Briefing: February 15-21

INTERNATIONAL

Germany to host additional climate change negotiation session in April. (Feb. 21)

• The additional session is hoped prepare the way for concrete agreement in climate negotiations later in the year on May 31 – June 11 in Germany and ministerial talks November 29 – December 10 in Mexico.  Read more…

EUROPE

Transport for London (TfL) invests in energy efficiency schemes. (Feb. 21)

• TfL £2.4m a hydrogen fuel cell, the largest in the UK, at the Palestra building in Southwark cutting carbon emissions by 40% and generating savings of £90,000.  Read more…

France lowers solar feed-in-tariff to pop speculative bubble. (Feb. 15)

• For building-integrated PV projects the new solar FIT will be €0.58/kWh for homes schools and hospitals, €0.50/kWh for commercial and agricultural buildings, and €0.32-0.38/kWh for ground mounted arrays. The lower rates, which remain the most attractive in the world, are set through 2012 with a gradual reduction for the following 20 years thereafter.  Read more…

NORTH AMERICA

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorizes Google to buy and sell energy like a utility. (Feb. 19)

• Google now has approval to buy and sell energy in bulk like a utility but cannot own or control energy generation or transmission facilities. Google says its intentions are to gain more control over the quality and pricing of energy to support its massive server consumption.  Read more…

US Government launches $130M fund for building efficiency technologies. (Feb. 15)

• Funding will support development and deployment of new building efficiency technologies over 5 years with $22M available in the first year.  Read more…