Mission Petitions US Regulator for RFS2 Approval of its g-Palm Biodiesel

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Mission NewEnergy Limited MNEL +1.50% (asx:MBT), a global provider of environmentally sustainable biofuels, has announced the in-house development of an improved palm oil supply chain process called "Mission g-Palm" that maximizes green house gas savings when producing g-Palm Biodiesel. Mission has petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval to sell the enhanced g-Palm oil based biodiesel into the USA. Whilst the EPA continues to study and consider generic palm oil for approval, Mission has proceeded with this petition since the "Mission g-Palm" process yields better GHG emissions results.

The use of Mission's g-Palm biodiesel has already been welcomed in major European markets after demonstrating to regulatory authorities that it meets EU sustainability requirements.

Offshore Wind Market To Surge In Next Six Years, Report Says

A new report forecasts that offshore wind capacity worldwide will increase by a factor of 17 over the next six years, rising from 4.1 gigawatts of installed capacity today to a projected 70.1 gigawatts in 2017. While
European nations, including the United Kingdom and Denmark, continue to be the leaders in the emerging industry, China’s offshore wind market is expected to pull even by 2017, according to the report by U.S.-based Pike Research.

“More electricity can mean less energy”

Usually diplomatic, John Scowcroft, Eurelectric’s head of unit for environment and sustainable development policy, has had enough of the power sector being portrayed as the bad boy on efficiency and environment. Scowcroft wants policy makers to start working with industry.

Is the electricity industry the bad boy on energy efficiency?

Many policy makers repeat that electricity companies do not have incentives to promote energy efficiency. This is a catchy slogan. There’s only one problem. It is absolutely false even. Someone keeps trying to sell this as a fact. The reality is actually quite the opposite. Electricity companies are already offering energy efficiency services to their customers. They would love to do more, if policy makers would help by lifting barriers. Our recent survey among some 150 European companies just confirms this fact. Check my words by visiting the website of your own electricity provider.

Don’t you get more money if you sell more energy?

The world can be powered by alternative energy, using today's technology, in 20-40 years, says Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson

A new study – co-authored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson and UC-Davis researcher Mark A. Delucchi – analyzing what is needed to convert the world's energy supplies to clean and sustainable sources says that it can be done with today's technology at costs roughly comparable to conventional energy. But converting will be a massive undertaking on the scale of the moon landings. What is needed most is the societal and political will to make it happen.

Gov’t focus turns to ‘clean’ energy as oil prices spike

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An economic giant like the United States is not immune to the volatility of global crude oil prices.
And while the United States can well support its fuel requirements for now, it has turned its attention to building alternative fuel sources and move toward an efficient yet cleaner and more sustainable economy.

Speaking before the recent 2011 National Electricity Forum here, US Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu admitted that as global oil prices continued to increase, the “demand for clean power is the likely future.”

Clean power from the so-called renewable energy resources are now largely being harnessed elsewhere, like in Western Europe and in Asia, specifically in China, Korea and Japan.

Chu told delegates that the United States should do the same as these countries and venture more into renewable energy, although there will be risks in harnessing clean energy as compared to the traditional fossil fuels.

Among the challenges the US energy sector will face are the unreliability of renewable energy sources and cybersecurity, he said.

EBRD promotes energy efficiency in Poland

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The EBRD is promoting energy efficiency in Poland with a €50 million loan to Bank BGZ and €35 million loan to Bank Millennium for on-lending to local small and medium enerprises (SMEs) undertaking sustainable energy investments.

The loans are part of the EBRD’s €150 million Poland Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (PolSEFF).



Majority owned by Rabobank, Bank BGZ is a leading bank in Poland with national outreach, focusing on small and medium companies both in big cities as well as in rural regions.
Bank Millennium, majority owned by Banco Comercial Português, is a universal bank providing a full range of lending, transaction and savings products to retail and business customers. Millennium will strengthen its focus on increasing its business in the SME segment in Poland.

The EBRD financing will support the banks in extending sustainable energy financing to SMEs operating in the manufacturing, services, retail, agri-business and other sectors.