Staff Reporter

Project will cost US$700 million.

Will exceed 5 MW from 2 MW.

Uses up one fifth of global coal consumption.

Coal to supply over half of India’s energy needs.

Plans to generate 3 GW from solar energy.

Sell a combined US$2.58 billion in bonds.

Greenpeace report says this could occur by 2050. Greenpeace believes that by 2050, green energy could account for 70% of the electricity generation for the 10 countries comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This boost in green energy could also result in US$2.8 trillion worth of investment; US$2.7 trillion in fuel-cost savings and 1.1 million jobs by 2030, said the report entitled “Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable Asean Energy Outlook.” The report also noted that 28% of the region's total population, or 160 million people, still had no access to electricity. Sven Teske, renewable energies director at Greenpeace International, said ASEAN countries have more than enough natural resources to become a leading player for clean, renewable energies. "Renewable energies are more competitive than coal, utilize indigenous local resources and create more employment," Teske said. "Using more renewables is now an advantage for the economy, not a burden and reduces their dependence on dirty, imported fossil fuels like oil and coal."

Will focus on power generation and alternative energy. Power-Gen Asia and Renewable Energy World Asia will open at the Impact Exhibition and Conference Center for three days of discussion and debate on the future of Asia's power industry. Some 200 companies will also exhibit their latest technologies, products and solutions. The program includes more than 150 international experts presenting across eight conference tracks. These experts will talk on topics focusing on strategic and technical power issues and challenges and the growth of the renewable and alternative energy sectors Economic growth requires energy as its enabler and the power industry is the provider of this vital lifeblood. Balancing this responsibility with the requirement to protect the environment has put the power industry under the spotlight more than ever before.

Report says these markets are the future. A new report by IHS estimates that photovoltaic installations in small, emerging markets could rise at about triple the global average during the period from 2012 through 2017. Annual installations in these emerging countries are expected to increase to 10.9 GW in 2017, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 38% from 2.2 GW in 2012. In contrast, the overall global market will expand at a CAGR of only 13% during the same period. The emerging markets will account for 19% of global solar installations in 2017, up from just 7% in 2012. IHS noted that across the world, new markets for solar PV are emerging, propelled by government incentives, including tenders for large-scale contracts, feed-in-tariff schemes and self-consumption support. Although these markets sometimes have huge hurdles like limited financing, regulatory uncertainty and opaque local regulatory conditions, companies throughout the solar supply chain can benefit from targeting these fast-growing emerging countries. Of the emerging countries IHS analyzed, Thailand and Turkey are expected to become the largest markets in the coming years. Both countries have the potential to install a cumulative total of nearly 3 GW of PV systems during the period from 2013 through 2017.

Will build a 4 GW solar farm to attain this aim. State-run companies including Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd., SJVN Ltd. and the Solar Energy Corporation of India will form a joint venture to complete the first gigawatt by the end of 2016. The farm will be built near Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan state to supply power to government distribution companies through the national grid, said the Department of Heavy Industry.

Sunday 8 September was an exciting day in Japan. In the early hours the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympic Games for a second time (first time was in 1964).

Acquires Japanese wind farm company.

Becomes one of only five countries with 10 GW solar capacity.

This could begin as early as this autumn.

Hydropower will come second.

To be funded by company's reserves.