Water shortages caused by a drought has caused significant problems for generation of hydro power in Chile. This, along with natural gas shortages from Argentina are causing potential brownouts or power cuts. Similar to the recent situation in South Africa, Chile’s power problems are affecting commodity prices, primarily copper.
Author Archives: Ron Mahabir
India Looks to Africa for Oil
No surprise that India has been beaten by China for oil exploration bids in Myanmar, Kazakhstan and elsewhere over the past few years. With serious shortages and blackouts seriously affecting and threatening India’s economic growth, India is looking to Africa, South America, Pakistan, and elsewhere for new supplies.
China Fuel Shortages Spreading
With oil prices over US$100/barrel, China’s independent refineries are understandably balking at supplying at a loss. The government is forcing independent suppliers to take the brunt of the massive inflation affecting the country, causing shortages to even Shanghai and Beijing.
Scaling up solar in India
February 28, 2008 (Renewable Energy World) –
Moser Baer PV steps up its plans to change the way India receives electricity.
The company, a relatively new entrant in the solar photovoltaic (PV) market, has recently announced a series of new initiatives. These include setting up India’s largest grid-connected solar farm in the sunshine abundant state of Rajasthan, and increasing production capacities.
MBPV announced that it had partnered with the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RREC) to set up a solar farm of 1-5 MW capacity in the state. At US $4.5 million per MW, the total investment for this farm will be US $25 million.
Borneo Energy to acquire equity interests in sustainable power
March 3, 2008 (Datamonitor) – Sustainable Power has announced that Borneo Energy Sendirian Berhad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Borneo Oil and Gas, has entered into a share subscription agreement to purchase 50 million restricted shares of Sustainable Power.
The initial deposit required per the agreement has been received by Sustainable Power (SSTP). Sustainable Power also entered into a technical collaboration term sheet with Borneo Energy Sendirian Berhad (BOE). Continue reading
NorSun to build $300M Singapore solar plant
March 4, 2008 (AP) – A Norwegian manufacturer of solar panel components will start building a wafer plant in Singapore this year, the company said Tuesday.
“Solar energy will be the dominant source of energy in the future. It’s a very exciting industry to be part of,” said NorSun AS founder Alf Bjorseth, at a press conference.
The company plans a US$300 million (euro197 million) factory that can make enough solar wafers in a year to produce 350 megawatts of power. Construction will start in the third quarter of this calendar year.
It expects operations to begin in the third quarter of 2009.
Japan may invest $1.93 billion in climate fund
March 3, 2008 (Reuters) – The fund, to be set up jointly with the United States and Britain, is expected be the largest ever of its type, with total investment of about 500 billion yen ($4.82 billion), the Nikkei said.
By investing in technologies such as wind and solar power in less developed countries, participating governments hope to encourage private finance to follow suit, the newspaper said without identifying its sources.
The British government last year announced 800 million pounds in support for the fund over three years, while the United States said this year it would provide $2 billion, also over three years, the Nikkei said. Continue reading
Green developers get S$20m fund (Singapore)
March 4, 2008 (Today Online) – Developers of new and green buildings can now tap into a S$20 million fund set up by the Government – a decision that is certain to sit well all-round as oil prices continue to surge.
The fund will partly offset the cost of integrating solar panels into new buildings “which attain a certain level of Green Mark standard”, Mr S Iswaran, the Minister of State for Trade and Industry (MTI) told Parliament yesterday. Continue reading
Transport fuels from New Zealand biomass a reality
March 3, 2008 (Scoop) – Biofuels generated from New Zealand-grown softwood feedstocks have been identified as a feasible, large scale option for meeting both the low-carbon transport vision of the Government’s 2007 Energy Strategy (NZES) and Biofuels Sales Obligation (BSO), say the authors of a report by the New Zealand Lignocellulosic Bioethanol Initiative.
Carbon Capital to invest RM150m in biogas, biomass plants
March 3, 2008 (The Edge Daily) – Carbon Capital Corp Sdn Bhd will launch RM150 million worth of biogas and biomass projects in Sarawak next month as part of its long-term strategy for growth.
“We will be launching four biogas projects and one 10 megawatt biomass power plant there, utilising empty fruit bunches (from oil palm).
“These are all projects which we will be investing in and developing 100%,” Carbon Capital group managing director William Kho said.
Asia Cleantech 