World:
¶ A UN report says the world has made important progress towards energy efficiency, using renewable power, and providing basic electricity to every household. But the gains have barely been enough to keep up with population growth and surging demand. [Reuters AlertNet]
¶ The U.K. government proposed increasing payments made to commercial premises that generate heat from renewable sources, while cutting tariffs for medium-sized biomass boilers. [Businessweek]
¶ A senior fund manager at Aquila Capital says that a combination of wind, water and sun can have a balancing effect on an investment portfolio’s return. An estimated $7 trillion is set for investment in renewable energies worldwide between 2010 to 2030. [Investment Europe]
¶ South Africa’s government has made renewable energy a top priority for the coming years. Now, Google is investing in South African renewable energy in the amount of $12 million. The country’s Department of Energy aims for 18 GW capacity by 2030. [BET]
¶ According to a UN report, radiation leaked after Japan’s Fukushima Disaster is unlikely to make the general public and the majority of workers sick. The report point out that evacuations significantly reduced the radiation exposures. [UN News Centre]
US:
¶ The first grid-connected offshore turbine in North America, VolturnUS, is a sign of good industry taking hold in the Americas. In Maine, near Monhegan Island, a test of an offshore wind turbine will be launched as a small beginning of a full-scale wind project. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The California Senate voted to approve legislation to establish a program that provides utility customers the opportunity to buy a portion of the energy generated on an off-site renewable energy facility and get credit for that energy on their utility bill. [Daily Democrat]
¶ Gov. Rick Snyder says he favors boosting the portion of electricity in Michigan that’s generated from renewable sources but hasn’t decided how much the increase should be. [WILX]
¶ The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, announced it has received more than 550 MW of applications for solar projects seeking to qualify as a Solar Carve-Out Generation Unit capable of creating Massachusetts solar renewable energy credits. [Mondaq News Alerts]
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