Mirror, mirror
What was once hailed as an endless source of desert electricity has now fallen by the wayside in the profitability race. Is concentrated solar power condemned to remain a niche player in the energy market.
New Energy
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Warming up
Sales of solar heating installations fell short of expectations almost everywhere last year. Despite this firms are optimistic. Improved political support is driving hopes of an upswing.
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Light snack
Catch crops planted in the summer months can complement energy grains and the combination with them be an alternative to energy maize. But they
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Reacting to reactive power
The demands on wind turbines to support the power grid are growing in Germany and Spain. Some sector lobbyists see no sense in various stipulations by the grid operators.
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Dormant potential
With more than a thousand square kilometres of rooftops there's plenty of room for photovoltaics in Germany. A new study says, however, that newly installed capacity will level off at about one gigawatt per year.
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New promotion rates in Germany
After harsh contention the conservative and social democrats forming the fractious German government have agreed on a revision of the Renewable Energy Sources Act that regulates clean power promotion. Dispute was sharpest over provisions of photovoltaics.
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Diesel displacing beef
As global prices escalate, Argentina plans to quintuple production of soyabean diesel by 2010. It will dramatically change agriculture and the environment.
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All shook up
Owners of stock in German biogas companies haven't got much joy out of them. Given the industry's business conditions that's no surprise. Now it's all about how companies can weather the year ahead.
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Asia's hot front-runner
Slumbering in Indonesia is the world's biggest geothermal energy potential. Improved promotion policy and high fuel prices might help it to make a breakthrough.
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From maize to algae
US ethanol producers have had no joy from the stock market. The financial figures of many are awful. Venture capitalists are holding back investment - preferring new fuel sources.
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Growth Indian style
Thumbing their noses at the financial crisis, investors breathe new life into the Indian wind market; new subsidies are poised to take effect, and industry insiders see an upswing in the offing.