The US has regained top spot from China as the biggest investor in clean energy in 2011, according to global rankings.
The table, published in a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts, showed that US invested more than $48bn (£30bn) in the sector, up from $34bn in 2010.
China slipped to second place, the authors reported, with investment only increasing by $0.5bn to $45.5bn.
Globally, overall financial backing in clean energy technologies hit a record $263bn, up 6.5% from 2010 levels.
The report, Who is Winning the Clean Energy Race, showed that G20 nations accounted for 95% of the investment in the sector (which does not include nuclear power).
The data, compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, ranked the UK as seventh in the world, with $9.4bn of investment in 2011.
Over the course of the year, an additional 83.5 gigawatts (GW) was added to the world's clean energy generation capacity, including almost 30GW of solar and 43GW of wind.
full article
Thursday 12 April 2012
Wednesday 11 April 2012
Energy firms to 'guarantee best deal' on tariffs
Energy companies will be required to let customers know what their best deal is, in a move which ministers say could save households up to £100 a year.
Firms will be obliged to tell people about the most suitable tariff for them and to offer it if they request it.
Announcing the move, Deputy PM Nick Clegg said seven out of 10 people have the wrong deal and pay too much.
Labour have accused energy firms of "ripping off" people and said there must be more competition in the market.
Under the deal, British Gas, E.On, NPower, Scottish and Southern Energy, EDF and Scottish Power will contact their customers once a year to tell them what the best tariff is for them, and how to get it.
They will also contact customers coming to the end of a fixed-term contract with the same advice.
They will not be obliged to let people know about cheaper deals with rival companies.
full article
Firms will be obliged to tell people about the most suitable tariff for them and to offer it if they request it.
Announcing the move, Deputy PM Nick Clegg said seven out of 10 people have the wrong deal and pay too much.
Labour have accused energy firms of "ripping off" people and said there must be more competition in the market.
Under the deal, British Gas, E.On, NPower, Scottish and Southern Energy, EDF and Scottish Power will contact their customers once a year to tell them what the best tariff is for them, and how to get it.
They will also contact customers coming to the end of a fixed-term contract with the same advice.
They will not be obliged to let people know about cheaper deals with rival companies.
full article
Monday 26 March 2012
Govt appeal over feed-in-tariffs fails
The Government has failed in its bid to get permission to appeal to the Supreme Court over a High Court ruling which deemed its decision to lower solar feed-in-tariffs was illegal.
In November, the Government announced it was bringing forward the date for its reduction in feed-in tariffs to December 12, 2011, rather than in April 2012 as previously planned and 11 days before the consultation ended on December 23. Friends of the Earth argued this change with little notice was unlawful.
The High Court deemed the ruling was illegal in January only for Government to announce it was to make a formal appeal one week later.
Under the proposals, solar panels installed after December 12 last year would have received reduced Fit payments. For new residential units up to the 4kw band, the rate was cut from 43.3p per kw to 21p per kw.
The plans led to some EIS and VCTs withdrawing offerings or considering changes to product mandates.
The decision to reject the appeal means that any installations built from April 1, 2012, will receive the lower feed-in-tariff rate. All domestic installations finished before March 3 this year will still get the higher 43.3p rate, while those finished between March 3 and March 31, will receive the higher rate until April 1, then it is reduced to 21p.
full article
In November, the Government announced it was bringing forward the date for its reduction in feed-in tariffs to December 12, 2011, rather than in April 2012 as previously planned and 11 days before the consultation ended on December 23. Friends of the Earth argued this change with little notice was unlawful.
The High Court deemed the ruling was illegal in January only for Government to announce it was to make a formal appeal one week later.
Under the proposals, solar panels installed after December 12 last year would have received reduced Fit payments. For new residential units up to the 4kw band, the rate was cut from 43.3p per kw to 21p per kw.
The plans led to some EIS and VCTs withdrawing offerings or considering changes to product mandates.
The decision to reject the appeal means that any installations built from April 1, 2012, will receive the lower feed-in-tariff rate. All domestic installations finished before March 3 this year will still get the higher 43.3p rate, while those finished between March 3 and March 31, will receive the higher rate until April 1, then it is reduced to 21p.
full article
Wednesday 25 January 2012
Government cut to solar tariffs blocked as appeal fails
The court case involved the government's move to halve the payments made to households with solar panels, which it says are unsustainable.
Solar businesses and campaigners had warned thousands of jobs could be lost as a result of the move.
Under the feed-in tariffs programme, people in Britain with solar panels are paid for the electricity they generate.
Confusion
The decision will lead to widespread confusion over what the tariff level is.
The previous tariff was just over 43p per Kilowatt-hour generated.
The new tariff of 21p per kilowatt-hour had been expected to come into effect from 1 April.
But in October, the government said the reduced rate would be paid to anyone who installed their solar panels after 12 December, sparking anger from environmental groups and installers.
The government announced a consultation on the proposals, which closed on 23 December - 11 days after the decision was to have been implemented.
The High Court ruled that changing the tariffs in this way was "legally flawed", a ruling the Court of Appeal has now upheld.
The change had particularly upset industry as it affected projects which may already have been commissioned but not installed.
"This decision has very important implications for the whole renewable energy sector in the UK," said Ben Warren a partner at Ernst and Young.
"It is a clear message that retrospective adjustment of support is not acceptable,"
Appeal
The government has put a contingency plan in place which would see the current tariff, of 43p, remain in place until the start of March.
However, they are also considering appealing in the Supreme Court against the latest ruling, potentially allowing them to return to the cut-off date of 12 December.
A DECC spokesperson said: "The Court of Appeal has upheld the High Court ruling on FITs. We are now considering our options."
They added that it meant there were "no guarantees" on any tariff consumers were offered after 12 December.
The tariff for surplus electricity exported to the national grid remains 3.1p per kilowatt-hour paid in addition to the tariff, and is unaffected by the changes.
Money shortage
There is also uncertainty about the sustainability of the reduced rate - as a rush of installations now may use up the scheme's remaining budget.
"The future of the feed in tariff beyond April 2012 is now hugely uncertain. Government and industry now need to work together to create a sustainable solar industry in the UK," added Mr Warren.
The Renewable Energy Association has called for the overall budget to be increased.
"The government's action and the subsequent court case had together thrown the solar industry into a state of extreme uncertainty," said chief executive Gaynor Hartnell.
"We now want to put this behind us as swiftly as possible, and work with government and supporters to secure a larger budget for small scale renewable energy generation," she added.
full article
Solar businesses and campaigners had warned thousands of jobs could be lost as a result of the move.
Under the feed-in tariffs programme, people in Britain with solar panels are paid for the electricity they generate.
Confusion
The decision will lead to widespread confusion over what the tariff level is.
The previous tariff was just over 43p per Kilowatt-hour generated.
The new tariff of 21p per kilowatt-hour had been expected to come into effect from 1 April.
But in October, the government said the reduced rate would be paid to anyone who installed their solar panels after 12 December, sparking anger from environmental groups and installers.
The government announced a consultation on the proposals, which closed on 23 December - 11 days after the decision was to have been implemented.
The High Court ruled that changing the tariffs in this way was "legally flawed", a ruling the Court of Appeal has now upheld.
The change had particularly upset industry as it affected projects which may already have been commissioned but not installed.
"This decision has very important implications for the whole renewable energy sector in the UK," said Ben Warren a partner at Ernst and Young.
"It is a clear message that retrospective adjustment of support is not acceptable,"
Appeal
The government has put a contingency plan in place which would see the current tariff, of 43p, remain in place until the start of March.
However, they are also considering appealing in the Supreme Court against the latest ruling, potentially allowing them to return to the cut-off date of 12 December.
A DECC spokesperson said: "The Court of Appeal has upheld the High Court ruling on FITs. We are now considering our options."
They added that it meant there were "no guarantees" on any tariff consumers were offered after 12 December.
The tariff for surplus electricity exported to the national grid remains 3.1p per kilowatt-hour paid in addition to the tariff, and is unaffected by the changes.
Money shortage
There is also uncertainty about the sustainability of the reduced rate - as a rush of installations now may use up the scheme's remaining budget.
"The future of the feed in tariff beyond April 2012 is now hugely uncertain. Government and industry now need to work together to create a sustainable solar industry in the UK," added Mr Warren.
The Renewable Energy Association has called for the overall budget to be increased.
"The government's action and the subsequent court case had together thrown the solar industry into a state of extreme uncertainty," said chief executive Gaynor Hartnell.
"We now want to put this behind us as swiftly as possible, and work with government and supporters to secure a larger budget for small scale renewable energy generation," she added.
full article
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