Australia invests in advanced biofuels

The Australian Government has awarded a AUS$5 million (€4 million) grant to James Cook University, funding the development of Australia's first freshwater and marine macro-algae to biofuels project. Not only this, but a new AUS$15 million (€12 million) Advanced Biofuels Investment Readiness (ABIR) Program has been created.

ABIR Program is designed to support the investment case of scalable, pre-commercial advanced biofuels demonstration projects in Australia. "Advanced biofuels, particularly those that can integrate into existing liquid fuel supply chains and are compatible with existing engine technologies and infrastructure could also become a significant source of regional employment," says Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson. Read more ...

India shows record growth in renewable energy investments

A BNEF report into renewable energy investments in India showed that renewable energy investments increased by more than 52 percent in 2011, the fastest growth among major global economies. More than US$10.3 billion (€7.836 billion), was invested in renewable energy projects in India last year, with about US$4.6 billion (€3.5 billion) targeting wind energy projects and another US$4.2 billion (€3.5 billion) going toward solar project. “India’s record performance in 2011, and the momentum it is carrying into 2012, is one of the bright spots in the clean energy firmament,” said Michael Liebreich, BNEF’s chief executive. Read more ...

Government sets out commitment to renewables

The government published its proposals to support renewable electricity and bring forward a surge of investment in the energy infrastructure. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “Investing in green energy boosts growth and creates jobs the offshore wind sector alone could provide up to 66,000 jobs in this country by 2020'. He went on to say “Supporting clean, green, secure energy is the right thing to do for both the environment and the economy.“Today’s announcement makes clear the Government’s commitment to supporting long-term investment in the UK’s renewables industries.” Read more ...