News

• Dump biofuels subsidies to stabilise food prices – report

  13 June 2011

  Government subsidies for biofuels should be scrapped to help ease pressure on global food prices, says a report by the UN, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

• US renewables industry searches for more tax breaks as grants end

  10 June 2011

  Renewable energy groups are preparing for the end of the US government's cash grant programme by urging legislators to allow them to use master limited partnerships (MLPs) to finance projects.

• UK cuts solar tariffs by up to 72%

  09 June 2011

  The UK government has announced new feed-in tariffs (FITs) for large-scale solar arrays installed from 1 August, arguing that without reductions the scheme will be "overwhelmed", while industry participants fear the changes will not be the last.

• China drops turbine part subsidies after WTO challenge

  09 June 2011

  China has agreed to abandon wind power manufacturing subsidies that the US government argued violated international trade law.

• Connecticut lawmakers give thumbs up to green bank, bonds for energy retrofits

  09 June 2011

  Connecticut lawmakers have passed comprehensive energy legislation establishing the first state-level green bank in the US and allowing the creation of municipal bond programmes to pay for energy retrofits, albeit with a key modification to avoid the wrath of federal regulators.

• Corporate green bonds in the pipeline, following flurry of issues

  09 June 2011

  Investment banks are preparing at least three sizeable corporate green bond issues, as interest in the asset class builds, while the last few weeks have seen a flurry of bonds sold by multilateral development banks.

• Biodiversity offset schemes to be piloted by UK government

  09 June 2011

  The UK government is looking for local authorities, developers and conservation groups to pilot biodiversity offset programmes as part of an effort to better protect the UK's 'natural capital' – but observers question whether local authorities have the resources to take the lead.

• US clean energy target: casualty of nuclear meltdown

  09 June 2011

  The nuclear disaster in Japan has killed the chances for a US clean energy standard (CES), according to a top Congressional staffer.

• Huaneng rebounds with $800m IPO

  09 June 2011

  Chinese wind firm Huaneng Renewables has bounced back from last year's shelved fundraising attempt to raise as much as HK$6.2 billion (US$800 million) in an initial public offering (IPO) ahead of joining the Hong Kong bourse this Friday.

• Most firms failing on water risk management – report

  09 June 2011

  A vanishingly small proportion of large companies are adequately managing risks posed by water shortages, drought and pollution, according to research by EIRIS.