GLG News by Utilities and Power Generation Consultants (EU)

Congratulations to Lunar Energy for its 8MW tidal stream project - the largest proposed to date. But to describe it as "huge" rather overstates its importance, and its developers have to prove they can walk before they run.

The EU has committed to a binding target of 20% of power coming from renewables by 2020, although the target has yet to be allocated between EU countries. The UK is already struggling to meet its 2010 target to generate 10% of power from renewables. Major changes to the planning process are required...

Scotland has a world class wave and tidal resource, and wants to build a dominant position in the emerging markets for marine renewable power. The Scottish Executive has just announced £13 million of funding support for nine different wave and tidal device developers. There’s also additional...

The exceptionally strong endorsement for windpower by the conservative Audubon Society removes an important though specious argument against windpower.  The industry has been fighting false perceptions about the avian mortality issue for more than two decades.  With this support, the issue...

The latest two analyses on windpower and renewables are factually wide of the mark, and should be discounted.  Major discrepancies between the "facts" quoted in these two analyses and reality on the ground show that the opposition to renewables is not based upon science, nor on true economics.

The fatal period of boom and bust cycles for the renewable industries appear to be over with the extension of renewable credits.  There is now a stable base of project finance available until at least the end of 2008.

The largest and most authoritative study of the environmental effects of offshore wind power has reached favorable conclusions regarding future development.  The report will be used by developers and governments in setting standards and obtaining planning approvals.

The reported acquisition is quite minor, and doesn't signify any change in the industry which isn't already ongoing.M & A activity is already at a high level, and increasing.

Suzlon's commencement of rotor blade production in the US is not only a big step forward in its attack on the major manufacturers' market share in the US.  This is also evidence of what all manufacturers are likely to do when entering new markets.  Evaluation of the various manufacturers'...

The Robert Barr article quotes Scotland's First Minister Jack McConnell as seeking assurances from the EU on the Iberdrola take over of Scottish Power, but refusing to say whether the deal would be good or bad for Scottish business. In reality the First Minister has very little say in the matter, but...