17 Jan 2012
Recent themes: Big solar plans for ACT; MRRT bitter debate still rages; Australia defense minister woos India; NZ biofuel for US Aviation Agency
Wall Street Journal: Australia's Mining Tax Relies on Rosy Price Outlook
Australian politics remain deeply linked to current and future global commodity prices, writes the Wall Street Journal’s David Fickling on December 9, 2011. He points to the volatility of the Australian dollar and key commodities, making a case for the likelihood that the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) will generate much less tax income than the country’s Treasury has forecasted. Fickling writes a...
11 Apr 2012
Australian consumption report released … EV charging goes solar … Australia’s Victoria ignores own emissions target!
Climate Spectator: Primed for a power surge
Roy Orchison discussed findings in a report by Ernst & Young on energy consumption in Australia. The report tracked power consumption from 1973-74 to 2008-09. Highlights include:
Total electricity supply rose from 74TWh in 1973-74 to 242TWh in 2008-09 (now fallen back to 236TWh)
The manufacturing share increasedby 2.8%, and accounted for 28% of the consumption market in 2008-09
Commercial and public services’ power needs...
23 Jan 2012
Smart grid venture capital funding plunged in 2011; Duke-Progress merger delayed and ABB Nissan testing new use for old Leaf batteries.
Smart Grid News: Smart Grid Venture Funding Plunges
Mercom Capital Group released its annual report on merger and acquisition and funding activity for 2011. Jesse Berst of Smart Grid News reports on the dramatic decrease in venture capital (VC) funding in 2011. ...
15 Feb 2012
New Zealand wind generation looks forward to generous investment ... while Australian smart meter rollout is under fire ... NZ wind capacity gains traction … and Nissan EV ships on solar powered ‘Roro’
Engerati: Kiwis Predict Wide Wind Generation Growth
Released by the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development, the Energy Outlook 2011 discusses energy future predictions. With talk of mass investment in wind and geothermal energy generation projects, New Zealander’s could make huge savings on their energy bills.
ABC News: Premier defends ‘safe’ smart meters
At ABCNews.com, Allison Savage reports on the controversy brewing in Victoria, Australia, over the safety of...
28 Mar 2012
Hawaii smart meters’ opt-out from lawsuit … Utility vendors push the “Green Button” … California leads the charge for EV’s … PG&E spend, spend, spend!
Renew Grid: Lawsuit prompts smart meter opt-outs for opponents in Hawaii
Kauai Island Utility (KIUC) has announced that it would “indefinitely defer” smart meter installation for those who oppose them. This is in response to a lawsuit that was filed against the utility. David Bissell, KIUC CEO was disappointed that the local smart meter opponent filed his complaint with the Honolulu federal court.
It asked for an injunction blocking the utility’s smart meter rollout. The...
02 Feb 2012
Estonia builds Europe’s largest fast-charging EV network; Germany spat with neighbors’ over nuclear plans; Germany’s private citizens own 51% of country’s renewable energy.
Smart Meters: ABB to Build EV Charging Stations in Estonia
A network of 200 electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging depots will be built in Estonia by ABB. The Terra systems direct current (DC) will be running by the end of 2012. This is currently Europe’s largest EV infrastructure, and it may become the world’s first fast-charging system with countrywide coverage.
The fast chargers have cut charging times from 8 hours to about 15 minutes. The Estonian government aims to provide...
20 Mar 2012
New Zealand has released guidelines for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and importers. With New Zealand’s wireless EV charger being trialed in London and positive feedback from a two-year test-drive, the country is embracing this technology.
What happened
New Zealand’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) released guidelinesfor electric vehicles. Entitled “Deploying Electric Vehicles in New Zealand: A guide to the regulatory and markets environment”, the guidelines aim to ease EV uptake in the country.
Background
According to a media release by the New Zealand EECA, EVs first arrived in New Zealand in 2010. Developed together with New Zealand’s ministry of Transport, the EECA said...
23 Nov 2011
The UK is significantly renovating its electric infrastructure (Smart Grid.) The renovation will manage intermittent, renewable energy generation and the future deployment of electric vehicles.
Along with renewables, the UK is envisioning a bigger role for electric transport. To support these technologies, the country needs to upgrade its infrastructure and energy sector. The government budgets £200bn (US$312.8bn) to rebuild the country’s electricity infrastructure, according to the Energy Minister, Charles Hendry.
There are 6 major gas and electricity suppliers, providing 95% of the power for commercial customers. There are other independent operators, but the...
23 Jan 2012
US disillusioned with green jobs; electric vehicles – a growing reality in the US and US schools learn about smart energy.
Gigaom : The Reality Behind the Green Jobs Disillusionment
Philip Jordan of Gigaom is shocked by the negative reaction to the clean energy industry after Solyndra and Evergreen Solar filed for bankruptcy. Suggestions that the solar industry has seen its end due to the fall of Solyndra, has been labelled, by the author, as “preposterous”. He adds that the clean energy industry is volatile in the face of ever-changing markets and technology. ...
29 Feb 2012
New standards could be dampen Chinese wind sector enthusiasm … Welspun wins 250MW solar in India … Hong Kong gets EV right … and Pike compiles list of world’s top ten Li-ion manufacturers.
Engerati: Chinese Distributed Wind Operators Discouraged by Tech Specs
Power Engineering says China’s wind energy sector has to standardize technical reconstruction in order to thrive. China’s State Grid introduced technical standards, which distributed wind power generators must meet before they can access the power grid.
The National Energy Administration issued guidelines for distributed wind power development and construction. However, the technical standards will raise...
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