The Pew Charitable Trusts report Who’s Winning the Clean Energy Race? documents the dawning of a new worldwide industry – clean energy – which has experienced investment growth of 230 percent since 2005. Accounting for more than 90 percent of worldwide finance and investment, G-20 countries dominate the clean energy landscape. As the country profiles in this report demonstrate, virtually all G-20 countries have seen investments grow by more than 50 percent over the last five years. China, which has set ambitious targets for wind, biomass and solar energy, for the first time took the top spot within the G-20 and globally for overall clean energy finance and investment in 2009. The United States slipped to second place.
Investment leader China may double its solar power capacity goal amid rising doubts about the safety of nuclear power in the wake of the Japanese crisis. China, the world’s largest solar panel exporter, is likely to boast 10 gigawatts (gW) of solar power capacity by 2015, up from the current 1 gW and a doubling of its existing target.
Want to be an energy and climate change leader in your community? Get involved in the CSIRO Energymark program and help create a sustainable future – reduce your carbon footprint, lower energy usage and save on power bills. The program brings people together in small groups to learn about energy and climate change issues, and discuss what they can do to make a difference. Energymark is currently running in NSW and in the Brisbane and Redlands City Council areas of Queensland.
At this City Talk Allan Jones MBE will launch the City of Sydney’s green infrastructure plan which will deliver an innovative city-wide decentralised energy, water and waste system. The plan will position Sydney as a global environmental leader energised by local low and zero carbon and renewable energy sources. Professor Tim Flannery will introduce the City Talk with a message for cities to take urgent action on climate change and Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP will talk about how local government must play a key role changing the way we think about energy, water and waste. A panel discussion will follow with David Holden, Climate Strategist–Urban Planning, Kinesis, Robert Murray-Leach, CEO, Energy Efficiency Council and Peter Harcus, Manager Gas Network Development, Jemena Gas Networks (NSW) and Neil Gordon, Manager, Demand Management, Energy Australia. Read the rest of this entry »
The October 2010 Alternative Technology Association (ATA) ebulletin features:
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The Chinese government will invest more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion USD) to subsidize its eco-friendly car industry over the next decade. Read the article or watch the video on the CCTV website. Sixteen Chinese central stated-owned electric vehicle companies have teamed up to form an industrial association in Beijing. The move is in response to the government’s latest policies to boost the country’s electric vehicle industry in the next three years. Read the article or watch the video on the CCTV website.
The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan shows how Australia can reach 100% renewable energy within a decade, using technology that is commercially available right now. To download the plan visit Zero Carbon Australia.
On 26 July 2010, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency opened applications under round one of the Green Start program. Applications opened on 26 July 2010 and close at 5:00pm Canberra local time, 20 August 2010. The Green Start program will be delivered through two separate rounds of competitive grant funding. Round one will replace the Green Loans program and provide grants to individuals or organisations to undertake and fund the delivery of on-site energy assessments for households to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Grants will be awarded to accredited assessors and organisations who can deliver high quality assessments through a competitive process. To find out more visit Green Start.
Join a Walk Against Warming event near you on Sunday 15 August 2010 – to find your nearest walk visit the Walk Against Warming website.