The Madrid preparatory conference attended by 51 governments agreed on the statutes of an International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). IRENA will promote the utilization of renewable energy such as wind energy by providing accurate information about these key technologies. The founding treaty will be signed in January 2009.

The world urgently needs such an independent international authority providing unbiased information about renewable energy...we expect that IRENA will closely co-operate with the renewable energy sector worldwide, said Dr. Anil Kane, President of World Wind Energy Association (WWEA). One key task for IRENA will be to transfer the know-how from the leading countries to all other countries so that they can also start implementing wind power utilization on large scale and benefit from its advantages immediately, said WWEA Secretary General, Mr. Stefan Gsnger. Contact: Mr. Stefan Gsnger, Secretary General, World Wind Energy Association, Charles-de-Gaulle-Str. 5, 53113 Bonn, Germany. Tel: +49 (228) 369 4080; Fax: +49 (228) 369 4084; Website: www.wwindea.org.

Source: www.ecoreporter.de

Renewable energy sources will account for 67 per cent of the electricity produced in developing countries in Asia by 2050,
according to a report by Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC). Renewable energy will supplant the
need for nuclear energy and reducing requirements for fossil fuel-fired power plants, said the report entitled Energy
[R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook.

The report shows that aggressive investment in renewable power generation and energy efficiency could create an annual US$360 billion industry worldwide, provide half of the worlds electricity, and slash over US$18 trillion in future fuel costs while protecting the climate, said Greenpeace in a statement. It provides a practical blueprint to rapidly cut energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to help ensure that greenhouse gas emissions peak and then fall by 2015. This can be achieved while ensuring developing economies in Southeast Asia, China, India and other developing nations have access to the energy that they need in order to develop.

The report estimates that additional costs for coal fuel from today until the year 2030 are as high as US $15.9 trillion, more than what is required for implementing the Energy [R]evolution scenario. Renewable energy sources will produce electricity without any further fuel costs beyond 2030, creating an enormous number of jobs and helping to lift the world out of recession.

The global market for renewable energy can grow at double digit rates until 2050, and overtake the size of todays fossil fuel industry, Mr. Oliver Schfer, EREC Policy Director said. From around 2015 onwards, we are confident that renewable energies across all sectors will be the most cost-effective energy capacities. The renewable industry is ready and able to deliver the needed capacity to make the energy revolution a reality. There is no technical impediment, but a political barrier to rebuild the global energy sector, he added.

Source: www.gmanews.tv

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), one of Indias state-run oil marketing company, is planning to generate up to 1,000 MW of power through fuel cell technology over the next three to five years, and is holding talks with Japans Nippon Oil Corporation for technology collaboration. The technology in focus is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the worlds first co-generation system for residential use based on liquefied petroleum gas, developed in 2005 by Nippon Oil, Japans largest oil importer and distributor.

If BPCL is able to commercialize this project, it would be a first in the country. While BPCL did not reveal the investment details, an analyst said it could range between about Rs 40 billion (US$786 million) and Rs 80 billion (US$1.57 billion) for 500-1,000 MW capacity.

The company recently developed a prototype fuel cell-based energy system using hydrogen as fuel. The project involves production of hydrogen through electrolysis of alkaline water. BPCL is entering into the non-conventional energy business. It is setting up a 1-MW capacity grid-connected solar farm in Punjab, and 5 MW capacity windmills in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Source: www.business-standard.com

A recent meeting chaired by the Secretary of Pakistans Planning Commission was informed about the potential of producing 1,600 MW of electricity through biogas produced using molasses, a by-product from sugar mills. There are about 80 sugar mills in the country and each one has the capacity of easily producing 20-25 MW power, said an official who attend the meeting.
The sugar industry stakeholders and the officials of the departments concerned including the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Petroleum and Pakistan Sugar Mills Association attended the meeting to explore the full potential of the power co-generation of the industry. The meeting agreed to make a comprehensive policy on tariff for power produced through sugar mills and ethanol production.

Sugar mills across the country have turbines and generators that they could use to produce this cheaper source of energy. It was suggested during the meeting that the government should impose regulatory duty on or completely ban the export of molasses for making use of it to produce biogas for electricity generation. The meeting noted that the power produced from molasses will be much cheaper than the power produced from other sources.

Source: www.dailytimes.com.pk

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh recently signed a loan agreement of US$165 million for Public-Private Infrastructure Development Facility (PPIDF). ADB is providing US$82 million to help finance large infrastructure projects; US$50 million to assist small and medium energy projects primarily in rural and semi-urban areas; and US$33 million to promote renewable energy, such as solar-powered home systems and biomass installations though a micro-finance based, direct sales programme.

A technical assistance grant of US $500,000 will also be provided for capacity building to support project implementation. The grant will support PPIDF, which seeks to catalyse private sector investments of up to US$600 million, mostly in energy, and could add at least 900 MW of power generation capacity in Bangladesh and provide electricity to about 100,000 more households through the renewable energy programme.

Source: nation.ittefaq.com

Exports of palm oil from Indonesia, the largest producer, may decline by as much as 1.5 million tonnes a year after the nation made the use of renewable energy mandatory, Mr. Bayu Krisnamurthi, a deputy to Mr. Boediono, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, has stated.

Indonesias biofuel industry can produce between 1.3 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes annually, said Mr. Krisnamurthi. Capacity may double to 3 million tonnes by 2010, he said. However, a slump in exports from Indonesia, the top producer of the tropical oil, may help support prices that fell to a two-year low in October 2008 on concern that slowing global economic growth will dent demand for commodities.

Source: www.business-standard.com

President of the Philippines, Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has said that new Renewable Energy Act is the first and most comprehensive renewable energy law in Southeast Asia that would enable the country capture part of the soaring investments in renewable energy development. The new law Republic Act 9513 provides fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for renewable energy investors. These include tax credits on domestic capital equipment and services, special realty tax rates on equipment and machinery, tax exemption of carbon credits, duty-free importation mechanisms and income tax holidays.

The Act also provides for the establishment of a Renewable Portfolio Standard system, which would require electricity suppliers to source a certain part of their energy supply from renewable resources such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and biomass. The standard system will be complemented by a feed-in tariff system to encourage the speedy entry of renewable energy projects.

Source: pepei.pennnet.com

Malaysia has raised its 2008 biodiesel export forecast to 200,000 tonnes, more than double that of 2007 exports. Export of biodiesel is picking up in volume and speed. The spread between the selling price of palm methyl ester and the feedstock is allowing biodiesel producers to make some money, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Datuk Peter Chin. The Minister had earlier estimated biodiesel exports to grow by one-and-a-half times from last year. Mr. Kohilan Pillay, Deputy Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities, said that of the 91 biodiesel licences issued to date, 15 plants with a combined 1.6 million tonnes capacity have been built, and five of these are exporting methyl ester.

Source: www.btimes.com.my