(EnergyAsia, May 7 2010, Friday) — Environmental lobby group Greenpeace has accused Indonesian plantation group Sinar Mas of continuing to destroy the country’s rainforests despite repeated promises not to do so. Greenpeace released what it calls “new evidence” ahead of Sinar Mas subsidiary Golden Agri Resources (GAR)’s  annual general meeting (AGM) last month. Deforestation for...

(EnergyAsia, May 7 2010, Friday) — Better Place said it has demonstrated the world’s first switchable-battery electric taxi in partnership with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Nihon Kotsu, Tokyo’s largest taxi operator. The 90-day project, launched last month, marked a key milestone leading up to a complete system test of all...

(EnergyAsia, May 7 2010, Friday) — Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said it aims to boost the share of environmentally-friendly vehicles of domestic new car sales to 50% by 2020 from 9% at present.     The ministry is also targeting to install two million chargers in residences and households for use by electric, hybrid...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — US-based AES Corporation said its subsidiary, AES VCM Mong Duong Power Company Limited (AES VCM), has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Electricity Vietnam (EVN), the state-owned power company, for Mong Duong II, a 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant. In support of this agreement, AES VCM has also...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — OSolar Ltd, a South Korean photovoltaic engineering company, said it is expanding its global presence with a long-term strategic partnership with Longyuan (Beijing) Carbon Asset Management Technology Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China Guodian Group. OSolar said it and Longyuan have secured an order to supply 1MW of single-axis...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — Chevron Qatar Energy Technology QSTP-B, an affiliate of the US major Chevron Corp, and GreenGulf Inc QSTP-B, a Qatar-based renewable energy and clean technology company, have signed a memorandum of understanding for a joint study to test solar energy technologies and their application in Qatar. The two organisations said...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — Tesla Motors, the Silicon Valley, US-based maker of the world’s fastest highway-capable electric vehicle, said it has shipped a dozen Japan Signature Series Roadsters from Port Hueneme, California to select customers throughout Japan. The hand-built, carbon fiber electric Roadster accelerates from 0-100 km in 3.7 seconds. In January, Tesla...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — Japan’s Kyocera said it is supplying modules for the largest outdoor solar-powered plant in the Czech Republic, a four-megawatts peak (MWp) plant covering a production area of nine hectares due to be completed next year. The developer, Austrian photovoltaic pioneer Pan Oekoteam, has connected 1.6 MWp of the Czech...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — Malaysian plantation conglomerate Felda Holdings Bhd said it is planning to establish biomass projects under the auspices of the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to develop renewable energy use and create a new source of revenue. The organisation is looking to set up 56 biogas plants, six compost plants,...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — Indonesia’s state-owned plantation firms, PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) III, IV and V, are expected to each begin building a biodiesel plant in Dumai in Riau province. The three plants, to cost a total of 400 billion rupiah, are expected to be completed within 18 months and start producing by...

(EnergyAsia, May 6 2010, Thursday) — The Indian government has lowered its original target for the nation’s wind power generation capacity for the five-year plan ending March 31, 2012 to 9,000 megawatts (MW) from 11,000 MW in light of the global financial crisis. Farooq Abdullah, New and Renewable Energy Minister, said the government plans to...

(EnergyAsia, May 5 2010, Wednesday) — Business leaders and governments meeting at a UN forum in China last week unveiled a roadmap for promoting low-carbon economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The   Asia-Pacific Business Forum in Kunming city, recognised that combating climate change is a major challenge and identified opportunities for the Asia and Pacific...

(EnergyAsia, May 5 2010, Wednesday) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it is providing a US$66.08 million loan to support China’s drive to expand the use of biogas energy generated from waste materials. The ADB said its board has approved the financial assistance for the Integrated Renewable Biomass Energy Development Sector Project. The loan...

(EnergyAsia, May 5 2010, Wednesday) — State-owned China National Aviation Fuel Holding (CNAF) said it plans to build at least four storage tanks over the next three years to hold oil products.    The integrated jet-fuel supplier has signed a steel supply agreement with BaoSteel, China’s largest steel maker, for the storage projects.   CNAF,...

(EnergyAsia, May 5 2010, Wednesday) — Laos will start producing electricity at four new hydro power plants this year as part of a long-term plan to become a major power producer and exporter, said the country’s Ministry of Energy and Mining. The new plants include the 615 MW Nam Ngum 2 plant, the 100 MW...

(EnergyAsia, May 5 2010, Wednesday) — The global demand for plug-in chargers will reach US$11.75 billion by 2015 after the first plug-in vehicles begin reaching the consumer market at the end of 2010 and achieve widespread distribution next year, said a US-based advisory group. These vehicles need to be plugged into the electrical grid to...

(EnergyAsia, May 5 2010, Wednesday) — Glacial melt, drought, desertification and reduced river flows are among the serious climate change impacts being experienced by countries in Central and West Asia, the ADB told a seminar audience in Uzbekistan last week. “The need for urgent actions on climate change at the local, regional and global levels...

(EnergyAsia, May 4 2010, Tuesday) — SKF, a global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication systems, recently launched its Asia Pacific wind industry service centre at the SKF Solution Factory in Shanghai, China. This is the third centre of its kind, following the first two set up in Hamburg, Germany and Houston, US. ...

(EnergyAsia, May 4 2010, Tuesday) — Drydocks World Southeast Asia (DDW-SEA) said it has reopened two of three of its shipyards, Pertama and Nanindiah, on Batam Island in Indonesia following the recent riots at the third yard, Graha. DDW-SEA reported that more than 70% of shipyard staff have returned to work, with operations at Graha...

(EnergyAsia, May 4 2010, Tuesday) — The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) said its board of directors have approved US$350 million in financing to improve energy security and energy efficiency in Uzbekistan. The fund will be used to build Central Asia’s first 800 MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant. CCGT is the most efficient...

(EnergyAsia, May 4 2010, Tuesday) — The dairy sector accounts for around four percent of all global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) according to a new Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) report. This figure includes both emissions associated with the production, processing and transportation of milk products as well as emissions related to meat produced...

(EnergyAsia, May 4 2010, Tuesday) — US Rare Earths Inc, a privately owned company, has commended the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) on its report documenting that China, supplier of 97% of the world’s rare earths, dominates the supply of rare earth materials crucial to the US defence, computer, electronics and renewable energy sectors. The...

(EnergyAsia, May 4 2010, Tuesday) —US conglomerate GE said it is working with the Chinese city of Yangzhou to become a worldwide destination for energy efficiency, reliability and sustainability by supporting the opening of Yangzhou’s smart grid demonstration centre. With worldwide adoption of smart grid technologies growing as a way to ensure adequate clean, affordable...