Big problems remain to win climate deal
Rare collective political will to act 11 Sep 2009 11:04 PM

Wind could cut China's emissions by 30%
US study says coal, natural gas or nuclear power still need to feature. 11 Sep 2009 2:52 PM

International Seminar on Environment Statistics and Accounting
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/newsletter/globalstat_unsd_calendar.htm>
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 21-22 September 2009

Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Financing by World Bank Group Hits All Time High
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22308139~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Climate Clean-Up Not Up To Developing States Only: OPEC
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,date:2009-09-10~menuPK:34461~pagePK:34392~piPK:64256810~theSitePK:4607,00.html

20% renewable energy target secured


Sugarcane waste to power homes along NSW and Queensland coast - The Hon Tony Burke MP - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
PORTFOLIO: Agriculture, Fisheries and ForestryURL: http://www.maff.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/august/sugarcane_waste_to_power_homes_along_nsw_and_queensland_coast
SNIPPET: Tens of thousands of homes along the Queensland and northern NSW coast could be powered by renewable energy from sugarcane waste after the passage of the Rudd Government's Renewable Energy Target (RET) legislation. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the passage of the legislation opened up significant opportunities for agriculture, particularly in the sugar industry. 'Families along the NSW and Queensland coast could increasingly find themselves eating Australian sugar, in homes powered by the waste from sugarcane,' Mr Burke said.

Proof will be in the delivery of Low Carbon Strategy
Responding to the launch of the Government’s renewable energy and low carbon industrial strategies today, Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, said:
"We need a seven fold increase in renewable energy generation in just eleven years. This can be achieved but will require not just a transformation in technology, but in political, economic and industrial thinking.

Energy from the desert: Memorandum signed for DESERTEC solar project
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in Munich for the foundation of an industrial initiative aimed at generating power from renewable energies in the MENA Region.

North Carolina Sees Green in Stimulus Funds
The state will receive $75.9 M to promote efficiency and renewable power as it looks to lead the Southeast in green job creation.The U.S. Department of Energy recently approved North Carolina’s plan to use federal stimulus funds for the development of a clean energy economy—including more than $75 million to enhance energy efficiency, promote renewable power, and foster new technologies.

Hasten slowly into renewable energy
The improvement to renewable energy technology continues: the longer the transition takes, the better the outcome.Science & Technology - Martin Nicholson - posted 26/6/2009

Renewable Remote Power Generation Program
http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/renewable/rrpgp
As a result of all funding having been committed for the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program, new applications are no longer being accepted, except from Western Australia.

Study: Measuring renewable water assets in Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/090618/dq090618e-eng.htm

Australian Government Media Releases

Solar hot water rebate Rheem's United Nations contract solar hot water industry renewable energy Mt Barker windfarm Christmas Island Roe Highway Stage 8 Solar Credits - transcript 22 April 2009
PORTFOLIO: Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
URL: http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2009/tr20090422.html
SNIPPET: It is also I think a tremendous vindication of the work that has been done by Solahart as a part of this enterprise here given that they have now received a significant contract - a $7 million contract from the United Nations - for solar hot water systems to go into these housing packages that get located in different parts of the world. Look, the second thing I want to say is that we are very clear that we have the right policy settings in place to see an increase in solar hot water around this country, that we recognise that a healthy manufacturing industry is absolutely essential to sustainable economic growth and that we now have 11,000 applications for the solar hot water rebate - a very strong and positive signal that Australian's are embracing this technology and taking up the Government's policy announcements with great gusto.

$4.2m for new WA wind farm
Minister for Environment, Heritage and The Arts - Media Statement - 22-04-2009

Contingent loans to reduce taxation and greenhouse gas emissions

'Contingent Loans' (similar to HECS loans) is an idea whose time has come and should be broadened to more sectors of the economy.
Economics - Kevin Cox - posted 2/2/2009

The Bottom Line on Renewable Energy Certificates

By Payson Schwin on us policy

What are RECs?

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), also known as “green tags,” “green certificates,” and “renewable energy credits,” are tradable instruments which can be used to meet voluntary renewable energy targets as well as to meet compliance requirements for renewable energy policies. A REC is a certificate that indicates the generation of one megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity from an eligible source of renewable power. Each REC denotes the underlying generation source, location of generation, and year of generation (a.k.a. “vintage”). RECs are often considered to represent a claim to the environmental attributes associated with renewable energy generation.

What are the differences between compliance and voluntary markets for RECs?

Policies that require electricity service providers to incorporate a minimum level of renewable energy in their electricity supply create compliance markets or mandatory markets for RECs. These energy policies, such as state Renewable Electricity Standards (RES) and Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), specify the eligible energy resources or technologies that can be utilized and describe how electricity service providers must comply. (For more information on RES/RPS, see Issue 5 of The Bottom Line.) Electricity service providers must produce or obtain RECs in an amount suffi cient to meet their renewable energy obligations under an RES/RPS.

Voluntary markets for RECs, while not mandated by law, have developed in response to energy user preferences for green electricity. Retail, commercial, and industrial energy users can meet voluntary renewable energy goals and support the deployment of green power through the purchase of RECs.

Green oil by 2020

World's leading publicly-funded R&D algae project launched to make new sustainable biofuel a commercial reality

The tax treatment of capital investments in renewable energy

David Richardson / The Australia Institute
This paper argues that the money currently spent subsidising new investment in mining and airlines should be transferred instead into accelerated depreciation provisions for the renewable energy industry. Posted 21-10-2008

The wind shifts for renewable energy

THE prospects of renewable-energy companies soared with oil prices, but the global credit crunch and the easing of energy costs have brought them back to earth with a thud.

Stronger players, such as Iberdrola of Spain, are buying wind farms from cash-strapped rivals.

With banks reluctant to lend and their stock prices tumbling, many green-energy concerns are struggling to find the long-term funding they need to expand in a capital-intensive industry.

In the past three months, global renewable-energy stocks tracked by New Energy Finance, a London-based consultancy, have dropped about 45 per cent, compared with a 23 per cent decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the same period.

Conference on Distributed Energy in Australia and Asia Pacific

PORTFOLIO: Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

SNIPPET: Decentralised energy refers to power generated close to where it is used and may include renewable energy sources, as well as the controlled management and efficiency of how electricity is used and is a key research area of the Energy Transformed National Research Flagship. It will provide an insight to Distributed energy activities in Asia Pacific from some leading proponents in WADE and also have a VIP visit to CSIRO's Energy Center in Newcastle. . Conference delegates are expected to include energy managers, large private and public energy users, facility managers, policy makers and experts and representatives from utility companies.

National Atlas highlights our renewable energy potential

- media release, 17 October, 2008
PORTFOLIO: Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
URL: http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2008/pubs/mr20081017.pdf
SNIPPET: MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Peter Garrett MP Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts PG /155 17 October 2008 NATIONAL ATLAS HIGHLIGHTS OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY POTENTIAL Environment Minister Peter Garrett today launched the first ever, user friendly interactive atlas to map the full extent of Australia's renewable energy resources. Speaking at the site of the new solar `big dish' at the Australian National University, Mr Garrett said the atlas would be a fantastic and invaluable tool for industry, governments and the community as Australia explored solutions to climate change.