Worldwide Developments
In Europe, Britain's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government said it would cut funding to green advisory bodies and released its first ever annual Energy Statement, which is a commitment by the new government to the various environmental targets that it inherited and includes saving energy through the Green Deal and managing UK energy legacy responsibly and cost-effectively. Ministers from Germany, France and the UK called for the EU to slash emissions by 30% by 2020, instead of the current 20% target.
In Australia, desalination plants will underpin southeast Queensland's future water needs and more recycled water could be used under a new 50-year plan.
The Indian government issued new guidelines for the National Solar Mission requiring modules used in solar PV projects to be made domestically while also requiring solar thermal project developers to ensure domestic content accounted for at least 30% of each plant.
In Japan, utility firms will be required to buy fixed rate electricity generated from renewable sources of energy from as early as 2012.
China is drafting a research and development plan through 2015 to include smart grid technology to develop transmission and connection of wind and solar power to the grid. (Source: Impax Environmental Markets Trust Investment Report July 2010.)
In the US, Senate Leader Harry Reid unveiled the "Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Spill Accountability Plan." The bill which is unlikely to pass before the summer recess contains no provision for increasing renewable energy or carbon pricing despite months of effort by Democrats. Instead the bill focuses on the responsibility of oil companies to pay for clean up and prevention of future oil spills, encourages conversion of vehicles to natural gas and electricity and energy efficiency rebates to homeowners.
In renewable energy news, Obama announced $2 billion in U.S. loan guarantees to solar companies resulting in the creation of as many as 5,000 green jobs.
The US Senate approved a $2 billion program that aims to put 400,000 electric cars on the road in three years. The US EPA signed a final rule that adds four new sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the list of those industrial sources that must report their emissions annually to the agency, underground coal mines, industrial wastewater treatment facilities, industrial waste landfills, and magnesium production facilities.
In water news, Governor David A. Paterson announced that municipalities across New York State will receive $67 million in grants from the New York Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for clean water infrastructure projects.
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