Philippines approved feed-in tariff rates for renewable energy

The long-awaited feed-in tariff rates for renewable energy sources in the Philippines are approved by its Energy Regulatory Commission, a move that is expected to move the country towards a “green” direction. The price for solar power was set at P9.68 per kilowatt hour, wind power at P8.53/kWh, biomass at P6.63/kWh and hydro at P5.90/kWh. There is no rate set for power from ocean thermal energy conversion resources as it is still subject for further study.

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Investments for biofuels and other bio-based products announced

A total of $41 million will go to 13 projects pushing for innovations in biofuels and other bio-based products according to the United States' energy and agriculture departments. The Quad County Corn Cooperative in Iowa; the Agricultural Research Service’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Illinois; Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. in Ohio; and the Universities of Wisconsin and Hawaii are among those to be funded.

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U.S. bill stopping the loan guarantee program goes through committee

Legislation that will phase out the Department of Energy's loan guarantee program, called the "No More Solyndras Act," has passed the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power at the United States House of Representatives. Winning by a 14-6 vote, the measure, which was authored following the alleged mismanagement of government support for the company Solyndra, is now set to move to the full committee for consideration, which could come as early as next week.

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RenewableUK: U.K. energy reforms 'unnecessarily risky'

British renewable energy group RenewableUK said Britain's small wind industry is under threat after government announced subsidy cuts, the reduction potentially limiting the deployment of new production plants. The Department of Energy and Climate Change announced that the feed-in tariff for wind generators with a production capacity of up to 100 kilowatts will be reduced from the current 25.4 pence ($0.39) per kilowatt-hour to 21 pence/kWh starting December.

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U.K. announces changes in small-scale R.E. subsidies

New feed-in tariff rates for certain technologies will be in place in Britain starting December 1, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change Specifically, new incentive rates for small-scale wind, micro combined heat and power, hydroelectric and anaerobic digestion projects were announced. The subsidies for small-scale wind projects were cut from 35.8 pence ($0.56) per kilowatt-hour to 21 pence/kWh.

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RenewableUK: Government must ‘make up its mind’ on R.E. support

Britain’s renewables industry trade group, RenewableUK, is urging the British government to “make up its mind” and announce a decision to financially support the renewable energy industry as soon as it can. This comes after the Department of Energy and Climate Change announced that they will be delaying the changes on the Renewable Obligation subsidy mechanism, which was originally expected to come out last spring, to hold more discussions.

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Union calls for P.T.C. tax extension after Gamesa layoffs

With the announcement that Spanish wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa is laying off 165 workers in two of their American plants, the United Steelworkers union has joined the voices of those calling for an extension of the Production Tax Credit for wind projects in the United States.

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$30 million biofuel fund tied up to U.S. defense efforts

The United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Navy and the Department of Energy started a $30 million private investment matching program that will pursue innovations in biofuel technologies tied up with energy security. The funding fulfills the provisions of the Defense Production Act which pushes the enhancement of national security by creating and commercializing biofuels as an alternative to petroleum.

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Development banks investing $175 billion in low-emission transport

Eight of the world’s largest multilateral development banks pledged to invest $175 billion for the creation of sustainable transportation projects particularly in Asia and Africa over the next 10 years. The African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, CAF-Development Bank of Latin America, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank, made the announcement at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development at the Rio+20 Summit on June 20.

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OPIC approves over $300 million in renewables financing for developing regions

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a United States development finance institution, is investing further in Latin America, Southeast Asia and the sub-Saharan Africa for renewable energy projects. The corporation will be providing $125 million for TPG Alternative & Renewable Technologies Partners and $50 million to GEF Africa Growth Fund. The two are new investment funds that will bring the latest renewable energy technologies to emerging markets in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

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