation-based incentives for wind energy — to the tune of 50 paise (1 US cent) per kWh – that were scrapped in last year’s budget. The central government is allocating 8 billion rupees (USD147 million) to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in FY2014 to support the subsidy.
Quenching China's thirst for energy is all embracing
Mon Mar 04 12:39:32 +0800 2013
China's inexorable demand for energy has seen it sign a slew of multi-billion deals in the past in the past week or so, reflecting the new complexities of the international energy market. They add to new calculations by analysts that China is set to produce enough crude oil outside its borders to rival OPEC members such as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
In a recent interview with the Financial Times International Energy Agency chief economist Fatih Birol said last year's USD35 billion foreign energy company buying spree by Chinese companies will produce the equivalent of Kuwait's output by 2015.
Japan to develop commercially viable methane hydrate technology
Mon Mar 04 15:58:02 +0800 2013
Japan is looking to develop commercially viable technology that will allow it to exploit seabed methane hydrate, viewed by many as a next-generation energy source, by fiscal 2018.
India’s demand for clean-energy credits weakens 34%
Mon Mar 04 15:51:00 +0800 2013
With regulators failing to enforce clean-energy targets for Indian companies, the demand for renewable-energy credits declined 34 percent in February.
CNPC to invest $2.4 Billion on upgrades in bid for cleaner fuel
Mon Mar 04 15:43:33 +0800 2013
China National Petroleum Corp, is the latest Chinese oil company to announce plans to invest billions of yuan to upgrade its fuel quality after air pollution in the Chinese capital Beijing hit hazardous levels on 20 days in January.
Deutsche Bank calls for ‘big-bang’ changes in China energy policies
Mon Mar 04 15:30:06 +0800 2013
Deutsche Bank AG has called on China’s incoming leaders to “drastically change” policies on energy, automobiles, environment and public transport to reduce air pollution to a safe level.
China on target for 1.23 bln KW power in 2013
Mon Mar 04 15:03:26 +0800 2013
China's installed power capacity will top 1.23 billion-kw by the end of 2013, according to a report from the China Electricity Council.
Call to liberalize Japanese grid access for wind power
Fri Mar 01 11:59:23 +0800 2013
Vestas Wind Systems has called on the Japanese government to improve access to the electricity grid. Speaking at the Wind Expo 2013 in Tokyo, Vestas chief executive officer Ditlev Engel was critical of the obstacles in accessing the distribution network reflecting a recent government recommendation that the country’s 10 utilities be stripped of their regional monopolies, according to Bloomberg.
New Kerala solar policy puts strong emphasis on distributed generation
Tue Mar 05 15:46:01 +0800 2013
The State Government of Kerala has published a draft solar policy, making it the ninth Indian state to do so.
No smoke without fire – Japan nukes being readied for restart
Tue Mar 05 13:30:40 +0800 2013
In a sign that Japan is to restart its idled reactors, Areva, the French energy group said it was preparing to send the first nuclear fuel shipment to Japan since the Fukushima disaster of March, 2011.
The shipment of mixed oxide fuel (MOX) is likely to be controversial in Japan, where public opposition to nuclear power and reactor restarts remains strong in the run-up to the second anniversary of the March 11, 2011 catastrophe.
Ousted Suntech boss says there are no plans to cover debt
Wed Mar 06 16:41:11 +0800 2013
Shi Zhengrong, the ousted chairman of Suntech Power Holdings, said he was “shocked” by the board’s “misconceived and unlawful” decision to remove him and that he’s been excluded from meetings for the past month.
The founder of what was the world’s biggest solar panel maker also said that the solar manufacturer’s board has no plans for refinancing USD541 million of convertible bonds due on March 15.
Call to liberalize grid access for wind power
Fri Mar 01 11:59:23 +0800 2013
Vestas Wind Systems has called on the Japanese government to improve access to the electricity grid. Speaking at the Wind Expo 2013 in Tokyo, Vestas chief executive officer Ditlev Engel was critical of the obstacles in accessing the distribution network reflecting a recent government recommendation that the country’s 10 utilities be stripped of their regional monopolies, according to Bloomberg.
Vietnam to close inefficient hydropower plants
Fri Mar 01 12:19:39 +0800 2013
Vietnam is to decommission hydropower plants due to their inefficiency and environmental impact. The People's Committee in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum have announced the closure of 21 plants with a total capacity of nearly 70-MW.
Goldwind results reflects troubled China wind market
Fri Mar 01 11:58:59 +0800 2013
Goldwind Science & Technology, China’s leading wind turbine manufacturer, has reported a 75 percent drop in its profits. Although China is the world’s biggest installer of wind turbines, demand has decreased.
Is China the new Germany of PV demand?
Thu Feb 28 15:19:55 +0800 2013
China has been the dominant producer of solar PV components for several years, with domestic manufacturers rapidly expanding capacity and pursuing economies of scale, aided in no small part by government assistance at the provincial (driven by local job creation goals) and national (supporting a key industry sector) levels.
Germany, on the other hand, has seen its production base dwindling over the past few years, while remaining the largest single-country end-market in the world. But this changed at the end of 2012 when China passed it. According to research in the upcoming NPD Solarbuzz Marketbuzz report, this trend is now set to continue for many years.
India’s Lanco seeks funds for solar expansion
Thu Feb 28 17:29:35 +0800 2013
Lanco Infratech Ltd. (Lanco), India’s second-biggest non-state power generator is seeking private-equity investors to fund its solar capacity expansion fivefold after the company saw a combined loss of 9.9 billion rupees (USD180 million) according to Bloomberg.
Non-burning coal technology nears pilot-scale development
Thu Feb 28 17:55:54 +0800 2013
The concept of clean coal doesn’t get a lot of respect from environmentalists who tend to describe it as an oxymoron (like “military intelligence”). A research team at Ohio State University in the US has, however, pioneered a new combustion technology which is now ready for larger scale testing, having successfully produced heat from coal while capturing 99 percent of the carbon dioxide produced in the reaction over 203 hours of continuous operation.
Welspun lines up finance India’s largest solar plant
Thu Mar 07 17:25:40 +0800 2013
India’s Welspun Group has received 8.85 billion rupees (USD 161 million) from lenders including the Central Bank of India to finance the country’s largest solar project.
Nexen now officially a Chinese company
Tue Feb 26 16:47:12 +0800 2013
China’s CNOOC announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Canada’s Nexen Inc in the long-fought USD15.1 billion battle that required approval by a large group of stakeholders including both the Canadian and US governments.
IEA sees big opportunities for Asia-Pacific natural gas market
Wed Feb 27 13:26:26 +0800 2013
Asia is expected to become the world's second-largest natural gas market by 2015, even though it is dominated by long-term contracts in which prices are linked to that of oil which keeps prices much higher than those in other parts of the world, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In the report the IEA shows how the Asia-Pacific region's natural-gas market can evolve from one oil-linked prices, which has raised serious questions about the sustainability of the system and its effects on Asian competitiveness, to one featuring a more competitive and dynamic network of trading hubs in which prices better reflect local gas demand and supply.
Suzlon to provide Oil & Natural Gas Corp with 103-MW of turbines
Wed Feb 27 13:16:28 +0800 2013
Suzlon Energy has won an order to install 49 wind turbines in the north western state of Rajasthan over the next two years from the state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), India’s biggest energy producer.
Indian solar power passes the 1-GW mark
Thu Feb 28 14:26:55 +0800 2013
India’s ambitious solar plans have received a boost with the news that the country allocated 1.17-GW of grid connections for solar projects across the country over the past three years.
China eases grid access for distributed energy providers
Thu Feb 28 17:36:58 +0800 2013
A new policy by the State Grid Corp of China will allow easier access to the grid for distributed energy.
$1.35 landmark solar city planned for Gujarat
Wed Feb 27 13:10:44 +0800 2013
A USD1.35 billion plan to build India's first ‘solar city’ in Surat, Gujarat, has been passed by the committee of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).
Indian state plans first offshore wind project
Wed Feb 27 12:48:12 +0800 2013
The northwestern Indian state of Gujarat has included an offshore wind energy project, claimed to be the first of its kind in the country in its 2013-2014 budget plans and will establish 20-MW of new solar power, writes The Indian Express.
Suzlon to provide ONGC with 103-MW wind power
Wed Feb 27 13:16:28 +0800 2013
Suzlon Energy has won an order to install 49 wind turbines in the north western state of Rajasthan over the next two years from the Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC), India’s biggest energy producer.
$1.35 landmark solar city planned for W. India
Wed Feb 27 13:10:44 +0800 2013
A USD1.35 billion plan to build the first ‘solar city’ in Surat, West India, has been passed by the committee of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).
Leadership vacuum edges China, EU closer to solar trade war
Mon Feb 25 17:58:47 +0800 2013
With new leadership poised to take control of China’s national congress in March, the transition is affecting efforts to dodge a looming trade war over solar panels with the European Union (EU), according to Reuters.
Odisha to focus on small hydro projects
Mon Feb 25 17:55:18 +0800 2013
The state government of Odisha (formerly know as Orissa) has established a dedicated public company to provide focused attention to developing small hydro power projects in the Indian state, according to its chief minister, Naveen Patnaik.
Yingli growth in shipments hides falling margins
Tue Feb 26 12:15:43 +0800 2013
China's solar company, Yingli Green Energy Holding has announced a 40 percent growth in its last quarter (year-end December 2012) shipments, however this good news hides expectations of another loss.
New capacity puts India’s 30-GW renewables dream within reach
Tue Feb 26 17:21:06 +0800 2013
India has increased its renewable power capacity by 12.4-GW over the last three years and is now within sight of reaching its target of 30-GW by 2017.
Indian state plans first offshore wind
Wed Feb 27 12:48:12 +0800 2013
The northwestern Indian state of Gujarat has included an offshore wind energy project, claimed to be the first of its kind in the country in its 2013-2014 budget plans and will establish 20-MW of new solar power, writes The Indian Express.
ADB loan will give Nepal 20% hydro boost
Wed Feb 27 12:29:11 +0800 2013
Nepal is to boost its electricity generating output by 20 percent by building a USD500 million hydropower plant.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is lending USD150 million towards the 140-MW (MW) project. The power situation in the country is dire with blackouts of up to 18 hours a day common in the dry season, even in the capital Kathmandu.
IEA sees big opportunities for Asia-Pacific natural-gas market
Wed Feb 27 13:26:26 +0800 2013
Asia is expected to become the world's second-largest natural gas market by 2015, even though it is dominated by long-term contracts in which prices are linked to that of oil which keeps prices much higher than those in other parts of the world, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In the report the IEA shows how the Asia-Pacific region's natural-gas market can evolve from one oil-linked prices, which has raised serious questions about the sustainability of the system and its effects on Asian competitiveness, to one featuring a more competitive and dynamic network of trading hubs in which prices better reflect local gas demand and supply.
Diplomatic criticism of Philippine renewable energy policies
Thu Feb 21 11:24:41 +0800 2013
The Philippine government needs to improve the regulatory framework to boost the success of the local renewable energy industry and open the sector to overseas investors.
China renewable energy generation up 30% in 2012
Thu Feb 21 11:07:32 +0800 2013
Power generated by renewable energy in China totaled to 968 billion kilowatt-hours in 2012, an increase of more than 30 percent according to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Siemens finishes 50-MW wind project with China partner
Thu Feb 21 12:16:05 +0800 2013
Shanghai Electric and Siemens have announced the completion of the 50-MW wind power plant at Guangrao in China’s Shandong Provice. It is the first project jointly delivered by the two companies which signed an alliance at the end of 2011, using two subsidiaries - Siemens Wind Power Turbines (Shanghai) and Shanghai Electric Wind Energy Co.
Hong Kong and China partners for Thailand solar project
Fri Feb 22 10:49:03 +0800 2013
Hong Kong-based Symbior Energy has signed an agreement with Chinese solar PV manufacturer Phono Solar to jointly develop 40-MW solar power generating capacity in Thailand.
JinkoSolar to deliver 600MW PV to CTGNE
Fri Feb 22 11:30:08 +0800 2013
JinkoSolar Holding Co has signed an agreement with China Three Gorges New Energy Corp (CTGNE) to deliver 600-MW worth of photovoltaic modules.
Japan wants US gas
Fri Feb 22 11:23:50 +0800 2013
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is going to ask US President Barack Obama to allow shale gas export to relieve Japan’s soaring energy cost after 2011’s nuclear disaster.
Floating solar plants coming to Eastern India
Fri Feb 22 13:58:22 +0800 2013
Facilitated by the European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC), French solar power engineering firm Ciel et Terre has signed an MOU with Klystron Electronics to develop a market for the Hydrelio floating solar system in West Bengal and neighboring states of Eastern India.
An EU-China airline emissions deal on the cards?
Mon Feb 18 16:19:23 +0800 2013
It appears that there may be light at the end of the tunnel in the ongoing dispute between China and the EU over aviation emissions by skirting the latter’s provocative Emissions Trading System (ETS).
APAC solar PV to grow 50% despite market fragmentation
Tue Feb 19 14:05:24 +0800 2013
According to the NPD Solarbuzz Q1’13 Asia Pacific Major PV Markets Quarterly report, PV demand in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region is forecast to grow to by 50 percent year-on-year 13.5-GW in 2013.
China, Japan, India, and Australia will remain dominant for PV demand in the region, accounting for 90 percent of demand in 2013, however, discrete end-market demand environments are now evolving in each of these countries.
Controversy over Philippines’ first built, first served RE subsidy policy
Tue Feb 19 17:46:12 +0800 2013
A new chapter in The Philippines’ on-going saga over the implementation of it Renewable Energy Act, passed in 2008, has opened with the Department of Energy (DOE) announcing the adoption of a “first come, first served” policy in allocating the limited 760-MW installation target for renewable energy (RE) projects.
Government's role in commercial building energy efficiency
Wed Feb 20 13:43:28 +0800 2013
In his maiden 2013 Policy Address Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung announced his intention to create an interdepartmental steering committee to promote green buildings.
With buildings accounting for 90 per cent of Hong Kong’s electricity use and 60 per cent of its carbon emissions, this is an important step forward. But without an overarching climate policy or target for Hong Kong, any effort taken by this committee will likely be piecemeal.
Korea's Eximbank criticize government's green support
Thu Feb 21 11:59:25 +0800 2013
A report from South Korea's Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) says the country's renewable energy industry will lag behind global peers in 2013.
HK company to fund 60-MW of China rooftop solar
Mon Feb 18 14:00:29 +0800 2013
Hong Kong investment company China Gogreen Assets says it will invest 720 million yuan (USD115 million) to develop rooftop solar power projects in the Xuchang city in China’s Henan province, according to Bloomberg.
Watch out China, Obama is serious
Mon Feb 18 16:19:54 +0800 2013
President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech had few surprises except in his use of China as way to motivate rivals to stand behind his green policies. Obama put most of the onus on new climate policies on a less-than-enthusiastic Congress, but dropped a strong hint that if they don't do something, he would use his executive muscle to address climate change “for the sake of our children and our future.”
New JV will add 100-MW a year of Japanese utility-scale solar
Tue Feb 12 15:12:50 +0800 2013
Solar Frontier, a subsidiary Japanese oil company Showa Shell Sekiyu KK, says it has reached a basic agreement with the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) to jointly establish a company to build utility-scale solar power plants, initially targeting 100-MW per year.
Malaysia aiming for B10 biodiesel by mid-2014
Tue Feb 12 15:08:25 +0800 2013
Malaysia is aiming to introduce B10 biodiesel – a mixture of 10 percent palm biodiesel with 90 percent petroleum diesel – nationwide by the middle of next year, according to the country’s Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.
Biomass demand will more than triple to 3.7 billion tonnes by 2030
Thu Feb 14 08:06:30 +0800 2013
A new report suggests that by 2030 the world will be straining to supply biofuels unless there is a technological revolution.
Vikram Solar is one plant closer to 300-MW dream
Mon Feb 18 15:19:15 +0800 2013
Solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer Vikram Solar has commissioned a 40-MW solar power plant in Rajasthan, India as part of 300-MW in solar-power generating capacity the company is planning to install over the next five years.
China helps push global solar and wind sectors to record highs
Tue Feb 12 17:28:47 +0800 2013
Growth in China, Japan and an awakened US, together with a still healthy European market, saw the world’s total installed solar PV power capacity rise to 101-GW in 2012, according to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA).
The association said about 30 to 32-GW of new solar power capacity was completed worldwide last year, compared with almost 30-GW in 2011. Its new figures revealed a shift in the global market demand as emerging economies picked up some of the slack caused by a slowdown in European countries.
AMSC gets $30 mln order from India’s Inox for wind systems
Wed Feb 13 11:57:42 +0800 2013
AMSC, a global provider of solutions to the wind and power grid industry, has landed a contract worth over USD30 million to supply wind turbine electrical control systems (ECS) to Inox Wind Limited, part of India's Inox Group of Companies.
China says energy-saving subsidies paying off
Wed Feb 13 11:52:55 +0800 2013
China’s Ministry of Finance says it spent over 9 billion yuan (USD1.43 billion) last year promoting energy-saving products ranging from home appliances to hybrid vehicles.
Conergy wins 31.5-MW solar plant orders in Thailand
Wed Feb 13 11:50:21 +0800 2013
Turnkey solar power solution provider Conergy AG has won orders to build three power plants in Thailand with a total capacity of 31.5-MW.
China aims to cut industrial energy use 5% in 2013
Wed Feb 13 12:01:32 +0800 2013
China will attempt to cut energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission for per unit industrial value added by over five percent, an energy official said at the weekend.
CNOOC-Nexen deal over last hurdle with US approval
Wed Feb 13 14:37:18 +0800 2013
US regulators have approved China National Offshore Oil Corporation's (CNOOC's) USD 15.1-billion bid to buy Nexen Inc, a deal that will be the biggest overseas takeover made by a Chinese company.
The approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States means the last major hurdle was cleared, CNOOC, China's largest offshore oil producer, said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Study claims $9 bln daily cost of not using renewable energy
Tue Feb 12 18:05:53 +0800 2013
In a groundbreaking study issued by the World Future Council the future usage loss resulting from current oil, gas and coal consumption has been put at between USD3.2 and 3.4 trillion per year.
Opponents of renewable energy claim conventional energy sources are cheaper on the whole, but the new World Future Council report asks what costs are incurred when renewable energies are not used.
Gas-powered cars to be banned from Beijing roads
Fri Feb 15 16:59:22 +0800 2013
Beijing city will at the beginning of next month impose new sanctions that ban the sale and registration of sub-standard gasoline cars in a bid to help curb its record-breaking smog problems.
Pressure on for new natural gas bus fleet for Bangkok
Fri Feb 15 16:54:29 +0800 2013
Pressure to speed up the introduction of NGV (natural gas buses) fleets for Bangkok has been put to the Thai government, who say it will by done by year-end. The chairman of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority’s labor union told ministry of transport officials that older NGV machines were out of order and fleets had been in use for over 17 years.
Bad government policies worsened Andhra Pradesh's power supplies
Fri Feb 15 16:52:07 +0800 2013
The Indian government has come under criticism for bowing to commercial pressure to use non-renewable power sources rather than thermal and hydro resources in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Trony Solar's audit committee resigns en masse
Fri Feb 15 16:13:24 +0800 2013
Issues of poor corporate governance in China's clean tech companies have returned as Trony Solar told the Hong Kong stock exchange that its audit committee dealing with questionable accounting issues had resigned.
Beijing halting sales of non-Euro V vehicles
Fri Feb 15 16:59:22 +0800 2013
Beijing city will at the beginning of next month impose new sanctions that ban the sale and registration of sub-standard gasoline cars in a bid to help curb its record-breaking smog problems.
An EU-China deal on airline emissions on the cards?
Mon Feb 18 16:19:23 +0800 2013
It appears that there may be light at the end of the tunnel in the ongoing dispute between China and the EU over aviation emissions by skirting the latter’s provocative Emissions Trading System (ETS).
China’s northeast gets its first nuclear power
Mon Feb 18 16:11:34 +0800 2013
The first nuclear power plant and largest energy project in northeast China was fired up yesterday afternoon.
Philippines Court of Appeals says yes to coal
Tue Feb 12 14:53:56 +0800 2013
The Philippines’ Court of Appeals has dismissed a “Writ of Kalikasan” case against the construction of a USD1.28-billion, 600-MW coal-fired power plant by Redondo Peninsula Energy (RP Energy) at the Subic Bay Freeport. The court’s decision allows PR Energy to push through with the project with the aim of providing baseload power to the Luzon grid by 2016.
Indian local content rules spark US solar complaint at WTO
Fri Feb 08 16:58:36 +0800 2013
The United States has complained to the World Trade Organization over India’s decision to restrict imports of solar equipment, saying domestic-content requirements violate global commerce rules.
Japan’s Banks follow in the footsteps of Goldman Sachs
Thu Feb 07 17:26:30 +0800 2013
Japan’s biggest banks are following Goldman Sachs Group into domestic solar-power projects, anticipating an eightfold increase for investments in the industry.
Obama's co-opting strategy to push green policy
Thu Feb 07 17:20:58 +0800 2013
There's been a debate rumbling on in the US environmental press as to how 'green' President Obama will be during his second term. There are some indications that he might be trying to outflank political opponents in subtle renewable policies, after having been dealt several body blows in previous policy fights.
Apart from having the apparently minor side-effect of trying to preserve the global ecosystem, any major policy edicts from the White House can have major economic benefits for international companies, and those in China in particular.
Taiwan solar cell makers mark record year in 2012
Fri Feb 08 16:46:11 +0800 2013
Taiwan-based solar cell producers generated record shipments of around 5.5-GW in 2012, according to EnergyTrend.
Energy security under threat as China oil imports rise
Fri Feb 08 15:41:54 +0800 2013
China's dependence on foreign crude oil is on the rise, jumping to a high of 56.4 percent last year which analysts say is increasing the risk of the nation's energy security.
China lays out 4-year time table for clean fuel
Thu Feb 07 17:29:42 +0800 2013
Oil companies in China must begin delivering cleaner fuel this year according to a report in Xinhua citing a mandate issued by the country’s State Cabinet on Wednesday.
Low-cost, low-power EV route for Geely and Kandi
Wed Feb 06 16:21:20 +0800 2013
A subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Geely Holdings plans to make low-speed electric vehicles (EVs) under an agreement with Kandi Vehicles.
Geely's 50-50 joint venture with the NASDAQ-listed company ties China's cheap car maker, with a low-speed EV specialist. Starting with capital budget of CNY1 billion (USD160 million), the joint venture plans research and development, production, marketing and sales of electric vehicles on the Chinese mainland.
W2 Energy snaps up AM Biofules for Southeast Asia expansion
Wed Feb 06 16:02:03 +0800 2013
Canadian green technology company W2 Energy is acquiring a 51 percent of Malaysia’s AM Biofuels for USD5.5 million. W2 Energy is expanding its fuel business in Southeast Asia as it executes on its business plan of production, blending and distribution of bio and synthetic fuels.
India plans open bidding process to fill power gap
Wed Feb 06 15:56:53 +0800 2013
Following a meeting with state energy ministers, India’s Power Ministry has announced a number of measures aimed at relieving the country’s chronic power shortage. The primary solution is getting states to issue electricity supply tenders to power project developers in the next six months.
Alstom wins contract to build Bangkok power plant
Wed Feb 06 15:43:53 +0800 2013
Alstom and Sumitomo Corporation, have won a contract to build the 850-MW North Bangkok combined-cycle power plant (CCPP) block 2 and supply its equipment.
$128 mln corporate bond from JinkoSolar
Wed Feb 06 15:28:33 +0800 2013
China solar panel manufacturer, JinkoSolar Holding has sold its six-year corporate bond issue of CNY800 million (USD128 million) to fund capital expenditure and working capital.
Laos green-lights another controversial hydropower project
Wed Feb 06 16:37:08 +0800 2013
Laos has signed a land deal for a 390-MW hydroelectric project in the south of the country to supply electricity to Thailand. While final decisions are still awaited for the Xayaburi Dam project, the new USD1.25 billion project in Attapeu and Champassak provinces is expected to start in July.
China moves to bolster flagging coal sector
Thu Feb 07 17:48:04 +0800 2013
China is looking at further steps to bring its notorious coal industry under control including setting higher thresholds for the scale of coal producers and encouraging mergers to form industrial conglomerates.
EU solar glass manufacturers file complaint against Chinese
Thu Feb 07 17:42:52 +0800 2013
A European Union solar glass manufacturers alliance, led by Germany’s GMB Glasmanufaktur Brandenburg, has filed an anti-dumping complaint with the European Commission against Chinese competitors.
China tells India ‘no worries’ on upstream dams
Thu Feb 07 17:39:09 +0800 2013
The Chinese government reassured India this week that dams it is planning to build on the Brahmaputra River would not impact flood control efforts or the ecological environment in downstream regions.
Wise resource management critical to economic survival
Thu Feb 07 17:36:20 +0800 2013
Delegates at the recent Delhi Sustainable Development Summit were told repeatedly that wiser management of resources in this time of uncertain climate and weather patterns could be key to some countries’ very survival.
Tata may seek help in doubling its renewables capacity
Thu Feb 07 17:33:47 +0800 2013
India’s second largest power company, Tata Power, may look around for partners to help it double its renewable energy generating capacity over the next five years, according to a Bloomberg report.
Report urges new approach to China’s coal plant emissions
Fri Feb 01 16:00:30 +0800 2013
China should adopt a strategy of multi-pollutant control in reducing emissions from its coal-burning power plants, according to a report released this week.
Indian IPP teams up with Suzlon for 50-MW wind farm
Fri Feb 01 15:35:55 +0800 2013
Indian wind turbine giant Suzlon Group and Orange Renewable Power, an independent power producer, have agreed to jointly develop a 50.4-MW wind energy project in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.
Japan aims to triple wind power production with grid investment
Mon Feb 04 14:58:53 +0800 2013
The Japanese government is looking to triple the nation's wind power generation capacity to 7.5-GW by upgrading transmission grids in Hokkaido and the Tohoku region.
Despite decline China new wind capacity still tops in 2012
Mon Feb 04 15:12:25 +0800 2013
China accounted for more than a third of all newly installed onshore wind power capacity with the installation of 15.9-GW of turbines in 2012.
Vietnam aware of climate change dangers to power and coast
Tue Feb 05 14:58:25 +0800 2013
Vietnam's government is aware of the dangerous repercussions of climate change on energy supplies and demand. Deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Institute of Energy, Nguyen Ba Cuong, told a workshop that climate change impacts could cause an increase in demand for energy, leading to an increased dependence on imported energy, especially coal.
India approaches GGGI for sustainability research
Tue Feb 05 14:52:27 +0800 2013
A new research plan for green growth and sustainability is being hammered out for the Indian states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
New Vietnam island wind project in the air
Tue Feb 05 14:48:18 +0800 2013
Vietnam is turning to wind power again for its island possessions. PetroVietnam Power Renewable Energy is investing USD17 million for three turbines with the combined capacity of 6-MW. When operational, the new wind farm should supply 25.4 million kWh each year.
LDK Solar borrows more
Tue Feb 05 15:06:06 +0800 2013
China's LDK Solar (LDK) is upgrading its production lines at it Mahong polysilicon facility with CNY440 million (USD71 million) loan. The second-biggest maker of wafers used to make solar cells, received approval for the loan from China Development Bank, the second since 2010.
Laos agrees another hydropower project to power Thailand
Tue Feb 05 16:05:09 +0800 2013
Laos has signed a land deal for a 390-MW hydroelectric project in the south of the country to supply electricity to Thailand. While final decisions are still awaited for the Xayaburi Dam project, the new USD1.25 billion project in Attapeu and Champassak provinces is expected to start in July.
Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy Power Co, a multinational conglomerate, signed the deal to be built in Attapeu and Champassak provinces and has revealed that 90 percent of its output will go straight to Thailand.
HK government and shipping work to navigate PRD air quality
Tue Feb 05 17:13:40 +0800 2013
It’s been a busy and productive few weeks for both the shipping industry and the Hong Kong government.
In his first policy address, Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung announced plans to introduce legislation for at-berth fuel switching during the next legislative session, continue discussions with Guangdong officials on extending fuel switching to other places in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), and for shoreside power at the new Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, scheduled to open in June.
Mitsubishi leads $220 mln solar joint venture
Thu Jan 31 17:11:24 +0800 2013
Japanese trading giant Mitsubishi Corporation and C-Tech Corporation will join forces to build a large-scale mega solar project in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture.
Sinopec signs $10 mln contract with Wasabi New Energy
Thu Jan 31 17:08:18 +0800 2013
Wasabi New Energy Asia and its majority-owned China subsidiary, Shanghai Shenghe New Energy Resources Science and Technology, have landed a contract from the Sinopec Hainan Refining – a subsidiary of Sinopec Corp – to build a 4-MW waste-heat power plant using Wasabi’s Kalina Cycle technology.
Import duties could be good news for China’s polysilicon makers
Thu Jan 31 17:02:11 +0800 2013
Polysilicon used in solar panels is poised to extend its rebound from a decade low as China moves to impose duties on importers from Korea, the US and Germany, according to a detailed Bloomberg analysis.
Spot prices will jump as much as 39 percent this year to USD22 a kilogram, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of seven analysts. The commodity hit a low USD15.83 in December, the cheapest price since at least 2000.
Yingli joins exclusive WWF climate club
Wed Jan 30 15:41:23 +0800 2013
Yingli Green Energy is the first Chinese company to join the WWF's Climate Savers program and has committed by 2015 to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by per MW of PV module production by 13 percent compared with 2010.
Thailand prepares to increase electricity imports from Laos
Tue Jan 29 12:10:09 +0800 2013
Thailand’s Electricity Generation Authority has signed a USD33 million (1 billion bhat) contract with Chinese companies to build facilities and install high-voltage transmission lines that will carry electricity imported from Laos’ 1,878-MW coal-fired Hongsa-Lignite Power plant, which will begin commercial operation in June 2015.
Big Bengal smart meter contract offers India stepping-stone
Tue Jan 29 12:07:42 +0800 2013
The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has signed a deal for more than 1.5 million digital electricity meters from Landis+Gyr.
Asia set to shake up global energy flows - IEA
Mon Jan 28 17:32:03 +0800 2013
Asia is at the center of the changes that will alter the global map of energy trade over the next five years. That's the official line from the International Energy Agency (IEA) as it calls the future changes in international supply and demand of energy “vast”.
The IEA adds that if Asian countries summon the political will to liberalize the energy markets and makes the investment environment attractive, and then then the region can be “rich” in renewable energy. It notes that huge hydropower projects have already boosted that capacity but points to geothermal power as being far from exploited to its full potential.
Possible flotation of Philippine hydropower projects
Tue Jan 29 12:15:13 +0800 2013
The Philippine Stock Exchange will see a sizable renewable energy flotation from the power generation arm of the Sunwest Group of Companies. Plans are still being outlined but currently hydropower holdings are expected to make the majority of the asset base.
Davos summit told climate fight to cost $700 bln-a-year
Thu Jan 24 19:03:55 +0800 2013
World leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this week were given the stark news that USD700 billion annual spend on green investments is required to save the planet from the harsh realities of climate change.
The figure – which amounts to USD14 trillion between now and 2030 – will be needed to meet global energy demand and avert the economic challenges that will be created by untracked climate change.
Smaller Chinese solar players decimated in 2012
Thu Jan 10 16:27:43 +0800 2013
Chinese solar manufacturers are definitely one sector that will not be unhappy to see end of 2012 as it was the most difficult year to date, according to solar market research company ENF.
Despite the upbeat announcement of higher than expected Q4 shipments for Yingli Solar, launching it into the world number 1 spot ahead of Suntech Power, few companies had much to celebrate during the past 12 months.
Attracted by seemingly massive demand and profits, too many new manufacturers flooded into the industry in 2011, with the number of core solar chain producers (ingot, wafer, cell and panel) rising from 807 manufacturers to 901.
Myanmar turns to solar power thanks to Thailand’s SPCG
Fri Jan 11 14:49:52 +0800 2013
Thai solar farm developer SPCG plans to operate small renewable solar farms to serve demand for electricity in Myanmar's rural communities, according to a report in the Bangkok Post.
Showa Shell and DBJ to shine on solar projects in Japan
Fri Jan 11 14:34:40 +0800 2013
Showa Shell, the Japanese refining unit of Royal Dutch Shell and the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), have agreed to set up a venture to finance utility-scale solar power plants in Japan.
Crunch meeting for Mekong River Commission
Fri Jan 11 15:23:08 +0800 2013
A two-day ministerial-level meeting of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in the Laotian city of Luang Prabang next week is set to put trans-boundary co-operation to the test and with critical decisions to be made on the fate of the Mekong River, vital to the livelihoods of 60 million people.
Ahead of the MRC, which takes place on the January 16-17, the WWF is warning that representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam must put derailed decision-making on Mekong River mainstream dams back on track or risk sabotaging management of one of the world’s great rivers.
India hits the road with national electric vehicle plan
Fri Jan 11 15:14:04 +0800 2013
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has launched a national electric vehicle plan to help accelerate consumer adoption and domestic manufacturing of the low carbon transport in the country.
First world atlas on renewable energy launched
Mon Jan 14 16:42:08 +0800 2013
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has launched the world's first atlas on clean energy which will offer open-access information on countries' renewable energy potential.
TeaM Energy turns to solar to light up Polillo islands
Mon Jan 14 16:39:38 +0800 2013
A partnership between the private sector and government has led to the electrification - through solar energy - of more than 5,000 rural homes in one of the remotest regions of the Philippines.
Japan turns to private sector to boost green infrastructure build out
Mon Jan 14 16:29:31 +0800 2013
Japan is to set up an USD11.2m clean power fund as it seeks investment from the private sector into its green infrastructure build-out.
Japan hands over Himalayan solar power project
Mon Jan 14 16:24:03 +0800 2013
A 680.4-KW solar power project built with Japanese grant assistance, has been handed over to the Nepal government in Lalitpur. It is the first of its kind in the small Himalayan country
China looking to connect idled wind farm capacity to grid
Mon Jan 14 16:08:17 +0800 2013
China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, is looking to address a roadblock slowing the development of wind power by connecting idled wind farms to the electricity grid.
Suzlon creditors put pressure on for REpower sale
Mon Jan 14 17:12:26 +0800 2013
Suzlon Energy has been told to raise INR5,000 crore (USD921.72m) or sell its prized subsidiary REpower by creditors who are making the demands before they will agree to lower interest rates.
Fidelity invests $54 mln in Indian lifesciences
Tue Jan 15 12:57:48 +0800 2013
The private equity arm of investment giant Fidelity International has invested USD54 million in biotechnology company, Richcore Lifesciences. The eight-year old Indian company specializes in biofuel and agricultural industries, among other products and is based in Bangalore.
India’s green sector to get $2.75 bln boost from Welspun Energy
Tue Jan 15 14:57:34 +0800 2013
Welspun Energy is set to invest USD2.75 billion into India’s renewable energy sector over the next three years.
Hanwha Solar raises more cash
Tue Jan 15 14:47:40 +0800 2013
Korean solar company Hanwha SolarOne has raised USD100 million in three-year bonds, in another cash-raising exercise. It follows getting a USD475 million credit agreement with the Bank of Beijing last month, as questions must be raised over the health of the company's operating cash flow. It has been on a acquisition trail recently, including winning the takeover battle for control over Q-Cells late last year.
Second ASMC case against Sinovel to go to China's Supreme Court
Tue Jan 15 14:40:26 +0800 2013
Turbine giant Sinovel will have to appear before China’s Supreme Court following a review of lower courts' decisions not to hear an appeal by AMSC on one of its cease and desist actions.
China spending props up ailing global clean energy sector
Tue Jan 15 15:50:16 +0800 2013
With governments in industrial nations slashing subsidies for technologies ranging from wind turbines to solar power and biomass, clean energy investment slid 11 percent last year.
However, booming solar and wind installations were still seen in countries like South Africa, Japan and most importantly, number-one spender China, according to data released yesterday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).
HK’s Cheung Kong puts $422 mln into New Zealand waste
Tue Jan 15 15:12:36 +0800 2013
Hong Kong’s Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. (CKI), owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing, has agreed to pay USD422 million to buy New Zealand waste company EnviroWaste.
Jordan awards $187 mln wind project to South Korea's Kepco
Tue Jan 15 13:02:21 +0800 2013
South Korea's state-run power company Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) has clinched a USD187 million agreement to build a 90-MW wind power plant in Jordan's Fujeij.
Xayaburi Dam fails to make agenda for Mekong River meeting
Wed Jan 16 15:35:10 +0800 2013
The Mekong governments have left the controversial Xayaburi Dam off of the agenda of this week’s annual Mekong River Commission (MRC) Council meeting in Laos, according to water activist group, International Rivers.
Smart-grid tech for China network worth $72 bln by 2020
Wed Jan 16 15:06:03 +0800 2013
A new study from Pike Research says that plans by The Chinese government and State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) to upgrade its electricity network means the installed base of smart meters should reach 377 million by 2020.
ADB to provide $275 mln to green China’s bus fleets
Thu Jan 17 17:42:26 +0800 2013
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will spend US275 million to help China bus operators to shift their fleets to cleaner fuel in a bid to lower emissions in major cities.
Trina gets the nod for 50-MW farm on northwest China plains
Thu Jan 17 17:00:00 +0800 2013
Trina Solar has obtained approval from the Gansu Provincial Development and Reform Commission to develop a 50-MW grid-connected solar power plant project in Wuwei, Gansu.
Vietnam, Cambodia and donors challenge Laos on Mekong dams
Fri Jan 18 14:13:40 +0800 2013
At yesterday’s opening session of 19th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Council Meeting, being held in the Laoation city of Luang Prabang, heated debate occurred over the host country’s construction of the Xayaburi Dam and its plans to build a cascade of dams on the Lower Mekong River.
According to participants at the meeting, MRC governments disagreed about the prior consultation procedures and how they had been applied in the case of the Xayaburi Dam. The Cambodian delegation asserted that Laos had misinterpreted the Mekong Agreement and that the prior consultation process had never been completed.
Wind power gains greater headway in China
Fri Jan 18 17:36:09 +0800 2013
Growth of new wind power capacity in China continues to surge as the country added 15.4-GW of new wind power capacity last year, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA), down four percent on the previous year, although analysts cautioned that the data conflicts with other sources.
World's largest wind farm planned off devastated Fukushima coast
Fri Jan 18 18:07:08 +0800 2013
To further reduce its reliance on nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima meltdown in 2011, Japan has recently unveiled a plan to build what it claims will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm in clear view of the stricken plant.
Goldpoly scoops up solar project develop to boost cell
Mon Jan 21 17:58:03 +0800 2013
Goldpoly New Energy Holdings, a Hong Kong-based solar-cell maker, is to buy a Chinese power plant developer partly owned by GCL-Poly Energy Holdings, as it looks to create an outlet for its products.
Japan looking at solar to power community spending
Mon Jan 21 17:49:42 +0800 2013
Japan is investigating an innovative model that promotes the spread of solar energy by using the profits generated by solar electricity to support the local community.
Solar PV industry capital investment dropped 72% in 2012
Mon Jan 21 17:46:26 +0800 2013
Solar PV equipment spending last year saw a 72 percent nosedive to USD3.6 billion from the 2011 peak of USD12.9 billion, and it’s going to get worse according to new research by NPD Solarbuzz, which looks at crystalline silicon (c-Si) ingot-to-module and thin-film.
US edges closer to duties on Chinese, Vietnamese wind towers
Mon Jan 21 17:24:37 +0800 2013
The US International Trade Commission (USITC) ruled on Friday that its domestic industry was materially injured or threatened by imported wind towers from China and Vietnam, clearing the way for Washington to impose punitive duties on these products.
Wanxiang looks at trust purchase of A123
Tue Jan 22 19:04:54 +0800 2013
In an effort to get around possible US federal government concerns about a takeover of sophisticated battery maker A123, Wanxiang is planning to buy the majority of the company through a trust structure, according to the Financial Times.
CCS cuts carbon emissions less than thought: report
Wed Jan 23 17:48:55 +0800 2013
New research might hinder the future commercial financing of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology for coal stations in India and China. The study, published in the journal Energy Policy, says that contrary to other research, it estimates that the cut in overall emissions from coal-fired power stations would be 70 percent, rather than the more commonly accepted 90 percent figure.
From the University of Bath's Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment, the research concludes that other factors in producing and moving coal to power stations, would ultimately reduce the effective carbon reductions.
More expectations from Burma's energy potential
Wed Jan 23 17:37:09 +0800 2013
Burma's nascent but promising energy industry seems to be drawing a lot of attention from around the region these days, the latest being an announcement that South Korea's conglomerate Daewoo is looking to increase investment in offshore oil and gas exploration.
Agency plans debt finance to India's RenewGen
Wed Jan 23 17:33:31 +0800 2013
The French development agency's development finance agency, Proparco, is looking to invest USD10 million in RenewGen Enviro Ventures India. The announcement, carried by the Times of India, is the latest in a series of financing deals the for Bangalore-based company focusing in the waste-to-energy (WTE).
China awards 19 more shale gas contracts
Wed Jan 23 17:27:15 +0800 2013
China has sold shale gas exploration rights in return for CNY 12.8 billion (UDS2 billion) in promised investment, a move that significantly ramps up its efforts in the long-term development of domestic energy reserves.
Malaysia's Ranhill plans $332 mln public offer
Wed Jan 23 17:25:48 +0800 2013
The Malaysian energy and water company, Ranhill Energy and Resources is planning to float on Kuala Lumpur stock exchange by the second quarter of 2013.
Korea makes changes to renewable subsidies
Wed Jan 23 17:34:00 +0800 2013
South Korea has announced a complex set of plans to change how it subsidizes renewable energy.
According to Bloomberg, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy released a statement that outlined how a certain amount of subsidies will be paid depending on the renewable source and its energy yield rather than a set ratio of subsidies in excess of base tariffs.
LDK Solar sell 12% stake to Hong Kong investor for $31 mln
Thu Jan 24 13:16:44 +0800 2013
In what must surely been seen as a desperate measure to prop up its balance sheet Chinese photovoltaic manufacturer LDK Solar, which is more than USD3.1 billion in debt, has agreed to sell about a stake of about 12 percent to Hong Kong-based investor Cheng Kin Ming for USD31 million.
Vietnam seafood processor to turn fish scraps into fuel
Thu Jan 24 13:13:26 +0800 2013
Vietnam’s Hiep Thanh Seafood has commissioned one of its factory lines to produce diesel oil from tra fish, the local name for catfish.
Indian wind energy sector in the doldrums
Thu Jan 24 15:51:25 +0800 2013
As it struggles with high interest rates and a rollback of incentives, India’s wind energy sector is expecting its capacity growth for the financial year 2012-3, which ends in March, to be the weakest in seven years.
Japan’s set to cut its solar tariff
Thu Jan 24 15:35:12 +0800 2013
Having stimulated a veritable gold rush of solar power project developers since its introduction of an exceptionally generous feed-in tariff (FiT) last July, Japan is set to cut its solar FiT by as much as 12 percent from the beginning of April.
Apac leads in solar demand as China dominates end-market
Thu Jan 24 18:11:21 +0800 2013
The Asia Pacific region still has significant potential for deployment of solar technologies, according to a new report by Navigant Consulting which looks at solar opportunities in various regions around the globe.
In the past, with the exception of Japan, solar has primarily been deployed in off-grid applications in Asia Pacific, the report says, but this is changing rapidly. In particular, moves by governments in the US and Europe to counter the dumping of solar components have led to a renewed determination by the government of China to increase domestic deployments.
Suzlon gets final nod on debt restructuring
Fri Jan 25 16:52:42 +0800 2013
Suzlon Energy, the world’s fifth largest wind turbine supplier, has received the final approval for the restructuring its 95 billion Rupee (USD1.77 billion) debt, marking the largest debt restructuring of an Indian company.
Philippines coud be SE Asia's renewables leader
Fri Jan 25 17:20:22 +0800 2013
The Philippines is sitting on vast renewable energy potential of more than 250-GW of power that could save money, generate jobs and make electricity available and affordable to more Filipinos, according to Greenpeace.
In a new report, Green Is Gold: How renewable energy can save us money and generate jobs, the NGO says the Philippines economy stands to benefit from massive renewable energy investments and does not need to rely on outdated and destructive fossil fuels.
Mitsubishi Heavy to power into offshore wind market
Fri Jan 25 17:16:22 +0800 2013
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is turning to an as yet unproven technology in a bid to capture a 10 percent share of the global offshore wind power market by 2017.
India solar heater scheme to conserve energy
Fri Jan 25 17:09:52 +0800 2013
The Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency is to install 3,340 solar heaters in houses in the northeastern state of India, in an effort to conserve energy and reduce pollution.
Shizen, Juwi JV aims for 1GW of Japanese PV
Fri Jan 25 17:07:09 +0800 2013
Japan’s Shizen Energy is looking to develop 1GW of photovoltaic (PV) power after it formed a joint venture with German renewables developer Juwi.
India firm plans $200 Million IPO to finance waste-to-energy plant
Thu Jan 10 16:01:57 +0800 2013
Ramky Enviro Engineers, an Indian waste management company, plans to raise USD200 million in the nation's first initial share sale to finance a power plant fueled by urban refuse.
China solar sector a $3 bln windfall for balance-of-system suppliers
Wed Jan 09 17:54:06 +0800 2013
Increased government support for the domestic Chinese PV market will translate into additional revenues of CNY 19.5 billion (USD3.1 billion) this year for solar balance-of-systems suppliers, according to NPD Solarbuzz in its recent China Balance of Systems Market Report.
Yingli becomes world #1 on strong Q4 shipments
Wed Jan 09 18:20:36 +0800 2013
Chinese solar manufacturer Yingli Green Energy said it expects 2012 panel shipments of more than 2.2-GW which would make it the largest PV company in the world, surpassing Suntech Power.
Public skepticism fails to sway Korea nuclear expansion plans
Wed Jan 09 18:01:51 +0800 2013
Despite growing public doubt over safety, South Korea has said it has no plans to waver from its nuclear expansion plans.
The call of sirens: Is India really a good solar market?
Mon Jan 07 14:48:20 +0800 2013
No doubt: the Indian solar market has strong fundamentals. Irradiation is very high, power is expensive and in short supply. Solar is getting cheaper. In addition, there are now a host of new policies (NSM phase II, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, etc. – please refer to our other blog entries) promising upwards of 4-GW of new solar installations in the coming months.
On the other hand, there are only a few players that are really enjoying themselves. Tier 1 Chinese module manufacturers find price pressures too high – as do many EPCs. Project developers still face difficulties in getting their projects financed. The question is: does anyone earn any money? The answer is: no. But those who are ready to try new approaches will do so in the future.
China powers to world's largest energy producer for fifth year
Thu Jan 10 15:48:10 +0800 2013
China was the world's largest energy producer for a fifth successive year in 2012, according to China's energy authority, The National Energy Administration (NEA).
Venture gets $4 mln from Bangalore solar sale
Thu Jan 10 15:41:54 +0800 2013
SIDBI Venture is selling its interest in Bangalore-based HHV Solar. The India-focused venture capital firm had made a USD7 million investment through its SME Growth Find in 2008, along with Aureos Capital.
Smaller Chinese solar makers decimated in 2012
Thu Jan 10 16:27:43 +0800 2013
Chinese solar manufacturers are definitely one sector that will not be unhappy to see end of 2012 as it was the most difficult year to date, according to solar market research company ENF.
Despite the upbeat announcement of higher than expected Q4 shipments for Yingli Solar, launching it into the world number 1 spot ahead of Suntech Power, few companies had much to celebrate during the past 12 months.
Attracted by seemingly massive demand and profits, too many new manufacturers flooded into the industry in 2011, with the number of core solar chain producers (ingot, wafer, cell and panel) rising from 807 manufacturers to 901.
Hanergy buys US PV company in acquisition trail
Thu Jan 10 16:10:07 +0800 2013
China's largest privately-owned clean-energy company, Hanergy Holding, has finalized its 100 percent acquisition of US-based MiaSolé. The deal should allow MiaSolé to expand its research and development and aims to reduce its copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) solar cell production costs to below USD0.50 per watt.
China starts construction of 4th generation nuclear reactor
Tue Jan 08 13:03:44 +0800 2013
China has begun the construction of what is being called a fourth-generation nuclear reactor. The USD476 million, 200-MW project at Shidao Bay in Shandong Province started last month said the Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Co Ltd (HSNPC).
China takes 81% or growing global e-bike market
Wed Jan 09 17:58:11 +0800 2013
China accounted for 81 percent of 2012 global sales of e-scooters and e-motorcycles, making it the one exception in a slow, but steadily growing, global market for the machines, according to Pike Research.
Tapping vast gas reserves vital to Asia’s future: report
Mon Jan 07 17:09:27 +0800 2013
Unconventional gas is becoming big business across the Asia-Pacific as demand for natural gas grows throughout the region’s major industrialized nations, states a new report by business intelligence consultants GlobalData.
Yingli improves solar cell manufacturing process
Tue Jan 08 12:58:51 +0800 2013
Yingli Green has upgraded its multicrystalline solar cell manufacturing process increasing their efficiency by over 17 percent. The claims could boost Yingli's revenues, boosting competitiveness and showing shareholders that claims of continued technology improvements are valid.
Korean companies to bid for Poland's nuclear program
Tue Jan 08 12:56:07 +0800 2013
Korean companies have been invited to bid for the construction contracts of two nuclear power plants in Poland, which will begin operating as early as 2022, according to an exclusive report in the Korean Times.
Philippine renewable firm tipped to sign $2 bln deal
Tue Jan 08 12:51:42 +0800 2013
Philippine company Basic Energy Corp is reported to be on the verge of signing a USD2 billion deal to develop both renewable energy and oil and gas projects.
Still more promotion for China’s energy-efficient vehicles
Tue Jan 08 13:15:27 +0800 2013
In spite of continued disappointing sales of electric vehicles, China's Ministry of Science and Technology expects to have 39,700 energy-efficient and new-energy vehicles by the end of March 2013 with the vast majority used by the public service.
BYD gets nod on EU and island solar project
Tue Jan 08 13:05:55 +0800 2013
BYD, the Chinese carmaker backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, has announced new opportunities to sell in Europe and the winning of a solar power micro-grid project.
Japan’s new wind installations on the rebound
Wed Jan 09 17:56:01 +0800 2013
Japan’s newly-installed wind power generation capacity is expected to rise 8 percent to 92-MW in the year ending March 31, according to Reuters citing a report by the Japan Wind Power Association.
China adds another 496 renewable projects to subsidy list
Wed Jan 09 18:21:14 +0800 2013
China has said it will provide subsidies to a further 496 new renewable power projects that under a tariff surcharge program, with wind farms making up over three quarters of the total according, to a list posted on the Ministry of Finance website yesterday.
Wasabi moves deeper into Asia market with China acquisition
Mon Jan 07 16:57:31 +0800 2013
Australia’s Wasabi Energy has paid USD5.6 million as the first installment for its 50.5 percent stake of Shanghai Shenghe New Energy Resources Science and Technology (SSNE).
China Sunergy has big solar plans for Turkey
Thu Jan 03 12:46:37 +0800 2013
China Sunergy has given the full details of its new manufacturing plant in Turkey. The photovoltaic (PV) maker and local partner Seul Energy Investment Corp, a local PV company, has a 150 megawatt (MW) PV module line installed in Istanbul which comes online later this month.
Slow start to Pakistan's renewable power plans
Thu Jan 03 13:07:16 +0800 2013
Pakistan has inaugurated its first wind farm. The 50-MW project by Fauji Fertilizer Company (FCC) is the first of 3.2-GW of wind farms planned around the country.
New Japanese gov’t reviewing nuclear phase-out plan
Fri Dec 28 12:08:29 +0800 2012
Japan's new government says it will review pans to phase out nuclear power, as part of its new economic policy. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the newly-elected Liberal Democratic-led cabinet took office on Wednesday and has called for large-scale public spending to reinvigorate Japan’s recession-prone economy.
World’s largest clean energy consumer to become vendor
Mon Dec 31 08:53:01 +0800 2012
Japanese pulp and paper giant, Oji Holdings, a massive consumer of renewable energy, has announced plans to sell clean power to bolster its flagging bottom line and take advantage of generous government subsidies.
China worker links country’s first residential PV system to grid
Mon Dec 31 09:36:55 +0800 2012
China's first grid connection of a residential photovoltaic (PV) system has been announced in Qingdao, Shandong province. Local authorities said this is the first project to take advantage of a service that the State Grid Corp of China, which transmits and distributes power in the country, introduced to allow small producers of photovoltaic solar power to connect to the national grid from the start of November, according to the China Daily.
French firm hits back at fears of Chinese nuclear tech transfer
Mon Dec 31 09:28:44 +0800 2012
Electricite de France (EDF) hit back at those who expressed fears of technology transfer to Chinese partners expected to develop a new type of nuclear reactor “unfounded”.
Yingli teams up with Longyuan to power Tibetan households
Mon Dec 31 09:26:00 +0800 2012
New York-listed Chinese solar products maker Yingli Green Energy Holding has announced last week that it had teamed up with China Longyuan Power Group to deliver 22,209 pieces of off-grid solar units to Tibetan households with no access to electricity.
Japanese leaders move fast to reverse no-nuke policy
Mon Dec 31 09:14:51 +0800 2012
As widely anticipated, Japan’s new pro-business Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) - led government has said it will allow any nuclear reactors deemed safe to be brought back on line, indicating a reversal of the previous government’s promise to move away from nuclear power by 2030.
Greenpeace strikes out at Philippines’ nuclear ambitions
Mon Dec 31 09:09:38 +0800 2012
Greenpeace has petitioned the Philippine government to abandon plans to restart a nuclear power program in the country.
Toshiba sale shows nuclear-industry concerns
Mon Dec 31 06:55:00 +0800 2012
Toshiba Corp is looking to sell part of its stake in its Westinghouse Electric atomic-power unit, according to Bloomberg. The wire service quoted Toru Ohara, a spokesman for Tokyo-based Toshiba, saying that the company was in discussions with three parties on a sale of up to 16 percent of its Westinghouse shares.
Duty-free coal exports from China may affect global market
Wed Jan 02 16:55:04 +0800 2013
China's move to scrap the 40 percent tariff on coking coal exports and possibly lift the tariff on crude coal exports could affect the global coal market, according to the manager of a coal export company.
Suntech to be sued by German wafer maker
Thu Jan 03 12:49:40 +0800 2013
Troubled Chinese solar PV company Suntech Power Holdings is being sued by German solar company Schott Solar Wafer for USD18 million.
It’s official: China’s new energy vehicle push is a flop
Thu Dec 27 14:25:37 +0800 2012
Officially acknowledging what many pundits have been saying for months, a new government report says that China's new energy vehicle market is falling well short of government expectations.
China’s hydro king to bet $218 mln on solar and wind
Thu Dec 27 14:03:12 +0800 2012
Sinohydro Group Ltd, China’s biggest hydroelectric dam builder, have set aside 1.36 billion yuan (USD218 million) to develop solar and wind farm projects, according to Bloomberg.
Korea’s Hanwha SolarOne gets $475 mln China loan
Fri Dec 28 11:59:06 +0800 2012
Nasdaq-listed Hanwha SolarOne has secured a USD475 million one-year credit line from the Bank of Beijing to boost its business in China. Each individual project drawdown on the loan is subject to conditions and approval by the bank, according to the company.
China's oil demand hits record levels
Fri Dec 28 11:53:40 +0800 2012
analysis of recent Chinese government data demand rose 9.1 percent year-over-year in November to 42.96 million tonnes, or an average 10.5 million barrels per day (bpd).
German firm takes firm foothold in vital China PV market
Fri Dec 28 12:21:36 +0800 2012
SMA Solar – the world’s biggest maker of PV inverters – has cemented its position in the increasingly vital Chinese market by taking a majority stake in a local business.
China quits coal price controls as energy burn accelerates
Thu Dec 27 14:30:04 +0800 2012
China will end its one-year-old control of thermal coal prices beginning January 1 as prices for coal have stabilized and demand balanced, a statement issued on Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission said.
Hooked on the black stuff, part 2
Thu Dec 20 17:34:03 +0800 2012
News from the International Energy Agency (IEA) that coal will catch up with oil as the world's leading energy source by 2022 should come as no great surprise to readers of CleanBiz.Asia. It is nonetheless alarming.
The IEA’s Medium-Term Coal Market Report 2012 says that increased demand from India and China are fuelling the push.
Although the growth rate of coal slows from the breakneck pace of the last decade, global coal consumption by 2017 will stand at 4.32 billion tonnes of oil equivalent, versus around 4.40 billion tonnes for oil, based on IEA medium-term projections
90% of China’s polysilicon makers grind to a halt
Thu Dec 20 17:27:05 +0800 2012
Ninety percent of China’s polysilicon producers have suspended their manufacturing operations according to The China Photovoltaic Industry Alliance (CPIA).
New renewable subsidies coincide with China solar FiT shake-up
Thu Dec 20 17:23:25 +0800 2012
Just as China's Ministry of Finance has said it plans to pay CNY8.6 billion (USD1.4 billion) in subsidies for electricity generated from renewable power this year, the central government said it was shaking up the solar feed-in tariff (FiT).
GE signs $11.4 mln Taiwan turbine agreement
Thu Dec 20 17:19:47 +0800 2012
Global giant GE has signed a five-year, full service agreement (FSA) covering 26 GE 1.5-MW class wind turbines operating throughout Taiwan. The USD11.4 million deal with Taiwan Power Company guarantees fleet availability of greater than 95 percent.
JinkoSolar to jointly develop one of Asia’s largest solar plants
Fri Dec 21 13:21:15 +0800 2012
JinkoSolar, a leading global solar power product manufacturer, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Jinchuan Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, to jointly invest and develop a 200-MW photovoltaic ("PV") solar power plant in Jinchang, Gansu Province, China. Once connected to the grid, the project will become one of the Asia's largest independent PV solar power plants.
Hong Kong gets boost in natural gas supplies
Fri Dec 21 13:13:40 +0800 2012
Hong Kong’s clean energy supply has been given a boost with the news that China's second west-to-east gas pipeline is ready to supply natural gas to the city, as branch lines linking Hong Kong with the pipeline went into operation this week.
China introduces more measures to prop up solar
Fri Dec 21 13:04:01 +0800 2012
China’s State Council on Wednesday announced a range of measures intended to boost the country's struggling photovoltaic (PV) industry, which has been plagued by excessive capacity and obstacles in overseas expansion, according to Xinhua.
Shell turns on Sichuan natural gas deal
Mon Dec 24 15:09:18 +0800 2012
Royal Dutch Shell has signed a deal with Sunwing Zitong Energy to acquire 100 percent of Sunwing's interest in the Zitong natural gas block in China's Sichuan province.
While confirming that the deal has been approved by the Chinese government, Shell would not disclose its value.
Shell said the two parties have also signed a Zitong Production Sharing Contract Amendment Agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company (MGC) to acknowledge the transfer of interest.
Health and environment protected by new laboratory
Mon Dec 24 15:07:18 +0800 2012
China has revealed plans to protect the country's health and environment with a state laboratory to develop technology to reduce the damage of biochemical and nuclear disasters.
Thermal power incinerator for Bangkok
Mon Dec 24 15:03:50 +0800 2012
The Bangkok authorities are setting up a thermal incinerator to convert rubbish into electricity. The plant at the Nong Khaem Waste Management Centre will generate 5-MW of power which will be sold to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority.
Japanese solar capacity up 1.4-GW since April
Wed Dec 19 14:08:58 +0800 2012
Japan’s renewable energy capacity has increased by 1.443-GW so far this financial year, according to figures released by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). In the nine months leading up to December solar PV output hit 1.398-GW.
Japan’s new feed-in (FiT) tariff has so far benefited the Japanese residential sector with an additional 1.027-GW, while the non-residential sector installed 371-MW.
Korean firm in surprise win for Philippines’ largest PV plant
Wed Dec 12 16:19:28 +0800 2012
The provincial government of Cavite in the Philippines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Korea-based systems solutions provider LG CNS to build a USD180 million PV plant in the municipality of Tanza.
New Chinese subsidies send solar stocks up
Thu Dec 13 14:57:15 +0800 2012
China’s announcement this week that it would allocate 7 billion yuan (USD1.1 billion) in subsidies for domestic solar companies this year has sent solar stocks across the globe sharply up while throwing a lifeline to embattled domestic solar companies.
Nissan to roll out 15 hybrids to counter slow EV sales
Thu Dec 13 14:50:32 +0800 2012
Nissan has confirmed it will substantially expand its currently limited range of hybrid cars, as the manufacturer combats slow sales of its all-electric Leaf hatchback.
China’s 2015 solar target may match nuclear at 40-GW
Thu Dec 13 15:20:23 +0800 2012
The Chinese government may almost double the target for installed solar capacity to 40-GW by 2015 from the current 21-GW, an industry insider has told Xinhua. The exact figure is yet to be finalized, said Meng Xiangan, deputy Board Chairman of the Chinese Renewable Energy Society (CRES).
This will be the fourth time the target under China’s 12th Five-year Plan has been raised. When Premier Wen Jiabao outlined the plan in March last year the solar installation target was just 5-GW
Softbank rents residential rooftops in power generation scheme
Thu Dec 13 15:18:17 +0800 2012
Japanese telecoms giant, turned green-energy provider, Softbank Corp has announced that it will use the rooftops of peoples’ homes to generate solar energy and tap into the generous feed-in-tarrifs offered by the Japanese government for renewable power.
Indian state identifies 11.3-GW in untapped renewables
Thu Dec 13 15:12:51 +0800 2012
India’s Business Standard reported yesterday that authorities have assessed the potential for renewable energy in the state of Odisha (formerly Orissa) at 11.82-GW and will be looking at private funding to help tap it.
Asia ex-China solar markets FiT to explode
Fri Dec 14 15:47:45 +0800 2012
Spurred on by favorable government policies and incentives, several Asia-Pacific countries outside of China – such as Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Malaysia – have begun to make large-scale investments in solar power projects, according to a new report by Frost & Sullivan.
The prospects are also attracting the attention of manufacturers in the US and Europe, which are scouting for newer markets in which to conduct business, following the oversupply of solar panels at home.
China's colleges consider energy efficiency
Fri Dec 14 15:17:47 +0800 2012
China is saying that energy-efficiency measures on Beijing's college and university campuses will greatly reduce emissions.
Malaysian forestry company banks on non-food biodiesel
Fri Dec 14 15:14:08 +0800 2012
Malaysia’s Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), says it has been successful in growing 6,000 'Jarak Pagar' (Jatropa Curcas) trees. for the production of biodiesel
Japanese and local demand fires up Malaysian solar sector
Fri Dec 14 16:17:24 +0800 2012
Malaysia’s ambitions to become a manufacturing center for solar power systems are being fulfilled, at least partially, by growing local demand and the explosion of the Japanese solar market.
Buffet’s BYD targets Europe with first-ever foreign JV
Fri Dec 14 16:07:00 +0800 2012
China’s Warren Buffet-backed electric vehicle and clean energy company BYD and Bulmineral Ltd of Bulgaria will create a 50:50 joint venture company, named Auto Group Motors, to produce electric buses in Europe, marking the first of its kind on the continent and the first overseas electric vehicle joint venture for BYD.
Beijing college measures a boon to energy efficiency
Fri Dec 14 15:17:47 +0800 2012
China is saying that energy-efficiency measures on Beijing's college and university campuses will greatly reduce emissions.
Indian company lands 100-MW deal as part of Tamil Nadu solar policy
Tue Dec 18 16:57:02 +0800 2012
Indian solar developer Raasi Green Earth Energy, has won a INR9.2 billion (USD 169 million) deal build a a 100-MW, Solar PV farm in Tamil Nadu, according to the Hindu newspaper.
BYD to manufacture electric buses in US
Tue Dec 18 17:09:57 +0800 2012
Chinese battery and electric vehicle producer BYD will open a US electric bus factory next year. Coming within days of announcing a joint venture manufacturing venture in Bulgaria for accessing the European Union, the new US plant will be in California with the exact location to be announced next year, according to reports in the China Daily.
Indian firm nails 100-MW deal under Tamil Nadu solar policy
Tue Dec 18 16:57:02 +0800 2012
Indian solar developer Raasi Green Earth Energy, has won a INR9.2 billion (USD 169 million) deal build a a 100-MW, Solar PV farm in Tamil Nadu, according to the Hindu newspaper.
Thailand's pilot cassava ethanol plant gets Japan cash
Wed Dec 19 13:47:42 +0800 2012
Thailand's National Innovation Agency (NIA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for the first pilot plant for ethanol production from cassava pulp.
US slaps duties on Chinese and Vietnamese turbine towers
Wed Dec 19 14:35:08 +0800 2012
The United States on Tuesday slapped steep punitive duties on wind turbine towers imported from China and Vietnam at prices deemed unfairly low, according to Reuters.
Korean consortium getting in on Japan’s renewable energy bounty
Wed Dec 12 11:41:22 +0800 2012
A majority South Korean consortium is planning a 45-MW photovoltaic (PV) solar power project in Japan, to taking advantage of the country’s generous feed-in-tariffs.
Yingli scores big in 2nd phase of China Golden Sun Program
Wed Dec 12 16:34:04 +0800 2012
Chinese manufacturer Yingli Green Energy yesterday announced that it expects to supply approximately 10 percent of the 2,835-MW modules to PV projects jointly approved by the Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Science and Technology and National Energy Administration under China’s Golden Sun Program.
The three departments released a joint statement yesterday announcing the figures for the second batch of projects under the three-year-old program.
Japanese solar clothes will light up your life
Wed Dec 12 16:25:05 +0800 2012
Japanese researchers have developed a new line of fabric made from wafer-thin solar cells that could allow people to harvest energy and power up devices, like mobile phones, on the go.
Nexen takes China a big step closer to its own oil reserves
Tue Dec 11 16:34:05 +0800 2012
With the completion of its long delayed and contentious acquisition of Nexen, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will soon be in a position to deploy Canadian personnel and technology at home to help fuel China’s expanding economy and keep expensive imports in check.
With the USD15.1 billion purchase of Calgary-based Nexen – the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese company – now approved by the Canadian government, CNOOC is that much closer to being able to draw on an estimated 14.5 billion barrels of oil-soaked tar sand
Tamil Nadu Solar Poilcy: an ambitious work-in-progress
Mon Dec 10 16:34:31 +0800 2012
The India solar policy brief on the Tamil Nadu Solar Policy, just published by Bridge To India presents a detailed analysis on the risks and opportunities on the state’s ambitious 3-GW solar power target till 2015. With its policy announcement in October 2012, Tamil Nadu becomes the seventh Indian state out of 28 to announce an official solar target. No breakup between photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) projects has been given as part of the policy.
Canada approves CNOOC-Nexen deal
Mon Dec 10 17:51:37 +0800 2012
The Canadian government has approved a USD15.1 billion bid from China National Offshore Oil Corporation (Cnooc) to buy Nexen, a deal that highlights China’s worldwide pursuit of natural resources and energy assets.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also announced the approval of Petroliam Nasional’s USD5.2 billion takeover of Progress Energy Resources.
Taib hits back at Aussie pull-out of Sarawak dam projects
Mon Dec 10 17:49:46 +0800 2012
In the wake of the decision by Hydro Tasmania to withdraw all its staff from a number of controversial dam projects in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, an intense NGO-driven debate is gaining ground in Malaysia over the feasibility of the dam projects against a massive and well-organized opposition from Sarawak's indigenous communities.
Suntech to restate 2010 results following alleged fraud
Mon Dec 10 17:38:20 +0800 2012
Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP), the world’s biggest solar-panel maker, reduced its forecast for shipments this year and plans to restate earnings back to 2010 following a fraud investigation over an investment in Italy.
It’s A123 win for China's Wanxiang
Mon Dec 10 17:33:18 +0800 2012
China's Wanxiang Group Corp have won the auction for bankrupt US battery-maker A123 Systems for a price of about USD250 million, the company said.
China Development Bank funds $1 bln JinkoSolar foreign expansion
Tue Dec 11 16:42:19 +0800 2012
Chinese solar manufacturer JinkoSolar today announced that its Swiss subsidiary, JinkoSolar (Switzerland) AG, has done a deal with the Guangdong Branch of China Development Bank (CDB) under which the bank would fund the company’s expansion to the tune of USD1 billion over 5 years.
The “Strategic Co-operation Agreement” is subject to the parties' further approval and will be set out in separate agreements.
Israel’s SDE lands $1.2 mln order for Hainan wave power
Fri Dec 07 16:08:15 +0800 2012
Israeli marine energy innovator SDE Energy has won a USD1.2 million contract to construct two wave power facilities off the Chinese resort island of Hainan, the fourth such deal for the company in China.
Toshiba signs exclusive solar panel deal with SunPower
Fri Dec 07 16:04:33 +0800 2012
Japanese technology giant Toshiba has signed an exclusive solar panel deal with US photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer SunPower Corp.
Tata Power Solar to power New Delhi portacabins
Fri Dec 07 16:00:59 +0800 2012
Tata Power Solar is commissioning the first of two 1-KW solar PV plants to power “portacabin” centers for residents’ welfare associations across New Delhi.
Half China’s cleantech sector see rapid growth in 2013
Fri Dec 07 16:20:59 +0800 2012
Nearly 50 percent of China's clean tech companies expect the market to continue growing rapidly next year while 9 percent, mainly in the renewable energy sector, predict development bottlenecks, according to a newly released Deloitte report.
Half China’s cleantech sector expects rapid growth in 2013
Fri Dec 07 16:20:59 +0800 2012
Nearly 50 percent of China's clean tech companies expect the market to continue growing rapidly next year while 9 percent, mainly in the renewable energy sector, predict development bottlenecks, according to a newly released Deloitte report.
India aims to triple solar PV manufacturing base in 10 years
Thu Dec 06 17:49:14 +0800 2012
The Indian government says it will more than triple the size of the nation's PV manufacturing base over the next decade.
The plan, which comes a week after taking up an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese solar modules, is part of a draft policy which underscores India’s commitment to adding 9-GW of solar capacity by 2017 as part of the second phase of the National Solar Mission (NSM), including 1.7GW of PV capacity to be auctioned next year.
China to pay US$3.7 bln in overdue renewable power subsidies
Thu Dec 06 17:18:16 +0800 2012
China will pay overdue subsidies to renewable-power developers following a two year delay.
Scots ink another major marine energy agreement in Asia
Thu Dec 06 17:17:35 +0800 2012
Scotland’s European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) to develop a marine energy test site in Taiwan.
Mitsui Japan opts for Solar Frontier CIS modules for 14-MW projects
Thu Dec 06 17:10:40 +0800 2012
Solar Frontier has been contracted by the Mitsui Group to supply thin-film solar modules for use in Japanese utility-scale solar projects, totaling 14.1-MW.
China getting started on its dash for gas
Fri Dec 07 16:39:46 +0800 2012
China hopes its proven conventional natural gas reserves will rise by 3.5 trillion cubic meters (1.9 trillion cubic meters of which should be exploitable) by 2015, according to a new National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) plan that has been approved by the State Council.
The industry development plan comes as China's appetite for natural gas has grown substantially with the country's industrialization and urbanization initiatives amid the government's efforts to cut carbon emissions.
Japan’s ambitious GHG target turning to vapor
Fri Dec 07 16:26:22 +0800 2012
A Japanese official at the COP18 climate talks in Doha has admitted that his country may back away from its target to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. The target was one of the most ambitious of any industrialized country and won plaudits from environmentalists.
With ban lifted, China’s nuclear firms looking for public funds
Wed Dec 05 18:02:59 +0800 2012
Several Chinese nuclear companies are looking to the public markets to raise funds for future plants following the government’s easing of halts imposed on new project following the 2010 Fukushima-Daiichi disaster in Japan.
Guangdong Nuclear orders 49-MW from Gamesa
Wed Dec 05 17:32:25 +0800 2012
China Guangdong Nuclear (CGN) has signed an order with Spain’s Gamesa to supply another 49-MW of turbines for a new wind farm in China’s eastern Shandong province.
Three top green business groups unite against climate change
Tue Dec 04 17:06:34 +0800 2012
Three of the world’s largest energy and sustainability networks have joined forces within the Global Electricity Initiative (GEI) to support electrical utilities’ efforts to tackle climate change and improve energy access.
Tokyo Electron turns off Sharp solar cell equipment venture
Mon Dec 03 17:42:27 +0800 2012
Tokyo Electron Ltd has dissolved a venture with Sharp Corp. to develop equipment used for solar cell production.
According to Tokyo Electron who had a 51 percent stake in the venture, while Sharp held the rest, the liquidation of the company will be completed by the end of February.
China approves bid for US battery maker A123
Mon Dec 03 17:37:20 +0800 2012
China's Ministry of Commerce has approved a plan by Chinese auto parts maker Wanxiang Group Corp to take over American battery maker A123 Systems, Zhejiang Province's Department of Commerce announced.
Vietnam to drive 2014 bio-fuel project
Mon Dec 03 17:32:59 +0800 2012
Vietnam will start blending bio-fuels with petrol to power road vehicles from 2014, as the government seeks to push ahead with its commitment to establish green credentials.
Rich world fossil-fuel subsidies five times climate aid
Mon Dec 03 17:04:29 +0800 2012
With the funds transferred between economically developed nations and the developing world to support climate change mitigation and adaption well behind target – and one of the major issues at the UN COP18 talks in Doha – a new report has revealed that rich countries spend five times more on fossil-fuel subsidies than on climate aid.
In 2011, 22 industrialized nations paid USD58.7 billion in subsidies to the oil, coal and gas industries and to consumers of the fuels, compared with climate-aid flows of USD11.2 billion, according to calculations by the Washington-based campaign group Oil Change International.
China and India sign joint pacts on cleantech development
Mon Dec 03 18:38:55 +0800 2012
China and India agreed to join forces on clean technologies at the global level during a high level meeting in New Delhi last week, according to The Climate Group.
Three top green business groups join forces against climate change
Tue Dec 04 16:57:37 +0800 2012
Three of the world’s largest energy and sustainability networks have joined forces within the Global Electricity Initiative (GEI) to support electrical utilities’ efforts to tackle climate change and improve energy access.
Fuel cell system shipments to surpass 600,000 by 2017
Tue Dec 04 16:50:40 +0800 2012
According to a report from Pike Research annual shipments of fuel cell systems will grow rapidly over the next five years, from less than 29,000 in 2012 to more than 600,000 in 2017.
ADB loans China Everbright $200mln for waste-to-energy
Thu Nov 29 12:28:15 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide four loans of as much as USD200 million to China Everbright International for agricultural and municipal waste-to-energy projects in China.
Burma has good energy options but little cash - ADB
Fri Nov 30 15:53:33 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has unsurprisingly concluded that Burma has a wealth of possibilities for power generation but lacks the money to exploit them.
India to go ahead with solar cell dumping probe
Fri Nov 30 16:48:39 +0800 2012
India says there’s “sufficient prima facie evidence” to probe allegations that suppliers from the US, China, Taiwan and Malaysia sold solar cells in the South Asian nation below cost and whether retroactive duties should be imposed.
Yingli expect to be world #1 solar panel supplier this year
Fri Nov 30 16:40:29 +0800 2012
Chinese solar manufacturer Yingli Green Energy expects to become the world’s biggest solar panel supplier this year as domestic sales surge, its chief executive officer said in a statement about the company's 3rd quarter results.
42-GW of China nuclear power predicted by 2015
Fri Nov 30 16:28:17 +0800 2012
China's nuclear power installed capacity will hit 42-GW by 2015 according to a top Chinese nuclear official. Speaking at seminar in Zhuhai Zhang Huazhu, chairman of the China Nuclear Energy Association, predicted that the country will have 41 operating nuclear power units by 2015 or a little later.
Suzlon twists debt restructure from domestic lenders
Fri Nov 30 16:25:30 +0800 2012
India's wind-turbine maker, Suzlon Energy, has convinced investors to restructure USD2 billion of domestic debt, according to a Bloomberg report. Private sources told the news agency that about 80 percent of its domestic debt-holders, equivalent to USD2 billion, have accepted eye-watering terms of a two-year capital and interest repayment moratorium, with another eight-year payback period.
Energy efficiency drive on target despite China slowdown
Fri Nov 30 16:14:52 +0800 2012
As China’s economy has slowed, worries have lingered over whether the country would sacrifice its commitment to reduce emissions in favor of seeking steady growth.
Cambodian, Chinese firms to develop 400-MW hydropower plant
Wed Nov 28 16:34:28 +0800 2012
Cambodian Royal Group and Chinese Hydrolancang International Energy have signed a joint-venture agreement to build a 400-MW hydropower dam on a Mekong tributary in Stung Treng province in northeastern Cambodia.
Vestas and Mitsubishi planning 8-MW offshore wind turbine
Wed Nov 28 16:25:47 +0800 2012
Bolstered by securing financing through 2015 Vestas Wind Systems, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, has revealed it is talking to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries about developing the world’s biggest offshore turbine.
GE Energy buys into Malaysian rooftop solar sector
Wed Nov 28 16:21:23 +0800 2012
As part of its plans to further penetrate the Asian alternative energy market, US-based GE Energy says it plans to begin producing tint-film rooftop solar PV panels in Malaysia within the next two years.
North-south clean energy investment just USD8bn in 2011
Wed Nov 28 17:22:17 +0800 2012
With the world’s climate negotiators gathered for the UNFCCC COP18 conference in Doha, a white paper published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance shows that just USD8 billion flowed from developed to developing nations to foster deployment of large-scale clean energy power generation and biofuels production in 2011. This constitutes 8 percent of the USD100 billion per annum total cross-border investment (CBI) promised by developed countries during the 2009 COP talks in Copenhagen by 2020. That commitment was reaffirmed at subsequent COP meetings at Cancún and Durban.
China's domestic solar play starts to pay off
Thu Nov 29 12:44:15 +0800 2012
Embattled by heavy duties from anti-dumping probes in both the United States and Europe, China's solar panel producers are focusing on the domestic downstream power generation sector in a bid to offset their export losses and the results are starting to show.
Canada still examining foreign energy bids
Thu Nov 29 12:39:48 +0800 2012
With deadlines fast approaching, the Canadian government says it will unveil new policy guidelines on foreign investment. The new rules are expected to be released at about the same time it announces verdicts on two proposed foreign takeovers of domestic energy companies: a bid by China's CNOOC Ltd for Nexen Inc and Malaysia's Petronas buyout plans for Progress Energy Resources Corp.
Mixed signals on state of India’s wind sector
Wed Nov 28 15:40:13 +0800 2012
A slew of announcements over the past few days have done nothing to shed any light on India’s wind power market, the world’s third largest, which, to be gentle, seems to be in an endless state of flux.
In a Bloomberg report on Monday a spokesman for Mytrah Energy, the country’s third largest wind developer, warned that the rate of new wind turbine installations was in a free-fall and would continue to be so due to the government’s inability to formulate a sound policy to support the industry.
The country may install as little as 1,500-MW of capacity by the year ending March 31, about half what it did the previous year
China’s biggest offshore wind project on-line with more to come
Mon Nov 26 18:35:17 +0800 2012
A 150-MW offshore wind project capable of generating 374 million KWh of electricity per year is now operational in China’s eastern province of Jiangsu, according to its owner, Longyuan Power.
Vietnamese supermarket chain pioneers rooftop solar
Mon Nov 26 18:30:28 +0800 2012
The Di An branch of Vietnamese supermarket chain Big C, scheduled for completion early next year, will be the first country’s commercial shopping center to use rooftop solar energy. The system is expected to help the supermarket cut power consumption by 30 percent, as well as reduce the power overload on the national grid.
Solar thermal capacity in China to hit 3-GW by 2015
Mon Nov 26 18:01:21 +0800 2012
A recent paper from China’s Social Sciences Academic Press predicts there will be 3-GW of solar thermal power installed in the country by 2015, according to Xinhua.
$6 bln promised by to develop Asia's clean energy
Tue Nov 27 11:57:20 +0800 2012
The United States is to invest USD6 billion to grow sustainable energy in the Asia-Pacific region in an agreement with Brunei and Indonesia. However the deal will be a boon primarily for US companies.
Calls for Vietnam's environmental laws to be redrafted
Tue Nov 27 11:46:25 +0800 2012
Planned future revisions of Vietnam's Environmental Protection Law should have stricter and smarter rules on environmental planning and monitoring. Government officials have also said that the earlier drafts have proved ineffectual.
Chinese bank files suit against LDK for unpaid loan
Tue Nov 27 12:58:44 +0800 2012
In a sign that cracks are appearing in China’s steadfast support for its ailing solar manufacturers, LDK Solar has been sued by Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank for overdue loans worth 100 million yuan (USD16 million), reports the Economic Information Daily.
Doleful prospects for Doha
Fri Nov 23 11:37:21 +0800 2012
Doha. Despite the evident energy, generosity and reasonable success of recent Qatari diplomatic efforts, their capital city remains synonymous with international diplomatic failure and national intransigence.
Eleven years ago the World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a new round of multinational negotiations for which there has been no agreement to date. The latest news headline on the WTO web page about The Doha Round says it all: “Chair reports no ‘no’ but also no ‘yes’ for farm talks proposal”.
The $105bln bill for Sarawak cultural genocide
Fri Nov 23 11:00:26 +0800 2012
Sarawak's Taib family has come under attack again for being almost single-handedly responsible for the environmental and social destruction befalling the biodiversity-rich Sarawak.
A new Bruno Manser Fund study reports that plans to dam virtually all the rivers in the Malaysian state's interior for hydropower will result in “cultural genocide” and the devastation of hundreds of thousands of hectares of rainforest.
It also names a number of international companies including Sinohydro and The China Three Gorges Corporation as being complicit
China power play over $250bln grid plan
Fri Nov 23 16:54:50 +0800 2012
China's giant State Grid Corp has been lobbying hard for approval of a USD250 billion upgrade plan that it says would make it an international trailblazer, but which critics say is too costly and could expose the system to blackouts.
Saudi Arabia climbing on to the solar band wagon
Fri Nov 23 16:50:01 +0800 2012
Ahead of the COP18 climate talks in Doha, Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil producer, has announced plans to produce electricity from its first nuclear plant by 2020 and begin operating it first utility-scale solar farm by 2015.
China Development Bank backs Guangdong Nuclear’s wind projects
Fri Nov 23 16:47:00 +0800 2012
China Development Bank, which has emerged as the primary lender to China’s clean energy programs, has agreed to provide 30 billion yuan (USD4.8 billion) of funding to China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co over the next three years to develop wind power projects at home and abroad.
EV sales in China continue to be well off the mark
Thu Nov 22 15:50:19 +0800 2012
According to a new report by Pike Research, which was recently merged into Navigant Energy, sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) in China continue to be well off the target set by the government when it named the Electric Vehicle (EV) sector a strategic priority with major economic, environmental, and security impacts for the country.
Delhi hauls in the welcome mat on polluting industries
Thu Nov 22 15:47:24 +0800 2012
Delhi’s industries minister Haroon Yusuf on Monday said that the government is not interested in promoting industries that pose a threat to the city’s environment and its people, according to the Deccan Herald
CLP signs up for Hong Kong smart metering pilot
Thu Nov 22 15:28:38 +0800 2012
CLP Power Hong Kong has selected US-companies Itron and Cisco for a pilot smart metering project. Due to start next year, the pilot project will include around 3,000 residential customers living in both private and public housing and around 1,400 small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers with the company hoping to boost its green credentials.
PV projects accelerate from land to lake in Japan
Wed Nov 21 17:28:51 +0800 2012
The year 2012 will be a turning point for the Japan PV market as the share of the residential segment will decline from this point forward. Unique among major markets, growth in Japan has been sustained by the residential segment. With the kick of the national FiT, the market driver will turn to the non-residential segment called “Mega Solar” in Japan.
The Japanese government started implementing the FIT in July this year. Between July and September, nearly 1.5-GW worth of PV projects qualified for the program. This represents 60% of the total capacity the government was expecting during the period between July 2012 and March 2013.
600-MW renewable power on cards for Central Visayas
Thu Nov 22 11:37:50 +0800 2012
At least 600-MW of renewable energy projects have been awarded by the Philippine Government to private developers in the Central Visayas region as of September, according to Department of Energy supervisor of the environmental impact and monitoring division, Rey C Maleza, speaking to reporters on the side lines of an renewable energy forum in Manila this week.
China offers cut-rate loans to buy Latin American wind market
Wed Nov 21 15:26:44 +0800 2012
Chinese wind-turbine makers have made major inroads into the burgeoning South American market by offering government-backed loans at interest rates as much as 50 percent lower than local offerings, according to an in-depth Bloomberg report yesterday.
European PE firm, Chinese bank in global renewables fund tie up
Fri Nov 16 16:10:47 +0800 2012
Terra firma, one of Europe's leading private equity investment firms, will partner with China Development Bank (CDB) to set up a fund to invest in global renewable energy projects.
Biomass power generation may hinder climate fight
Fri Nov 16 16:06:05 +0800 2012
A report by a group of UK campaign groups has warned that burning biomass (such as wood) in power stations may hinder attempts to tackle climate change.
Biomass-based power generation has been promoted as an economic means of low-carbon power but the report by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the RSPB, warns that it will take too long for trees to re-absorb the carbon emitted by burning wood.
Global wind sector growth up in the air
Fri Nov 16 16:01:25 +0800 2012
A new report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), predicts the wind sector will likely slow due to several mitigating international policy and market issues.
However, if certain conditions are met and governments begin to abide by emissions pledges, the industry could also swell to the point that it is supplying about one-fifth of the world’s power by 2030.
Current market factors such as China’s inability to connect its wind farms to the grid, falling carbon prices in Europe and unclear policies by the US government will likely hamper demand in major markets, the report said.
JA Solar and LDK struggle to avoid US delisting
Mon Nov 19 17:53:07 +0800 2012
Following in the footsteps of Suntech Power Holdings, two more of China’s top solar photovoltaic manufacturers are seeking to avoid having their American depository receipts (ADRs) delisted on US securities markets.
China readies supportive measures for shale gas development
Mon Nov 19 17:47:13 +0800 2012
China is preparing to beef up support for its nascent shale gas industry according a representative of the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR).
No water, no power warns IEA report
Mon Nov 19 17:30:25 +0800 2012
In its wide-ranging global energy report released last week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that large-scale energy projects will be threatened by water shortages in the near future.
China mines Israeli know-how to harvest wave power
Tue Nov 20 15:35:19 +0800 2012
A senior delegation from the Chinese state-owned Ocean University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Israel’s Eco Wave Power (EWP) to help pave the way for the introduction of wave power technology off China’s coast line.
The MOU between EWP and OUC is meant to lead to the implementation of Eco Wave Power's unique technology across a wide-range of wave-prone regions in China.
Indian company wins Ethiopia biofuel project
Wed Nov 21 11:45:06 +0800 2012
India’s VayuGrid has an agreement to create a USD2.5 million biofuel project in Ethiopia based on the high-yielding Pongamia tree.
Pilot project seeks to convert China's pipeline heat to grid power
Wed Nov 21 11:32:41 +0800 2012
China's largest energy conservation company has signed agreements with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and GE Oil & Gas to recycle waste heat created by the country's longest gas pipeline project, according to a statement co-released by the three companies.
Longyuan Power considering $500 mln HK share sale: sources
Wed Nov 21 15:29:44 +0800 2012
Citing three confidential sources, Bloomberg reported yesterday that China’s largest wind-power developer, China Longyuan Power Group, may raise USD500 million through a share sale in Hong Kong.
Airbus hooks up with Chinese firm to produce algae biofuel
Fri Nov 16 16:13:37 +0800 2012
Airbus and its parent company, EDAS, signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday with Chinese biofuel producer ENN to jointly develop and test aviation fuel made from algae.
Japan reports 80% rise in Q3 domestic solar shipments
Thu Nov 15 19:08:31 +0800 2012
Japan’s domestic shipments of solar cells and modules rose 80 percent in the July-September quarter after the government started an incentive program for clean energy in the first month of the period, according to Bloomberg.
The Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association said in a statement today that domestic shipments increased to 627-MW from 348-MW in the same quarter last year.
Huadian Power brings another 198-MW of wind online in China
Thu Nov 15 19:05:28 +0800 2012
Chinese utility Huadian Power International brought a total of 198-MW of wind power online in October, the company has said in a statement.
The total comprises of four 49.5-MW wind farms, two held by its Hebei Huadian Yuzhou Wind Power unit and two by Huadian Ningxia Ningdong Wind Power, the company said.
The company said that in October received a large loan from China Development Bank help fund project development.
Wasabi to expand proprietary heat to power technology in Asia
Thu Nov 15 18:52:11 +0800 2012
Australia’s Wasabi Energy Limited, an emerging power producer, has announced that it plans to establish a new subsidiary, Wasabi New Energy Asia (WNEA), to market its proprietary Kalina Cycle power technology throughout the Asian region.
More international buyers toss hats into the A123 auction ring
Thu Nov 15 18:56:17 +0800 2012
Companies from the US, China, Germany and Japan will face each other on December 6 in an auction to buy A123 Systems Inc, a bankrupt maker of batteries for electric cars that was partly funded by the US government.
China’s energy strategy will make waves for years to come
Mon Nov 12 15:46:15 +0800 2012
The economic turmoil of the financial crash saw China being feted as a white knight with drawbridges being lowered to investment from Chinese companies. This has turned to bitterness, like a liberating army becoming an occupying force.
Even with struggling solar and wind sectors, China has become the dominant global power it terms of renewable energy companies. This has resulted in the US Department of Commerce increasing tariffs to between 23.75 and 250 percent on solar cells which it calls a way of offsetting subsidies provided by China through one mechanism or another.
Vietnam pulls in over $1 billion in environment-related loans
Mon Nov 12 16:34:51 +0800 2012
The Word Bank has agreed to loan Vietnam USD449 million to improve “environmentally-friendly” electricity distribution, including the introduction of smart grids, throughout the country.
China’s energy consumption to double by 2020
Mon Nov 12 16:27:02 +0800 2012
China's total power consumption is estimated to double by 2020, Liu Zhenya, general manager of the State Grid Corporation of China, the country's largest grid operator, was reported as predicting on Saturday.
Winds of change blow in favor of India's newcomers
Mon Nov 12 15:41:09 +0800 2012
Indian wind turbine giant Suzlon admits it had a “disappointing” first half to its financial year but insists its “key metrics point in the right direction".
Revenues were 104.49 billion rupees (USD1.92 billion), up 11 percent on last year, but the company also recorded a loss of 16.63 billion rupees in the half year ending September, compared to a profit of 1.28 billion rupees at the same stage 12 months ago.
Rewrite of Hong Kong’s air pollution law on the cards
Tue Nov 13 17:56:38 +0800 2012
Hong Kong’s recently appointed Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Christine Loh, has revealed a goal of having the territory’s Air Pollution Control Ordinance completely rewritten, and possibly passed by the Legislative Council, by 2017.
Speaking to members of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Loh said that, although government colleagues considered the prospect of rewriting the legislation to be “scary”, she believed it was necessary in order to maintain control of the city’s air quality in the long term.
Chinese solar prospects up as gov’t announces further support
Tue Nov 13 17:42:44 +0800 2012
Chinese stocks rallied in Shanghai and New York on Monday with green stocks showing the most gain after dropping for five consecutive days.
Mongolia looks beyond self-sufficiency in renewables
Tue Nov 13 17:40:34 +0800 2012
Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj said Monday that his country has rich renewable energy resources and would vigorously pursue development in this area, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
China unveils region’s first solar-thermal power plant
Tue Nov 13 16:16:12 +0800 2012
The first megawatt-level tower-type solar-thermal power station in Asia has been built in northwest Beijing, chief of the program said on Monday, according to Xinhua.
Japan cement maker ramps up biomass use
Tue Nov 13 15:48:17 +0800 2012
Japan's Sumitomo Osaka Cement plans to meet 40 percent of its energy needs from alternatives within three years and 50 percent in the longer term. The cement industry is noted for high energy needs and fuel and electricity make up more than one third of cement’s costs.
Greener, dual-fuel marine engines from Hyundai
Tue Nov 13 15:38:06 +0800 2012
A “greener” dual-fuel marine engine has been developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries. In an effort to meet proposed stricter environmental regulations, the world's biggest shipbuilder the new engine allows marine engines to selectively use both LNG and diesel for fuel depending on the requirement.
Vietnam hauls in over $1 billion in environment-related loans
Mon Nov 12 16:34:51 +0800 2012
The Word Bank has agreed to loan Vietnam USD449 million to improve “environmentally-friendly” electricity distribution, including the introduction of smart grids, throughout the country.
China ushers in new domestic PV pilot programs
Wed Nov 14 15:53:36 +0800 2012
In an effort to ramp up the domestic market for solar PV usage, China has announced to expand a series of pilot programs before the end of the year the Ministry of Finance and three other agencies said in a joint statement on Monday.
Long faces at oil summit as IEA predicts end to Mid-East domination
Wed Nov 14 16:12:35 +0800 2012
The usual upbeat mood at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) has been overshadowed this week by the release Monday of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) World Energy Outlook which said that the US will overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's largest oil producer by 2020.
India ranked for global renewable potential
Fri Nov 09 15:46:28 +0800 2012
For all the troubles of India's energy sector, a new report from Ernst & Young (E&Y) ranks it as the fourth most attractive country in terms or renewable energy potential.
Running behind China, the US and Germany, the report says that power generation from renewable sources on the rise in India. Renewable energy's share of the country’s total energy mix increased from 7.8 percent in 2008 to 12.1 per cent this year.
Global biogas market to double in a decade
Fri Nov 09 15:39:02 +0800 2012
New research suggests that the global commercial biogas market will more than double in the next ten years to 29.5-GW. The report, Renewable Biogas, from Pike Research concludes that, in particular, municipal organic waste and wastewater treatment are poised for significant growth across Asia Pacific.
Floating PV farms planned for Japan countryside
Fri Nov 09 15:32:50 +0800 2012
Up to 10 floating solar PV plants are to be built by Japanese home renovator West Holdings with an eventual 20-MW output.
Roof-top focus for 2nd round of India's solar mission
Fri Nov 09 15:51:27 +0800 2012
India says the second stage of its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) will concentrate on grid connected rooftop projects. Speaking at the 6th Renewable Energy Expo joint secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy Tarun Kapoor said that to enable the plan the government was looking at financing plans.
India's ministry warns industry on renewable quotas
Mon Nov 12 10:58:16 +0800 2012
India's regulatory authorities seem to be clamping down on non-compliance of renewable-energy quotas. According to Bloomberg, Reliance Industries and Tata Steel are among 50 companies who’ve been sent compliance letters by the Indian government.
Report predicts big rebound for China wind in 2013
Mon Nov 12 10:51:27 +0800 2012
The Chinese wind market remains very firmly in the spotlight as the world’s largest single market, especially amid suggestions that it is now in decline.
Roof-top solar focus for 2nd round India's solar mission
Fri Nov 09 15:51:27 +0800 2012
India says the second stage of its Jawaharlal Nehru national solar mission (JNNSM) will concentrate on grid connected rooftop projects. Speaking at the 6th Renewable Energy Expo joint secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy Tarun Kapoor said that to enable the plan the government was looking at financing plans.
India signs uranium deal with Canada
Thu Nov 08 14:03:47 +0800 2012
Only days after former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam certified the Kudankulam nuclear plant as safe, the country signed an agreement with Canada to import uranium.
US trade commission votes 6-0 in favor of China solar duties
Thu Nov 08 16:18:31 +0800 2012
The US yesterday gave final approval to duties on billions of dollars of solar energy products from China for the next five years.
South Pacific nation first to convert to 100% solar
Thu Nov 08 15:39:40 +0800 2012
The installation of the third and final solar PV system has been completed on the small South Pacific archipelago of Tokelau, giving the New Zealand-owned territory the capability to be the powered by 100 percent solar energy.
China to subsidize its shale gas aspirations
Wed Nov 07 11:32:08 +0800 2012
China will allocate targeted funds from its central budget to subsidize shale gas exploration as part of its efforts optimize the country's energy structure, Xinhua reported on Monday.
POSCO US deal heralds Korean push into Asian fuel cell markets
Wed Nov 07 10:18:12 +0800 2012
South Korea's POSCO Energy has made a further strategic step into expanding its role in the Asian fuel cell power plant market with a new licensing agreement.
Welspun signs new $183 mln Indian PV contract
Wed Nov 07 09:18:12 +0800 2012
Welspun Energy is investing USD183 million into a 100-MW photovoltaic (PV) project in the central Indian state of Chattisgarh. However the project will not begin until 2015 due to the state now having to get approvals, land and clearances from federal and local authorities, including the environmental department.
LDK replaces CEO and board members in turn-around effort
Wed Nov 07 10:24:46 +0800 2012
PV manufacturer LDK Solar yesterday announced the promotion of Xingxue Tong from his current position as President, Chief Operating Officer to CEO with immediate effect.
KEPCO chief resigns amid growing Korean nuclear forgery probe
Thu Nov 08 15:59:53 +0800 2012
The president and CEO of power utility Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO), Kim Joong-kyum, has resigned for “personal reasons” as the country’s nuclear industry is rocked by a scandal involving fake safety certificates that has already shut down several reactors.
Investors sought for Korean tidal project
Thu Nov 08 15:55:43 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Renetec Co is looking for over USD300 million investment in its planned 200-MW tidal power project. While the company claims it will be the world's biggest, Bloomberg reports 16 other tidal projects around the world are also vying for the title.
Despite good intentions, China facing ticking bomb with CFL bulbs
Thu Nov 08 15:43:53 +0800 2012
An environmental and health crisis may be brewing in China as a massive 2008 government drive to encourage the purchase of energy-efficient light bulbs via subsidies is now beginning to have unintended consequences, according to a report by the Global Times.
China launches tit-for-tat probe into EU polysilicon
Thu Nov 01 17:12:58 +0800 2012
China has announced that it will investigate the European Union (EU) for alleged illegal subsidies and dumping of solar-grade polysilicon, Reuters reported today.
Panasonic to halt further Malaysian PV plant investments
Thu Nov 01 17:09:52 +0800 2012
Panasonic has announced that it will put the brakes on any further expansion of its fully integrated PV module plant in Malaysia.
Shanghai Aerospace gets nod for two more solar farms
Thu Nov 01 17:03:25 +0800 2012
Shanghai Aerospace Automobile Electromechanical, a maker of car air conditioners and solar-power parts, has secured approval from the Gansu Provincial Development and Reform Commission to develop solar energy farms in the northwestern Chinese province.
ADB considering new Laos dam as Finns investigate EIA firm
Thu Nov 01 17:25:31 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank is considering providing funds to a controversial 400-MW dam project on the Xekong River, a major tributary of the Mekong River, which could have adverse downstream impacts.
Last week the Lao government signed a concession agreement with the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Power Company, in which Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding – Thailand's largest private power producer – holds a 25 percent stake. Another 26 percent is held by Korea’s SK Engineering and Construction, 25 percent by Korea Western Power and 24 percent by Lao Holding State Enterprise.
Pakistan approaches AEG for solar expertise
Fri Nov 02 14:28:33 +0800 2012
The Pakistani province of Punjab has signed German engineering firm AEG to deliver up to 400-MW of solar power by 2014.
Private equity fund buys first clean tech investments
Fri Nov 02 14:20:06 +0800 2012
The Greater China Infrastructure Fund has bought interests in a waste-to-power to company and a water supply company, according to Yin Lian Chen, chief investment officer of the Hong Kong-listed investment company.
Poor solar market hits Kyocera profits, despite sales increase
Fri Nov 02 15:21:32 +0800 2012
Japanese PV and technology company Kyocera has seen its income drop by ¥20 billion (USD250 million) to ¥253 billion (USD325 million) in the first half of its current fiscal year due to a steep decline in sales of solar products outside Japan.
India faces energy credits glut as state utilities fail to comply
Fri Nov 02 18:40:20 +0800 2012
A glut of renewable-energy credits in India surged to a record in October as state electricity utilities failed to comply with clean-energy targets, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
Indonesia to lead in 5-GW SE Asia solar boom
Mon Nov 05 16:55:47 +0800 2012
Total cumulative (PV) installations in Southeast Asia are forecast to reach almost 5-GW by 2016, according to the latest report from IMS Research and, perhaps more illuminating, is that Indonesia is predicted to become the fastest-growing market in the region, overtaking Thailand as it installs close to 1-GW of new capacity.
The report, which analyses the PV markets in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Philippines, reveals that the region will grow at 50 percent per year on average over the next five years. Installations have previously been dominated by Thailand, however, other regions are also forecast to quickly and account for significant share of the market.
Cambodia ratifies another Mekong dam project
Mon Nov 05 16:43:41 +0800 2012
Cambodia's Cabinet on Friday said that it had approved construction of another large hydroelectric dam on a tributary of the Mekong River, which is certain to raise the ire of numerous opposing forces.
BYD floats e-taxi installment plan to entice operators
Mon Nov 05 16:38:48 +0800 2012
The Warren Buffet-backed Chinese electric car manufacturer, BYD, is trying to lure Chinese taxi operators to its e6 model through a installment plan which would, theoretically, save them tens of thousands of dollars.
China gets its first fast breeder reactor up and running
Mon Nov 05 16:36:00 +0800 2012
China has commissioned its first experimental fast neutron reactor (also known as a fast breeder reactor) which, it is hoped, will help make better use of the nuclear fuel, according to a report by the state-run Xinhua news services
Philippines to increase FiT target allocations for wind and solar
Mon Nov 05 16:31:23 +0800 2012
The Philippines' Department of Energy (DOE) said on Friday that it would provide more emphasis on developing solar and wind in its renewable energy mix plan.
Bhutan-India hydro-power project over budget
Mon Nov 05 16:28:04 +0800 2012
The planned 126-MW Dagachu hydropower project in Bhutan is behind time and incurring large cost overruns.
Inner Mongolia gets go-ahead for 1.4-GW ‘Three Gorges of Wind’
Mon Nov 05 17:07:03 +0800 2012
China has approved a 1.4-GW wind power complex in Baotou, Inner Mongolia – by far the largest of its kind in the renewables-rich autonomous region, according to a report today by Recharge News.
Vietnam hydro projects fall into disrepair as investors vanish
Tue Nov 06 10:57:40 +0800 2012
According to Vietnamese website, Tuoi Tre, a large number of backers of hydropower projects in the country’s central provinces have vanished leaving a number of small- and medium-sized projects unfinished and the surrounding areas exposed to environmental damage.
Dubious parts force shut down of Korean reactors
Tue Nov 06 12:38:28 +0800 2012
South Korea – one of Asia remaining true believers in nuclear power – is facing power shortages as it shuts down two reactors because of the use of uncertified parts. While the Knowledge Economy Minister Hong Suk-woo said they were non-core parts, they were not allowed under industry certification.
China reports 415% hike in PV grid capacity this year
Tue Nov 06 16:53:00 +0800 2012
China's State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) announced at a press conference Monday that it has commissioned 2.71-GW of grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) generation in the first nine months of 2012, a 415 percent increase over the 525-MW added in the first nine months of 2011.
China surprises with WTO protest against EU solar practices
Tue Nov 06 16:47:55 +0800 2012
China yesterday filed a WTO complaint over EU local content requirements under feed-in-tariffs in the struggling solar sector. The surprise move comes just days after China launched anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations domestically over EU exports of solar polysilicon components into the Chinese market.
China boosts rooftop solar to support sector
Tue Oct 30 17:26:43 +0800 2012
As part of its recently announced energy policy, China has announced a number of measures designed to bolster its flagging solar power industry.
Suzlon seeks to fend off debt crisis
Wed Oct 31 18:01:19 +0800 2012
The once-wonder company of India, wind turbine maker Suzlon, has proposed a restructuring of its USD2 billion bond debt. Bogged down with debt from a shopping spree of foreign companies, a weak rupee and slashed revenue margins, the company has asked for eye-watering terms.
ADB considering new Lao dam as Finns investigate EIA firm
Thu Nov 01 17:25:31 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank is considering providing funds to a controversial 400-MW dam project on the Xekong River, a major tributary of the Mekong River, which could have adverse downstream impacts.
Last week the Lao government signed a concession agreement with the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Power Company, in which Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding – Thailand's largest private power producer – holds a 25 percent stake. Another 26 percent is held by Korea’s SK Engineering and Construction, 25 percent by Korea Western Power and 24 percent by Lao Holding State Enterprise.
China to push natural gas as a transport fuel
Thu Nov 01 17:15:41 +0800 2012
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has released a new policy document detailing plans to encourage the transport sector to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as cleaner-burning alternative to conventional oil-based fuels.
Japan seeks a place in growing off-shore wind sector
Tue Oct 30 15:59:54 +0800 2012
Japan is beginning to take the development of an off-shore wind industry seriously as shown with the unveiling last week of a 126-meter-tall turbine – the country’s largest to date – off the coast of Chōshi, the easternmost city in the Greater Tokyo Area.
A variety of Japanese experts have championed the development of marine wind turbines which they say have much more potential than their land-based counterparts in this small mountainous country.
Carbon export taxes could prevent trade wars
Mon Oct 29 15:08:52 +0800 2012
Recent studies have highlighted that sizable amounts of carbon emissions are transferred between world regions in the form of traded goods and services. That is, considerably more emissions are generated for the production of imports to countries, such as the EU and US than those associated with their exports.
This observation has frequently been regarded as an indication that energy-intensive industries are being relocated from industrialized to developing and newly industrializing countries, especially to China.
Chinese bank steps in to support another falling solar star
Mon Oct 29 16:32:32 +0800 2012
In another sign that China is ready and willing to prop up its embattled solar in industry, Shanghai-based photovoltaic (PV) technology and project developer Sky Solar Holdings announced last week it had secured a credit facility worth RMP10 billion (USD1.6 billion) from China Development Bank Corp.
Climate-threatened Maldives to invest $138 mln on renewables
Mon Oct 29 16:11:39 +0800 2012
The Maldives, considered to be one of the nations most at risk from climate change and rising oceans, is planning a USD138 million renewable energy project to provide the which will provide the picturesque archipelago with 26-MW of power.
According to the state minister for energy, Abdul Matheen, the project is dues to start next month and means 10 of the country’s islands will run solely on renewable energy, while another 30 islands would have 30 percent of their power from renewables. In total the project will provide electricity to 50 islands.
With Q.Cells Hanwha now world's 3rd largest solar PV supplier
Tue Oct 30 14:58:45 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Hanwha Group has officially launched Hanwha Q.CELLS, marking the completion of its acquisition of the German company in late August. It has also announced the appointment Charles Kim, who joins the company from Hanwha SolarOne, as the CEO of Hanwha Q.CELLS.
Private equity company looks at green shipping
Tue Oct 30 14:48:43 +0800 2012
A private equity company says it is looking at green investment in the Asia's shipping industry.
Speaking at a recent Eco-Dollars Business Breakfast organized by Asia Shipping Media in Singapore, Vigor Capital director Jotdeep Singh said: “As an investor the first thing we look at is green, but of course we have to check it has to be financially viable. We look for ships that consume less fuel. Fuel is the main thing we look for. We are going to focus on the energy use of ships to begin with.”
UK biomass project gets Korean backing
Wed Oct 31 17:53:56 +0800 2012
South Korea is making a bid for leadership in the UK's biomass power sector. Korea South-East Power (KOSEP), KDB Daewoo Securities and Eco-Frontier have signed up to a major investment in one of the UK's largest planned biomass power plants. They will be involved in site preparation and construction, as well as financing.
Korea Southern aiming for stake in UK carbon capture project
Mon Oct 29 15:15:05 +0800 2012
A subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is in talks to buy a stake in a leading-edge carbon-capture and storage (CCS) project in the United Kingdom that may cost 5 billion pounds (USD8 billion) to develop.
Doubts overshadow China’s first shale gas auction to foreigners
Fri Oct 26 17:04:18 +0800 2012
Eighty-three companies have made 152 bids for licenses to explore shale gas in China's second round of tenders to drill for the resource, the country's land watchdog said on Thursday, according to the China Daily.
But even more companies have dropped the bid, expressing concern about the high risk of extraction of the hard-to-reach gas.
The profitability of the projects is uncertain, and the lack of technical expertise poses another challenge, they said.
Sky Solar lands another China solar deal
Fri Oct 26 17:02:19 +0800 2012
International PV project developer, Sky Solar Holdings, has announced plans for a 50-MW large-scale PV power station project in Gonghe County, Qinghai, China with an estimated investment of USD94 million, according to media sources.
The project, which has been approved by the Qinghai Development and Reform Commission, is being developed by Sky Solar subsidiary, Gonghe County Tianhua New Energy Power Co.
Stricken Japanese reactor stable but still a risk
Fri Oct 26 17:00:59 +0800 2012
Japan's tsunami-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains a concern among Japanese regulators although it has been stabilized, according to an official speaking in Vienna this week.
LDK begins sell-off in order to prop up ailing balance sheet
Mon Oct 29 14:53:28 +0800 2012
China’s LDK Solar in another move aimed at improving its eroding balance sheet agreed last week to sell off three solar plants at its manufacturing sites to Henan Xindaxin Materials for 140 million yuan (USD22.4 million), according to a report in Bloomberg.
Softbank and Newcom unite to explore Mongolian wind potential
Fri Oct 26 17:04:36 +0800 2012
Japanese Internet and mobile telecommunications giant, Softbank Corp has announced that it will launch a feasibility study on wind power generation in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert together with Mongolian investment firm, the Newcom Group.
Could trade barriers help the PV industry regain its balance?
Wed Oct 24 13:08:30 +0800 2012
The October 10 ruling by the US Department of Commerce against PV modules containing Chinese-produced solar cells is just the most recent development in a string of trade disputes that stretch across the globe.
Until now, much of the discussion has focused on the details of each case, the potential effect on different manufacturers, technology types, etc.
But perhaps the bigger question is how these issues collectively will affect the main issue confronting the PV industry today: the supply/demand imbalance. Supply/demand issues are not simply confined to upstream (manufacturer stock levels) and downstream (warehouse/distributor) inventory levels.
Vietnam solar PV plant floated despite existing project delays
Thu Oct 25 12:47:52 +0800 2012
Vietnam’s WorldTech Transfer Investment has proposed to collaborate with United Arab Emirates’s Global Sphere to build a USD310 million solar PV manufacturing plant in the country’s central province of Thua Thien-Hue
Nuclear fuel market unfazed by Fukushima disaster
Thu Oct 25 12:35:42 +0800 2012
Though it is still too early to assess the full impact of the Fukushima atomic power plant disaster, the World Nuclear Association (WNA) believes that it will have “very little impact” on global nuclear fuel markets.
Asia's energy storage market to hit $12bln by 2022
Thu Oct 25 13:11:42 +0800 2012
New research says that Asia's energy storage systems (ESS) market will be worth over USD12 billion by 2022. Pike Research says that while there might be differing drivers, many Asian countries are waking up to the value of ESS, although some are faster than others.
3-GW solar planned for Tamil Nadu with distributed twist
Thu Oct 25 13:09:12 +0800 2012
While other Indian states have been criticized for failing in their renewable energy targets, the government of Tamil Nadu has committed to generate 3-GW of solar power by 2015 under its newly launched Solar Energy Policy 2012.
Opportunities and turmoil for global cleantech sector
Thu Oct 25 12:52:21 +0800 2012
Ernst & Young's second Cleantech Matters on Global Competitiveness shows an industry dominated by Asia, in financial turmoil, but with a positive outlook. The report looked both at what it describes pure-play cleantech companies and cleantech use by 100 global companies with revenues of USD1 billion or more.
While the global companies had a positive attitude to the future of renewable energy and cleantech innovations, financing projects and government policies remained a concern. For the cleantech companies revenues might be on the increase but debt levels have risen and the churn of those in the Ernst & Young index reflect a turbulent and competitive sector.
JinkoSolar lands strategic 50-MW deal with China Three Gorges
Thu Oct 25 11:16:27 +0800 2012
Shanghai-based solar manufacturer won a contract to supply China Three Gorges New Energy Corp (CTGNE) for 50-MW solar modules for a PV power plant in China’s Gansu Province.
CTGNE is wholly-owned subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corp, which is one of the largest state-owned power corporations in China with more than RMB300 billion (USD48 billion) in assets.
China's announces restart to stalled nuclear program
Fri Oct 26 10:21:50 +0800 2012
Beijing this week announced it would resume construction of nuclear power plants, restarting a program that had been halted for 20 months in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster.
Yingli to power Singapore’s largest solar installation
Fri Oct 26 14:32:39 +0800 2012
China’s Yingli Green Energy (Yingli Solar), will supply solar panels to a 1-MW plant in Singapore, the Island state’s largest to date.
China’s new energy initiatives merely a local gov’t slush fund?
Wed Oct 24 07:50:04 +0800 2012
Following Beijing's repeated pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, local governments have been quickening their steps to accelerate the development of new energy sectors, including wind and solar power.
Marubeni’s 81.5 MW Japanese solar plant will be the first of many
Wed Oct 24 07:34:51 +0800 2012
Japan’s Marubeni Corporation has announced plans to build an 81-MW solar plant in an industrial area in the city of Oita.
Vietnam biogas effort recognized for improving lives of 650,000
Thu Oct 25 12:58:49 +0800 2012
Vietnam’s biogas program for the animal husbandry sector was recently awarded the Humanitarian Award at the World Energy Forum (WEF) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the positive impact it has had on the lives of tens of thousands of Vietnamese people.
First contract for Vietnam World Bank financed hydropower project
Wed Oct 24 06:30:00 +0800 2012
A USD150 million hydropower deal has been signed in Vietnam. A joint venture between South Korea’s Samsung C&T Corporation and Vietnamese firm Construction Company 47 is to build and equip the Trung Son Hydropower Plant, in the first contract signed for the project.
Thai biofuel company goes solar with IPO
Wed Oct 24 06:22:21 +0800 2012
A Thai biofuel company, Energy Absolute, is moving into solar power and financing it with an initial public offering (IPO). Energy Absolute said it will issue 560 million shares to fund a 90-MW solar project.
India's power companies fail renewables test
Wed Oct 24 10:55:09 +0800 2012
India's state electricity distribution companies have failed to meet renewable energy purchase obligations for 2011-2012. Coming so soon after India's blackout of 600 million people, mainly caused by by state utilities pulling more power from the national grid than allowed, there are increasing calls on the Central Electricity Regulation Commission (CERC) to enforce penalties.
LDK rebounds on share sale to Chinese investors
Wed Oct 24 09:22:21 +0800 2012
LDK Solar Co. the second-biggest maker of solar PV wafers rose the most in almost a year after Chinese investors purchased a minority stake in the company, according to Bloomberg.
Petronas levers investment in LanzaTech for carbon capture
Tue Oct 23 14:18:11 +0800 2012
Bio-fuel company LanzaTech is moving into the carbon capture sector following an agreement with Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas. The deal is the first concrete benefit to LanzaTech's third round of fund-raising which saw USD55.8 million raised, mainly from Malaysian investors.
Mergers foreseen as India’s wind sector stumbles
Thu Oct 18 18:19:27 +0800 2012
A mass consolidation may soon be in on the cards for India’s wind market which has suffered a 39 percent plunge in installations the first half of this year, according to a Bloomberg report.
Indonesian geothermal acquisition a first for Mitsubishi
Fri Oct 19 10:30:18 +0800 2012
Mitsubishi Corp has announced that it will acquire 20 percent of Star Energy Geothermal Pte Ltd (SEGPL), which manages the Wayang Windu Geothermal Power Project Plant on the Indonesian island of Java.
New biomass plant for Philippine rice millers
Fri Oct 19 10:21:58 +0800 2012
Members of the San Jose City Rice Millers Association in the Philippines along with private investors have broken ground on a new 9.9-MW rice husk biomass power plant
Improved Xayaburi dam won’t impact neighbors says developer
Fri Oct 19 14:43:34 +0800 2012
Developers of the Xayaburi hydropower plant in northern Laos expect to complete the redesign of the first run-of-river dam planned for the lower Mekong within the next few months, aiming to mitigate any negative impacts on neighboring countries.
Firms agree ownership of world’s largest fuel cell park
Fri Oct 19 14:40:07 +0800 2012
US-based FuelCell Energy, which designer and manufacturers fuel cell power plants, has reached agreements that finalize the ownership of 58.8-MW fuel cell park in South Korea and to expand demand for stationary fuel cell power plants.
Sany to fight Obama to “the very end”
Fri Oct 19 15:01:53 +0800 2012
China's Sany Group vowed said it will "fight to the very end" in its attempt to sue US President Barack Obama for blocking its wind farm project in the United States over national security concerns, according to the China Daily.
Although the chances of manufacturing giant Sany winning the case are slim, it signals a new era for Chinese companies seeking to protect their interests in overseas markets through legal means, experts said.
South Korea to push GHG emissions growth below that of GDP
Fri Oct 19 16:00:25 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Ministry of Environment has outlined its plan for the control of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from its major industries and may link an energy taxation system to emissions as part of efforts to reduce emissions.
As announced Monday, estimated emissions from 480 companies that are being reined in during 2013 are 590 million tonnes of CO2 and the target is to cut that back to 572 million tonnes for a reduction of 3.02 percent.
South Korea to push GHG emissions growth below GDP
Fri Oct 19 16:00:25 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Ministry of Environment has outlined its plan for the control of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from its major industries and may link an energy taxation system to emissions as part of efforts to reduce emissions.
As announced Monday, estimated emissions from 480 companies that are being reined in during 2013 are 590 million tonnes of CO2 and the target is to cut that back to 572 million tonnes for a reduction of 3.02 percent.
Vietnam province targets 25% power mix from renewables
Mon Oct 22 16:12:23 +0800 2012
Vietnam’s Dak Lak Province is aiming to make renewable energy account for 25 percent of its energy mix by 2015 through a combination of wind, solar and biomass.
New China plan will help solar industry get connected
Mon Oct 22 16:01:48 +0800 2012
The Chinese government over the weekend announced a new round of favorable policies to support the connection of photovoltaic solar power producers to the national grid as reported by the China Daily.
Swedes move into China with first Dish Solar Stirling plant
Tue Oct 23 11:15:24 +0800 2012
The Swedish energy technology company Cleanergy AB has installed its first solar power plant in China employing the company’s Dish Solar Stirling system which is said to require less solar intensity and can produce over 25 percent more electricity per day compared with alternative solar technologies.
Indonesia hosts US EPA for palm oil talks
Tue Oct 23 14:24:42 +0800 2012
The US Environmental Protection Agency are in Indonesia next week in an effort to help the country better meet green standards and open up its massive palm oil potential, according to Reuters.
China ups ante for domestic solar to prop up ailing sector
Thu Oct 18 18:33:25 +0800 2012
Hoping to provide support to its wounded solar industry in the wake of devastating duties on imports by the US, China’s National Energy Administration wants to ramp up the installation of domestic photovoltaic power generation.
Calls for third environmental report on Vietnam dams
Fri Oct 19 10:41:28 +0800 2012
While diplomacy struggles along over environmental concerns over the Mekong Xayaburi Dam in Laos, Vietnam's legislators have demanded new reports into two of its own dam projects.
BP hands over China solar interests
Thu Oct 18 16:24:03 +0800 2012
China TBEA Co Ltd has told the China Daily that British oil company BP has offloaded its equity in two joint solar ventures at no cost.
China Sunergy lands another Japan PV contract
Tue Oct 16 18:32:41 +0800 2012
China Sunergy has won a 1.65-MW solar module contract from Japan's INFiNi Group and its Okayama First Solar Plant.
GE biomass gasification plant to power remote Indonesia
Tue Oct 16 18:28:03 +0800 2012
General Electric and Indonesian state utility firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara yesterday signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on a pilot biomass power plant in Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara.
Chinese firm to spend $16 bln on Tibetan clean energy
Tue Oct 16 18:11:52 +0800 2012
Huaneng Tibet Power Generation (HTPG), a subsidiary of the state-owned China Huaneng Group, has signed multiple agreements with the Tibetan autonomous regional government to develop clean energy projects worth 100 billion yuan (USD15.87 billion) over the next 10 years.
Reliance gets $302 mln for India’s largest concentrated solar plant
Wed Oct 17 18:57:58 +0800 2012
Reliance Power has raised USD302 million to build India’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) project at Dhursar in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district.
Taiwan taps GL Garrad Hassan to help ramp off-shore wind
Wed Oct 17 18:45:48 +0800 2012
Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UK-based renewable energy consultancy GL Garrad Hassan to help develop its off-shore wind energy potential.
Taiwan has excellent offshore wind resources, with more than 6-GW potential capacity at depths of less than 50 meters. In early 2012, Taipei announced plans to speed offshore wind farm development with an ambitious target of building 1,000 offshore turbines by 2030.
China issues nuclear safety blueprint, eyes $13 bln investment
Wed Oct 17 19:57:37 +0800 2012
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) has issued a report outlining plans to spend about 80 billion yuan (USD12.74 billion) by 2015 to upgrade the security of the country’s nuclear facilities and bring radioactive contamination control up to international standards by 2020.
Polysilicon to hit bottom as Asian makers halt production
Wed Oct 17 19:24:12 +0800 2012
The price of Polysilicon, the raw material used by the USD38 billion a year solar industry, is forecast to bottom near a record low next year after the leading manufacturers in China and South Korea halted factory expansions, according to Bloomberg.
First Solar enters Indonesian utility-scale solar sector
Wed Oct 17 19:19:07 +0800 2012
US solar giant First Solar and Indonesia’s PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Services (PJB Services) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop 100-MW utility-scale PV projects in Indonesia.
Indian state takes the green-road with cold-mix paving
Thu Oct 18 17:58:53 +0800 2012
India’s state of Assam says it is on the path to becoming one of the country’s greenest and cleanest states by using cold mix technology in which natural rubber latex is blended with bitumen emulsion for construction of green roads and other paved areas.
Wanxian still in the hunt, despite A123 sale to Johnson Controls
Thu Oct 18 17:06:16 +0800 2012
A123 Systems, the bankrupt US electric car battery maker that was on the verge of being taken over by China-based Wanxiang Group for USD465m in August, has now confirmed it has entered into an “asset purchase agreement” with Johnson Controls in a transaction valued at USD125 million.
Vietnam licenses development of first geothermal plant
Mon Sep 24 17:58:19 +0800 2012
Vietnam has given the go-ahead for the development of its first geothermal plant, to be located in Central Quang Tri Province's Dakrong District.
Waste-to-energy plans a threat to Indian ragpickers' livelihoods
Fri Sep 21 17:44:25 +0800 2012
The livelihoods of about a quarter of a million people who make their living picking garbage in the India capital of New Delhi are under threat as the government eyes the trash as a means to produce energy.
China solar industry finance crisis at tipping point
Tue Sep 25 19:28:19 +0800 2012
The dire state of China’s solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector has been underlined by a threat from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to de-list the shares of Suntech Power Holdings, the world’s largest maker of PV modules.
With bankruptcy looming for Suntech and others being pushed close to the wall, the Chinese solar industry is calling for increased state subsidies while the China Development Bank has promised fresh loans. These, however, are not likely to do more than stave off industry problems, according to a new report from Barclays.
Israeli firm to help India generate power from the sea
Tue Sep 25 19:12:18 +0800 2012
Israeli cleantech company, SDE Energy has signed an agreement to construct sea wave power generation plants along the coast of India in collaboration with the Government of India and local partners.
German firm to shutter China PV manufacturing plant
Tue Sep 25 17:25:54 +0800 2012
Germany’s Aleo Solar AG has announced the termination of its Avim Solar Production Co joint venture (JV) in China.
Germans fund another 53-MW of Taiwan wind power
Wed Sep 26 17:22:37 +0800 2012
Germany’s international project and export finance bank, KfW IPEX-Bank, has agreed to a EUR66.8 million (USD86 million) funding for a 52.9-MW wind farm on the west coast of Taiwan, some 120 km south-west of the capital Taipei.
China’s Sinopec shuts plants in face of fury over pollution
Thu Sep 27 18:41:27 +0800 2012
China's Sinopec Group, the parent of Sinopec Corp, has closed three plants after being accused by officials of the southern Chinese province of Guangdong of openly disregarding demands to stop its pollution practices.
JinkoSolar nails 40-MW order for two China plants
Thu Sep 27 18:33:46 +0800 2012
Chinese photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer JinkoSolar has been contracted to supply 40-MW of panels from China Power International New Energy Holding for deployment in two plants being built in the northern Chinese cites of Baiyin and Wuwei, Gansu province.
First Solar charity to bring power to rural India
Thu Sep 27 18:26:55 +0800 2012
America’s First Solar has joined forces with India’s Sir Ratan Tata Trust to develop a pilot project using First Solar's advanced, thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules to help off-grid villages in the country’s northern Uttarakhand state receive a reliable supply of clean energy for essential needs such as safe drinking water and irrigation.
Hyundai looks to leapfrog rivals with fuel-cell EVs
Thu Sep 27 18:18:40 +0800 2012
Hyundai Motor is preparing to launch what it says will be the world’s first fuel-cell electric vehicles, according to a Reuters report
Delhi schools equipped with solar-powered clean water supply
Thu Sep 27 18:14:44 +0800 2012
India’s capital, Delhi, has begun a pilot program using solar energy to drive water pumps in a number of government schools.
Thailand switches on SE Asia’s largest solar farm
Thu Sep 27 18:09:06 +0800 2012
Southeast Asia’s largest solar plant, a 44-MW project called “Sunny Bangchak”, has been connected to Thailand’s grid, the project partners announced yesterday.
German solar company views China as unattractive
Fri Sep 28 17:15:43 +0800 2012
German solar inverter maker SMA Solar Technology has told Reuters that it would rather lose global market share than go head long into a riskier China market in search of fast growth. One of the leaders in solar inverters, the company generated sales of €1.7 billion (USD2.2 billion) in 2011.
Yingli flatly rejects subsidies allegations by EU competitors
Fri Sep 28 17:07:40 +0800 2012
Yingli Green Energy has strongly rejected accusations contained in an anti-subsidy complaint filed by EU ProSun, an initiative of European solar companies led by SolarWorld, which was submitted at the European Commission yesterday.
World Bank backs UN sustainable energy program
Fri Sep 28 18:02:33 +0800 2012
The World Bank and the United Nations have pledged to work together to boost the world's poor access electricity. Dr Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank is to co-chair an advisory board with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to push the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
ADB provides $600 mln for eco-friendly projects in China
Sun Sep 30 15:25:53 +0800 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing USD600 million for a package of green projects that will transform waste into clean energy, reduce CO2 emissions, expand eco-friendly transport, and protect fragile wetland areas in fast-growing second-tier cities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Local government, China banks move to prop up Suntech
Sun Sep 30 16:24:17 +0800 2012
Suntech Power Holdings, the world's largest solar panel maker, has been granted an emergency funding package worth 200 million yuan (USD31.7 million) from the government of Wuxi city in East China's Jiangsu province.
Zhu Kejiang, the mayor of the city, went to Suntech with a finance offer from a consortium of several banks, including Bank of China, on Thursday, aimed at helping it weather its financial difficulties, according to a China Daily Report. Mayor Kejiang has set up a taskforce to help Suntech and will hold talks to ensure banks optimize credit support.
Shanxi Datong 23-MW energy recovery project on track
Wed Oct 03 06:50:42 +0800 2012
US-listed China Recycling Energy Corp (CREG) has reassured investors that a 23-MW energy recovery project is on-track for completion by the end of the year. Its subsidiary, Xi'an TCH Energy Technology Company signed a deal with Shanxi Datong Coal Group Steel to co-develop a system that recycles gas and steam from groups of blast-furnaces and converter of Shanxi Datong's metal refining plants to generate power.
Southeast Asia's slow road to green energy
Wed Oct 03 06:20:33 +0800 2012
The South-East Asia and Pacific region is blessed with abundant sources of 'green' energy — including sun, wind, water, biomass and geothermal — but governments are still not doing enough to harness them.
The 30 countries in this part of the world are sitting just a few degrees below and above the equator, and enjoy an estimated 300 days of sunshine a year. Advances in photovoltaic (PV) technology mean that solar energy can be harnessed even on cloudy days during the rainy season.
New Japanese environment tax aimed at fantasy CO2 target
Wed Oct 03 16:59:54 +0800 2012
Japan introduced an environment tax on Monday which the government says is aimed at deterring greenhouse gas emissions but critics say will lead to higher prices for consumers.
South Korea halts two reactors as Japan resumes building them
Wed Oct 03 17:29:13 +0800 2012
South Korea shut down two of its nuclear reactors due to malfunctions yesterday, adding to public concerns about nuclear safety.
The shutdown at Younggwang Nuclear Power Plant was the seventh this year, coming just hours after Shin-Kori Nuclear Power Plant witnessed the sixth. It is the first time two reactors halted operation on the same day according to The Korea Herald.
Obama gets legal blowback over Chinese-owned wind farm ban
Wed Oct 03 07:59:02 +0800 2012
US President Barack Obama is to be sued by a Chinese-owned wind farm company. In another nasty twist to US/China trade relations Ralls Corp – which is part owned by Sany Group, China’s biggest machinery maker – says it plans to sue the president over the unconstitutional act of blocking a wind farm near to a US navy test site in Oregon.
In fact four sites came under Obama's edict that their operation by Ralls was considered to be a security risk based on a report by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
India’s green IT and sustainability market worth $45 billion
Thu Oct 04 17:25:47 +0800 2012
New research says that green IT and sustainability are emerging as key concerns for businesses, investors and policymakers in India and should be valued at USD70 billion by 2015.
Sino-Dutch collaboration on 15-GW tidal power study
Thu Oct 04 18:46:56 +0800 2012
Officials from China and the Netherlands have signed an agreement that could result in the development of a 15-GW “hydrokinetic” power plant off the Chinese coast. The project would involve the construction of a 30-km by 60-km T-shaped dam that would be fitted with turbines.
This long T-dam would interfere with coast-parallel oscillating tidal waves which run along the coasts of continental shelves, containing powerful hydraulic currents, a phenomenon that is common along the coast of China, Korea and the UK amongst other places.
Japan supporting small hydro-power in Philippines
Fri Oct 05 09:55:28 +0800 2012
Japan is giving further support to renewable energy in the Philippines. While no dollar figures have been given for the new investment by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), it is extending a grant to for two separate hydropower systems for the provinces of Ifugao and Isabela.
Call for greater use of roof-top solar in Philippines
Fri Oct 05 09:42:50 +0800 2012
The Philippine Solar Power Alliance (PSPA) is calling for an increase in the use of roof-top solar installations. Theresa Cruz-Capellan one of the founders of the PSPA pointed out that there are about half a million new residential projects that are going on stream every year.
Japan may meet Kyoto carbon emission target
Mon Oct 08 18:52:33 +0800 2012
A new report from Japan’s Environment Ministry claims the country is on target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated average of 8 percent below 1990 levels for the five years ending in March, meaning it will meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
China could get 7.6% of energy needs from shallow geothermal
Mon Oct 08 18:33:26 +0800 2012
China’s Ministry of Land and Resources has come up with a somewhat disturbing estimate of the country’s renewable energy resources, claiming in a newly issued repot that these amount to 860 trillion tonnes of coal equivalent, an amount 260,000 times greater than China's annual energy consumption.
Foxconn planning to get into the solar energy game
Mon Oct 08 19:59:00 +0800 2012
Foxconn Technology Group, best known as Apple’s prime manufacturing contractor and Hong Kong-listed GCL-Poly Energy Holdings plan to build and jointly operate a solar-power plant in China’s Shanxi province.
Minister says Japan’s reactors can restart if watchdog gives OK
Mon Oct 08 19:44:29 +0800 2012
Japan’s Economics Minister, Seiji Maehara, said on Friday that nuclear reactors can be restarted if a new regulator deems them to be safe.
Maehara, whose ministry had led debate in the cabinet on energy policy, said a new law empowered the regulator to endorse bringing reactors back on line. He said the idle reactors could be a key source of power generation for now, a notion certain to anger Japan's growing ranks of opponents of nuclear power.
Green telco networking could cut GHG emissions by 32%
Mon Oct 08 19:37:15 +0800 2012
According to a recent report from Pike Research, a part of Navigant’s Energy Practice, investment in energy-efficient telecom network infrastructure will reach USD194 billion annually by 2016.
All told, these investments could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the telecom industry by 32 percent by 2016 compared to a business-as-usual scenario, the study concludes.
Lenders cut LDK Solar major shareholder some slack
Mon Oct 08 11:22:23 +0800 2012
US-listed LDK Solar’s controlling shareholder, LDK New Energy Holding, has reached an agreement with its lenders, which will refrain from exercising their power of sale for 12 months.
First Solar bags another 50-MW of orders in India
Tue Oct 09 19:29:38 +0800 2012
First Solar has continued its highly successful foray into the Indian solar power market with 50-MW of new solar panel orders from Kiran Energy and its associate, Mahindra Solar One.
Call for china should prioritize coalbed gas
Tue Oct 09 19:02:05 +0800 2012
China should give priority to the exploitation of coalbed gas rather than shale gas, an energy expert has suggested.
China’s big plug-in EV program an environmental hazard
Wed Oct 10 19:52:17 +0800 2012
New research from the The Norwegian University of Science and Technology study suggests that electric cars may be worse for the environment than petrol or diesel-powered cars. This could mean China’s ambitious plans to promote plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) could make things worse rather than better.
What’s the problem? PEVs rely on mains electricity to run, and most of the world’s electricity still comes from unsustainable sources. The study found the impact – especially on greenhouse gas emissions - even worse when coal is the main source of power generation, and China relies on coal for over 80 percent of its electricity.
Japan’s solar gold rush – a boon or a bubble?
Wed Oct 10 21:11:51 +0800 2012
CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets recently released estimates confirm that Japan’s drive to ramp up renewable energy supplies is having a big impact. The firm reckons Japan could have 17.3-GW of installed solar power capacity by 2014 while wind power will be less than half that, at an estimated 7.6-GW of total capacity by 2016, with most coming from off-shore projects.
Bloomberg New Energy Finance, meanwhile, estimates investment in solar, wind and other forms of clean energy could double to USD17.1 billion this year from USD8.6 billion in 2011.
India and Japan to investigate LNG pricing
Thu Oct 11 12:18:52 +0800 2012
Japan and India are to research pricing structures of the liquid natural gas market following allegations that Asia pays more that it ought in global markets.
Cambodia to get new biomass plant
Thu Oct 11 12:14:39 +0800 2012
A rice husk biomass plant is on the books for Cambodia. The Phnom Penh Post reported that an unnamed Malaysian company is due to sign a contract with the Federation of Cambodian Rice Millers Association, according to its president, Phou Puy.
Chin optimistic about Malaysia's solar industry
Thu Oct 11 12:05:43 +0800 2012
Malaysia is boasting that it is set to become the ASEN hub for the US's solar photovoltaic (PV) industry.
Suntech seeks to reassure shareholders
Thu Oct 11 13:08:43 +0800 2012
China's debt-ridden Suntech Power Holdings has outlined a new strategy to improve operations and build revenues but it is unlikely to reassure shareholders.
The solar PV maker's recently appointed CEO, David King said in a statement: “Trade protectionism and an imbalance between demand and supply have contributed to increasing competition and declining profitability for solar manufacturers globally. In this environment, it is imperative that we focus on what we do best and take decisive actions to solidify our market leadership.”
Bilateral agreement to boost Indonesia’s geothermal future
Thu Oct 11 11:04:50 +0800 2012
Indonesia's geothermal industry looks set to be the main beneficiary from reinvigorated diplomatic relations with New Zealand.
The two governments highlighted renewable energy projects and geothermal, in particular, as being a priority in strengthening ties. The statement came at a press conference after the fifth annual Joint Ministerial Commission meeting on Tuesday between visiting New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Marty Natalegawa, Indonesia's Foreign Minister.
Landfill gas plant providing power for Shanghai
Fri Oct 12 17:32:18 +0800 2012
Shanghai is now getting power from a landfill methane power plant. The Shanghai Laogang Renewable Energy plant can generate up to 110 million kilowatt-hours of electricity for the local power grid each year - or power for the equivalent of 100,000 households.
Malaysian prime minister says green economy will drive growth
Sun Oct 14 10:53:56 +0800 2012
Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, says that a green economy could drive national growth and said he aims to secure 5.5 percent of its total energy capacity from renewable sources by 2015 and 11 percent by 2020.
Suzlon and Sinovel report more bad news
Sun Oct 14 10:40:06 +0800 2012
News that Suzlon Energy is set to default on over USD200 million in overseas convertible bonds and that Sinovel's net profits for the first nine months of the year would be down 50 percent, indicate that global wind turbine companies are facing financial hurdles so far mainly experienced by the solar sector.
US announces new tariffs on China's solar makers
Sun Oct 14 10:35:22 +0800 2012
China has hit back on new US tariffs on solar cells saying the move would benefit neither country.
Bankrupt Solyndra files writ against China’s Suntech
Mon Oct 15 17:53:37 +0800 2012
Solyndra LLC, the bankrupt solar panel maker that received a controversial USD535 million US government loan guarantee, is seeking compensation through the courts from China’s Suntech Power Holdings.
South Korea doubles carbon reduction targets for 2013
Mon Oct 15 17:34:15 +0800 2012
South Korea’s economy ministry said today that it wants companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 3 percent to 553.4 million tonnes next year, effectively doubling the reductions achieved in 2012, as it prepares for its new cap-and-trade scheme starting in 2015.
The local industrial and power sectors are on track to record emission of 570.6 million tonnes this year which is a reduction of 8 million tonnes or 1.42 percent over 2011. The ministry said it wants to see further cuts of 17.2 million in 2013.
Does final US DoC China solar trade ruling change anything?
Mon Oct 15 09:10:41 +0800 2012
On 10 October 2012, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) issued its final ruling on the countervailing duty (CVD) and anti-dumping (AD) complaints.
The process to determine final rates has taken almost exactly one year and the entire complaint will be either confirmed or denied by mid-November 2012. The complaints, brought by the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) and spearheaded by SolarWorld, were a response to rapidly falling PV module average selling prices (ASPs) which has been pressuring solar manufacturer margins for over two years.
Shanghai tries to boost EV sales with licence give-away
Tue Oct 16 18:40:47 +0800 2012
The Shanghai Municipal Government plans to give away 20,000 vehicle registrations to buyers of electric vehicles by the end of the year in an effort to boost the so far disappointing sales of environmentally friendly automobiles, according to local media reports. Shanghai is one of China’s pilot cities for the development and deployment of electric vehicles.
Report sees shift in agribusinesses' view on waste
Tue Oct 16 18:38:38 +0800 2012
Rabobank has concluded that waste from the food, agriculture and agribusiness (F&A) industry is now viewed as an asset after years of being seen as an unwanted to cost. In its new report “Don't Waste a Drop!”, the Dutch bank says it’s a paradigm shift in the view of F&A waste, transitioning from a cost to a potential revenue source.
Shanghai Electric partners with BioPower Systems for tidal energy
Tue Oct 16 18:37:32 +0800 2012
China's Shanghai Electric Power Generation Group has formed a strategic alliance with Australia's ocean energy company BioPower Systems. It will give the company valuable experience in the future growth of China's nascent sea power generating sector.
According to BioPower's CEO the deal will allow it to take advantage of the Chinese company's financial and manufacturing clout to commercialize its bioWAVE technology.
India solar potential 12.5 GW by 2017 with right policies
Mon Sep 24 16:51:24 +0800 2012
A new KPMG report says that India's national and state governments have to play a greater and more reliable role in promoting solar power. It concludes that the cumulative solar PV power market potential is likely to be around 12.5 GW by 2016-17.
While India’s solar capacity has grown from less than 20 MW to more than a gigawatt in the last two years, helped by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, the country is facing a power deficit of 9 percent and in many states, industries are facing up to 50 percent power cuts.
IFC helps Thailand encourage private cleantech investment
Mon Sep 24 15:48:32 +0800 2012
Thailand's Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency has gained an undertaking from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support its clean energy development.
China wind growth still healthy but grid problem no better
Wed Sep 19 16:51:19 +0800 2012
China's wind power capacity will grow by 15 to 18-GW this year, according to a joint report released yesterday by the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association, the Global Wind Energy Council and Greenpeace.
The report on China's wind power outlook predicts that China's wind power sector will maintain the steady growth momentum seen last year which catapulted it into the world’s number 1 spot in terms of installed capacity.
Suzlon seeks further relief on $360 mln debt
Wed Sep 19 17:49:59 +0800 2012
Cash-strapped Indian wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon Energy has asked its creditors for a four-month extension on repayments of USD220.8 million due next month, according to Bloomberg.
Panasonic’s sees Smart homes as key in energy-starved Japan
Thu Sep 20 18:51:26 +0800 2012
Panasonic Corporation recently announced plans to begin full-scale development of its Smart Home Energy Management System (SMARTHEMS) business next month.
India, China solar makers urged to talk to avoid trade war
Thu Sep 20 18:38:56 +0800 2012
With yet another round of solar trade sanctions threatening, this time from neighboring India, China’s Ministry of Commerce is calling on the two countries to talk through the issues.
China to promote low-carbon day from 2013
Thu Sep 20 18:33:14 +0800 2012
China’s State Council announced yesterday that it plans to promote a “National Low-Carbon Day” beginning next year in a bid to cut carbon emissions in the world’s second largest economy.
Global energy demand could be met by wind power
Thu Sep 20 18:30:19 +0800 2012
Planet earth has enough wind energy to meet the global population's power needs according to a research paper published in the latest issue of Nature Climate Change.
Japanese flip-flop on nuclear phase out
Thu Sep 20 18:08:24 +0800 2012
Only five days after a Japanese cabinet panel put forward a plan to phase out nuclear power in the country by 2040, the government has been forced to back down in the face of intense lobbying by business groups and political unease ahead of an election expected by year-end.
Yesterday Japanese lawmakers only partially endorsed the government’s energy strategy document, removing any mention of the deadline, which was the most strongly supported option in the two-month public consultation on which the document was based.
Asia's biofuel market to reach $1.7 bln by 2017
Fri Sep 21 15:55:09 +0800 2012
A new report expects Southeast Asia's biofuel markets will be worth USD1.78 bilion by 2017. The Strategic Analysis of Southeast Asian Automotive Biofuels Market from Frost & Sullivan points out that because the region is a high net importer of diesel and crude oil, governments in the region have been strong in promoting biofuel use.
Thailand examining incentives for roof-top PV
Fri Sep 21 16:16:30 +0800 2012
Thailand is considering its own version of a feed-in tariff (FiT) for domestic and commercial buildings producing power from solar panels. A move towards this will likely be at the expense of existing, but unused, solar farm licenses.
Waste-to-energy plans a threat to Indian ragpickers livelihoods
Fri Sep 21 17:44:25 +0800 2012
The livelihoods of about a quarter of a million people who make their living picking garbage in the India capital of New Delhi are under threat as the government eyes the trash as a means to produce energy.
Goldwind finally cracks Southeast Asia market with Thai sale
Fri Sep 21 17:30:25 +0800 2012
China’s Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology has penetrated the Southeast Asia market for the first time with the sale of three GW109/2500 low wind-speed series turbines to Thailand's Electricity Generating Pcl (EGCO), an independent power producer.
Private equity firm loses it shirt on Indian solar manufacturing
Wed Sep 19 14:53:07 +0800 2012
Delhi-based Moser Baer, maker of solar products and optical media, has lost its private equity investor nearly 95 percent of its investment.
Japanese cabinet endorses nuclear free plan by 2040
Mon Sep 17 18:36:38 +0800 2012
The Japanese government on Friday endorsed a plan to end the use of nuclear power before 2040 as part of a new energy policy that calls for emphasizing conservation and renewable energy sources.
The new policy also calls for converting the Monju experimental fast breeder reactor into a test bed for treating nuclear waste. The plan calls for decommissioning the reactor once those studies are complete, but sets no date, according to website ScienceInsider.
Finland looks to tap Indian cleantech prospects
Mon Sep 17 22:58:03 +0800 2012
In a bid to tap India’s potential in the renewable energy sector, a group of Finnish cleantech companies are looking for stronger partnerships in the country, especially in the field of energy efficiency, water treatment and bio-energy.
The companies, which form Cleantech Finland, claim that their technological innovations have made them global leaders in energy efficiency, water management and bio-energy.
Danes say China's wind developers seeking better quality turbines
Tue Sep 18 15:45:27 +0800 2012
There is an increasing demand for higher-quality wind turbines from Chinese project developers, according to an executive from Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems. The cheapest price is no longer a guarantee to winning contracts.
LDK’s latest downgrade puts prospects into question
Tue Sep 18 16:50:33 +0800 2012
China’s second largest solar PV maker, Jiangxi-based solar equipment manufacturer has announced another quarter of disappointing results and lowered its full year forecast as trouble’s in the country’s solar industry continue to mount.
Renewables at the heart of worsening China-US trade relations
Tue Sep 18 17:03:33 +0800 2012
China yesterday further escalated trade tensions with the US with the filing of a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint over countervailing and anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of its wind towers and a host of other products, according to news agencies.
Japan now has world’s third largest solar capacity
Wed Sep 19 04:12:32 +0800 2012
International market research firm, Kuick Research, has released a report showing that Japan accounts for seven percent of the world’s total installed PV capacity, giving them the third largest solar installed PV capacity in the world, with nearly 5-GW.
The report, Japan Solar Power Sector Analysis, found that in 2011 alone the industry set a new record by installing 1-GW of new solar capacity.
Trina separates business units, cuts jobs as profits plunge
Thu Sep 13 17:32:42 +0800 2012
Trina Solar today announced cost-cutting measures including the separation of its manufacturing and power plant development businesses and “significant” head count cuts as it wards off the effects of plunging prices in the industry.
Suzlon gets 84-MW deal from Indian IPP Continuum
Thu Sep 13 17:28:18 +0800 2012
India’s Suzlon has landed an 84-MW supply agreement from independent power producer (IPP) Continuum Wind Energy.
Giant wind plan underlines huge Japanese RE investment
Fri Sep 14 15:58:30 +0800 2012
SB Energy, the renewable energy arm of Japanese telecom and Internet group Softbank, is planning a wind farm in Hokkaido with as many as 500 turbines and a combined output of 1-GW.
Company spokesman Kenichi Yuasa told Bloomberg that SB Energy is in discussion with local government officials to scale the project to meet power needs of the country’s northernmost prefecture, which has a population of 5.5 million.
Goldwind to help build Panama’s largest wind farm
Sat Sep 15 11:46:38 +0800 2012
The US division of Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co, China’s largest wind-turbine maker has sign an agreement with Union Eolica Panameña (UEP) to supply 2.5-MW wind turbines for the Penonome wind farm in the Province of Cocle, Panama.
China solar industry to hit $4 bln by 2015
Sat Sep 15 20:17:48 +0800 2012
China's investment in solar power generation is expected to reach CNY250 billion (USD39.5 billion) during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), with the industry expected to employ 500,000 people, according to development documents released by the National Energy Administration.
Japan in quandary over nuclear fuel storage
Sat Sep 15 19:49:49 +0800 2012
Even as Japan is preparing to release its new energy plan, expected to expel nuclear power by 2030, the country continues to pursue a plan to reprocess spent nuclear fuel in the village of Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture.
According to the Kyodo News, the latest development suggests the government intends to delay any decision to scale back its current program of recycling spent nuclear fuel, despite its new goal of ending atomic power.
China solar industry to hit $40 bln by 2015
Sat Sep 15 20:17:48 +0800 2012
China's investment in solar power generation is expected to reach CNY250 billion (USD39.5 billion) during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), with the industry expected to employ 500,000 people, according to development documents released by the National Energy Administration.
China says Brussels open to talks to avoid solar trade war
Mon Sep 17 18:23:28 +0800 2012
According to the state-run China Daily, the EU has agreed to begin dialogue and co-operation with Beijing to resolve the multi-billion-dollar anti-dumping investigation towards China's solar panel manufacturers.
Asia's leads diverse fuel cell sales
Wed Sep 12 19:09:35 +0800 2012
Asia has been leading the way in the global consumption of fuel cells, according to a new report and growth is expected to triple in 2012. Megawatts shipped are expected to grow by over 60 percent this year, to around 176-MW, mainly due to demand for large stationary fuel cells, although demand across other applications will increase too. 2011 also saw record sales of fuel cells, topping 100-MW for the first time.
Korea company signs up to Thai solar project
Wed Sep 12 16:00:00 +0800 2012
Korea Midland Power has signed deal to build a solar farm in Thailand with a Thai consortium for an eight-MW solar power plant.
China makes further inroads into Tasmanian wind
Thu Sep 13 17:58:20 +0800 2012
Tasmania's collaborative relationship with China on renewable energy has been strengthened today with China’s Guohua Energy signing an agreement to purchase a 75 percent stake in the Musselroe Wind Farm.
Hanwha hopes to duck US, EU penalties with Q-Cells buy-out
Thu Sep 13 17:54:15 +0800 2012
Hanwha SolarOne said the acquisition of German solar group Q-Cells by its parent may help the solar panel maker sidestep recently-imposed import duties in the US and potential tariffs in Europe, according to Reuters.
SunPower shifts more focus to Japan with 100-MW Toshiba order
Thu Sep 13 17:53:46 +0800 2012
US-listed solar company, SunPower Corp, has announced it will supply more than 100-MW of solar panels to Japan's Toshiba Corp under a multi-year agreement.
Japan to be nuclear-free hints PM
Thu Sep 13 17:48:56 +0800 2012
Japan’s prime minister has hinted that the government will announce that it will eventually abandon nuclear energy when it issues its new energy policy this week. News reports say the premier and Cabinet ministers have already agreed to the new policy.
US energy storage firm signs MoU with China’s Shenhua group
Thu Sep 13 17:43:01 +0800 2012
NASDAQ-listed firm Altairnano has announced an agreement with China’s Shenhua Science & Technology (Shenhua) and its research affiliate, the National Institute of Clean and Low-carbon Energy (NICE), to jointly develop, deploy and promote industrial applications of lithium titanate-based energy storage systems in China.
China delegation hopes to settle EU anti-dumping probe
Wed Sep 12 19:58:25 +0800 2012
A Chinese delegation led by the vice-minister of commerce is on the way to Germany and France to try to negotiate its way out of the EU’s decision to investigate dumping of Chinese solar panel exports, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) today.
China ordering 15% renewables as wind sector struggles
Wed Sep 12 19:48:30 +0800 2012
China will order its dominant electricity distributors to source up to 15 percent of their power from renewable energy including wind, but slow compliance means it may be years before the country's struggling wind power developers benefit, industry executives say, according to Reuters.
The quota system will apply to State Grid Corp of China and China Southern Power Grid Co Ltd by the end of this year, the executives say.
Shanghai Chaori, Skybasesolar partner for East Europe PV deals
Wed Sep 12 19:24:21 +0800 2012
Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy Science and Technology have announced a framework agreement with Germany’s Skybasesolar to jointly build 335-MW photovoltaic power stations in emerging markets of Europe.
World is on the way to mature clean energy sector
Wed Sep 12 18:05:32 +0800 2012
A few years ago the clean energy industry seemed to be entering a golden age of limitless growth and infinite potential, the arrival of a new Aquarian age of progressive environmental business.
The arrival of the global financial crisis, coinciding with the failed Copenhagen climate talks, put an end to all that, writes Michael Liebreich, Chief Executive, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, on the company's website.
India's hydro industry hindered by environmental hold-ups
Wed Sep 12 17:41:55 +0800 2012
India's Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh is facing delays in new hydro-power projects due to environmental license hold-ups.
Morgan Stanley consortium invests in China's hydro-power
Thu Sep 06 15:42:47 +0800 2012
China's Zhaoheng Hydropower is getting an investment of USD300 million from a private-equity consortium led by Morgan Stanley's infrastructure arm.
Beijing scolds EU on solar trade protectionist measures
Fri Sep 07 17:54:46 +0800 2012
China reacted swiftly and predictably to the EU’s announcement on Thursday that it would open an investigation into China’s dumping of solar panels into Europe.
The move comes despite a pledge by Angela Merkel last week that she would encourage EU solar panel producers to refrain from using protectionist measures against Chinese imports, which now may leave the German Chancellor red-faced.
Longyuan blows past Iberdrola for world’s top wind spot
Fri Sep 07 17:43:02 +0800 2012
China Longyuan Power Group has overtaken Spanish wind power giant Iberdrola as the world’s largest wind company in terms of cumulative installed capacity, according to the Global Wind Power Asset Ownership 2012 report from analyst firm MAKE Consulting.
APEC ministers will mull green product tariffs at Vladivostok
Fri Sep 07 17:37:24 +0800 2012
The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting this weekend in the Far Eastern Russian city of Vladivostok has put drawing up a list of environmentally friendly goods on its agenda, according to a report in the China Daily.
TEPCO lacks funds to pursue Japan’s zero nuke option
Fri Sep 07 18:21:25 +0800 2012
The president of cash-strapped Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the utility behind the disaster at tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant, says the company is unable to fund a move into renewable energy
Speaking to the Associated Press, TEPCO’s Naomi Hirose, called the government’s announced intentions to move to a zero nuclear energy mix "quite troubling." He added, however, that TEPCO would follow whatever energy policy Japan adopts.
China’s largest Mekong hydro plants spins up
Mon Sep 10 17:18:42 +0800 2012
China has announced the largest hydropower station so far on Mekong River, the Nuozhadu hydroelectric station in Yunnan Province, has started trial operations with the first of it 650-MW turbines now generating power
Noda wavers on announcing Japan new energy plan
Mon Sep 10 19:02:14 +0800 2012
Japan today failed to table a plan as expected to negate or reduce the country’s dependence on nuclear power and draw more from renewables, further inflaming the row between proponents of nuclear power and anti-nuclear activists.
Ming Yang, China Guangdong Nuclear in sweeping off-shore wind pact
Tue Sep 11 11:34:32 +0800 2012
A subsidiary of Chinese renewables manufacturer Ming Yang Wind Power Group has signed a strategic co-operation agreement with China Guangdong Nuclear Power (CGNP) to develop both solar and offshore wind projects in addition to launching a renewable energy fund, according to Chinese media reports.
China plans $2.2 bln subsidies for energy-saving appliances
Tue Sep 11 11:16:18 +0800 2012
China's Ministry of Finance (MOF) is planning subsidies of up to USD2.22 billion for energy-saving desktop computers and air-conditioners.
Ming Yang, Guangdong Nuclear in sweeping off-shore wind pact
Tue Sep 11 11:34:32 +0800 2012
A subsidiary of Chinese renewables manufacturer Ming Yang Wind Power Group has signed a strategic co-operation agreement with China Guangdong Nuclear Power (CGNP) to develop both solar and offshore wind projects in addition to launching a renewable energy fund, according to Chinese media reports.
India's hydro-power industry hindered by environmental hold-ups
Wed Sep 12 17:41:55 +0800 2012
India's Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh is facing delays in new hydro-power projects due to environmental license hold-ups.
Tata Solar may get out of manufacturing
Thu Sep 06 14:56:40 +0800 2012
Only days after rebranding itself Tata Solar Power, jettisoning the last vestiges of BP’s involvement in the business, there are indications that the company considering getting out of solar module manufacturing.
Hitchai Zosen-led group plans over 300-MW of offshore wind
Tue Sep 04 19:03:18 +0800 2012
Japan’s Hitachi Zosen Corp, an industrial machinery maker, is leading a group including Toshiba Corp and JFE Holdings Inc that plans to build 120 billion yen (USD1.5 billion) of offshore wind farms in Japan, according to reports in Bloomberg and the Nikkei newspaper.
Longyuan hands Gamesa new 48-MW wind project
Tue Sep 04 18:00:00 +0800 2012
Spain’s Gamesa has bagged a contract with to supply multiple wind turbines with a capacity of 48-MW China Longyuan Power Group in the eastern province of Fujian.
China prompts northern neighbors to form regional energy club
Wed Sep 05 16:39:42 +0800 2012
China has been actively pushing for the establishment of a semi-official multilateral platform for energy co-operation, particularly with its neighbors in central Asia, an industry official said Tuesday.
Speaking at an industry gathering in Urumqi, the capital of the resources-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northern China, National Energy Administration official Wei Xiaowei said an "energy club" would allow Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) members and observers to expand energy co-operation and provide guidance for enterprises.
HK’s Cheung Kong group moves into Aussie renewables grid
Wed Sep 05 16:36:56 +0800 2012
Hong Kong’s Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited (CKI) and sister company Power Assets Holdings Limited have announced an expansion into Australia’s renewable energy sector with a AUD33.6 million (USD34.3 million) investment into a power transmission link in the state of Victoria.
Call for Philippine national ethanol plan
Tue Sep 04 13:50:30 +0800 2012
The Philippines first integrated ethanol and cogeneration plant operator has called on the government to rethink its policies on sugar cane.
Japanese firm unveils wind- and solar- powered rigid sail design
Tue Sep 04 16:09:03 +0800 2012
Eco Marine Power Co, a technology company based in Fukuoka, Japan, has announced that it has completed the high-level design for its innovative rigid sail known as the EnergySail. The device will allow ships to harness both solar and wind energy to cut fuel costs and emissions of CO2 and air pollutants.
The company claims that the EnergySail is unlike any other sail, in that it can be used even when a ship is at anchor or in port and has been designed to withstand high winds or even sudden micro-bursts, the company said in a statement.
Ayala sets sights on managing 790-MW of Philippine renewables
Tue Sep 04 19:13:02 +0800 2012
In a bid to stake a bigger claim in the Philippines’ renewable energy sector, one of the country largest conglomerates, the Ayala Corp, is seeking to take management control of the 640-MW Unified Leyte geothermal facilities and the 150-MW Casecnan hydropower plant, according to local media reports
The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Eric T Francia, managing director and group head for corporate strategy and development of Ayala, as saying that the company was studying whether it would participate in the bidding for the independent power producer administrator (IPPA) contracts that were supposed to be conducted by state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) within the fourth quarter this year.
Suntech downsizes panel shipment targets in troubled times
Mon Sep 03 18:59:30 +0800 2012
Suntech Power Holdings Co, the troubled Chinese solar panel maker probing what it calls a USD699 million accounting fraud, reduced its forecast for shipments this year as increasing competition drove down prices for its products, Bloomberg reported today.
Japan puts forward strategy to eliminate nuclear power by 2030
Mon Sep 03 18:54:24 +0800 2012
Japan’s environment Minister Goshi Hosono unveiled a new strategy Friday to boost power generation capacity of four primary renewable energy sources — offshore wind, geothermal, biomass and tidal power — by more than by 2030.
The plan, if successful, is aimed at eliminating all nuclear power plants.
Announcing the Innovative Strategy for Energy and the Environment after the day's Cabinet meeting, Hosono said his ministry plans to increase the combined annual capacity of electricity generation through the four key renewables to as much as 19.41 GW by 2030
P&G and ADB invest in waste-to-energy project
Mon Sep 03 18:23:54 +0800 2012
The Philippines is to be the testing ground for new “waste-to-worth” energy plants under a feasibility plan between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Procter & Gamble (P&G). The aim is to generate up to two megawatts of power using solid waste collected from homes and businesses.
The ADB has approved a USD385,000 technical assistance plan, equivalent to 60 percent of the total cost, to help determine the viability and sustainability of waste-to-energy projects.
Corporates get vehicle, pollution and health connection
Tue Sep 04 11:11:47 +0800 2012
Everyone is aware of Hong Kong’s poor air quality but what can an individual or an organisation do to make a difference?
This was the basic question that Standard Chartered Bank put to three NGOs back in early 2010. Together with Friends of the Earth (HK), Green Power and WWF-Hong Kong, the bank came up with a scheme focussed on Hong Kong vehicles usage and transportation options in general.
EU goes after Argentina, Indonesia for dumping biodiesel
Thu Aug 30 19:30:11 +0800 2012
The European Union has threatened to impose tariffs on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia, a step that would expand renewable-energy trade barriers following EU import levies against the US, Bloomberg reported today.
Wind taken out of sales at Sinovel and Mingyan
Thu Aug 30 19:29:38 +0800 2012
Sinovel Wind Group, which was until last year China's largest wind turbine maker, saw its net profits plummet 96.25 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2012 due to sluggish demand and fierce competition.
IFC commits $20 mln for new India clean energy fund
Thu Aug 30 19:25:38 +0800 2012
The International Finance Corp has agreed to invest in a fund managed by Nereus Capital Management LLC that’s targeting clean-energy companies in India.
Japanese institute backed for algae fuel/decontamination venture
Fri Aug 31 16:07:28 +0800 2012
Japan’s Research Institute of Tsukuba Bio-Tech, which is a partner of US cleantech company OriginOil, has received government funding for an algae biofuel program, the institute said in a statement this week without mentioning the amount of funding it has received.
Merkel calls for dialogue to settle solar dumping dispute
Fri Aug 31 17:25:14 +0800 2012
While on her visit to China, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday in Beijing that she hopes the ongoing solar dispute between Chinese and European photovoltaic companies can be solved through talks instead of launching an investigation.
After co-chairing the second round of Chinese-German inter-governmental consultations in the morning, Merkel met with reporters and called for dialogue over the ongoing anti-dumping dispute looming over the industry.
India readying a Gigawatt of solar development for auction
Fri Aug 31 17:15:00 +0800 2012
India may auction a third of the solar power generating rights, earmarked for development between 2013 and 2017, in the current financial year to quickly double its existing solar capacity as it seeks to combat chronic power shortages.
Rebranded Tata solar unit sheds last vestiges of BP joint venture
Fri Aug 31 17:04:32 +0800 2012
As part of a previously announced restructuring, Tata BP Solar India is now formally known as Tata Power Solar Systems and it has appointed Ajay Goel as CEO.
Hanwha comes out the winner of battle for Q-Cells
Thu Aug 30 19:33:14 +0800 2012
South Korea’s Hanwha Group has won the battle to take over Germany’s Q-Cells SE despite a late challenge by Spanish power plant developer Isofoton SA.
Surge in demand puts Asia in solar market driving seat
Wed Aug 29 16:00:03 +0800 2012
The center of the global solar power market is shifting to the Asia Pacific, according to new research in the NPD Solarbuzz.
In its latest Asia Pacific Major PV Markets Quarterly the market research firm forecast that demand for photovoltaic (PV) systems across the region will grow by 80 percent during the second-half of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. It is being driven by a surge in fourth quarter demand at the 5.3 GW level, according to the research.
GCL-Poly gets green light for 310-MW Shanxi solar farm
Wed Aug 29 17:11:49 +0800 2012
Chinese polysilicon and wafer producer GCL-Poly has won approval to build what is expected to be one of the largest solar farms in the world – a 310-MW project in Shanxi province, northwest China. The Hong Kong-listed company also plans to build 30-MW of rooftop projects in the province.
ReneSola nails US deal for 4.6 MW solar panels
Wed Aug 29 17:10:38 +0800 2012
Proving that US anti-dumping duties aimed at Chinese solar PV module makers are not fatal to trade, ReneSola has signed a 4.6-MW distribution agreement with US business Solar Power Planet, according to a company press statement.
China's fraud-hit Suntech now faces Italian criminal case
Thu Aug 30 19:41:56 +0800 2012
In what is surely another nail in the coffin of the world’s largest solar panel maker, an Italian court has filed criminal charges against an investment fund controlled by China's Suntech Power Holdings, accusing it of illegally building solar farms to milk state subsidies.
In an exclusive report today, Reuters reported that, according to an Italian prosecutor, these charges, together with other legal actions still being prepared against the fund, could eventually result in 80 million euros (USD100 million) worth of subsidy-backed solar farms being dismantled.
Yingli, JA Solar lose a combined $162 million in Q2
Thu Aug 30 19:37:40 +0800 2012
Yingli Green Energy Holding and JA Solar Holdings, two of China’s top four solar cell makers, cut forecasts for total shipments for the year after losses widened and prices of their products plunged.
Tsinghua University, China Eastern join Airbus biofuel drive
Wed Aug 29 16:53:23 +0800 2012
Airbus has announced that is collaborating with China Eastern Airlines, the country’s second largest carrier, and Beijing’s Tsinghua University to accelerate the development of an aviation bio-fuel supply chain in China.
China opens up its renewables lead over US: E&Y
Wed Aug 29 16:44:39 +0800 2012
Ernst & Young's (E&Y) quarterly “country attractiveness” report rates China as widening its gap as the clear leader over the US in renewable energy, further validating US Environmental Secretary Steven Chu’s warning in late 2010 that America facing “a sputnik moment” in the sector.
Indian solar panel maker doubles output as prices drop
Tue Aug 28 16:22:37 +0800 2012
Bucking the Indian solar photovoltaic industry’s generally gloomy outlook, solar panel maker Surana Ventures is planning to double production after oversupply from Chinese manufacturers pushed prices down by almost 34 percent in the past year.
Sydney to London on plastic fuel
Fri Aug 24 11:00:46 +0800 2012
Sydney is the departure point of the world's first flight using a fuel made from “end of life” plastic. Later this year British pilot Jeremy Rowsell plans to fly back home from Australia in a single engine Cessna, which normally runs on diesel, according to a report by Business Green.
Shanghai to dole out China’s highest green building incentives
Mon Aug 27 15:37:32 +0800 2012
The Shanghai Municipal Government announced last week that it will subsidize green property development projects to minimize pollution and boost energy efficiency across the city
Gamesa scoops low speed turbine order in Maharashtra
Mon Aug 27 14:05:43 +0800 2012
Spanish wind turbine maker Gamesa has won a 74.65 MW order from India’s ReNew Wind Power. It is the first contract between the two companies.
Shell commits $1 bln a year to lead China’s shale gas boom
Mon Aug 27 15:27:29 +0800 2012
Royal Dutch Shell plans to spend at least USD1 billion a year exploiting China's potentially vast resources of shale gas as part of an aggressive strategy to expand in the world's biggest energy market, the firm's top China executive said last week.
Thailand’s Gankul says renewable power will double revenues
Mon Aug 27 16:43:29 +0800 2012
Thai power and engineering company, Gunkul Engineering Pcl, claims it can double its sales within three years just by the development of renewable energy plants.
Appetite for Chinese clean energy and eco investment slackens off
Mon Aug 27 16:35:05 +0800 2012
According to a new report by ChinaVenture, the country’s investment in the clean energy and environmental protection industries dropped to USD218 million in the first half of the year, the lowest level in three years.
NGO says US finance abuse crippling India’s PV industry
Mon Aug 27 18:04:17 +0800 2012
The United States is using the climate fast-start financing to ruin the Indian domestic solar photo-voltaic (PV) manufacturing industry, according to Indian NGO, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in a statement posted on its website.
CSE researchers claims 80 percent of the Indian solar PV manufacturing capacity is in a state of forced closure and debt restructuring with no orders coming to them, while the US manufacturers are getting orders from Indian solar power developers.
South Koreans fear power shortages with shelving of major nuke plants
Tue Aug 28 05:10:38 +0800 2012
The Korea Herald reported late last week that the construction of 10 nuclear power plants and one tidal power plant scheduled to be completed between 2013 and 2027 has been either put off or canceled.
The 11 plants, if completed, altogether could have produced about 12.7 million kilowatts of electricity, which accounts for about 6.4 percent of the nation’s power supply, thus raising fears of looming power shortages.
Koreans fear power shortages as nuke plants are shelved
Tue Aug 28 05:10:38 +0800 2012
The Korea Herald reported late last week that the construction of 10 nuclear power plants and one tidal power plant scheduled to be completed between 2013 and 2027 has been either put off or canceled.
The 11 plants, if completed, would together amount to 12.7-GW of generating capacity, equivalent to about 6.4 percent of the nation’s power supply. The decision to postpone or cancel them has therefore raised concern about looming power shortages.
Japanese toilet bike promotes poo-power – but not the riders’
Tue Aug 28 10:32:46 +0800 2012
The latest model of the an eco-friendly motorbike powered by poo has been kicking up a stink across Japan after being unveiled this week.
Created by Japan's leading toilet makers TOTO, the energy efficient bike certainly meets the motor industry's demand for more climate friendly vehicles.
HK university biorefinery finds use for tons of Starbucks waste
Tue Aug 28 10:43:22 +0800 2012
A team of researchers at the City University of Hong Kong are working on a new "biorefinery" that would turn food waste into something useful with funding from Starbucks Hong Kong, which produces 5,000 tons of spent coffee grounds and bakery waste each year.
Hanwha’s Q-Cells acquisition is a done deal —almost
Tue Aug 28 10:30:25 +0800 2012
After much media speculation that South Korean conglomerate, Hanwha Group had been in negotiations to acquire PV manufacturer, Q-Cells a deal appeared to have been struck. according to a brief statement issued late Sunday evening.
New Japanese solar development consortium plans 250 plants
Tue Aug 28 16:34:24 +0800 2012
Japan Mega Solar Co, a company created by Japanese home renovator West Holdings, plan to invest 100 billion yen (USD1.27-billion) in developing 250 small-scale solar plants with a combined capacity of 500-MW. The projects are to be developed over five years.
Taiwan planning for a more clean and efficient energy market
Fri Aug 24 09:59:58 +0800 2012
Taiwan’s power industry regulations are set to be amended to encourage greater efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Sustainable air conditioning competition calls on Asia
Thu Aug 23 19:07:39 +0800 2012
A call has been made for Asian entrants to win a US competition for sustainable and energy-saving air-conditioning systems.
Philippine bio-power project gets Swiss cash
Thu Aug 23 18:20:51 +0800 2012
A Swiss cleantech fund has invested USD9.8 million in Philippine company, Greenergy Solutions.
US wind, solar modeling firm opens in Beijing
Mon Aug 20 19:05:38 +0800 2012
Seattle-based global renewable energy risk analysis firm 3TIER has announced that it will open an office in Beijing to serve what it calls “increased demand” for its services in China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
Koreans tap Scottish marine energy know-how
Mon Aug 20 18:50:20 +0800 2012
The city of Incheon, on South Korea’s north-western coast, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) to provide technical assistance on the design, construction and operation of a tidal energy testing facility.
The waters off the Korea’s west coast have one of the world’s largest tidal ranges. Near Inchon the average spring tide range is 27.1 feet with an occasional maximum of 33 feet while offshore currents flows are to be found running at 6.5-7m/s.
China taking modest steps toward future wave-powered energy goal
Tue Aug 21 14:42:38 +0800 2012
China's third wave power plant from Israeli’s SDE Energy is in the final stages of completion.
Malaysian state investor plans $2 bln IPO for energy assets
Tue Aug 21 14:36:45 +0800 2012
Malaysia’s state investment vehicle, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), is said to be planning to float its power assets in a bid to raise up to USD2 billion.
Japan's new budget guidelines push cleantech
Tue Aug 21 14:21:11 +0800 2012
Japan's government has released new details of its budget which shows budget requests of USD12.6 billion to be earmarked for three areas, including clean tech.
Suntech sacrifice may push firms to shape up accounting
Tue Aug 21 15:20:22 +0800 2012
The past two weeks have seen the Chinese solar energy pioneer Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd plunge into a downward spiral after revelations of questionable accounting, leaving the firm on the edge of financial collapse and its fate largely in the hands of Beijing. But rather than rescue Suntech, Beijing should let the company collapse to send a message that it won't support companies that engage in such financial shenanigans.
China insists US reverse policies that favor its renewable programs
Tue Aug 21 18:30:25 +0800 2012
China’s The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) is demanding the United States removes supporting measures for its renewable energy industry, accusing it of violating the World Trade Organization rules, according to reports in various news media today.
China’s use of clean energy up almost one-third
Wed Aug 22 19:57:23 +0800 2012
Sources of clean energy generated 106.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in July, up 31 percent from a year ago, according to figures released by China’s State Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday.
Billions for Chinese energy saving, airline emission cuts
Wed Aug 22 19:38:41 +0800 2012
China will invest 2.37 trillion yuan (USD375.6 billion) in major energy-saving projects during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), according to the State Council yesterday.
In a separate, but related announcement, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said yesterday that part of its development fund will be channeled into energy-saving programs of domestic airlines and plane manufacturers. Although not stated as such, this move has clear implications for China’s on-going dispute with the European Union over its tax on airline carbon emissions.
HK university biorefinery finds use for coffe shop waste
Tue Aug 28 10:43:22 +0800 2012
A team of researchers at the City University of Hong Kong, backed by funding from Starbucks, are working on a new "biorefinery" that would turn food waste into something useful.
China's LED market has some black spots
Thu Aug 23 17:51:28 +0800 2012
An absence of standards is hindering growth in the Chinese market for energy-saving LED lighting.
As Taiwan revamps energy policy, industry digs in against tax plan
Mon Aug 20 18:47:31 +0800 2012
Taiwan Premier Sean Chen stressed the need to make an improved energy policy on Saturday as industry leaders urged the government to postpone a plan over industry energy taxes.
Renewables market rout ends as Asians bid for Q-Cells and A123
Mon Aug 20 18:37:56 +0800 2012
The slump in renewable energy shares appears to be ending with bidders from China and South Korea are displaying strong interest German solar manufacturer Q-Cells and A123 Systems, a US lithium-ion battery systems maker.
Bloomberg reported that China’s Wanxiang Group confirmed it would invest as much as USD465 million in A123 last Thursday, two hours after Q-Cells confirmed it was in talks to sell assets to Seoul-based Hanwha Chemical Corp, the parent company of Hanwha SolarOne.
Korean group plans 300-MW solar plant in Pakistan
Mon Aug 20 18:14:27 +0800 2012
South Korea’s CX Sola is planning to build a 300-MW solar generation plant in Pakistan, according to the government.
Hanoi to get Vietnam’s 1st industrial waste-to-power plant
Mon Aug 20 18:05:00 +0800 2012
A waste treatment complex in the Soc Son district of Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, is to become the first site in the country to generate power from using industrial waste.
Mindanao offers ‘window of opportunity’ for solar developers
Mon Aug 20 18:00:41 +0800 2012
Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co (Cepalco), the Philippines’ biggest producer of solar energy, says that, with the right government support, 100-150-MW of solar energy can be online in the next three years, with the first 20-MW plant ready to supply the grid in less than a year.
Mekong dam plans continue to raise regional ire
Fri Aug 17 18:58:17 +0800 2012
Vietnamese experts have once again called for a moratorium on dam building on the Mekong River yesterday, saying the lives of as many as 60 million people would be adversely impacted.
This comes on the heels of a report by Reuters that work had resumed on the most controversial of the 11 dams now under consideration for the mighty Mekong, the USD3.5 million Xayaburi Dam in Laos, despite assurances from the Laotian government to the contrary.
Boeing partners China Aircraft Corp on efficiency research
Fri Aug 17 18:33:46 +0800 2012
Boeing and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) have launched an aviation energy conservation and emissions reduction research center in Beijing.
Orix targets $680 million at Japanese solar power
Fri Aug 17 18:27:48 +0800 2012
In a sign just how powerful the incentive of Japan’s new renewable energy feed-in tariff system, finance and leasing company Orix Corp has announced plans to spend 54 billion yen (USD680 million) over the next three year on solar projects.
Lights off in Seoul – for five minutes
Tue Aug 21 13:44:15 +0800 2012
South Korea's “Energy Day” will see the capital, Seoul, switch off lights across the city on Wednesday night. However the savings are unlikely to be earth-saving.
Dive paradise to get Philippine’s largest wind farm
Tue Aug 21 18:33:28 +0800 2012
The popular tourism and diving resort area of Puerto Galera in the Philippine province of Oriental Mindoro is set to be the site of the country’s largest wind power plant with an output capacity of 48-MW.
The first phase of the project, which will dwarf the 33-MW Bangui site in Illocos Nortes, will get under way next month according to Rodolfo Valencia, the local congressional representative.
The PHP6 billion (USD140 million) energy project will be developed in three 16-MW phases.
China's domestic solar market – bigger but different
Wed Aug 15 17:35:17 +0800 2012
The structure of China's solar market is changing, with over a third of the country's photovoltaic installations now non-residential building mounted applications. According to according to the recently released NPD Solarbuzz China Deal Tracker report, China’s solar sector is show a strong move toward self-sustained power generation and this could open new opportunities for foreign suppliers.
The report says that while utilities still dominate the installation base, corporate interest continues to accelerate and is expected to outpace the utility sector by next year.
Sri Lanka doubles wind power
Wed Aug 15 17:35:05 +0800 2012
There is a doubling of wind power generation capacity in Sri Lanka following the addition of three new parks of 10-MW each. Connected to the grid last week the three farms bring Sri Lanka’s total power generation capacity to 3,120-MW.
China's EV plans will fall short says US report
Thu Aug 16 11:14:20 +0800 2012
A new report out of the US says that China will suffer a severe shortfall in trying to achieve five million plug-in vehicles onto Chinese roads by 2020.
Korea discovers faster battery charging technology
Thu Aug 16 13:43:56 +0800 2012
South Korean scientists are claiming they've developed a new material that speeds recharging batteries and could be a boon for the electric vehicle industry.
Mongolia benefits from worries over lithium supplies
Thu Aug 16 09:33:51 +0800 2012
The global electric vehicle market and rechargeable battery sector could be in for supply shock, according to a US mining company and has benefited a Mongolian company.
Sinopec's Texas play underlines strategic importance of CCS
Thu Aug 16 14:16:27 +0800 2012
The developer of what is touted as a first-of-its-kind commercial clean coal power and carbon capture & storage (CCS) plant, partly funded by the US Department of Energy, is in talks with Chinese oil major Sinopec for a USD1 billion investment.
News of the proposed deal was leaked to the Wall Street Journal, which reported that Sinopec, along with unnamed Chinese banks, is in talks to acquire an equity stake and provide financing for the USD3 billion Texas Clean Energy Project (TECP).
AUO seeks EU solar partners to skirt anti-dumping measures
Thu Aug 16 15:42:49 +0800 2012
Taiwanese solar PV and LCD manufacturer AU Optronics (AUO) yesterday said it was kicking off what it calls its “EU project”, the first “made-in-Europe” solar integrated service alliance in the PV industry, according to a statement by the company reported in the Taipei Times.
China’s ‘Sun King’ dethroned as head of Suntech
Thu Aug 16 15:35:04 +0800 2012
Zhengrong Shi, the founder of giant Chinese PV module maker Suntech resigned today as the embattled company’s chief executive. He is being replaced by David King, who joined Suntech last year as chief financial officer.
China matches US with 50-GW of on-grid wind power
Thu Aug 16 16:58:34 +0800 2012
China's on-grid wind power capacity has passed 50-GW the State Grid Corporation of China announced yesterday.
Chinese solar firms circle wagons to defend EU trade probe
Thu Aug 16 17:05:03 +0800 2012
China's major solar panel manufacturers have called for united efforts by government, industry and enterprises to cope with European Union's anti-dumping investigations.
Hanwha's chairman jailed
Fri Aug 17 16:14:31 +0800 2012
A South Korean court has sentenced Kim Seung-youn, chairman of the Hanwha Group, to four years in prison for embezzlement. The Hanwha group is one the country's largest conglomerates with interests in solar and other sustainable and cleantech businesses.
Sharp denies sale of key solar plant
Fri Aug 17 16:08:48 +0800 2012
Japan's cash-strapped Sharp has vigorously denied that it was selling one of its biggest solar panel plants for USD1.2 billion.
Malaysian palm waste-to-biogas power project
Tue Aug 14 16:11:49 +0800 2012
Clean power project developer Camco is to develop a 2-MW biogas project at a palm oil mill in Malaysia, with completion expected in early 2013.
Taiwan premier fast-tracks smart grid task force
Fri Aug 10 15:32:29 +0800 2012
Taiwanese Premier Sean Chen instructed the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to set up a special task force to promote the establishment of a smart grid nationwide.
HK companies team up on 973-MW of new China solar
Fri Aug 10 17:09:46 +0800 2012
Hong Kong based new energy firms GCL-Poly Energy Holdings and China Merchants New Energy are collaborating to invest, develop and construct several solar projects in China which will have a combined capacity of 973-MW.
New Indian Railways plants to produce 30 tons of biofuel per day
Fri Aug 10 17:02:59 +0800 2012
Indian Railways plans to build four plants to produce biodiesel, capable of producing 30 tons of fuel per day, according to a government statement.
Indian Cleantech developer raises $7.8 mln in share issue
Mon Aug 13 13:05:34 +0800 2012
Indian cleantech developer, Greenko has raised £5 million (USD7.8 million) through an equity selling exercise.
UN calls on US to cut ethanol production
Mon Aug 13 14:44:43 +0800 2012
In order to avoid serious supply problems for the international food market the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has asked the United States to suspend its Federal Government mandate that 40 percent of the US maize crop be used to produce ethanol.
Singapore firm readies $150 mln fund for SE Asia renewables
Mon Aug 13 17:32:29 +0800 2012
Singapore-based Armstrong Asset Management, a newly-established independent clean energy asset manager, is creating a USD150 million fund to invest in renewable-power projects in Southeast Asia as countries in the region offer incentives to expand the industry.
Sinovel ducks Brazilian copyright suit
Mon Aug 13 17:20:33 +0800 2012
After being threatened with a lawsuit over allegedly stolen technology, Sinovel, China's largest manufacturer of wind turbines, said Friday that its Brazilian client, Desenvix, had decided to drop the lawsuit.
Green Infra shuns turnkey model favoring turbine suppliers
Mon Aug 13 18:12:47 +0800 2012
Green Infra Ltd is the latest Indian renewables company planning to separate project development from turbine orders for wind farms in order to leverage better deals and broaden their base of potential suppliers.
The New Delhi-based developer, which is backed by leading Indian integrated infrastructure finance player, IDFC Private Equity, seeks to bring down costs by acquiring land and clearances for new projects, tasks traditionally handled by the turbine supplier in India
Norway's REC wins Singapore research grant
Tue Aug 14 15:16:31 +0800 2012
Norway's Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) is one of five solar energy research teams selected to shares grants totaling USD 8.53 million from the Singapore Government’s Energy Innovation Program Office.
Hanwha rumored to be buying Q-Cells
Tue Aug 14 16:53:40 +0800 2012
South Korea's Hanwha Chemical, the parent of Hanwha SolarOne, is tipped to complete a takeover of German solar cell maker Q-Cells this week.
Gujurat and IFC talking on $1.6 bln solar project
Tue Aug 14 16:23:59 +0800 2012
A 1-GW solar plant is on the cards for Gujarat should talks with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) go well. The government of the Indian state has confirmed it is talking with the IFC for support the giant renewable energy project.
Nuclear IPO plans indicate China's government sentiment
Wed Aug 08 22:37:28 +0800 2012
A second nuclear power company in China is planning a stock market flotation. China Nuclear Engineering Corporation Ltd, a subsidiary of state-owned China Nuclear Engineering Group, is planning to apply to the China Securities Regulatory Commission later this year.
The company has take the first step by filing an application with the Beijing municipal securities authority, the 21st Century Business Herald reported.
