News

• Climate Change Capital to persevere with wind financing plans

  21 July 2011

  Climate Change Capital (CCC) is exploring other options for raising a fund to invest in European wind assets, after a deal to invest £61 million ($99 million) in a wind farm owned by Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) fell through this week.

• First Solar founder launches $300m VC fund

  21 July 2011

  The founder of US solar developer First Solar has announced plans to raise a $300 million venture capital fund which will target companies in the energy, water, agriculture and waste sectors.

• Cloud computing could save US firms $12.3bn

  21 July 2011

  Cloud computing could save large US companies $12.3 billion and reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 200 million barrels of oil every year, according to a study by analysis firm Verdantix for the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).

• EPA emissions rule 'a game changer' for US gas, coal, power markets – analysts

  20 July 2011

  New rules on sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from US power plants are set to drive a substantial shift from coal to natural gas, shutting down coal plants and having a "significant impact" on US power, gas and coal markets from next year, according to research from Bank of America-Merrill Lynch (BoAML).

• David Miliband to advise Silicon Valley clean-tech investor

  20 July 2011

  Former UK foreign secretary David Miliband has been hired as a senior adviser by clean-tech investor VantagePoint Capital Partners.

• Lawmakers seek to rescue US energy efficiency retrofit bonds

  19 July 2011

  A bill to rescue municipal bond programmes for energy efficiency retrofits stands a good chance in the US Congress because it protects federal mortgage lenders, according to its supporters.

• Biofuels firm targets $100m IPO

  19 July 2011

  A US biodiesel producer is hoping to tap the public markets for $100 million, following the success of other recent biofuel offerings.

• KKR, Munich Re take 49% stake in Spanish solar firm

  19 July 2011

  Private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) and reinsurer Munich Re will acquire a combined 49% stake in Spanish solar developer Grupo T-Solar, reflecting increasing investor appetite for renewables.

• Denmark, AfDB set up sustainable energy fund

  19 July 2011

  Denmark and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are to set up a DKK300 million ($57 million) fund to help African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) access sustainable energy.

• Equator banks to update project finance standards by March 2012

  19 July 2011

  A new version of the voluntary Equator Principles, which set environmental and social standards for project finance, is to be published in March 2012.