Category: financial instruments

Romania takes new approach to renewables

EurActiv and Reuters report that Romania is cutting support for renewable energy projects. Importantly, the government sees this as an important measure to cut price increases to consumers, both residential and industrial.  It is difficult to know what this means for Romania to meet its 2020 objectives. Romania slashes renewable energy subsidies Romania will cut … Continue reading Romania takes new approach to renewables →

Energy efficiency programmes need to reflect needs of consumers

The Dromore Leader in Lisburn, Northern Ireland writes about findings from the Consumer Council on the need for better targeted energy efficiency programmes.  Hopefully others outside Northern Ireland will also listen to this advice. Energy schemes need to be smarter, says consumer council Reduce the number of energy efficiency schemes and concentrate spending on high … Continue reading Energy efficiency programmes need to reflect needs of consumers →

New energy strategy for the EBRD

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has played a key role in the transition to market-based economies for countries that were formerly planned economies, primarily under the influence of the former Soviet Union. It was created in 1991 and is now the largest financial investor in its region of operations which now stretches from … Continue reading New energy strategy for the EBRD →

Investing in China’s energy efficient future

Viola Caon writes in Invest Europe about a new UK China Energy Efficiency Investments Fund that has been set up to help support a new partnership in energy efficiency investments. SDCL Asia to launch UK China Energy Efficiency Investments Fund Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) Asia has announced its plan to launch the UK China … Continue reading Investing in China’s energy efficient future →

Innovation has many faces

Kara Gray of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, and Cheryl Harrington of NSTAR Electric & Gas write about an innovative approach to target low-income multifamily housing on the Electric Light & Power website. Using Vision and Data to Unlock Energy Efficiency Innovation has many faces. Depending on where you stand, it can look very different. Designing … Continue reading Innovation has many faces →

Personal investments in renewable energy on the rise in the UK

Rebecca O’Connor, editor for the Trillium Fund, provides a detailed account of the dynamics of personal investing in renewables in Britain on the Ecologist website.  While this is a welcome sign, it will be interesting if we see the same activity for energy efficiency.  Any information on this will be welcome. Small investors pile billions … Continue reading Personal investments in renewable energy on the rise in the UK →

US changes stance on funding coal-fired power plants

The World Bank has often been criticised for funding large-scale energy projects – from large hydropower dams to coal-fired power plants – that can have serious environmental consequences and certainly not in the realm of sustainable energy.  Michael Shear writes in the New York Times that its largest funder, the US, has now taken a … Continue reading US changes stance on funding coal-fired power plants →

Green financing for industry still a problem in the UK

OILFIREDUP writes about a recent business survey that shows the difficulties that companies are having in accessing financing to invest in green technologies. It would be good to know if there are similar surveys or similar problems in other European countries.   British Business Struggling To Access Green Finance A survey undertaken recently by the … Continue reading Green financing for industry still a problem in the UK →