Delaying renewable energy will make it costlier eventually [News]

By Dennis Posadas, The Business Times, 26 Nov 2011.

Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its 134-page report on the state of energy in the world. In the World Energy Outlook 2011 report, it said the growth of renewable energy is underpinned by subsidies that will rise from US$64 billion in 2010 to an estimated US$250 billion in 2035 – a lifeline that cannot be taken for granted in this time of fiscal austerity.

According to IEA chief economist Fatih Birol, ‘delaying action is a false economy. For every US$1 of investment in cleaner technology that is avoided in the power sector before 2020, an additional US$4.30 would need to be spent after 2020 to compensate for the increased emissions.’

This means that if we wait nine years more to act, costs to shift to clean energy can multiply by as much as four times what it is now.

However, the Singapore and Philippine governments do not take subsidies as a means to encourage renewable energy sources. Read more

Renewables 2011 Global Status Report

Global Renewable Energy now accounts for 16% of final energy consumption in 2009 and for about a quarter of global power capacity from all sources. Despite the recession, there is momentum in the sector with total global investment in renewable power and fuels increasing by 32% over the previous year to $211 billion from $160 billion.

These are the figures stated in the Renewable 2011 Global Status Report (REN21). Produced annually since 2005, the report is targeted at policy makers, industry and other stakeholders.

Main findings of REN21

• In 2009, renewable energy supplied an estimated 16% of global final energy consumption. Fossil fuels made up the lion’s share at 81% with nuclear at 2.8%.
• However, of the 16%, 10% is still accounted for by traditional biomass, primarily used for cooking and heating in rural areas of developing countries. Hydropower accounts for 3.4% with other renewables (wind, solar, modern biomass, geothermal and biofuels) at 2.8% in 2009.
• Total investment in renewable energy reached a record $211 billion in 2010, up from $160 billion in 2009, including asset finance, venture capital, private equity investment, public markets and both corporate and government R&D. China attracted nearly $50 billion, making it the leader, followed by Germany, the United States, Italy and Brazil. India ranked 8th in the world for renewable energy investment which rose to US$3.8 billion mainly for wind power projects ($2.3bn) and $400 million each for solar and biomass power (including waste-to-energy). Read more

Clean energy takes center stage this week in Singapore

Clean energy discussions and solutions for the Asian region take center stage this week in Singapore as the annual Clean Energy Expo Asia (CEEA) 2011 Trade Fair and Conference begins today till 3 Nov, and is officially launched by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

Jointly organised by the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) and Koelnmesse, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), CEEA is the leading platform in Singapore that gathers clean energy industry players and government leaders from around the world together to share and discuss knowledge, issues, technologies and innovative solutions that will help shape the future of clean energy in Asia.

CEEA Trade Fair and Conference

This year’s CEEA Trade Fair hosts about 170 exhibiting companies from 26 countries, with 6 country pavilions from Canada, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Switzerland. Exhibitors showcase clean energy solutions including solar energy, energy efficiency, biomass, biogas, biofuel, and electric vehicles.

The CEEA Conference will see over 130 international speakers share their insights on the future of energy through discussion topics on clean energy outlook, renewable energy technologies and commercialization, sustainable mobility, clean energy financing, project case studies, and energy efficiency. Read more

NTU team to harness power of nature [News]

By Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2011.

SAILORS and windsurfers know the wind is stronger and faster once they are farther away from Singapore’s coast, although how much stronger and faster has never been clear.

But that should change, as the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is now mapping the country’s wind patterns as part of a push for world-class, clean-energy research and development (R&D) here.

It has put measuring stations atop several Housing Board blocks and on offshore islands.

It is also studying the patterns of waves, tides and currents around the island.

And next year, the institute will test turbines to tap these clean-energy sources. Read more

Singapore walks away with 8 ASEAN Energy Awards [Press Releases]

A total of eight Singapore organisations have received awards at the 2011 ASEAN Energy Awards. This is the largest number bagged by Singapore since the Awards started in 2000. The Awards recognise efforts by innovative companies in ASEAN who promote and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.

The winners are:

ASEAN Energy Awards – Energy Efficiency Competition (New & Existing Category)

(i) City Square Mall (1st runner-up)
This is the first mall in Singapore to be awarded the Building & Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum Award, and is designed with state-of-the-art green building features. To date, the mall has achieved electricity savings of more than 30 percent compared to similar buildings. Read more

Renewable energy for the future [News]

Three years after the financial crisis sent the price of oil tumbling by more than half, renewable energy sources are again attracting great interest, with the price of Brent crude oil now well above US$100 a barrel.

Jatropha – a hardy, non-edible shrub native to the tropics that bears fruit with large, oily seeds – shows a lot of promise as an important source of renewable energy in the future, says Simon Li, CEO of Feoso Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd, who chairs the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation energy and chemicals industry group, which promotes the interests of Singapore-based companies involved in the oil, gas and chemicals manufacturing industries.

‘Jatropha can be a safer, cleaner and cheaper alternative to conventional fossil fuels,’ he says. ‘It’s resistant to drought and pests, and it does not compete for arable land. Also, with the first generation of biodiesel feedstock – say, sugarcane or maize – you have to harvest the entire plant. But with jatropha, you just harvest the seeds. So the trees continue to photosynthesise and produce oxygen while reducing carbon dioxide, which is very good for the environment. Read more

IEA Chief Economist offers a look at our energy future

The era of cheap oil is over, and policies fall short of what is needed for a secure and sustainable energy future, says Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency, in his lecture titled “A Glimpse into the Energy Fututre” at today’s EMA Distinguished Speaker Programme. This lecture is jointly organised by the Energy Market Authority and the Energy Studies Institute.

Era of cheap oil is over

Dr Birol shares that the era of cheap oil is over because of structural changes, and there is growing risk that the upturn in oil prices could undermine economic recovery.

On the demand side, strong growth from the transportation sector due to booming demand for mobility in emerging economies drives up oil use. The global car fleet continue to surge as more people in China and other emerging economies buy a car. Read more

Siemens gears up for green tech demand [News]

The world is ready for the big switch to renewable energy, according to German conglomerate Siemens.

The engineering company, which is Europe’s largest, is gearing up for an expected huge surge in demand by investing billions in research, said chief executive and president Peter Loescher.

He told The Straits Times that Siemens is setting aside a quarter of its €4 billion (S$7.1 billion) in total research and development funds solely for green technology research.

This covers everything from improving energy efficiency to research into renewable energy and water technology. Read more

GE Energy poll indicates that more than 9 in 10 Singaporeans view renewable energy positively [Press Releases]

Singapore – May 18, 2011 — ‘Global warming’ followed by ‘air pollution’ and ‘water pollution’ are Singaporeans’ top environmental concerns judging by a mood sampling poll commissioned by GE Energy recently. The poll, which randomly surveyed 350+ adults representing a cross section of society, named these three in a list which also included flora and fauna extinction, noise pollution and excessive use of non-biodegradable products.

Interestingly, respondents showed strong understanding of the causes of air pollution, accurately naming the burning of fossil fuels for power generation as one of the top three causes of air pollution. The survey also revealed that more than 4 in 5 Singaporeans believed that renewable energy (RE) would be necessary if we cared about the environment, though only about 2 in 3 could accurately identify sources of RE unaided.

“I think this level of public awareness is a positive start to Singapore’s plans to develop a Clean Energy Hub. It indicates that Singaporeans may be receptive to greater detail on sustainable development such as energy efficiency projects and next generation electric vehicles”, says Edwin Khew, Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore. Read more

Clean Energy Expo Asia 2010 set to drive sustainable energy growth in the region

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, total new investment in sustainable energy worldwide reached $162 billion in 2009, nearly four times of 2004. With $65 billion worth of new financial investment in clean energy already registered in the first half of 2010, some 22 percent up on the same six months of 2009, the market seems to be on an upswing. What is significant is the distinct shift in focus from Europe and North America to Asia-Pacific, with a sharp increase in financial investment from $31.3 billion in 2008 to $40.8 billion in 2009. Some $188 billion in government stimulus packages was also allocated to greening and climate change measures in 15 major economies between the autumn of 2008 and early 2010, with Asia-Pacific accounting for over 45 percent of this spending[1]. Read more

Next Page »