News

• Wind firms look skywards for new market

  30 August 2011

  Using kites and balloons to tap the strong, consistent winds more than two kilometres in the air could avoid many of the pitfalls of more down-to-earth wind farms, according to the first market report on the nascent industry by consultancy GL Garrad Hassan.

• KGAL aims timber fund at insurance companies, pension funds

  25 August 2011

  KGAL is hoping to raise €250 million ($360 million) into its second sustainable forestry fund, and its first aimed at institutional investors.

• Supply glut, policy uncertainty casts shadow over solar

  25 August 2011

  The global solar manufacturing sector has been under tremendous pressure from a supply glut and policy challenges that led to a string of disappointing earnings reports and bankruptcies, with further consolidation possible in the second half.

• Aviva, Sachsenfonds reach first close on €300m renewables fund

  25 August 2011

  Aviva Investors has reached a first close of a fund to invest in onshore wind and solar farms in Europe.

• Fuel cell firm raises $73.5m

  25 August 2011

  Stationary fuel cell maker ClearEdge Power has raised $73.5 million in a fifth round of funding, led by hedge fund Artis Capital Management.

• Norges Bank sounds warning on water risk

  25 August 2011

  Water risk may affect the investment performance of the Norwegian government pension fund, its manager said yesterday as it bemoaned the lack of water-related information from investee companies.

• Europe underreporting HFC emissions - study

  25 August 2011

  Europe is underreporting its emissions of the potent greenhouse gas HFC23, according to a Swiss study, which has led to calls for tougher legislation.

• Canada requires coal plants to slash emissions

  23 August 2011

  Canada's environment ministry has proposed tougher regulations for coal-fired power plants, but they do not go far enough to help the country achieve its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets, according to an environmental NGO.

• Suntech earnings hit by economic woes

  23 August 2011

  Solar panel producer Suntech's earnings were hurt by policy and economic trends in the second quarter, but the company expects renewable power feed-in tariffs (FiTs) in Europe and China to drive strong growth in the second half of 2011 and beyond.

• Japan edges towards renewables feed-in tariff

  23 August 2011

  A renewable energy bill which would introduce feed-in tariffs has today been waved through by the lower house of Japan's parliament, and is expected to pass the upper house by Friday.