Other News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Women in Power – It’s a Natural Fit

Paula Mints, SPV Market Research/Strategies Unlimited — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Women in power — it’s not just a play on words. With all the talk about ‘leaning in’ it’s time to recognize all the women that leaned in, reached back, pulled forward, marched and continued marching for themselves, their families, their industries and their peers. Women in high-profile positions are honored (though the fickle limelight that can shine or glare), and the scrutiny that comes with this honor can be uncomfortable. Brave women march through this fickle limelight because it is important to them to make a difference.

Trendspotting in Renewables Investment: Who Is (and Who Isn't) Investing, and Why?

Tildy Bayar, Associate Editor, Renewable Energy World — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:54:00 GMT

Investment in renewable energy is changing, with those who were once the backbone of the market pulling out and new entrants increasingly taking up the slack.

Clock’s Ticking to Submit Nominations for the Projects of the Year Awards

Sharryn Dotson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:00:00 GMT

A solar installation built adjacent to a natural gas-fired power plant in Florida; a hydroelectric plant needed to meet an expected 6 percent annual growth in Chile; a coal-fired power plant that also burns biomass in Virginia; and a solar power plant built on a former lignite mining strip in Germany. These projects and more are some of the past wi

“Popcorn” Particle Pathways Promise Better Lithium-ion Batteries

Mike Janes, Sandia National Laboratories — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:15:00 GMT

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories based in the U.S. have confirmed the particle-by-particle mechanism by which lithium ions move in and out of electrodes made of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, or LFP), findings that could lead to better performance in lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, medical equipment and aircraft.

Rent this EV Stock and Enjoy the Ride, But Don't Keep it Too Long

Tom Konrad, Contributor — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:05:00 GMT

Last year, I brought Chinese off-road vehicle and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Kandi Technologies (NASD:KNDI) to readers’ attention. I like Kandi because the company was already profitable and trades for a tiny fraction of what a US-based EV maker would.

IEA Bids to Keep Climate Goals Alive Without Harming Economic Growth

Kelvin Ross, Deputy Editor, Power Engineering International — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:48:00 GMT

The International Energy Agency has today urged governments to put in place four energy policies that it claims will “keep climate goals alive without harming economic growth”.

China's New EV Incentives Expected by End of June

Liu Yuanyuan, International Correspondent — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:00:00 GMT

New policies subsidizing purchases of electric vehicles in China are expected to come out in the first half of this year, encouraging many automakers to boost research and development.

The Big Question: How Should Europe Structure Its Energy Policy?

David Appleyard, Chief Editor, Renewable Energy World International — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:24:00 GMT

"Efforts must be especially made in creating certainty for investors, reducing the administrative burden and increasing clarity in planning," said the European Commission in opening its consultation on a European climate and energy framework for 2030. We asked readers how such a framework should be structured to address their sector's current concerns, and which concerns are most important for promoting the sector's future development.

Can Italy Keep Its Renewables Investors?

Rachana Raizada, Contributor — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:25:00 GMT

Fuelled by generous incentives, growth in the Italian renewable energy industry – especially solar PV – has been astonishing. But as the debt crisis ripples through the economy, will investment trends maintain historical levels while shifting to other renewable energies or flow away from Italy to emerging markets?

It's Time to Invest in a 21st-century Power System

John Bernhardt — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:15:00 GMT

America's power system is too vulnerable to meet modern challenges — a harsh reality underscored by Hurricane Sandy, which left 8.1 million people in the dark for extended periods. Yet, widespread outages should no longer come as a surprise. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the country's electrical infrastructure a "D" grade in 2008. Ye

Steady but Modest Progress Found on Renewables Adoption

Tildy Bayar, Associate Editor, Renewable Energy World — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:27:00 GMT

The world has made “steady but modest progress” in improving global access to electricity and safe cooking fuels, increasing energy efficiency and adding renewable sources to the world’s energy mix, said Vivien Foster, energy unit sector manager at the World Bank’s sustainable energy department, at a recent briefing in London.

Germany Must Manage Growth and Costs of Renewable Power, IEA says

Tildy Bayar — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:36:00 GMT

While there is much to celebrate about the current direction of Germany’s energy policy, the nation must take steps to manage both the growth and the cost of its renewable power capacity, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its new country report.

Joint Venture Makes $20 million Bid for Ailing EV-Firm Fisker

Jeff Postelwait, Associate Editor, Electric Light & Power — Tue, 28 May 2013 14:18:00 GMT

A joint venture made up of China-based Wanxiang Group, former General Motors head Bob Lutz and industrialist Gilbert Villarreal is offering to buy troubled electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker Automotive in a prepackaged bankruptcy deal worth $20 million, according to reports.

Tesla Motors Repays DOE Loan 9 Years Early

Jeff Postelwait, Associate Editor, Electric Light & Power — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:25:00 GMT

U.S. electric vehicle maker Telsa Motors has paid back its 2010 loan awarded by the Department of Energy. Following payments made in 2012 and earlier in 2013, the May 22 payment of $451.8 million repays the full loan amount with interest.

EVs: Geely Revs Up, BYD Enters Hong Kong

Doug Young — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Let’s start with a look at the latest news from Geely, which has announced that Liu Jinliang has left his older role as head of the company’s car sales to focus exclusively on developing its EV business. (company announcement) In a bid to ease concerns that the move might represent a demotion, Geely is quick to add that Liu will retain his role as

Fracking and Solar: Friends, Foes or the Bridge to Clean Energy Adoption?

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:17:00 GMT

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” has been widely criticized by environmentalists who cite concerns with water pollution and methane leakage from this high-volume method of extracting natural gas. However, the burning of natural gas is undoubtedly better for the planet than the burning of coal. Some experts are now saying that — toxic chemicals an

Moniz Unanimously Confirmed As New DOE Chief

James Montgomery, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:55:25 GMT

Ernie Moniz has been unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next Secretary of Energy, in a 97-0 vote (with three nonvoters). He succeeds Stephen Chu who held the position for four years.

U.K. Delays Smart Meter Rollout by a Year on 'Challenge'

Alex Morales, Bloomberg — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The U.K. postponed its mass installation of "smart" energy meters by a year as suppliers struggle with design glitches and testing is delayed.

The Finnish Hydrogen Roadmap: Hydrogen to Join Electricity in Ending Traffic Pollution

Jussi Solin, Technical Research Center of Finland — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Global expectations for hydrogen are currently sky-high. Transport applications stand at the threshold of commercialisation, while ahead lies an investment boom in the hydrogen distribution network. The changeover to hydrogen based on natural gas would already mean a potential saving of billion in Finland's balance of payments. If hydrogen could then be produced from domestic renewable raw material, our car and bus traffic would eventually be practically self-sufficient and leave a significantly reduced carbon footprint. The above was revealed in the Finnish hydrogen roadmap published recently.

Springtime for Tesla

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:42:52 GMT

In my past couple blog posts, I've written about the electric car market and inventor Nikola Tesla , but I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to talk about Telsa Motors and the very big waves the company has been making lately. Tesla is having a very, very good May so far. Stock prices raised eyebrows on Wall Street, the company turned its first