(EnergyAsia, May 12, Tuesday) — The Australian government has invested A$100 million in the recently launched Australian Solar Institute (ASI) at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle. (US$1=A$1.4). Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, said the initiative delivers on the government’s election commitment to fast track solar research in Australia. Leading research institute...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — Taiwan’s Everphoton Energy Corporation said it has won a tender to supply 200 kilowatt of III V triple junction high concentration photovoltaics (HCPV) modules. This is the first phase bidding in 2009 of a 1MW project initiated by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER). “We are happy and honored...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — This is an edited version of the speech by the EMA’s chief executive, Lawrence Wong, at last week’s launch of the electric vehicle test-bed and the MOU signing ceremony with its industry partners. Electrification of transport More than one billion vehicles populate the earth today, pumping significant quantities of greenhouse...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — International energy services company John Wood Group PLC said its gas turbine services division (GTS) has launched a new service for the renewable energy sector. Wood Group Renewable Energy Services (WGRES) will focus on the wind turbine market and offer operations, maintenance, asset management, parts sourcing, monitoring and diagnostic and...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding, Thailand’s largest private power company, will proceed to invest in a proposed joint venture 4.3-billion baht wind farm project in the northern Phetchabun province. (US$1=33 baht). The company said the 60MW farm will generate around 125 million gigawatt-hours of electricity (GWh) when it starts up in...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — Singapore has set up a multi-agency taskforce to begin introducing electric vehicles onto its roads from next year. Chaired by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), the taskforce for the S$20 million test-bedding project comprises members across different ministries and statutory boards, including the Agency for...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — Russian gas output plunged 14.7% to 154 billion cubic metres in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, while its oil production slipped 1.3% to 120 million tons. According to the Federal Customs Service, the country exported 21.5 billion cubic meters of gas worth...

(EnergyAsia, May 11, Monday) — Solargiga Energy, a Chinese manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon solar ingots and wafers, said it is taking its first step to expand into the downstream solar energy business. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Jinzhou Yangguang Energy, has entered into a formal joint venture agreement with Taiwan’s Kinmac Holdings Limited and an unidentified partner...

(EnergyAsia, April 8, Friday) — The delivery of Kazakh crude oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline from Azerbaijan across Turkey has soared in recent months. Shipments hit 240,000 tonnes in February, up from 17,400 tonnes last October when it began operating. The Kazakhstan Caspian Transportation System (KCTS) is able to handle up to 500,000 b/d...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — The Russian government has submitted to the G20 and other world leaders a proposal for a new global energy charter. The charter is aimed at preventing international conflicts over competition for and trade in energy resources, including nuclear fuels, Russian president Dimitry Medvedev said. So far, the only agreement on...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — Inventors have developed a cheap US$5 solar-powered stove that could find wide use in poor countries. The ‘Kyoto Box’ stove traps heat under an acrylic lid, providing enough power to boil food and water, as well as bake. The invention was unveiled as part of the Financial Times Climate Challenge,...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — Russia’s energy minister Sergei Shmatko has forecast crude oil prices to reach a high of US$80 per barrel next year. The current price at just over US$50 was not “fair,” and certainly not high enough to boost costly investment in exploration and production, he said. The resulting underinvestment in the...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — Japanese firms will soon begin to explore for oil in Venezuela’s Orinoco Delta region under a new agreement to expand energy cooperation between the two countries. They also plan to jointly develop refining and petrochemicals projects. The joint efforts will likely be led by Venezuela’s state oil firm Petroleos de...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — China has laid out plans to reduce the carbon foot print of its growing economy even though they are unlikely to completely satisfy criticisms from the West. In a recent report to the country’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress, Premier Wen Jiabao has called on all levels of...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — Southeast Asia, one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change, faces a poorer future unless global warming is controlled, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) study. Drawing on the findings of previous studies, impact assessment models and extensive consultations with national and regional climate...

(EnergyAsia, May 8, Friday) — Australia’s leading integrated energy company, Origin, said it has acquired Wind Power Pty Ltd, including its portfolio of high quality wind farm development sites in Victoria state. This, together with existing sites and options, increases Origin’s access to a wind development portfolio by 1,460 MW to more than 2,000 MW....

(Energy Asia, May 7, Thursday) — The US government has launched a US$2.4 billion grant programme for the development of electric vehicles, with part of the money to be invested in the country’s grid system to power up the cars.It has also announced a US$11 billion investment to upgrade the nation’s power grid to enable...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — The US government has begun releasing more than US$780 million to state agencies to develop and promote energy efficiency programmes.The bulk of the money will go to low-income families to upgrade their homes to improve energy conservation, thus lowering heating bills.A qualifying homeowner will be able to invest up to...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — German wind power firm InfraVest may scale down investments in Taiwan or even pull out completely, citing the lack of support from the government.The company, Taiwan’s only private producer of wind energy, has complained that the government is not committed to developing clean energy.InfraVest said it has invested over NT$10...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — China and Myanmar appear to be making headway in their plans to build overland oil and gas pipelines that could significantly reduce fuel shipment through the congested Straits of Malacca.Middle Eastern and African oil will be shipped to Myanmar’s southern Arakan coast before being unloaded and piped to China’s southwestern...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — Vestas, a world leader in wind energy, said it has sold 58 units of its V52-850 kW wind turbines to China’s Datang (Tongliao) Huolinhe Renewable Power Co Ltd through China National Water Resources & Electric Power Materials & Equipment Co Ltd.The turbines will be installed in the Zhaqi phase I...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — China’s Trina Solar said it has entered into three sales agreements totalling 42 MW of PV modules for delivery to customers in Germany this year.Signed in the first quarter, Trina said the agreements reflect continued demand for its quality products from established customers in Germany and their commitment to new...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — Hong Kong’s CLP Holdings Limited said it has agreed to acquire Roaring 40s Renewable Energy Pty Ltd’s Chinese wind farm portfolio for approximately HK$730 million. (US$1=HK$7.75). Roaring 40s is a joint venture, formed in September 2005, between CLP and Australia’s Hydro Tasmania to pursue renewable energy projects in Australia and...

(EnergyAsia, May 7, Thursday) — Singapore-listed commodities trader Noble Group Ltd said it has raised its cash offer for Australia’s Gloucester Coal by 24% to A$6 per share if the latter’s proposed merger with Whitehaven does not proceed. (US$1=A$1.4).Noble said its revised offer represents a 91% premium to the closing price of Gloucester shares on...