23 Nov 2011
France has the second largest energy sector in the EU. It is also the EU’s largest net exporter of electricity. Overall, France’s per capita CO2 emission rate is one of the lowest in Europe, due to its strong dependence of nuclear power. Nuclear energy also keeps the electricity production costs down.
Nuclear Energy
The country’s nuclear power industry has been labelled a “success” in terms of providing cheap, CO2-free energy. However, France's nuclear reactors are commonly used in load-following mode. Some reactors are closed over the weekend as there is no market for the generated electricity. 11 of the 15 inland plants have cooling towers, which use evaporative cooling. Others use lake or river water directly. As a result, generation output is limited during hot...
31 Oct 2011
Indonesia generates 86% of its electricity from conventional fossil fuel sources (coal, gas, and oil). It was also the third-largest generator of geothermal power in 2009. The country had 27.8GW installed generating capacity and generated 122BKWh of electricity, during 2008. 86% of which came from fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), 8%...
State-owned electric utility PT PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) is the main actor in the electric power sector. PLN owns and operates 86% of the country’s generating capacity through its subsidiaries. It still maintains a virtual monopoly over distribution. The 2009 Electricity Law ends PLN’s distribution monopoly, but sufficient implementing regulations have yet to come into effect.
Before the Asian financial crisis, Indonesia planned to increase its power supply. PLN opened the...
02 Nov 2011
51% of urban areas in Kenya have electricity, whereas only 8% of rural areas are electrified. (See: World Bank - Rural electrification programs in Kenya.) The country boasts a high level of renewable energy due to its 60% hydroelectric generation. However, drought, deforestation and the silting of dams limit its capacity. As a result,...
The Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited (KPLC) generated, transmitted and distributed electricity in Kenya until 1997. The Electric Power Act split these functions.
There are 5 ‘actors’ in the energy sector:
· Ministry of Energy
· Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited (KenGen)
– manages the nation’s public power generation facilities. The company...
16 Jan 2012
Renewable energies reach 65% of generation in Central America … But beware excessive consumption of natural resources in region … And Brazil’s development bank quadruples financing for wind in 2011.
ECLAC: Study says Renewable Energies Reach Record 65% of Electricity in Central America
65% of electricity produced in six countries in Central America in 2010 came from renewable energies (hydropower, geothermal, sugar cane, wind), which is a record for the subregion, according to a recent study from ECLAC.
In 2010 Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama produced a total of 40,668.2GWh, while the...
30 Jan 2012
Landfill fuels electricity in Peru … as preliminary damming of Brazil’s Xingu River begins … Solar map of Argentina to be made … and innovations to cultivate jatropha for biofuels
World Bank: Turning Trash into Power in Peru
The World Bank launched an energy plant in Peru, fueled by a landfill in the Peruvian desert, which supplies energy to the national grid and generates carbon credits. Positioned near the nation’s capital, Lima, the plant runs on the methane gas produced by the rotting trash of the Huaycoloro landfill.
More than 234,575 carbon credits have been issued to date by the UNFCCC. This represents the...
18 Nov 2011
Fossil fuels generate around 40% of Chile’s electricity. As the country has poor local fossil fuel reserves, Chile imports over 80% of its fossil fuels. The country intends to invest more than US$28.5bn in power projects by 2014. Most of the projects will involve power generation but it plans to construct substations and transmission lines, in...
Chile’s Greenhouse emissions increased by 166% between 1984 and 2008. The Chilean National Energy Commission expects emissions to double again, between 2008 and 2025.
Poor infrastructure was the major cause of the September 2011 power outage, which affected 10 million Chileans and several mines. Critics blame Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera, for under-investing in the country’s infrastructure.
Fossil Fuel Use
Coal
Chile is looking to double its current installed electricity...
29 Feb 2012
Australia all in on clean tech R&D … while Queensland’s taste for solar dominates … but Senate hears bad news from solar panel inspectors … and political group shields forests from renewables.
EnergyMatters.com.au: $1 Billion Australian Clean Energy Investment Programs Launched
EnergyMatters.com.au announced Australian Prime Minister Gillard’s launch of the Clean Technology Investment Program. The initiative makes AU$1bn (US$1.07bn) available to manufacturers to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Eligible projects include:
- Technologies that reduce energy and/or use carbon emissions at manufacturing facilities
- Process re-engineering for...
15 May 2012
Aussie’s NSW biodiesel plant gets go ahead … while Kiwis prepare for GreenWave’s easy-to-use HEMs … Origin Energy enter recording breaking deal … and NZ smart homes project gets top tech platform!
EnergyBusinessNews.com: New South Wales biodiesel plant a go
Lachlan Colquhoun announced that NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell, gave the green light to a US$273m soybean processing and biodiesel production facility. The Port Kembla, south-Sydney factory will produce soybean meal, used in stock feed, and also soy biodiesel, to be used as fuel.
The plant will produce 288 million liters of biodiesel annually to supply to major companies like Caltex, Xstrata and BHP. The company in...
05 Feb 2012
Green World Investment reports that the Indian government is proposing a 5% mandatory blending of ethanol into petrol and diesel. The aim is to reduce carbon emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Sounds good, except that in a country with such high poverty levels, is it wise to impose mandatory legislation which has proved to push up food prices in other parts of the world?
Read more about Asia’s energy market.
Sources
Green World Investor - Mandatory ethanol blending in India is a dumb idea
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