News

• Ex-Im approves $806m loan to mammoth coal power station

  20 April 2011

  The controversial Kusile coal-fired power station in South Africa is set to receive $805.6 million in loans from the US Export-Import (Ex-Im) bank.

• UK solar investors go to court over FIT review

  20 April 2011

  A group of solar investors is pursuing legal action over the UK government's surprise review of feed-in tariffs (FITs) for large-scale solar installations, announced earlier this year.

• TVA spends up to $5bn to dismiss lawsuits, comply with pollution regulations

  20 April 2011

  The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will spend up to $5 billion to settled alleged violations of the Clean Air Act - quickening the government utility's transition from coal-fired power to clean energy.

• Q1 clean energy investment slumps amid policy uncertainty

  20 April 2011

  Global clean energy investment in the first three months of 2011 totalled $31.1 billion, a 34% slump on the previous quarter and down 10% on the corresponding period last year, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

• Follow-on legislation needed to enforce California renewables target – ARB

  19 April 2011

  California regulators are thrilled that the state's 33% renewable portfolio standard (RPS) has been enshrined into law, but warned that follow-up legislation is needed to govern how the mandatory target will be enforced, a top regulator told Environmental Finance.

• SO2 and NOx markets to rise again, says EPA official

  19 April 2011

  A top US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official has pledged that the moribund US sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) markets will thrive again, but reiterated that the agency's ability to preserve the value of current allowances is limited.

• Speculation mounts over Italian solar incentives

  15 April 2011

  Italy's solar photovoltaic (PV) sector has hit out at the rumoured changes to the country's incentive regime, recommending the government adopt a 'German style' approach free from capacity caps and with a staggered reduction in subsidies.

• Biodiversity finance stalling on lack of understanding, transparency

  15 April 2011

  Biodiversity markets are in dire need of an influx of fresh capital, but a lack of transparency and understanding is deterring private investment, experts said.

• UK pension funds at particular risk of fossil fuel reassessment – analyst

  14 April 2011

  The overweighting of the UK stock market towards fossil fuel companies means that UK pension funds are at particular risk of any sudden reassessment of the viability of high-carbon energy sources, according to a leading analyst.

• US loan guarantees for solar rescued from cull

  14 April 2011

  US solar energy advocates praised Congressional supporters of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) loan guarantee programme for thwarting an attempt to withdraw the programme's remaining stimulus funds.