News

• White House holding reins on loan guarantees

  30 September 2010

  The White House is holding back the US Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to speed project approvals under its loan guarantee programme, said renewable energy experts, urging Congress to restore its full funding.

• Carbon Trust cash to tap £2bn offshore wind access market

  30 September 2010

  The UK's Carbon Trust is offering designers up to £100,000 ($159,000) to develop technologies which help access deep-water offshore wind farms – to tap a market it says could be worth £2 billion by 2020.

• Biofuels firm Amyris debuts on Nasdaq, raises $85m

  30 September 2010

  Advanced biofuels firm Amyris raised $85 million on Tuesday through an initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq.

• China 'not ready' for carbon trading – top official

  30 September 2010

  China will establish a national emissions trading system at some time in the future, the country's top climate negotiator said this week, but opportunities remain limited for now.

• World Bank renewables hire to take fresh look at Bank financing

  30 September 2010

  Daniel Kammen's appointment to spearhead the World Bank's work on clean energy comes as the institution finds itself under renewed scrutiny for the mix of its energy sector lending.

• Policy uncertainty, low carbon price, deterring investment – survey

  30 September 2010

  Inconsistent and retroactive policy-making is hindering low-carbon investment in Europe, according to a survey of institutional investors – almost none of whom feel that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is providing an adequate price signal.

• Disaster year down to climate change: Munich Re

  30 September 2010

  Reinsurance giant Munich Re has cited climate change as a major factor in the "marked increase" in worldwide weather-related natural disasters in the first nine months of the year.

• Market divided on plan to revamp US pollution trading

  30 September 2010

  US market players are sharply divided on whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has done enough to save the current pollution markets.

• California renewables target is aggressive but doable

  30 September 2010

  Californian utilities can meet an aggressive 33% renewable target – so long as issues over grid capacity and regulation are clarified.

• New Forests raises A$500m into Australasian forests fund

  30 September 2010

  Sydney-based timberland and 'eco-products' investment firm New Forests has raised A$500 million (US$485 million) into its Australia New Zealand Forest Fund, beating its fundraising target.