News Archive
Local renewable energy production discussed in Wolpertshausen
6 October 2010, ICLEI European Secretariat
Experts and citizens gathered in Wolpertshausen (Germany), earlier this year to examine the factors that both contribute to and potentially hinder the promotion of local renewable energy generation. Brought together by the RE Regions project, the focus was on the German situation, though the conclusions are relevant for other communities across Europe.
On the agenda were possibilities for legal frameworks, adapting to the new requirements for supplying the grid, biodiversity, local acceptance and demand for such technology and the energy saving potential of energy efficient renovation of older buildings. Communities face a number of challenges when choosing to generate renewable energy locally. However, changes are being made to make this decision easier. Though as Dr. Peter Pichl of the German Federal Environment Agency observed, “Many energy supply companies have not yet realised that accepting this energy can actually reduce their costs instead of being more cost-intensive”.
The experts were on hand to show how biodiversity loss because of the impact of energy crop cultivation can be reduced, for example by planting flowering strips around such crops. The RE Regions project, which works closely with the regions of Lüchow- Dannenberg and Schwäbisch Hall and the municipalities of Morbach and Wolpertshausen, will be hosting similar events in the near future. The project is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany.
DOE Honors U.S. Cities for International Clean Energy Partnerships
11 August 2010, U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy recently honored the winners of the 2010 Lou Wozar Annual Awards at the Sister Cities International annual conference in Albuquerque, N.M. These awards recognize some of the most effective international city-to-city partnerships that advance the use of clean energy and drive innovations in sustainability. On July 31, 2010, DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Brookhaven National Laboratory announced the cities of Riverside, Calif., and Sarasota, Fla., as the winners of the 2010 Lou Wozar Annual Awards for Sustainable Development - Energy. More...
World Wind Energy Award 2010 goes to the Founding Member States of IRENA
15 June 2010, WWEA (World Wind Energy Association )
On the occasion of the 9th World Wind Energy Conference 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey, the Board of the World Wind Energy Association has decided to give the World Wind Energy Award 2010 to the Founding Member States of the International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA and hand it over to IRENA´s Interim Director General, Ms Hélène Pelosse. More...
Applications welcome for TREE Project 2010
7 June 2010, TREE (Transfer Renewable Energy and Efficiency)
The German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the Renewables Academy (RENAC) are offering a wide range of seminars in order to build capacity among law makers from TREE target countries. Local governmental representatives interested in expanding their knowledge of renewable energy are encouraged to apply for a TREE scholarship. More...
Study shows 100% renewable energy possible by 2050
26 April 2010, European Climate Foundation
The European Climate Foundation has published a new report providing a practical, independent and objective analysis of pathways to achieve a low-carbon economy in Europe, in line with the energy security, environmental and economic goals of the European Union. The study examined costs and benefits of decarbonization pathways for the European power sector by 2050, looking at scenarios based on 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% renewables. More...
Department of Energy allocates funding for solar energy education for local governments
16 April 2010, ICLEI USA
The US Department of Energy has allocated $10 million for two companies to educate local governments across the nation about solar energy. Workshops, web-based resources and other outreach methods are planned. More...
First Agreement for Increased Funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewables Through ELENA
24 March 2010, RAPID
Barcelona is to become the first agreement of the European Local Energy Assistance (ELENA) facility. The announcement, made in Brussels at the EU’s Sustainable Energy Week, marks the beginning of an estimated 1 billion EUR investment by cities and regions in energy efficiency and renewables. More...
Global Status Report on Local Renewable Energy Policies
The "Global Status Report on Local Renewable Energy Policies” draft is now available for comments and additions. The report is compiled by the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) / Japan and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and complements the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report. The report on local policies provides a summary of renewable energy policies for 160 cities and local governments worldwide, as well as more detailed descriptions of 30 cities. More...
- Sustainable Energy Panel - ICLEI
Proudly Showing Local Climate and Energy Cases in Copenhagen
December 2009, ICLEI
Just prior to the COP 15, ICLEI joined The Copenhagen Climate Exchange – an exhibition and workshop series highlighting work done by civil society and networks in the field of climate protection. With the Local Climate Action Exhibition, ICLEI proudly presented a number of cases illustrating effective climate protection and sustainable energy actions in communities involved in the Local Renewables Initiative (LRI) and the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign. More details are available at: www.iclei.org/local-renewables
Renewables Interactive Map
6 January 2010, REN21
REN21 has created an interactive map showing renewable energy information from countries around the world. More...
Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of Renewable
Energy Policies in China
16 October 2009, REN21REN21 released its report, “Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Policies in China” which identifies key challenges faced by the renewable energy sector. The report also offers recommendations for facing these challenges to policy makers. The report was produced with help from the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association (CREIA) as well as technology experts from numerous Chinese research institutions and the private sector. More…
Ontario Supports Local Investments in Green Energy
23 September 2009, Ontario.ca
McGuinty government initiatives creates locally led green energy opportunities. Ontario will be providing assistance to community groups looking to build new green generation and to municipalities that might face extra infrastructure costs as green energy facilities are built. These two programs represent steps five and six in Ontario's ten steps to green energy which will open investment and opportunities in Ontario's green economy... More...
IRENA and REN-Alliance Announce Cooperation
21 September 2009, ICLEI
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Renewable Energy Alliance (REN-Alliance) have agreed to work together in order to speed up the utilization of renewable energy sources worldwide. The groups announced their cooperation plans in Stockholm in conjunction with the World Bioenergy - Clean Vehicles & Fuels 2009... More...
- credit: Rentricity
Rentricity To Install Hydrokinetic System in New Hampshire
21 September 2009, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
Rentricity is implementing its Flow-to-Wire system to capture excess flow and pressure at the Water Treatment Facility, to result in a new ongoing source of electricity for the municipality. This energy recovery system will allow the City of Keene in New Hampshire, USA to reduce its electricity consumption from the regional power grid and decrease its carbon footprint accordingly. More...
SolarCraft Helps Rohnert Park Go Green: New City Center Powered by Solar
16 September 2009, RenewableEnergyWorld.comThe new Plaza’s solar project is part of a County-wide plan for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions— 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2015. All nine Sonoma cities and the County established this goal in 2005. The new solar energy system will save the City of Rohnert Park over 3 tons of harmful greenhouse gas emissions every year. More...
Nexterra To Develop Biomass Gasification System for City of Stamford
11 September 2009, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
Nexterra Systems Corp. has been selected by the City of Stamford, Connecticut to develop a biomass gasification system for the Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority (SWPCA). The proposed gasification system will convert locally procured woody biomass waste into clean burning synthetic gas or "syngas"...." More...
XCel Energy Says Boulder SmartGridCity Is Live
8 September 2009, earth2tech
If you thought the smart grid was a distant future, in some cities it’s already here. Xcel Energy, which sells electricity and gas in eight western and mid-western states, says its SmartGridCity Project in Boulder, Colo. is now live...
- credit: University of Florida, Gainesville
Lessons from the Gainesville Feed-In Tariff Program
1 September 2009, Apollo News Service
...The program was implemented in March 2009. Less than a month later, GRU had already received proposals for approximately 12 megawatts of solar PV energy. To date, GRU has accepted enough applications to generate sufficient solar PV electricity to meet the program’s targets through 2016. However, the utility states that it “will continue to accept and approve applications…to fulfill targets for future years.” There are currently 36 solar PV systems already installed... More...
Trends in Local Renewable Energy
25 August 2009, ICLEI
The Renewables Global Status Report, 2009 Update, tracks renewable energy investment, deployment, and policy developments, among other useful data. It has been published by REN21 - Renewable Energy Networks for the 21st Century, with the city contribution provided by ICLEI. The overview on city and local government activities on renewable energy...
- credit: Murdo MacLeod
Islay to be entirely powered by tides
25 August 2009, The Guardian
ScottishPower is planning a tidal energy project that will supply all the electricity for one of Scotland's most famous islands, the Guardian can reveal...The 10MW tidal project, one of the world's largest, will provide enough electricity for Islay's 3,500 inhabitants for 23 hours a day... More...
The World's First Carbon Positive City Will Be...in China?
16 August 2009, Christian Science Monitor
...The city now houses nearly 200 renewable energy companies. One of them makes blades for wind farms in Texas. Another is providing the solar panels for the largest solar power station in the world, in Portugal. More...
Video: Solar America Cities Train the Trainer Programs Looks to Help Create Green Jobs
12 August 2009, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
...to prepare these trainers to go back to their individual cities and help usher in the new green workforce. Some of the individuals will go back and conduct training within their city that helps... More...
The new IRENA DG says the Agency will not support nuclear
30 July 2009, Xpress
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will not back programmes to develop nuclear energy due to... More
REDCO Signs PPA With Needles, California
21 July 2009, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
The Needles City Council and the Needles Public Utility Authority (NPUA) have unanimously approved and executed a twenty year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Renewable Energy Development Corporation (REDCO). Pursuant to the PPA, REDCO will develop and operate a 5-megawatt solar thermal power plant in Needles to provide the city with... More...
ReneSola To Develop 500-MW Utility Project & 5-MW Rooftop Project
20 July 2009, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
..the Yancheng city government in Jiangsu province, to develop a 500-megawatt (MW) on-grid solar power generation project. In addition, the company has been granted the exclusive right in a letter of intent with the Panzhihua east district government in Sichuan province, to develop a 5-MW rooftop project... More...
Global Status Report on Local Renewable Energy Policies
9 July 2009, ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability
A "Global Status Report on Local Renewable Energy Policies” draft is now available for comments and additions. The report is compiled by the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) / Japan and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and complements the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report. The report on local policies provides a summary of renewable energy policies for 160 cities and local governments worldwide, with an additional more detailed description of 30 cities. More...
- credit: Ben Shepard
Is the Sky the Limit for Wind Power?
15 June 2009, Carnegie Institution for Science
In the future, will wind power tapped by high-flying kites light up New York? A new study by scientists at the Carnegie Institution and California State University identifies New York as a prime location for exploiting high-altitude winds, which globally contain enough energy to meet world demand 100 times over. The researchers found that the regions best suited for harvesting this energy match with population centers in... More...
- credit: BusinessWeek
Amsterdam as Smart City: Going Green, Fast
13 March 2009, BusinessWeek
Among Amsterdam's 17th century town houses and meandering canals, big changes are afoot. On Utrechtsestraat, a major shopping avenue in the center of the Dutch capital, street trash soon will be collected by nonpolluting electric trucks, while the electronic displays in local bus stops will be powered by small solar panels... More...