Clean Energy Policy News

14 March 2016
A new United Nations Foundation's Energy Access Practitioner Network portal showcases individual and aggregated financing needs of over 200 Practitioner Network member. These members operate at the forefront of the global off-grid energy sector and present a combined total investment opportunity of over US$1 billion, which is needed to catalyze energy access in support of the Sustainable Energy for All goal of achieving universal access to modern energy services by 2030. Learn more.
11 March 2016
The European Crowdfunding Network will be hosting its 2nd edition of CrowdCamp that will target the renewable energy sector. This CrowdCamp will focus on crowdfunding for clean tech and renewable energy projects. The event is expected to have the involvement of platforms, developers, EU policymakers and more. All with the goal of making the planet a better place by leveraging clean, renewable energy. Learn more.
10 March 2016
Public as well as private banks and non-banking finance companies have committed to finance renewable energy projects of 76,352 megawatts (MW) of capacity with an outlay of Rs.3.82 lakh crore over five years through green commitment certificates. Learn more.
10 March 2016
Together with agencies such as the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, Coega and East London Industrial Development Zone, the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism is involved in various programs that will allow local small, medium and micro-sized enterprises to provide more services to wind and solar farms including value-adding production processes. Learn more.
9 March 2016
In a new brief, Water Use in China’s Power Sector, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) examines the expected impact of China’s power sector on water and climate in 2030. The research concludes that renewable energy is crucial to not only decarbonize China’s power sector, but also to realize dramatic water-related benefits for the country. The water-saving potential of renewables is a key benefit for China. The power sector currently accounts for nearly 12% of total national water withdrawals. 45% of China’s power generation facilities rely on fresh water and are located in high-water stress areas. With domestic electricity demand expected to rise 65% by 2030, less water-intensive solutions, like renewable energy, are needed. Learn more.
9 March 2016
A new blog post from the Climate Policy Initiative overviews an analysis of three case studies on behalf of the Climate Investment Funds. The analysis aimed to help policymakers and development finance institutions understand which policy and financing tools to use in order to enable rapid and cost-effective deployment of geothermal for electricity. The analysis shows that the increase in tariffs needed to provide sufficient returns to incentivize private investment can be entirely offset by public measures addressing specific risks. Learn more.
8 March 2016
U.S.-based Rockefeller Foundation and OMC Power have finalized a USD 4.5-million deal to finance OMC Power's construction and retrofitting of 100 solar power plants with mini-grids in rural Uttar Pradesh, India. Learn more.
7 March 2016
The government of Sweden, Power Africa and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) announced the launch of “Power Africa: Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia,” an ambitious new market-based undertaking to bring clean energy access to one million Zambians and accelerate private sector growth in energy generation and distribution in the country. Learn more.
4 March 2016
The Solutions Center’s latest report, Wheeling and Banking Strategies for Optimal Renewable Energy Deployment: International Experiences, defines the principles of wheeling (transmission) tariffs and renewable energy banking provisions and their role in renewable energy deployment in countries with plans for large-scale renewable energy. The paper reviews experiences to date in the United States, Mexico and India. Learn more.
4 March 2016
The Solutions Center’s latest policy brief provides foundational primer on key financial incentive design elements. Financial incentives have been widely implemented by governments around the world to support scaled up deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices. Broad clean energy strategies and plans provide a crucial foundation for financial incentives that often complement regulatory policies such as renewable energy targets, standards, and other mandates. Learn more.