News

Thai Solar Energy is planning to invest nearly US$447 million in the development of 135MW of solar projects using direct-steam generation.

Bank Sarasin forecasts 2,500 MW of new capacity in China by 2012.

Hokuriku Electric Power Co shut the 700 megawatt coal-fired No.2 unit at its Tsuruga plant in northwestern Japan on Thursday for repair work and inspection.

India's Ministry of Law has approved the immediate implementation of the open access system in the power sector.

Construction of the Nam-Enfinity renewable energy project in Ninh Thuan province will be delayed to late 2012 due to land costs.

Leaders of China's solar power industry rejected a U.S. trade complaint that they receive unfair government support. The chairmen of four of China's biggest solar companies, including Suntech Power Holdings Co. and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., said at a news conference that their success comes from more advanced technology and skillful management. "If you ask whether the solar industry in China has received special treatment or special support, the answer is no," said Suntech's Shi Zhengrong, one of the solar power industry's most successful entrepreneurs. The U.S. Commerce Department launched an investigation this month into complaints that Chinese companies were exporting solar panels and equipment to the United States at less than fair value. A final ruling is due in July. If the complaint is upheld, the U.S. government could impose punitive tariffs. The case has attracted unusual attention for a trade complaint following the bankruptcy of solar-panel maker Solyndra LLC, after the California-based company received a $528 million U.S. government loan. Last week, China's Commerce Ministry announced its own trade probe into whether U.S. government support for producers of wind, solar and other renewable energy technology is an improper trade barrier. If Washington imposes sanctions, one result will be a loss of American jobs because U.S. companies are both buyers of Chinese products and suppliers of materials, the companies said in a statement. They said Chinese manufacturers spend some $2 billion a year to buy materials such as polysilicon from U.S. suppliers. "Any trade restrictive measures that may be imposed will unavoidably cause serious impairment to the sustainable development of the green energy industries as well as consumers' interests both in China and the United States," said the statement. The executives sharply criticized the lead company in the Commerce Department complaint, SolarWorld Industries America Inc., a unit of Germany's SolarWorld AG. They said it receives U.S. and European subsidies while complaining about Chinese support. "We applaud the support of the European Union and the U.S. government toward renewable energy. But we are very sorry that SolarWorld has applied such a double standard when they talk about subsidies," said Canadian Solar's Qu.

Macau's electricity consumption reached 1.198 billion kWh in the third quarter of 2011, according to the city's Statistics and Census Service.

Suzlon Energy has won a contract worth Rs4.7bn or $90 million from Coromandel Wind Energy Company.

C&G Environmental Protection Holdings will get a group credit facility of RMB2.284b for its capital expenditure requirements.

Kansai Electric will build two solar power plants with a total capacity of 1 MW in Fukui prefecture in western Japan  by March 2015.

China has launched an investigation into US subsidies for renewable energy companies.

Wijaya Karya is expecting its investment in four power-plant projects to bring revenues worth Rp 470 billion or $51.7 million next year.

India's capacity addition in the month of October 2011 was dismal, as compared to the previous month. The Central Electricity Authority's latest figures show that the country expanded capacity by 345 MW, as against a target of 2,373 MW. The addition is 85.5% below the target, whereas it had exceeded its target by 36% in September 2011. A majority of this shortfall in capacity addition is attributed to the thermal sector, which fell short of the targeted 2,000 MW by 1,655 MW. There was no contribution from of the hydro sector. Furthermore, the nuclear and renewable energy sectors did not add to the capacity addition during the month. There was no capacity addition achieved against a target of 338 MW under the central scheme and the poor performance of state schemes was reflected in zero capacity addition during the month, as opposed to a small target of 250 MW. Consequently, the private sector has performed better with an achievement of 345 MW, as compared to a target of 1,785 MW. The Indian government had fixed 78,700 MW as a target for capacity addition in the 11th Plan, which was later modified to 62,374 MW during the mid-term appraisal  by the Planning Commission.

There are plans to increase electricity prices in Vietnam by 4.6% in 2012.

ADB  has approved a $309.9 million loan for a new power plant in Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Kyushu Electric Power Co will start a planned inspection of the 1,180-megawatt No.4 reactor at its Genkai nuclear plant on Dec. 25. This will necessitate the shutdown of the reactor on the same day.