Canada’s new budget plan eyes efficiency, EVs and community energy
The new budget looks to lower the cost of energy for households by turning to distributed energy, energy efficiency and community energy programs. To this end, several billion Canadian dollars will be spent.
Your appliances can save the grid (and allow more solar)
A new report by Wood Mackenzie finds a surprising amount of potential demand flexibility in U.S. homes, which can make the job of integrating more solar and wind easier.
Global energy investment in 2017 moved away from energy security and sustainability goals, finds IEA
Following a strong year for clean energy spending, 2017 saw a 7% decline in renewable power investment – to around $298 billion – while the share of fossil fuels in energy supply funding rose for the first time since 2014, according to the International Energy Agency in a report published today.
Solar becoming par for the course in Japan
LG’s 56 MW PV park is the group’s largest in Japan and will join the string of energy schemes feeding big data into the conglomerate’s Energy Optimization Center, when it opens this year.
Study: Swiss energy transition creates jobs and energy independence
A team of scientists at Lausanne have calculated the costs and job impact of the 2050 Energy Strategy, in force since January. The results show the additional investment called for by the strategy is offset by savings on imported fuel and electricity.
Solar quadruples in big US capacity auction as electricity price soars
Unit cost of power is set to almost double for around a fifth of the US population in three years’ time as abandonment of all-of-the-above Obama strategy sees fewer generators participate in PJM capacity auction
Renewables penetration unbalanced across sectors, off-grid solar boosts access to electricity – report
According to a tracking report from five international agencies, the world is lagging behind its sustainable development goals for the period 2015-2030, although significant progress has been made in reducing electrification deficit in the least developed countries, and industrial energy efficiency. Off-grid solar solutions, meanwhile, are emerging as one of the key drivers of rural energy access.
IRENA: Renewables can account for up to two-thirds of total energy use, and 85% of power generation by 2050
In the latest edition of its long-term renewable energy outlook, IRENA calls for at least six-fold deployment of renewables by 2050, compared to the levels set out in current plans. Investment in low-carbon technologies needs to grow by around 30% to US$120 trillion to enable the energy transition and avoid escalating stranded assets, the report finds.
Battery, smart grid and efficiency companies raise $1.5 bn in VC funding in 2017 – Mercom
In 2017, battery storage, smart grid and energy efficiency companies saw a YoY increase in venture capital funding, garnering a combined US$1.5 billion, up from the $1.3 billion raised in 2016, finds the latest Mercom Capital report.
Global Environment Facility along with ADB will provide $454 million funding to EESL clean energy projects
Energy Efficiency Services Limited EESL’s projects, under one of the largest funding by Global Environment Facility (GEF) to date, will mitigate 60 million tons of CO2 emissions. UN Environment’s ‘District Energy in Cities’ initiative already identified $600 million of energy efficiency projects across five cities in India.
