D.O.E. grants $9 million to 7 data-driven solar projects

The U.S. Department of Energy will provide $9 million worth of funding to seven data-driven projects across six states as part of its SunShot Initiative. These new projects - located in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas – will help scientists, project developers, installers and communities to unlock new opportunities to step up the commercialization and deployment of...

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British government awards $73.86 million to over 130 energy efficiency projects

The British government has announced £46 million ($73.86 million) worth of funding to over 130 local energy projects in the country. The grant, through the Department of Energy and Climate Change, is awarded to 132 projects to help reduce fuel deficit, increase energy efficiency and promote collective switching and purchasing in regions across Great Britain. It is distributed to local authorities and non-governmental...

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R.E.E.E.P. grants $5.28 million to 28 clean energy projects in Asia and Africa

Twenty eight new clean energy projects in Africa and Asia will get €3.95 million ($5.28 million) in grants from the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership, an Austrian-based market catalyst for clean energy in emerging markets and developing countries. The different projects will be located across 19 countries and are expected to boost energy access and entrepreneurship in renewable energy and energy...

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Energy from biomass gets funding in Britain

The British government is pushing through with bioenergy as a low-carbon alternative for traditional fuels, with the announcement of more than £10 million ($16 million) in funding for both European and home-grown bioenergy projects. Bioenergy is energy derived from plant or animal matter, known as biomass. Biomass can be burned to produce heat or make steam to power a turbine. It can also be anaerobically digested to generate biogas...

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Tax credits extended for U.S. biofuel

The wind power is not the only renewable sector that is benefitting from the Obama administration’s passing of an act to avert a coming “fiscal cliff.” The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, signed into law last week, included the long-awaited extension of tax credits for wind energy (see related story), as well as the tax credits for biofuels. The Act renewed a $1.01 per gallon tax credit for biofuel producers and accelerated depreciation for newly constructed...

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Tax credits for American wind power installations extended

The long-awaited extension of tax credits for wind energy has arrived with the final passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. The act seeks to avert a “fiscal cliff” or sharp decline in the budget deficit which many feared was inevitable in 2013 due to increased taxes and reduced spending. Following its final passage by the House of Representative on Tuesday, President Barak Obama signed the act into law. This includes an extension of the wind energy...

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E.U. signs agreement to fund China’s low-carbon efforts, carbon market

The European Commission and the Ministry of Commerce in China signed a financing agreement promoting the environment and the transition toward a low-carbon economy and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in China. The E.U. will be providing technical assistance and training and fostering exchanges of experience, best practices and know-how in areas like the low-carbon economy and the green economy to China.

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U.S.D.A. hit $250 million mark in Smart grid funding

Following last month’s announcement of a fund for rural smart grid technology projects (see related story), the United States Agriculture Department has announced that they have reached its $250 million goal.Nine rural electric cooperatives and utilities in 10 states will be receiving the remaining $27 million in funding via loan guarantees to make improvements to generation and transmission facilities...

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D.O.E. funds projects for cheaper PV’s, CSP’s

Following the announcement of the funding for improving concentrating solar power, the Department of Energy announced another round of investments for innovations that will lower the cost of photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies. A total of more than $3.5 million in funding will be granted to five collaborative research teams – each ranging from $450,000 to $900,000 – from industry,

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E.P.A. releases close to $2 million for studies of extreme weather impacts

To study the impact of extreme weather on water and air quality, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has announced grants amounting to almost $2 million for Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, and Ohio State University. “It’s important to understand how extreme weather events affect air and water quality,” said Bob Kavlock,

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