Charlie Zhu of Reuters news service provides an excellent review of the situation in China today and the effect of the financial credit crunch. There is a big impact on energy service companies that are used for both energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Credit crunch stifles Chinese energy savings sector A credit crunch … Continue reading Even China is having problems financing energy savings
Category: financial instruments
New report on private green investments
The year 2013 promises long strides away from the fossil-fueled Industrial Era as illuminated by the Ethical Markets Green Transition Scoreboard® (GTS) which tracks private investments growing the green economy worldwide since 2007, finding $4.1 trillion invested or committed as of Q4 2012. The year 2012 was an inflection point for the green transition worldwide. … Continue reading New report on private green investments
Two important new reports
Estimating potential additional energy savings from upcoming revisions to existing regulations under the ecodesign and energy labelling directives, by CLASP and eceee In the new discussion paper, CLASP has identified an additional 40-70 TWh per annum by 2030 from eleven existing ecodesign and energy labelling regulations covering seven product groups. All eleven regulations are scheduled … Continue reading Two important new reports
New fund for Ireland
United Press International writes about a new energy efficiency fund in Ireland that is to be the cornerstone of its new action plan. The fund is to support projects in the public and commercial sectors. Ireland launches energy efficiency fund Ireland has earmarked $45 million in seed capital for a new energy efficiency fund meant … Continue reading New fund for Ireland
More on UK’s VAT issue with European Commission
In the recent post on Britain's taxing issue, EiD quoted Andrew Warren, Director of the UK Association for the Conservation of Energy. Following other comments that EiD has received, Andrew has kindly provided the following extended note. As all Europeans are trying to address how to finance energy efficiency investments, this is an important issue … Continue reading More on UK’s VAT issue with European Commission
A taxing issue
The European Commission’s press release this week was quite stark in its announcement: . . . The European Commission has decided to refer the United Kingdom to the EU Court of Justice for its reduced VAT rate on the supply and installation of energy-saving materials. This measure goes beyond what is allowed under the VAT … Continue reading A taxing issue
Innovative financing for solar energy systems
Diane Cardwell writes in the New York Times about how the Honda car company has now linked with a major solar energy installer to provide solar incentives to encourage customers in the US to buy their hybrid and electric vehicles. It will be interesting to know if such support for renewables will be provided in … Continue reading Innovative financing for solar energy systems
How consumers can work together to finance climate change solutions
Lisa Palmer recently provided a blog in the New York Times about how consumers can bundle their efforts to finance climate change solutions. A Climate Proposal: Bundling Consumer Buying Power Each year, an estimated 46 percent of the population is responsible for 77 percent of discretionary spending in the United States. To strengthen individual buying … Continue reading How consumers can work together to finance climate change solutions
Energy taxes in the US now being discussed
Eduardo Porter wrote recently in the New York Times about the pros and cons of introducing energy taxes in the US. Droughts and hurricanes are starting to stir some debate. But the conclusion is that, even with all the benefits of new energy taxes, the US seems a long way off from introducing them. In … Continue reading Energy taxes in the US now being discussed
A Q&A on a carbon tax versus cap-and-trade
Luca Taschini, Simon Dietz and Naomi Hicks of Grantham Research Institute recently provided a Q&A in the Guardian comparing a carbon tax against cap-and-trade. This is a useful article for all EiD readers. Carbon tax v cap-and-trade: which is better? Economists argue that, if the market is left to operate freely, greenhouse gas emissions … Continue reading A Q&A on a carbon tax versus cap-and-trade
