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Small Hydro Project to Deliver Major Benefits

For a total investment of £315,000, the Harlaw Hydro Reservoir scheme at Balerno, East of Edinburgh, is expected to generate more than £50,000 per year.  Once the scheme has paid for itself (in less than 7 years), that annual revenue will be available for village improvement schemes for a further 13 years. The scheme will […]

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Project risk profile

Bringing a Renewable Energy Project from Concept to Commercial Operation

Do you want to erect a wind turbine? Cover a storehouse roof with photovoltaic modules? Or perhaps you want to get the old village waterwheel turning again and generating electricity. What do you need to consider? Where do you start on a project like that? The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has published “A Framework for […]

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Cape Wind will be America's first offshore wind farm - Photo: John Nyberg/stckxchng

U.S. Offshore Wind Turbines Now a Near-Certainty

The installation of more than 100 wind turbines off the coast of the United States is now a near certainty. The first power is expected to flow from the turbines during 2013. Cape Wind Associates plan to build 130 wind turbines with a generation capacity of 420 MW near the island of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, […]

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Argentina has huge resources of wind power - photo: Enrique Botta/stckxchng

Argentina’s Wind Power Balancing Act

Argentinians have been purchasing fossil fuels for electricity generation at prices that are well in excess of the cost of wind power. The country has massive wind power potential. The problem has been accessing the capital needed to exploit that potential. The China Development Bank Corporation has agreed to provide Grupo Isolux Corsan SA project […]

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The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy

The Fight Against Climate Change Must be Obama’s Legacy

On Tuesday last week the earth breathed a sigh of relief as Barack Obama was re-elected as President of the USA. Although the popular vote – if not the final electoral college result – was close in America; the overwhelming majority of the rest of the World was supporting Obama. A BBC poll in 21 […]

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African children enjoy their gift of solar lights - Photo: Steve Katsaros/Nokero/Flickr

Sunlabob: A Laos Solar Supplier Building Energy Markets in the Poorest Countries

Sunlabob, a commercial solar lighting supplier based in Laos, is using public sector contracts to reach the poorest in Liberia and other  markets at the base of the economic pyramid.  This cannot be a simple commercial proposition, says Sunlabob Director Andy Schroeter. The poorest cannot cover the capital costs. Liberia’s destroyed electricity infrastructure Liberia had […]

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Cape Town South Africa - Photo: stckxchng

South Africa Renewable Energy Program is Under Way

Round 1 of the renewable energy development program (REIPP)in South Africa is finally under way. The government will sign final agreements with 28 project developers in the next few days. They plan to build 1.4 GW of generation capacity and invest US$5.4 billion. The government has also announced plans for a major extension of the […]

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Barack Obama - Photo: BeckyF/Flickr

Why it’s best that Obama and Romney don’t mention Climate Change

The second American presidential debate took place on Tuesday and the general consensus was that Barack Obama had the better of it, reversing the damage to his campaign from his lacklustre performance in the first. In a debate described as ‘combative’ and ‘feisty’ one of the key exchanges was on energy policy. Over twelve minutes […]

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Light at the end of the tunnel - stckxchng

Carbon Markets – Light at the end of the Tunnel or a Near-death Experience?

Global carbon markets are collapsing with potentially devastating consequences. Carbon prices in the Clean Development Mechanism market have declined by 70% in the past year and are projected to fall further. These are not the alarmist predictions of politically-motivated climate change deniers. It is the prognosis of a high level panel established to take stock […]

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Green Piggy Bank - attribute to Futurilla

First Green Investment Bank wants to turn a profit

The UK government is recruiting staff for the world’s first green investment bank dedicated solely to investing in green projects. The Green Investment Bank will work towards a ‘double bottom line’ of significant green impact and financial returns. Meeting the need with the capital available will be a major challenge. A UK Parliamentary Committee concluded […]

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