News

• China to delay energy stimulus plan

  15 April 2010

  China's new energy stimulus plan – expected to include additional policy support for renewable energy development – has been delayed indefinitely, according to a high-ranking government official.

• Loan guarantees fall flat for US wind

  15 April 2010

  The US Department of Energy's (DOE) loan guarantee programme is not seen as a viable financing mechanism for many wind projects, in stark contrast to the agency's grant programme for renewable energy technologies, experts said.

• Slow start for cat bond market in 2010

  15 April 2010

  A relatively slow start to catastrophe (cat) bond issuances this year should not be interpreted as weakness in the market, according to reinsurance brokerage Guy Carpenter.

• US renewables grants see debt replace equity

  15 April 2010

  The US renewable energy grant programme has driven a shift in the number of wind developers using debt financing rather than tax equity to fund their projects, financing experts have said.

• Analysts spell out challenges in China's GHG target

  15 April 2010

  China's commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions marks a major change in its government's attitude towards climate change, analysts said this week, but warned that it is difficult to judge if the target is challenging.

• World Bank approves controversial South Africa coal loan

  15 April 2010

  The World Bank last week approved a multi-billion dollar loan to build the 4,800MW Medupi coal-fired power station, in the face of sharp criticism from environmental groups.

• Impax launches second Asia-themed equity fund

  15 April 2010

  Impax Asset Management has launched an open-ended version of its Asia-focused environmental equities fund.

• REC suppliers shrug off Pepsi's renewables shift

  15 April 2010

  The two suppliers of renewable energy credits (RECs) to PepsiCo – the third largest buyer of RECs in the US last year – have downplayed the beverage giant's announcement that it is to cease buying the credits in favour of investing in its own renewable energy assets.

• Renewables to get 'peanuts' from EU ETS – MEP

  08 April 2010

  Renewable energy projects are set to receive "peanuts" from the planned sale of 300 million carbon allowances from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), with the vast majority of proceeds likely to fund carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, according to Green Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Claude Turmes.

• Green products account for one-third of Philips' sales

  08 April 2010

  'Green' products generated €7.1 billion ($9.4 billion), or 31% of total sales, for Dutch electronics giant Philips last year.