News

• Chu defends Solyndra loan guarantee in five-hour testimony

  18 November 2011

  The US Department of Energy (DOE) did not break the law when it restructured a loan guarantee for now bankrupt solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu said, even though he acknowledged the US government is unlikely to recover much of its investment in the failed company.

• Green insurance agency instead of Green Investment Bank?

  18 November 2011

  The UK would be better off creating a green insurance agency rather than a Green Investment Bank (GIB), according to a specialist in climate change risks.

• KPMG and SAM link up on corporate sustainability

  18 November 2011

  Accountancy group KPMG International is collaborating with Sustainable Asset Management (SAM) to help companies improve their corporate sustainability performance.

• Spanish solar investors press ahead with legal challenge

  18 November 2011

  Fourteen investors are to challenge Spain's government over retroactive changes to support for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants.

• US states formally quit Western Climate Initiative

  17 November 2011

  Six US states have now entirely dropped out of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), leaving California as the only participating US state.

• Renewables spending to double in next decade – BNEF

  17 November 2011

  Annual investment in new renewable energy capacity will double over the next 10 years, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

• 'Climate finance' needs better definition

  17 November 2011

  The term "climate finance" has to be better defined both in order to reach a global agreement on international climate policy and to facilitate work at a national level, according to a leading climate industry specialist.

• Gucci follows Puma's footsteps in costing environmental impact

  17 November 2011

  France's PPR group, which includes luxury brands Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, is to calculate the environmental cost of its operations, following the lead of its Puma sportswear division.

• More companies set to recognise water risk – CDP

  16 November 2011

  Some 41% of companies responding to the CDP Water Disclosure Project do not consider water-related risks as having the potential to cause significant business impacts – a figure that is set to fall, as responding companies become more familiar with their exposures, according to those carrying out the research.

• US debt committee won't confront energy subsidies – experts

  15 November 2011

  The so-called 'Super Committee' tasked with reducing the massive US deficit is unlikely to tackle subsidies for either renewable energy or traditional fossil fuels itself, but those programmes could eventually face the budget axe, experts said.