News about the Renewable Energy Industry

Crude Oil Trades Near $122
Crude oil was little changed near $122 a barrel in New York after rising to a record yesterday on concern supply from Nigeria may be disrupted and speculation that high oil prices won't stall Asian demand.
Source: bloomburg, Date and Time of entry: 07 May 2008 14:13

Hints of methanes renewed rise
Levels of the greenhouse gas methane in the atmosphere seem to be rising having remained stable for nearly 10 years.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 24 April 2008 17:28

Forecast for big sea level rise
Sea levels could rise by up to one-and-a-half metres by the end of this century, according to a new scientific analysis.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 15 April 2008 23:27

Spain Considers Adding a Solar Gigawatt
According to a note from Piper Jaffray, Spain is considering boosting its cap on solar incentives to 2.26 gigawatts, from a previous cap of 400 megawatts and a previous proposal of 1.2 gigawatts.
Source: greentech, Date and Time of entry: 14 April 2008 12:34

South Australia Weighs Modest Solar Tariff
South Australia has released a draft of a modest solar PV feed-in tariff that will be introduced into the state’s parliament.
Source: reworld, Date and Time of entry: 14 April 2008 12:31

Grim light cast on solar bonus
Environmentalists warn that a scheme designed to encourage Queenslanders to install solar panels to boost the amount of renewable energy flowing into the electricity grid is set to flop
Source: cmail, Date and Time of entry: 14 April 2008 12:30

Clean water for 25 African villages - that’s True
A WELSH company that prides itself on offering a one-stop shop for renewable energy products and services has sealed a £500,000 deal to supply solar powered water pumps to east African country Djibouti.
Source: dpost, Date and Time of entry: 11 April 2008 18:28

Changes to green building programme
From next month, homeowners, schools and other community organisations interested in fitting their own green energy systems will not need planning permission, the Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks today announced.
Source: builder, Date and Time of entry: 03 April 2008 11:14

'Eco-towns' shortlist is revealed
The 15 locations shortlisted for the first new towns in England in 40 years have been revealed by the government.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 03 April 2008 11:14

Bounty set for wind farm hares
A power company is offering £30 for every hare introduced at a wind farm site as part of a conservation project.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 25 March 2008 15:19

Bounty set for wind farm hares
A power company is offering £30 for every hare introduced at a wind farm site as part of a conservation project.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 24 March 2008 12:49

Call for delay to biofuels policy
The UK's chief environment scientist has called for a delay to a policy demanding inclusion of biofuels into fuel at pumps across the UK.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 24 March 2008 12:32

U.S. DOE announces solar cell investment
The U.S. DOE announced that it will invest up to $13.7 million over the next three years in 11 projects run by nine universities that will develop advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing processes and products.
Source: cselive, Date and Time of entry: 19 March 2008 15:58

World Solar Photovoltaic Market Growth of 62% in 2007
World solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 2,826 megawatts (MW) in 2007
Source: solarbuzz, Date and Time of entry: 19 March 2008 15:56

True Energy Welcomes Feed-in Tariffs
True Energy, predicts massive growth in the UK renewables industry on the back of the introduction of feed in tariffs
Source: true, Date and Time of entry: 04 March 2008 12:46

Government backflip on solar panel policy
Householders will be able to make money by fitting solar panels or mini wind turbines to their roofs, under proposals to be announced in the Budget next week.
Source: telegraph, Date and Time of entry: 03 March 2008 10:45

Groundbreaking programme to green London's public buildings
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today announced the start of a groundbreaking programme to cut carbon emissions from London's buildings.
Source: london, Date and Time of entry: 28 February 2008 13:01

Renewable Energy Route Map for Wales
Consultation on way forward to a leaner, greener and cleaner Wales
Source: true, Date and Time of entry: 20 February 2008 13:45

South Africa: New Focus on 'Green Building'
THE electricity supply crisis is giving developers an incentive to adopt "green building" principles in their new property developments.
Source: allafrica, Date and Time of entry: 19 February 2008 18:02

London theatre installs hydrogen fuel cell
A London theatre has turned to a hydrogen fuel cell for its energy requirements, which can be met because it is using energy saving light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for its lighting.
Source: rapid, Date and Time of entry: 19 February 2008 17:59

Conference hears of benefits of fuel-cell technology
The application of fuel-cell systems is an exciting emerging trend that may offer future solutions to the world's energy problems, a conference heard on Tuesday.
Source: mandg, Date and Time of entry: 19 February 2008 17:58

New discovery could improve fuel cell efficiency
The efficiency of polymer electrolyte fuel cells could be increased with new technology, scientists have claimed.
Source: fctoday, Date and Time of entry: 15 February 2008 16:21

Fuel cell installation proves value for money
The decision of Omaha-based financial services firm First National of Nebraska to build a data centre powered entirely by a fuel cell eight years ago has proved cost effective, it has been revealed.
Source: fctoday, Date and Time of entry: 15 February 2008 16:18

Work starts on Gulf 'green city'
Abu Dhabi has started to build what it says is the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste car-free city.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 11 February 2008 15:18

Clean energy investments to jump
NEW YORK (AP) - High oil prices and growing concerns about the environment may drive more than $7 trillion of new investment in so-called clean energy technologies by 2030, an energy research group says.
Source: forbes, Date and Time of entry: 06 February 2008 11:34

Climate set for 'sudden shifts'
Many of Earth's climate systems will undergo a series of sudden shifts this century as a result of human-induced climate change, a study suggests.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 05 February 2008 16:11

Solar fridges for Africa deal clinched
True Energy Ltd has sealed a $600,000 deal with the World Health Organisation to supply solar fridges to Nigeria.
Source: true, Date and Time of entry: 30 January 2008 16:52

United Arab Emirates plan zero carbon desert city
The United Arab Emirates will today formally unveil plans for an all-new, zero carbon desert city - seven square kilometres of carless utopia designed to house 50,000 people.
Source: register, Date and Time of entry: 21 January 2008 17:30

Abu Dhabi plots hydrogen future
The government of Abu Dhabi has announced a $15bn (£7.5bn) initiative to develop clean energy technologies.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 21 January 2008 17:28

Alternative Energy Companies Will Power “Green” Profits in the New Year
If green investors want to succeed in the New Year, there’s really only one thing to remember: In 2008, alternative energy is an alternative no longer.
Source: moneyM, Date and Time of entry: 04 January 2008 13:01

World's greenest office block set for Paris
The architect behind New York's Freedom Tower - built on the former site of the World Trade Centre - has announced that it is to construct what promises to be the world's greenest office building.
Source: telegraph, Date and Time of entry: 04 January 2008 12:40

'Tropics expand' as world warms
Climate change is causing the tropics to widen, with possible impacts on the global food supply, research suggests.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 04 December 2007 14:10

Sharp to Boost Thin-Film Production Capacity
Sharp Corporation will increase the capacity of its production system for thin-film solar cells at its Katsuragi Plant (Nara Prefecture, Japan) from the current level of 15 MW to 160 MW per year by October 2008.
Source: solarbuzz, Date and Time of entry: 04 December 2007 14:10

Google thinks green to power its business
Nine thousand two hundred and twelve. That's the number of solar panels that cover eight rooftops at Google Inc.'s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.
Source: compworld, Date and Time of entry: 12 November 2007 12:30

City should go solar, say Greens
INNER Melbourne would run on renewable energy within a decade under a Greens proposal to fit households with solar hot water systems and put solar panels on public buildings, including the MCG.
Source: theage, Date and Time of entry: 12 November 2007 12:29

Wood-burning power station opens
The UK's first large-scale wood-burning power station is being officially opened on Teesside.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 12 November 2007 12:28

Palm oil warning for Indonesia
Land clearances in Indonesia to meet the growing global demand for palm oil pose a serious threat to the environment, a report has warned.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 08 November 2007 13:31

Average petrol cost at £1 a litre
The average UK price of unleaded petrol has passed £1 per litre for the first time, a research group has said.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 07 November 2007 13:52

Oil passes $98 on weaker dollar
The ever-weakening dollar and fresh worries about winter fuel supplies have sent US oil prices past $98 a barrel.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 07 November 2007 13:51

Energy needs 'to grow inexorably'
The global demand for energy is set to grow inexorably through to 2030 if governments do not change their policies, warns a top energy official.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 07 November 2007 13:51

Fuel of the future
Ian Tansley is currently working to bring power to parts of Africa using the sun’s energy through his company Bright Light Solar. Ian, who
Source: dm, Date and Time of entry: 05 November 2007 12:11

Reforms designed to keep lights burning will be announced in the Queen’s Speech
Reforms to the planning system that will accelerate improvements to the country’s energy infrastructure – and reduce the chances of the lights going out – will be announced in the Queen’s Speech tomorrow, the Secretary of State for Business has told The Times.
Source: times, Date and Time of entry: 05 November 2007 11:25

Most ready for 'green sacrifices'
Most people say they are ready to make personal sacrifices to address climate change, according to a BBC poll of 22,000 people in 21 countries.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 05 November 2007 11:20

Atebion ynni cymru
Bright Light Solar - Enw Cyswllt: Mr Ian Tansley
Source: energy, Date and Time of entry: 02 November 2007 19:13

Brown urged to destroy Europe’s 20% renewable targets
We have the largest wind resource in Europe waiting to be tapped, solar, both thermal and Photo Voltaic, is a viable option in large parts of the country, wave power, tidal power are all proven technologies.
Source: nc, Date and Time of entry: 30 October 2007 15:55

All About: Waste heat
The idea is to reuse the thermal energy byproduct of the electric energy the plants are generating (ie that two thirds of energy that is getting wasted) for thermal-related uses such as space heating, hot water and air conditioning -- the very items that send electricity bills through the roof.
Source: cnn, Date and Time of entry: 30 October 2007 15:54

Keeping the lights turned on
Companies or individuals wishing to embrace the principal of renewable energy should consider installing a solar water heating system, says Ian Tansley, the managing director of Bright Light Solar. “After draught excluders and loft insulation, this should be the obvious next step for anyone wanting a visible and cheap investment in environmental responsibility.”
Source: insider, Date and Time of entry: 29 October 2007 14:55

Business Angel Peter adds Sparkle to Solar Business
Local entrepreneur Peter Saunders is to be a Business Angel, The company was created in 2003 by Ian Tansley, a design engineer with more than 20 years experience of solar technologies.
Source: xenos, Date and Time of entry: 29 October 2007 14:48

Only £5.23 million spent on home microgeneration as LCBP ‘collapses’
The Low Carbon Building programme of support to home microgeneration has effectively ground to a halt as Government prevarication and un-economic limits put off home owners from installing renewable energy.
Source: natural, Date and Time of entry: 02 October 2007 14:38

Ice withdrawal 'shatters record'
Arctic sea ice shrank to the smallest area on record this year, US scientists have confirmed.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 24 September 2007 09:55

World leaders at climate summit
Leaders of 80 countries are expected to attend a special UN meeting in New York to discuss the effects of global warming and the ways to combat it.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 24 September 2007 09:54

UK 'needs carbon neutral target'
The Liberal Democrats are calling for Britain to become entirely carbon neutral by 2050 in an
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 17 September 2007 12:01

Wave hub gets planning go-ahead
The government has given planning approval for the world's first large-scale wave project off the coast of north Cornwall.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 17 September 2007 11:57

Bush aide says warming man-made
The US chief scientist has told the BBC that climate change is now a fact.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 14 September 2007 13:27

Greens want 'fair' energy payouts
Householders who generate electricity via solar panels should be paid more by power firms, the Green Party has said.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 12 September 2007 14:13

Solar plane flies into the night
A lightweight solar-powered plane has smashed the official world record for the longest-duration unmanned flight.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 12 September 2007 13:54

Solar canopy is 'gateway' to town
A solar canopy for converting sunlight into energy has taken shape in a town which has already showcased its green credentials to the Prince of Wales.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 12 September 2007 13:52

Coastline flood risk 'to triple'
The number of homes affected by coastal flooding in Kent is expected to triple in the next ten years.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 12 September 2007 11:06

Arctic sea ice set to hit new low
Arctic sea ice is expected to retreat to a record low by the end of this summer, scientists have predicted.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 14 August 2007 09:45

Solar power -- even in the rain
Most of us would be delighted to run our homes on solar power if only it weren't so unreliable, expensive and cumbersome. But now, thanks to a pioneering factory in the Welsh capital, those objections may not be applicable for very much longer
Source: taipeitms, Date and Time of entry: 14 August 2007 09:45

What Solar Power Needs Now
Solar photovolaics (PV) have undergone a remarkable evolution, really a transformation, since the beginning of the industry in the 1960s. Initially solar was so expensive -- well over $100 per kilowatt hour -- that only super-high value or remote applications, such as satellite and spacecraft missions, could be justified.
Source: rea, Date and Time of entry: 14 August 2007 09:44

Energy geeks compete for coolest solar home
This summer, teams from 20 universities are busy building enough homes to make an entire
Source: cnet, Date and Time of entry: 14 August 2007 09:44

BEESTON: NO GRIPES OVER WIND POWER BID
The man who put Beeston's first home wind turbine on trial wants to carry on with his experiment.
Source: nottingham, Date and Time of entry: 08 August 2007 11:15

In Defense of Carbon Offsets
Say what you will about carbon offsets -- they went from being a cool new idea to an object of derision in the blink of an eye -- there's no doubt that they are proliferating, as big companies and small ride the green wave.
Source: m.gunther, Date and Time of entry: 08 August 2007 11:10

Focus on carbon 'missing the point'
The focus on reducing carbon emissions has blinded us to the real problem - unsustainable lifestyles, says Eamon O'Hara. In this week's Green Room, he argues that bigger problems await us unless we shift our efforts.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 08 August 2007 11:08

CO2 emissions are 'highest in UK'
Carbon emissions per person in Wales are the highest in the United Kingdom and the 12th highest in the world, according to a report.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 08 August 2007 11:08

Ignite Clean Energy Competition Suggests a Future of Cheap Solar
The Ignite Clean Energy Competition provides a glimpse of up-and-coming breakthrough energy technologies. Since its inception in 2004, the emphasis of this annual contest has been encouraging invention of technologies that help eliminate civilization’s dependence on non-renewable fuels.
Source: designnews, Date and Time of entry: 06 August 2007 14:23

A dream becomes concrete
Outside, it blends into rocks and cliffs; inside, it blazes with warmth: A wind-energy consultant and a retired stockbroker use high-mass concrete walls and a lot of DIY ingenuity to create a sustainable home within their means.
Source: denverpost, Date and Time of entry: 06 August 2007 14:21

US House passes clean energy bill
The US House of Representatives has passed a radical new energy bill, which aims to expand the use of renewable fuels and cut tax breaks to oil firms.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 06 August 2007 14:19

Tommy’s eco-house hits double deadline
TOMMY Walsh's ambitious programme to buy a plot of land for £60,000 and build an eco-friendly house for £60,000 in 60 days has been completed - the two bedroom property located near St Wendreda's Church, March, has been built and furnished on time and within budget.
Source: cambs, Date and Time of entry: 06 August 2007 13:35

American Researchers develop DIY solar panels
It may be as easy as click-and-print when you need a spot of solar energy, according to American researchers who say they've developed an inexpensive solar cell that can be painted or printed on flexible plastic sheets.
Source: edie, Date and Time of entry: 06 August 2007 13:34

San Jose school district unveils massive solar energy project
Joining a growing trend to "go green," San Jose Unified School District today unveiled a solar-school project expected to save the district at least $20 million in energy costs over 25 years.
Source: kbhome, Date and Time of entry: 30 July 2007 13:29

Utility-Scale Solar Trial Underway
Solar energy provider GreenVolts recently announced a demonstration project with Pacific Northwest Utility to test the company's utility-scale solar energy solution. The company also announced that Avista has made a strategic investment in GreenVolts for an undisclosed amount.
Source: iw, Date and Time of entry: 30 July 2007 13:28

Turkey's wind may answer energy problems
Ergün Özakat is tired but he is not giving up. His battle is not over. It moves him that in the past 50 years energy in Turkey has not been handled properly. He sits facing the Aegean Sea on his back terrace, wind washing over his face while he nods his head towards the sea. He wants you to know the importance of the Çesme coast.“The potential for Turkish wind is unbelievable, but only the foreigners believe it,” said Özakat.
Source: turkishdn, Date and Time of entry: 30 July 2007 13:25

Solar Energy Advances
AS THE WORLD increasingly looks to solar power as a new source of energy, technology advances and new cooperation agreements among photovoltaic industry leaders promise to increase the supply, processibility, and cost-efficiency of silicon-based solar energy cells.
Source: c&en, Date and Time of entry: 30 July 2007 13:23

Cloudy Germany unlikely hotspot for solar power
It rains year round in Germany. Clouds cover the skies for about two-thirds of all daylight hours. Yet the country has managed to become the world's leading solar power generator.
Source: reuters, Date and Time of entry: 30 July 2007 13:22

London 'flooded' in disaster film
In scenes that may no longer be dismissed as far-fetched, a new film is to chart what would happen if the Thames Barrier was overwhelmed.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 28 July 2007 14:59

Sex sells, but at what cost?
"Sex sells" is the mantra of advertisers, but our fixation with status symbols and material wealth is undermining our efforts to tackle climate change, argues Matt Prescott. In this week's Green Room, he outlines how he thinks we can love ourselves and the planet.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 26 July 2007 13:21

Carbon offsets deliver where it matters
The backlash against carbon offsetting could whip away funds from some ground-breaking projects in Asia and Africa, says Martin Wright. In this week's Green Room, he argues that criticism of projects which allow people to offset their emissions fails to look at the bigger picture.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 26 July 2007 13:20

Beware GE's new 'green' card
General Electric's new eco-friendly credit card might have good intentions behind it, but spending money to save the planet doesn't make sense, writes Fortune's Marc Gunther.
Source: cnn, Date and Time of entry: 25 July 2007 19:03

MPs support carbon offset schemes
People should be encouraged and offered help to use schemes that offset their carbon emissions, MPs have said.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 25 July 2007 19:01

A Supplement to Solar: Windmill Generators Make Green Electricity
KPBS reporter Alison St John went back to Scotland recently to visit her brother Hugh, who lives on the west coast in a small community called Scoraig. It’s a remote spot, with no roads and no electricity, except what’s generated by wind power. Here’s her audio postcard of Hugh and his windmill.
Source: kpbs, Date and Time of entry: 20 July 2007 23:26

NEA: Charity’s plea to Gordon Brown not to forget the fuel-poor
National Energy Action (NEA) – the leading national fuel poverty charity – has warned that up to three million households in England could remain in fuel poverty in 2010 – the legally binding date for the Government to eradicate the problem for all vulnerable households.
Source: politics, Date and Time of entry: 20 July 2007 23:23

London children awarded for acting locally and thinking globally
The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone today (Wednesday, 4 July) announced the winning schools of the annual London Schools Environment Awards. In its fourth year, a record 752 schools across the capital registered for the awards scheme.
Source: london, Date and Time of entry: 20 July 2007 23:22

IT initiatives at heart of HSBC’s green resolution
As environmental responsibility becomes increasingly important to business, global banking giant HSBC is putting technology at the forefront of efforts to go green.
Source: vnunet, Date and Time of entry: 13 July 2007 18:20

Sun's activity not to blame for climate change
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory's Professor Mike Lockwood, and the University of Southampton's Claus Fröhlich have analysed the activity of the sun since 1985, to see if any of this "solar climate forcing" is detectable in recent data.
Source: register, Date and Time of entry: 13 July 2007 18:19

Solar Kent
The best solar energy website
Source: sxm, Date and Time of entry: 04 July 2007 18:49