Energydesk
Coming up later today we'll have analysis from China on the decision to dramatically cut coal burning, but for now - here's the roundup.
UK
Scotland 2020 renewables targets 'challenging'A report by Audit Scotland warns that meeting Scotland’s 2020 renewable energy targets will be “challenging” and hopes of creating 40,000 jobs in renewables are “optimistic”.
Wind farms blamed for killing Eagles
The Daily Mail reports on claims that wind energy facilities have killed at least 67 golden and bald eagles in the last five years.
Dong hails first 6MW turbine
Danish utility, Dong, is installing it's first 6MW offshore wind turbines. The Siemens turbines - which generate three times more power than earlier models - are part of a plan by the utility to cut the cost of offshore wind by reducing the number of turbines which need to be installed to generate a given amount of power.
International
China to cut coal use
China's government pledged to reduce overall coal use in eastern parts of the country and said it would cut dependency on the fuel nationwide.
The radical plan would see state governments approve no new coal fired plants in industrial centers including Beijing and Tianjin and around the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas in Eastern and Southern China.
The bans on new coal plants are a first for China and the move could see coal reduce it's share of the power mix to 65% by 2017. Coal - including Lignite - currently makes up just over half of German power generation.
The statement reaffirmed plans to renovate existing coal-fired power plants to burn coal more cleanly.
US ban on new coal confirmed
Reports suggest draft proposals from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will confirm proposals by President Obama to ban the construction of new coal plants without carbon capture technology. The reports will surprise some observers who had expected the proposals to be toned down.
Boost to US solar power
US solar installations rose by 15% on the last quarter solar led by large projects that sell electricity to utilities, a trade group said.
The U.S. will probably install 4.4 gigawatts of solar power this year, up 30 percent from 2012, as demand increases for residential rooftop systems and the pipeline of utility-scale projects increases, according to Shayle Kann, vice president of research in Boston at GTM, which wrote the report.
The news comes as Japan's shipments of solar rose four times over in the first quarter of the year, thanks to new post-fukushima subsidies.
Alstom looks to invest in Poland's largest coal project
Government support and planned regulatory changes that will boost Poland's power market have prompted France's Alstom to seek a major role in constructing two new 900 megawatt coal-fired plants, a company official said.
Energy bills, the energiewende and the German election
Carbon Brief reports on the debate in Germany over energy bills, and the green energy transition as the election nears.
California passes fracking bill
California's Assembly approved legislation Wednesday to give the state more oversight over hydraulic fracturing. The bill will force firms to disclose the chemicals they use and request permits before carrying out acid wash's on wells.
