Photovoltaics » 07.05.2012
France crosses 3 GW threshold
The official figures are in for the first quarter of 2012, and France now has 3,011 megawatts of photovoltaics installed. read more »
Energy policy » 07.05.2012
Concern about boom and bust in Japan
Two Japanese energy experts weigh in on the debate about whether Japan's upcoming feed-in tariffs are too high. Their expectations are mixed. read more »
But the government remains skeptical » 06.05.2012
British want renewables
According to a recent survey, two thirds of people in the UK want more renewable energy, with only two percent supporting a more power from natural gas. Nonetheless, the government continues to focus on slowing down the growth of renewables to keep costs in check and has yet to rule out nuclear. read more »
Energy policy » 06.05.2012
Japan is nuclear-free
Less than 14 months after the tsunami in Fukushima, Japan has done something that was never set forth in any official policy – switched off all of its nuclear power plants. read more »
The switch to renewables » 04.05.2012
German wholesale power gets cheaper
As we approach the summer, the impact of solar and wind on the power exchange is increasingly making itself felt. According to recent figures for April, electricity on the European Power Exchange was cheaper in Germany & Austria than it was in France or Switzerland. read more »
Switch to renewables » 04.05.2012
"Power Play" short documentary on German success
In a new video documentary released on Monday, Journeyman Pictures investigates how Germany is switching over to renewables – and in particular, how communities are managing to force the switch against opposition from large power corporations. read more »
Energy policy » 04.05.2012
Ontario's new FITs expected in a week
The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) published its proposals for changes to Ontario's feed-in tariffs for solar at the end of April. The province is currently wrapping up a scheduled review of the policy, which put Ontario at the forefront of renewables in North America. read more »
Photovoltaics » 04.05.2012
Global Solar Council for free trade
A number of solar firms announced the founding of a new organization yesterday to promote "the global development and growth of solar energy." Specifically, the organization aims to provide a counterweight to CASM, the group spearheaded by SolarWorld that calls for import duties against products from China. read more »
Photovoltaics » 02.05.2012
Storing solar power
Researchers in a Franco-German project have come up with a power storage system that considerably increases direct consumption from roof arrays. Such applications are becoming increasingly important in countries like Germany, which has implemented a kind of real-time net-metering called "own consumption." read more »
Onshore wind » 01.05.2012
Vestas goes to Ukraine
Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas is selling the weak-wind version of its V-112 in a growing number of countries. Now, the Danish global market leader is supplying a wind farm in Ukraine for the first time. read more »
Offshore wind » 01.05.2012
Areva goes UK
Areva Wind plans to get involved in the offshore sector in the UK. The firm is already a supplier to wind farms in the German part of the North Sea and was recently awarded contracts for French offshore projects. Now, Areva Wind’s Jean Huby says his firm is homing in on the next round of offshore wind in the UK starting in 2014. read more »
Information resources » 30.04.2012
Global solar and wind atlas
Last week, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) announced the launch of a new online atlas with solar and wind data. When completed, the atlas will be accessible at no charge and target investors and policymakers looking for suitable sites. read more »
Cost of renewable power » 27.04.2012
German FIT surcharge could explode
According to a report in German economics daily Handelsblatt, the surcharge passed on to our consumers to cover the cost of feed-in tariffs in Germany could rise by nearly 50% this fall. The problem is that renewable power is increasingly lowering the price of electricity on power exchanges – and ironically, the lower that price goes, the more expensive renewables look. read more »
Local ownership » 26.04.2012
Berlin to buy back its grid
A citizens group called Bürger Energie Berlin aims to by the German capital city's distribution grid to facilitate the integration of renewables. Any citizen can purchase shares in the group, which says it will not sell to any of Germany's major power conglomerates. read more »
Renewable policy » 25.04.2012
Japan publishes feed-in tariffs
The Japanese press has published feed-in tariffs for all types of renewables, but the material has not yet been published in English. read more »
