02 Nov 2011
Brazil consumes the most electricity in Latin America. It is double what Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Uruguay consume. Brazil’s installed capacity can be compared to that of Italy and the United Kingdom. Its transmission system is much larger though. Brazil’s installed generating capacity more than doubled from 49.6GW to 102.61GW between 1998...
Brazil also has the world’s largest water storage capacity, thus creating the potential for substantial hydroelectric power. Hydroelectricity supplies over 80% of Brazil’s electricity needs. Hydroelectricity made up 73,678MW of the nation’s 96,294MW total installed capacity in 2007. This is followed by gas at 10.6% and oil at 4.4%. The recent droughts have pushed the government to look at alternate energy sources. State-owned Petrobrás wants to spend over US$174bn in...
11 Apr 2012
Four UK pioneers get US$1.6m to develop technology for hydrogen-powered cars ... while Germany’s energy transition will cost US$263bn ... and warm weather and nuclear power reduce UK emission level!
Renewable Energy Magazine: Fuel cell technology could be under your car bonnet by 2017
Renewable Energy Magazine reports that the Carbon Trust has given US$1.6m (£1m) to four UK fuel cell pioneers to develop “cutting edge” technology for hydrogen-powered cars. These developers are:
Runcorn-based ACAL Energy
Sheffield-based ITM Power
Imperial College London (Imperial)
University College London (UCL)
Carbon Trust will finance the development of a “new...
03 Feb 2012
Australian Flagship Ventures closes venture capital fund US$20m over target; Australia’s shale gas industry is a decade behind the times and massive infrastructural plans to support coal exports to Asia.
SustainableBusiness.com: Australia Seeds Largest Renewable Energy Fund, Flagship Raises VC (venture capital) Fund
As published on SustainableBusiness.com, Australia’s Flagship Ventures closed its latest fund at US$270m. This exceeded its initial target of US$250m.
The fund will invest mainly in clean tech/sustainability and healthcare early-stage companies. Some of the cleantech companies are:
· Joule (pioneering the production of liquid fuel...
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...
30 Jan 2012
US President Barrack Obama’s state-of-the-union address on Tuesday – plans for clean energy, more investments, drilling, fracking and US$5bn in clean energy tax credits.
Grist: Obama makes strong call for clean energy — oh, and drilling and fracking too
Lisa Hymas of Grist summarizes US President, Barack Obama’s energy points his state-of-the-union address on Tuesday 24 January 2012 as follows:
“Clean energy rocks. Nice, deserving people get jobs at wind-turbine plants. Solyndra-style investments are critical. Oil-industry subsidies suck. Energy efficiency is an economic engine. We need to drill, baby, drill. And we need to frack, baby...
02 Nov 2011
Argentina generates electricity with fossil fuels (54%), hydroelectricity (41%), and some nuclear (4%). Less than 0.1% is renewable. A recent surge in economic and population growth threatens a power shortage. The country needs to strengthen its electric supplies in anticipation of increased consumer spending and industrialization. Argentina’s...
The National Promotion Direction (DNPROM) within the Energy Secretariat (SENER) coordinates renewable energy and promotes energy efficiency.
The Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) oversees environmental policy and the protection of renewable and non-renewable resources.
Private and state-owned companies generate electricity in a competitive and liberalized market. Private companies own about 75% of the total installed capacity.
The government owns the nuclear...
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...
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...
30 Apr 2012
Due to delays on large hydropower projects and rising demand, Mozambique will have to wait until the end of the decade for a more reliable power supply.
What happened
Mozambique faces a limited power supply until 2020, due to escalating power demand and delays on major hydroelectric projects, reports Reuters. The proposed hydro projects include:
The1,245MW Cahora Bassa North
The 1,500MW Mphanda Nkuwa
Both are located along the Zambezi River.
Carlos Yum, director for business development for Mozambican utility Electricidad de Mocambique (EDM,) explains that the plants will be completed by around 2019. The two projects also rely on...
24 Jan 2012
EU’s energy efficiency talks not so efficient; Russia faces competition as EU secures alternate gas supplies; more ambitious 2030 EU renewable energy target called for; TAP expected to come out tops in the South East Europe pipeline race
EurActiv: Energy efficiency talks focus on finance, deal uncertain
Ana-Maria Tolbaru writes that the EU’s 27 member states are unwilling to make a financial commitment to the energy efficiency directive. Martin Lidegaard, the Danish Minister for climate, energy and building, says that the binding 20% energy efficiency target and measures have also been snubbed.
The EU Council of Ministers wants targets to be measured “differently,” or include “opt-outs,”...
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