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OilPrice.com | Alternative Energy | Renewable Energy Renewable energy news and analysis. Latest advances in renewable energy technologies and the impact these are having on economies and the climate. http://oilprice.com/ Thu, 24 May 2012 21:06:38 GMT Oilprice.com (info@oilprice.com) Pakistan's Abundance in Renewable Energy http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Pakistans-Abundance-in-Renewable-Energy.html Pakistan's vast renewable energy potential remains largely untapped for a mix of reasons, twin analyses show.The analyses, to be published in the June 2012 issue of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, say exploiting Pakistan’s massive, unexploited renewable energy sources, particularly hydroelectric and solar, can help plug its widening energy deficit and improve livelihoods.The studies focus on solar energy, particularly in the Thar and Cholistan deserts and also river waters, that could be channelled into small hydropower plants of…

]]> scidev@oilprice.com (SciDev SciDev) Wed, 23 May 2012 22:05:51 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Pakistans-Abundance-in-Renewable-Energy.html Europe's Largest Renewable Energy Fund Will Only Invest in Wind and Small Hydro http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Europes-Largest-Renewable-Energy-Fund-Will-Only-Invest-in-Wind-and-Small-Hydro.html Europe’s largest renewable energy infrastructure fund is only investing in projects that are closest to being viable without government support, according to the fund’s manager.“People still want clean and renewable energy. But there’s a change in what they are willing to pay for it,” said Tom Murley, London-based director and head of the renewable energy team at HgCapital.Speaking to Environmental Finance following the financial close of a 20.5MW UK onshore wind project, Murley said that in an age of austerity –…

]]> envfinan@oilprice.com (Environmental Finance) Tue, 22 May 2012 22:57:16 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Europes-Largest-Renewable-Energy-Fund-Will-Only-Invest-in-Wind-and-Small-Hydro.html The Top 10 Green Energy Stories Today http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/The-Top-10-Green-Energy-Stories-Today.html 1. The Department of the Interior has given the green light to a power transmission line that is intended to bring power from Google, Inc.- backed offshore wind farms in the Northeast of the US to the mainland. Environmental impact studies will take 18 months to two years. The US, unlike Germany, so far has no offshore wind farms, and the US electricity grid needs to be re-done so as to bring power from such sources to consumers.2. Inexpensive natural gas is being preferred to coal in the US, so that coal electricity generation has fallen 19 percent…

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]]> juancole@oilprice.com (Juan Cole) Wed, 16 May 2012 23:09:08 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/The-Top-10-Green-Energy-Stories-Today.html High Voltage Politics, Life and Times of the Electric Car http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/High-Voltage-Politics-Life-and-Times-of-the-Electric-Car.html Expensive to buy, cheaper to operate and of course friendlier to the environment, the electric car is traveling a bumpy road globally, with the added barrier of a bit of high-voltage politics Stateside – the toll it must pay for its bailout bounty. EVs (electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid vehicles) are intended to help reduce fuel usage and CO2 emissions. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s energy watchdog, hopes to see widespread adoption of electric vehicles by 2050. The IAEA envisions sales of electric…

]]> corporate@oilprice.com (Jen Alic) Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:02:19 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/High-Voltage-Politics-Life-and-Times-of-the-Electric-Car.html The Un-Renewable Nature of Renewable Energy http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/The-Un-Renewable-Nature-of-Renewable-Energy.html “Renewable energy” has two fundamental conceptual flaws. It’s not really renewable, and it’s not really energy.What is “Renewable”?“Renewable” in most definitions approximates to something like “naturally replenished” and it often contrasted with allegedly inferior, “finite” sources. It brings to mind the image of a pizza where a slice, once eaten, magically reappears. There is no such phenomenon in nature, though. Everything is finite. The sun and the photons and wind currents…

]]> MasterResource@oilprice.com (MasterResource ) Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:49:29 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/The-Un-Renewable-Nature-of-Renewable-Energy.html Clean Energy Investment Must Change - Reward Innovation not Production http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Clean-Energy-Investment-must-Change-Reward-Innovation-not-Production.html Over the last five years, the world's largest nations collectively engaged in a massive policy experiment: what happens when governments triple the historic rate of public investment in clean energy?In the U.S., taxpayers will have spent $150 billion between 2009 and 2014, three times more than we did between 2002 and 2007, according to a comprehensive new report, Beyond Boom and Bust, co-authored by Breakthrough Institute with scholars from World Resources Institute and the Brookings Institution.The U.S. wasn't alone. China increased its clean…

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]]> breakthrough@oilprice.com (Breakthrough Institute) Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:14:08 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Clean-Energy-Investment-must-Change-Reward-Innovation-not-Production.html The UK will Trade Renewable Energy in order to Achieve 2020 Targets http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/The-UK-will-Trade-Renewable-Energy-in-order-to-Achieve-2020-Targets.html The UK government is looking at joint financing of renewable energy projects or trading with other EU countries to help meet its renewable energy targets.The government claims it can reach its 2020 target of meeting 15% of energy consumption from renewable sources through domestic action alone. However, for reasons of cost effectiveness, commercial opportunity and contingency, it could also make use of the ‘flexibility mechanisms’ in the EU’s renewable energy directive.A 2009 report from consultancy Pöyry and trade association…

]]> envfinan@oilprice.com (Environmental Finance) Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:28:39 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/The-UK-will-Trade-Renewable-Energy-in-order-to-Achieve-2020-Targets.html Oilprice.com's 5 Most Influential Figures in U.S. Clean Energy http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Oilprice.coms-5-Most-Influential-Figures-in-U.S.-Clean-Energy.html As Oilprice.com embarks on its Top 5 series, we thought it expedient to begin with our take on the key figures shaping and influencing U.S. renewable energy efforts, not least because the issue of energy security is being prioritized in campaigning ahead of U.S. presidential elections. In considering from the numerous choices for these top five slots, we take into account a number of variables, including investment in renewable energy, the ability to influence policy and shape public opinion, and advocacy efforts. This goes well beyond simply counting…

]]> corporate@oilprice.com (Jen Alic) Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:50:46 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Oilprice.coms-5-Most-Influential-Figures-in-U.S.-Clean-Energy.html Scotland's SNP Embraces Renewable Energy http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Scotlands-SNP-Embraces-Renewable-Energy.html While the European Union remains preoccupied with the slow unraveling of its economy, in Britain the conservative government of Prime Minister David Cameron is grappling with another political trauma closer to home. Cameron’s nightmare? An upcoming referendum on Scottish independence, which conceivably could end the United Kingdom in its present form by severing Scotland’s 305-year-old political union with England. After the Scottish National Party won an overall majority in the devolved parliament elections in…

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]]> admin@namecake.com (John Daly) Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:18:55 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Scotlands-SNP-Embraces-Renewable-Energy.html Smart Grids, Stupid Public Relations http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Smart-Grids-Stupid-Public-Relations.html Smart grids are not clean energy themselves, but they will play a significant role in how we manage changes to renewable energy – oddly enough, smart grids are also the stuff of conspiracy theories and ominous predictions of cyber attacks and full blackouts. “Unless we wake up and realize what we're doing, there is 100% certainty of total catastrophic failure of the entire power infrastructure within 3 years,” is the extremely bleak prediction offered by well-known cyber security expert David Chalk in an online interview…

]]> corporate@oilprice.com (Jen Alic) Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:34:11 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Smart-Grids-Stupid-Public-Relations.html Google: The Power to Influence Clean Energy http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Google-The-Power-to-Influence-Clean-Energy.html Google may have a bad track record on privacy practices, but when it comes to green, the internet giant is clean, racking up over $850 million in investments to develop and deploy clean energy and earning the top spot on Greenpeace’s list of IT giants who are using and advocating for clean energy. In February, Greenpeace ranked Google the best on its “Cool IT Leaderboard”, although it only scored 53 out of 100 points on the ranking system, still putting it ahead of Cisco, with 49 points. But it was a reluctant gift from…

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]]> corporate@oilprice.com (Jen Alic) Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:39:35 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Google-The-Power-to-Influence-Clean-Energy.html Clean Energy Investments Reduce Prices, Increase Policy Initiatives http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Clean-Energy-Investments-Reduce-Prices-Increase-Policy-Initiatives.html Global rankings place the United States in the top spot for investment in clean energy in 2011, with over $48 billion in energy sector investments, including solar, biofuels and wind energy, up from $34 billion the year before. The US now has a total installed renewable energy capacity of 93 GW, which includes the addition of 6.7 gigawatts (GW) of wind and more than 1 GW of solar energy – the equivalent necessary to power over 800,000 homes. China, which was bumped to second place, saw investment in clean energy increase by $0.5 billion…

]]> corporate@oilprice.com (Jen Alic) Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:35:52 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Clean-Energy-Investments-Reduce-Prices-Increase-Policy-Initiatives.html Brazil's Clean Energy Revolution - Infographic http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Brazils-Clean-Energy-Revolution-Infographic.html Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, has the sixth largest economy, and is therefore quickly becoming an important global power. However not only does it have a large developing economy, it has also one of the largest renewable energy industries in the world; an industry that has enabled it to achieve energy independence, and therefore granted it a unique and powerful position in international politics. With large oil, hydroelectric, and biofuel sectors, the country tries to make the most of its natural resources to ensure a level…

]]> (Zachary Fillingham) Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:01:27 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Brazils-Clean-Energy-Revolution-Infographic.html Transportation Sector isn't Driving Green Economy http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Transportation-Sector-isnt-Driving-Green-Economy.html Europe in the age of austerity is slashing subsidies for renewable energy programs. The IEA argues that as renewables become more affordable, government support is waning. This trend suggests at least parts of the economy are starting to witness a sea change in how governments are fueling growth. With the share of renewables in the global energy mix increasing, the playing field with hydrocarbons is becoming more even. But until those trends start to spill over to the transportation sector, global ambitions for a low-carbon economy may be stifled. The…

]]> dg@oilprice.com (Daniel J. Graeber) Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:10:43 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Transportation-Sector-isnt-Driving-Green-Economy.html CERN Could be About to Start Researching LENR Following Recent Colloquium http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/CERN-Could-be-About-to-Start-Researching-LENR-Following-Recent-Colloquium.html Settle in, CERN the multinational research group based in Europe had a colloquium on Low Energy Nuclear Reactions last Thursday. There was no big news, but there is interesting news out of Japan. The file downloads are a treasure trove of useful information. To start is the 40-page PDF presentation by Yogendra Srivastava from the University of Perugia. The file is a set of the slides shown during the presentation and is complete enough to get a good feel for the narrative. This is the first complete enough and extensive…

]]> james@pokemoncard.info (Brian Westenhaus) Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:47:09 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/CERN-Could-be-About-to-Start-Researching-LENR-Following-Recent-Colloquium.html Latin America's Clean Energy Investment Opportunities http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Latin-Americas-Clean-Energy-Investment-Opportunities.html Brazil, Nicaragua and Panama have been ranked the most attractive countries for clean energy investments in Latin America and the Caribbean by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) and the Multilateral Investment Fund. The partnership has developed Climatescope – a review of the environment for low-carbon in the region, ranking 26 countries on their climate policies, the availability of climate finance, low-carbon businesses and clean-energy value chains, as well as their greenhouse gas management activities.Brazil, the world’s fifth…

]]> envfinan@oilprice.com (Environmental Finance) Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:17:43 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Latin-Americas-Clean-Energy-Investment-Opportunities.html Despite Negative Press Renewable Energy Revenues Rapidly Expand in 2011 http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Despite-Negative-Press-Renewable-Energy-Revenues-Rapidly-Expand-in-2011.html Solar, wind and biofuels saw global revenue expand by 31% in 2011. With all the negative hype put out by Big Oil and its acolytes, you’d have thought the green energy market had crashed rather than growing by a third.But investment in green energy rose only 5% over the year, which tells me that somebody is making a lot of money and others are losing out. Green Tech Media reports,“…costs of solar panels fell by more than 40 percent last year, while installations grew by 69 percent, yielding a 29-percent increase in solar market…

]]> juancole@oilprice.com (Juan Cole) Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:24:14 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Despite-Negative-Press-Renewable-Energy-Revenues-Rapidly-Expand-in-2011.html IEA Recognizes Potential of Renewable Energy Sector http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/IEA-Recognizes-Potential-of-Renewable-Energy-Sector.html For many investors, renewable energy remains a somewhat forbidding topic.What seems to be the best sure-fire bet? Solar? Wind? Geothermal? Tidal? Biomass?Now the redoubtable International Energy Agency is to publish in July an invaluable guidebook for the perplexed, “Deploying Renewables -- Best and Future Policy Practice,” 182 pages, ISBN 978-92-64-12490-5, paper €100, PDF €80 (2011)According to the IEA’s bookshop, “Growth is focused on a few of the available technologies, and rapid deployment is confined to a…

]]> admin@namecake.com (John Daly) Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:35:38 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/IEA-Recognizes-Potential-of-Renewable-Energy-Sector.html Successful Cultivation of Seaweed Could be Biofuels Greatest Hope http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Successful-Cultivation-of-Seaweed-Could-be-Biofuels-Greatest-Hope.html The numbers for productivity of seaweed are stunning compared to everything other than algae on land. The problem is the cultivation, growing the preferred species, harvesting it and getting it to shore for processing. Prof. Avigdor Abelson of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Zoology and the new Renewable Energy Center, with his colleagues Dr. Alvaro Israel of the Israel Oceanography Institute, Prof. Aharon Gedanken of Bar-Ilan University, Dr. Ariel Kushmaro of Ben-Gurion University, and their Ph.D. student Leor Korzen are now developing…

]]> james@pokemoncard.info (Brian Westenhaus) Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:50:16 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Successful-Cultivation-of-Seaweed-Could-be-Biofuels-Greatest-Hope.html Have MIT Researchers Cracked Renewable Energy Bottleneck? http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Have-MIT-Researchers-Cracked-Renewable-Energy-Bottleneck.html Amidst soaring oil prices, renewable energy advocates have two eyes of the needle to pass through. The first is that their kilowatt hour of electricity production is currently higher than energy generated from more traditional fossil fuel sources, such as coal and hydrocarbons. The second is a technological bottleneck – how to store the energy generated by wind and solar power, which depend on natural processes that are best inconsistent. The wind doesn’t blow 24/7 and the sun goes down. Accordingly, storage issues of electricity generated…

]]> admin@namecake.com (John Daly) Sun, 11 Mar 2012 3:55:42 GMT http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Have-MIT-Researchers-Cracked-Renewable-Energy-Bottleneck.html