Australia needs to spend up to $130 billion on new power generation and upgrades to its grid to comply with new climate change policies.
Microgrids are set to gross $1.7 billion by 2016, according to a new report on the sector by Pike Research. Microgrids use smart grid technology to control distributed power generation and energy storage on smaller localised grids, separate from the utility power grid.
Low-carbon power sources should account for around 60 per cent of European electricity production by 2030, says the industry association Eurelectric.
“China is responding to climate change on many fronts... [and] its efforts in developing green energy are noteworthy”, according to delegates attending the UN climate change conference in Cancun.
The World Bank reports that China is making progress in meeting targets to generate 15 per cent of its electricity from non-fossil fuels by 2020, though it needs to improve and expand hydro generation and deal with inefficiency in its wind-power sector.
India’s Tata Power will invest around Rupees 50bn ($1.1 bn) in wind energy over the next seven years as it prepares to generate at least a quarter of its total power generation from clean sources by 2017.
India-based Mahindra Group is reportedly making plans to move into the solar energy generation business, according to an industry source. It is also looking for a partner in order to bring in domain expertise as well as extra funding for the venture.
Chinese power generation grew 14.9 per cent year-on-year to 3421.6 TWh in the first 10 months of 2010, including 563 TWh from hydropower, 2737.7 TWh from thermal power and 59.7 TWh from nuclear power.
India’s Reliance Power has agreed a $2.2 bn deal with General Electric after securing a $5bn loan from the US Export-Import bank for buying US goods and services over the next three years.
Mitsui & Co. will participate in the solar power generation business in Spain by purchasing a 30 per cent stake in local solar power company Guzman Energia SL.