U.K. Labour, Green Parties Call for Power Sector Carbon Goal

Britain’s opposition Labour and Green parties joined a push for the government to impose a carbon target on the power industry, setting the stage for a battle over the energy bill in Parliament.

Labour leader Ed Miliband and the Green Party’s only lawmaker, Caroline Lucas, put their names on motions seeking to halt progress of the legislation until it’s amended to include a decarbonization target. The measure was recommended by the Committee on Climate Change, a panel that advises ministers.

Energy Bill means a new sunrise for renewable energy

A new Energy Bill, two years in the making, will triple investment in renewable energy and mean the end for coal-powered generation.

The Bill commits the government to supporting low carbon electricity to the tune of £7.6bn by 2020, over three times the current level of £2.3bn for 2012-13.

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association, the Nuclear Industry Association and RenewableUK welcomed the introduction of the Bill, saying it "would help to unlock billions in investment in low carbon generation, enable the UK to meet its energy security and climate change targets, and create thousands of jobs"

A Progressive Carbon Tax Will Fight Climate Change and Stimulate the Economy

Superstorm Sandy. Massive droughts. Devastating tornadoes. Horrific wildfires. The United States has certainly seen the dramatic weather-related effects of climate change in 2012, and every American has in some way been negatively impacted. Unfortunately, unless we start taking action now to curb the greenhouse gas pollution that’s causing this extreme weather, things are only going to get worse. Depending on which actions we choose to take, this year will either be the new normal or it will be a glimpse into a future where conditions are much, much worse.

UK Lawmakers Reach 'Landmark Deal' On Renewable Energy Support

After months of haggling over the costs related to subsidizing renewable energy, the UK Energy and Finance ministries have hammered out an agreement that will triple the nation's support for clean energy.

The policy is expected to boost the share of renewables in the UK to 30% of the energy mix by 2020 - much higher than the 20% European Union target - creating thousands of green jobs in the process.

Britain's current target is mostly for wind - 31 gigawatts of planned offshore and onshore wind - which would bring renewables to 11% of the energy mix by 2020. Many worried that target would be unachievable with big subsidy cuts.

Massachusetts launches regional RE resolution

The following information was released by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts):

Governor Deval Patrick today proposed a resolution at the New England Governor's Conference that passed unanimously and will advance the process towards a coordinated regional procurement of renewable energy. Assistant Secretary of Energy Steven Clarke presented the proposal at the Burlington, Vermont conference on the Governor's behalf.

Mexico signs Climate Change law

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has signed into law climate change legislation that will bind the country to significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energies within the next few decades.

"With the legislation I signed, Mexico becomes the first developing country with a comprehensive law against climate change," Mr. Calderon posted on his Twitter account Tuesday.

Iowa new state tax credit policy makes solar a better investment

There is, after all, something new under the sun -- a tax credit that energy companies and lawmakers say makes installing solar energy systems on homes and businesses an affordable investment.

"A lot of people have been looking at solar energy systems and now, with the state tax credits, they're starting to move forward," Brad Duggan, energy efficiency project manager at Van Meter Inc. in Cedar Rapids said Tuesday. "It makes solar ripe for the residential use. I think it will push the market."

Africa: Kenya first in continent to have climate change law

KENYA is set to become the first African country to establish an independent Climate Change Authority through the enactment of a law this year, the Parliamentary Network for Renewable Energy and Climate Change (Panerecc) has said. Panerecc chairman David Koech said the authority will be established by the Climate Change Bill, a private members' bill now in Speaker Kenneth Marende's office awaiting to be forwarded to the AG's office for publication.

Mexican Senate passes national climate law after passing the House: continuing to act at home

The Mexican Senate passed the national climate law that recently passed the Mexican House.  The bill now awaits the signature of President Felipe Calderón who is expected to sign the bill into law.  This law sends a strong signal that Mexico will continue to implement actions to reduce global warming pollution now and into the future.  It sets in place the foundation for even greater action by Mexico under future Administrations**.

The bill passed both the Mexican House and Senate with large majorities, showing the multi-party support for climate action in Mexico.  The Senate passed the bill 78-0 and the House passed it by a vote of 280-10 with one abstention.

US clean energy standard proposed in Senate

Hoping an inclusive, flexible approach will draw support, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) recently introduced the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012.

The bill will will attempt to push large retail utilities to get their electricity from cleaner - but not necessarily renewable - sources.

Bingaman (D-N.M.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, had tried before to mirror state renewable portfolio standards with a federal renewable electricity standard, but his legislation never gained real traction. 



New Vermont energy plan stresses renewables

Its been more than a decade since Vermont had a comprehensive plan that lays out an energy policy for the coming decades.  Now a draft plan has been written and once its revised, it will be presented to the legislature.

Everyone agrees that our future energy sources should be reliable, affordable and clean - and that conservation and efficiency are important goals.  But the devil is in the details, and a number of concerns were raised at a recently concluded series of public meetings on the plan.  Some feel it doesn't move quickly enough toward renewable sources, others think it relies too much on wind development.  There are also concerns that the plan places too much emphasis on small scale renewable projects.