Shell has invested $1.7bn in renewable energy over the last five years. The company is currently building a large off-shore windpark at Egmond together with the Dutch energy concern Nuon.

The company said it will now focus on bio fuels.

CDP claims this provides a clear message to suppliers to the UK public sector that action on climate change has become a necessary part of business. The public sector has considerable purchasing power. In the UK, public procurement amounts to £150 billion per annum with about £60 billion spent on goods and services by central government and the wider public sector spending a further £90 billion. In the EU as a whole, the public budget amounts to about 16% of total GDP.

Eight organisations including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Office of Government Commerce and the Victoria and Albert Museum received completed climate change reports from 238 suppliers, based largely in the UK. This information enables public sector organisations to start to quantify emissions generated by suppliers, to better understand the associated risks and opportunities and to build a robust and resilient supply chain.

Lord Hunt, Minister of State for Sustainable Development at Defra: “The CDP’s public procurement project has been an important step for both public sector organisations and their suppliers. It has not only helped us to understand how our suppliers are reducing their carbon emissions, but also how they are dealing with the risks posed by climate change.  I am really pleased that Defra has such a high rate of suppliers who provided the information. It has shown that we can have a real impact on global emissions levels by using low carbon suppliers. This will help us to make procurement choices in future which will help fight damaging climate change.”

The Commission for Energy Regulation last week announced that the ESB is to buy electricity from microgenerators at a tariff of nine cents per kilowatt. Mr Ryan is to announce the incentives at the Renewable Energy Systems open day in Straffan, Co Kildare. He will also reveal details of a grant-assisted pilot study covering part of the cost of setting up a microgenerator. A guide outlining how people can get their turbines connected to the national grid will also be released. Ireland is considered to have some of the best energy-producing winds in Europe and a high percentage of the population live in one-off houses on sites suitable for wind-energy generation.

This will result in a reduction of about 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year in comparison with generation based on fossil fuels. The minister also claims that this plan will create new jobs. Biomass is organic material that can be used to create renewable energy. This includes plants, trees and vegetations, as well as sewage and animal waste. Biomass is ‘carbon neutral’, in that the amount of carbon it absorbs while growing is the same as the amount it produces when burned.

Ms Davidson said “Climate change is a reality we have to face and exploiting a mix of available energy resources is vital. Biomass has the potential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, whilst at the same time cutting our carbon emissions.”

At closing, NRG will invest approximately $10 million for equity and associated development rights for three projects on sites in south central California and the Southwest US and a portfolio of PPAs to develop, build, own and operate up to 11 eSolar modular solar generating units at these sites. These development assets will use eSolar’s concentrating solar power (CSP) technology to sell renewable electricity under contracted power purchase agreements (PPAs) with local utilities seeking competitively priced, zero-carbon solar power.

“This is NRG’s first venture into solar power and it brings an exceptionally important component to the low- and no-carbon focus of our RepoweringNRG program,” said Michael Liebelson, Chief Development Officer Low Carbon Technology for NRG Energy. “By coupling NRG’s construction capabilities and regional operating expertise with eSolar’s innovative CSP technology, we can advance NRG’s renewable energy portfolio while helping to accelerate development of these important projects on a commercial scale.” eSolar is currently completing its first commercial demonstration CSP plant in Southern California.

The facility will be the first fully functioning solar thermal power tower plant built in the United States. In building this first plant, eSolar is obtaining valuable design, construction and operational insights to provide NRG the foundation for the implementation of commercial scale facilities. “eSolar’s breakthrough modular power plants use more software and less steel to allow solar energy to be competitive with fossil fuels for the first time ever,” said Bill Gross, CEO of eSolar. “NRG Energy’s extensive project skills and focus on advancing a diverse portfolio of energy generation technology will help accelerate the deployment of eSolar’s CSP technology in locations across the US.”

eSolar’s global leadership shares an extensive and proven track record of experience in solar technologies and renewable energy projects. By leveraging a proprietary combination of optics and software in a pre-fabricated form factor, eSolar achieves economies of scale while focusing on the key business obstacles that have characterized large solar installations—price, scalability, speed of deployment and grid impact. eSolar has partnered with Idealab, Google.org, Oak Investment Partners, and other investors to develop large and utility-scale power projects around the world.

The National Energy Administration (NEA) will grant the project developer a franchise to operate the power plant for 25 years. 38 companies will be invited to tender for the project, including China Power Investment Corporation, China Huaneng Group, Suntech Power and Yingli Green Energy.

The China government in 2008 approved the construction of a solar power-generating station located on an offshore island in Shanghai and another located in Inner Mongolia, with a feed-in tariff rate of four yuan per kilowatt-hour for each. For this project, the China government will offer a feed-in tariff rate of below two yuan per kilowatt-hour, possibly as low as 1.7-1.8 yuan per klowatt-hour under intensive competition The large reduction in feed-in tariff is in response to largely decreased international prices of solar energy products since the fourth quarter of 2008.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: ‘‘This report shows there are massive opportunities in London to reduce food waste helping to both save ourselves money by throwing away less food and cut climate change emissions.’

The report shows London’s schools and hospitals serve around 110 million meals a year, and that the capital boasts 1,200 restaurants (most of which are independently owned), 6,000 cafes and more than 5,000 pubs and bars. There are 36,000 allotments in London producing an equivalent two million meals but long waiting lists show many more Londoners would like to grow their own.

The report findings included:

Across all 6 greenhouse gases total emissions from the food eaten and grown in London is estimated at the equivalent of nearly 19 million tonnes of CO2 per year

Carbon dioxide emissions from London’s food consumption are just over 10 million tonnes

The report concludes that the majority of food related emissions comes from the production of food, accounting for 44 per cent. Much of this occurs outside of London.

Within London, the majority of emissions are from the preparation and storage of food

It is estimated that we throw away a third of the food we buy: London’s food waste therefore represents 6.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases.

Source The Mayor of London’s official website.

“I hope this investment will ignite our imagination once more in science, medicine, energy and make our economy stronger, our nation more secure, and our planet safer for our children,” said President Obama.

A summary of the incentives follows:-

Tax Incentives

• Three-Year Extension of PTC: The bill provides a three-year extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for electricity derived from wind facilities through December 31, 2012, as well as for geothermal, biomass, hydropower, landfill gas, waste-to-energy and marine facilities through ecember 31 2013.
• Investment Tax Credit (ITC) Accessible to All Renewable Energy: The bill provides project developers of wind, geothermal, biomass and other technologies eligible for the PTC, the option of instead utilizing the 30% ITC that previously only applied to solar and other clean technology projects.
• Repeals Subsidized Energy Financing Limitation on ITC: The bill would allow businesses and individuals to qualify for the full amount of the ITC, even if their property is financed with industrial development bonds or other subsidized energy financing.
• Grant Program in Lieu of Tax Credits: The bill allows project developers to apply for a grant from the Treasury Department in lieu of the ITC. The grant will be equal to 30% of the cost of eligible projects that start construction in 2009 or 2010. It will be issued within sixty days of the facility being placed in service or, if later, within sixty days of receiving a grant application.
• Increases Credit for Alternative Fuel Pumps: The bill increases the size of credits for installing alternative fuel pumps at gas stations from 30 to 50% ($30,000 to $50,000) for taxable years 2009-2010.
• Advanced Energy Manufacturing Credits: The bill provides $2 billion worth of energyrelated manufacturing investment credits at a 30% rate.vi These credits apply to projects creating or retooling manufacturing facilities to make components used to generate renewable energy, storage systems for use in electric or hybrid-electric cars, power grid components supporting addition of renewable sources, and equipment for carbon capture and storage (CCS).
• Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Credit: The bill increases the tax credit for qualified plug-in electric drive vehicles for the first 200,000 placed in service. The base amount of the credit is $2500. Batteries with at least 5 kilowatt hours of capacity have a credit of $2917. The credit is further increased by $417 for every kilowatt hour in excess of 5 kilowatt hours, but cannot exceed $5000.viii The credit is allowed to be taken against the alternative minimum tax (AMT).
• Five Year Carry-Back Provision for Operating Losses of Small Businesses: The bill would extend the carry-back period for net operating losses (NOL) from two to five years for tax years 2008 and 2009.x An eligible NOL includes the NOL for any taxable year ending in 2008 or if the taxpayer chooses, any taxable year beginning in 2008. An election under this provision may only be taken for one taxable year.
• Extends Bonus Depreciation: The bill extends, through 2009, the temporary increase of bonus depreciation to 50% that Congress enacted last year. These write offs can be applied to capital expenditures ranging from $250,000 to a newly increased threshold of $800,000.

Direct Spending

• Direct Spending for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: The bill provides $16.8 billion in direct spending for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs over the next ten ears.
• Grid Development: The bill provides $4.5 billion to modernize the nation’s electricity grid with smart grid technology. The bill increases federal matching grants for the Smart Grid Investment Program from 20% to 50%.
• R&D, Demonstration Projects: The bill provides $2.5 billion for renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D, demonstration and deployment activities.
• Federal Power Marketing Administrations: The bill provides $6.5 million for capital investments by certain federal power marketing administrations in electric power transmission systems.
• Advanced Battery Grants: The bill provides $2 billion for grants for the manufacturing of advanced batteries and components. This includes the manufacturing of advanced lithium ion batteries, hybrid electrical systems, component manufacturers, and soft-ware designers.
• Defense Energy and Efficiency Programs: The bill provides $300 million to the DOD for the purpose of research, testing and evaluation of projects to energy generation, transmission and efficiency. The bill provides an additional $100 million for Navy and Marine Corps facilities to fund energy efficiency and alternative energy projects.
• Study of Electric Transmission Congestion: The bill requires the Secretary of Energy to include a study of the transmission issues facing renewable energy in the pending study of electric transmission congestion that is due to be issued in August 2009.

Bond and Loan Programs

• Clean Energy Renewable Bonds (CREBs): The bill provides $1.6 billion of new clean energy enewable bonds to finance wind, closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, geothermal, small irrigation, hydropower, landfill gas, marine renewable, and trash combustion facilities.
• One third of the authorized funding will be available for qualifying projects of state/local/tribal governments, one-third for public power providers and one-third for electric cooperatives
• Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program: The bill provides $6 billion for a temporary loan guarantee program for renewable energy power generation and transmission projects that begin construction by September 30, 2011.xxv Up to $500 million of the overall $6 billion can be used for the development of leading edge biofuels that have been demonstrated.

Source American Council on Renewable Energy.

ScottishPower Renewables, part of the world’s largest wind power operator and developer, Iberdrola Renewables, and Vattenfall, the world’s second largest operator of offshore wind, will jointly participate in the third round of tender bids to develop offshore wind power in the UK. The partnership will take the form of a consortium combining extensive experience of offshore wind power and the financial strength to ensure a strong renewable energy bid.

Applications for the third round of tenders are to be submitted to the UK’s Crown Estate by the beginning of March. “For us, the partnership offers a better opportunity to achieve our goal of increasing the amount of wind power we produce to a total of 50 TWh by 2030. Great Britain is an important growth market for us and has excellent conditions for wind power,” says Lars G Josefsson, CEO Vattenfall AB. “Combining the experience and knowledge of Vattenfall and ScottishPower Renewables will create a extremely strong and successful partnership. Round 3 is very important part of the UK’s renewable aspirations and this consortium has the skills and determination to play a key role in this process.” says Xabier Viteri, Chief Executive of Iberdrola Renewables.

Vattenfall already owns Kentish Flats, a wind farm in the Thames Estuary off Whitstable and recently acquired wind power companies AMEC Wind Energy Ltd and Eclipse Energy UK plc in Great Britain. Vattenfall also owns two of the world’s four largest offshore wind farms, Lillgrund off the south coast of Sweden and Horns Rev in the Danish North Sea. Vattenfall’s strategic focus is “making electricity clean” with the goal of being climate neutral by 2050. ScottishPower Renewables operates over 550 MW of wind farms across Great Britain and Ireland and is in the process of building the world’s largest onshore wind farm, Whitelee (322 MW) and recently received consent for their first offshore windfarm, West of Duddon Sands (500 MW).