Science and Technology:
¶ A new three-year research project will see aquaculture, agriculture and biogas sectors working together to develop renewable energy. The project will investigate sustainability by managing by-products more effectively. [TheFishSite.com]
World:
¶ Eight European companies in renewable energy issued a statement calling for a legally binding target of more than 30% of the energy mix to be renewables by 2030. The eight represent 176,000 jobs and more than €250 billion in annual revenue. [EP Magazine]
¶ A commercial research project, Kombikraftwerk 2, shows that a Germany-wide power grid could be stably operated even if it were fed only with electricity from intelligently controlled renewable sources. [Novinite.com]
¶ PKA is to provide a €120m in funding to help bring the 600 MW Gemini offshore wind farm to financial close. The pension group will put up the majority of a €200m subordinated loan with Northland Power. [reNews]
¶ Shipments of PV cells and modules within Japan jumped to roughly 2.07 GW in the three months to the end of September, from just 626.9 MW a year earlier, as demand continued to soar under the nation’s generous feed-in tariff for renewable energy. [Recharge]
¶ The UK’s government should look to reduce their £12 billion of subsidies handed to the fossil fuel industry, rather than cut green levies that support low-carbon policies, according to MPs on the influential Environmental Audit Committee. [Business Green]
¶ The European Commission is close to concluding that Britain’s nuclear program at Hinkley Point breaches EU state aid rules and may have to be revised, a move that could lead to long delays and even cause the complex deal to unravel. [Telegraph.co.uk]
US:
¶ Tax breaks for wind-power producers are set to expire in a little more than a month, threatening hundreds of manufacturing and energy jobs in Iowa alone if nothing is done. Iowa, already gets 25% of its power from wind, but could be at 50% by 2017. [Quad City Times]
¶ A Seabrook Station company spokesperson announced Sunday that nuclear power plant owner NextEra Energy has reached an agreement in contract negotiations with Utility Workers Union of America Local 555, ending a lockout threat. [Foster’s Daily Democrat]
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