News from February 2012

Enigin News - EU Energy Committee Backs Binding National Energy Efficiency Targets

EU countries will have to set themselves binding national energy efficiency targets, and save energy by specific means, under a draft EU directive approved by the Energy Committee on Tuesday. This directive would not only save energy, but also reduce CO2 emissions, and hence increase demand for emission allowances under the ...

Tuesday 28th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Key Vote on Energy Efficiency Bill in EU Parliament

THE draft EU Energy Efficiency Directive will probably require support from the European Parliament before the Assembly can speak as one in upcoming negotiations with the EU member states. Several Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) told EurActiv that hopes will probably be dashed for accelerated negotiations immediately after the draft ...

Monday 27th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - New Zealand Dairy Farms Can Save Big on Electricity

NEW Zealand's dairy farms could achieve cost-effective annual energy savings of at least 68.4 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in the dairy shed, according to the results of a pilot energy efficiency programme. That is a 10 percent reduction and is equivalent to the annual electricity use of around 7,100 households. Enigin Distributors ...

Sunday 26th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - UK Energy Statistics for 2011 Released

THE UK Department of Energy and Climate Change released its provisional energy statistics yesterday, that allow an assessment to be made of trends in energy production, transformation and consumption in 2011. Primary energy production fell by a record 14 percent on a year earlier to 136.3 million tonnes of oil equivalent, ...

Thursday 23rd February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - China's Energy Use Increases

CHINA’S energy use rose over four years until 2011 at its fastest rate ever but energy efficiency improved, reports the country’s National Bureau of Statistics. Energy consumption rose 7 percent up to 3.48 billion metric tons of standard coal equivalent, according to the report on the bureau's website. This represents the ...

Wednesday 22nd February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Energy Efficiency Best Power Solution for South Africa

SOUTH Africa’s Energy Minister, Dipuo Peters, said that energy efficiency is the best strategy to handle the country’s power shortfall and to meet its future electricity demand. Addressing an energy indaba (an important conference) in Johannesburg, Peters explained that facing serious power capacity limitations, and with power infrastructure development being a ...

Tuesday 21st February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Hong Kong's Building Energy Efficiency Initiatives

THE Hong Kong Government announced yesterday that the three-year Buildings Energy Efficiency Funding Schemes launched in April, 2009, will close on April 7.   With $450 million(US$58M) allocated by the Hong Kong Environment and Conservation Committee, the subsidy schemes have aimed to encourage building owners to upgrade the energy efficiency performance of ...

Monday 20th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Energy Efficiency Central to Future of Energy Supply

ENERGY efficiency is set to grow in impact worldwide according to two multinational oil companies, as reported by Nick Snow in Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ). There have been a raft of energy forecasts for the year ahead, leading one reader of the OGJ to ask a simple question: "With all ...

Sunday 19th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - UK's Green Deal Offers Opportunities

THE UK government and business leaders discussed the economic and environmental benefits of the country's Green Deal during a Renewable Energy World 2012 conference panel. The Green Deal programme aims to perform energy efficiency upgrades in UK businesses and residences to reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs with ...

Thursday 16th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Energy Projects Cut Emissions in Taiwan

THE Republic of China (ROC) reports that 229 energy and energy efficiency projects that they have promoted has helped reduce CO2 emissions by 4.82 million metric tonnes last year. The figures were announced by the Bureau of Energy (BoE) this week. In their statement they revealed: “Energy density and carbon density ...

Wednesday 15th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Obama's Robust Energy Efficiency Budget Welcomed by ASE

U.S. President Obama’s 2013 budget gives financial muscle to his State of the Union energy efficiency message, the non-profit Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) stated this week. If the U.S. Congress approves the president’s allocations, the United States will be able to better achieve the triple promise of energy efficiency – ...

Tuesday 14th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - EU Energy Ministers Need to "Change Track" on Energy Directive

EUROPE’S Energy Ministers are being urged by some of the regions largest investors and companies to "change tack" on the EU's energy efficiency directive.   Today sees the EU’s energy council meeting to discuss the bloc’s draft Energy Efficiency Directive, with the current holder of the EU Presidency, Denmark, looking to get ...

Monday 13th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Bahamian Government Plan to Improve Energy Efficiency and Intensity

THE Bahamas are looking to improve their energy efficiency to combat climate change and energy intensity. Energy use data reveals that the Bahamas imported 7,814,000 barrels of oil and petroleum products in 2010, at a cost of $695,810,000, or approximately 10 percent of The Bahamas' GDP for that year. Typically "The Bahamas ...

Sunday 12th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Energy Saving at Heart of UK Strategy

A NEW offensive on cutting energy waste was launched by the UK’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey this week, with a new team to improve energy efficiency. Earlier in the week we reported on the anticipated creation of a dedicated team within the Department of Energy and Climate Change ...

Thursday 9th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Vietnam's Energy efficiency Programme to Cost $48m

THE Vietnam National Programme for Energy Efficiency and Conservation needs around VND1 trillion ($48 million) to save between five and eight percent of the nation's total energy consumption by 2015. This is the conclusion of the country’s Ministry of Planning and Investment. The Programme, started in 2006, encourages, promotes and cultivate science ...

Wednesday 8th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - IEA Supports Slovak Efforts in Energy Efficiency

THE Slovak Republic has achieved impressive results in increasing energy efficiency in recent years but can do more, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA, in its review of Slovak energy policies also states that the Republic needs to strengthen its energy security and industrial competitiveness, including further diversifying ...

Tuesday 7th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Model Created to Map Energy Use in NYC Buildings

RESEARCHERS from Columbia University’s Engineering School have launched an interactive energy map, showing patterns of power consumption in the five boroughs of New York City. With cities across the globe trying to cut down their energy consumption and lower their carbon footprint and reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions, knowing where ...

Monday 6th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - New Energy Minister & Energy Agency to Drive Efficiencies

THE UK’s new Energy Secretary Ed Davey, is to launch the new Energy Efficiency Deployment Office (EEDO), tasked with saving businesses, and households, money on energy costs. Davey believes that going green can reduce costs considerably, with the EEDO overseeing a reduction in energy demand, which Davey told The Independent ...

Sunday 5th February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - India has a Stake in Developing Climate Change Response

INDIAN Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaking yesterday at the opening of the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), highlighted his countries importance in combatting energy efficiency. “As a developing country in the frontlines of climate vulnerability, India has a vital stake in the evolution of a successful, rule-based, equitable and multilateral response ...

Thursday 2nd February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - UK Sustainable Business Spending Will Reach £6.8 Billion in 2015

SPENDING by large UK firms on energy, environment and sustainability initiatives will grow at an average of 16 percent a year between 2012 and 2015, according to a new market forecast. The prediction has been made by independent analyst firm Verdantix. The growth in sustainable business spending in 2012 will be ...

Wednesday 1st February 2012 | Read full article

Enigin News - Energy Efficiency Actions Can Help Reduce Unemployment and Debt

EUROPEAN Union member states who are searching for strategies to fight record-high unemployment and recessionary pressures should look at supporting investments in energy efficiency. So said EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard yesterday (Tuesday), and she urged action at a special crisis summit on Monday, when EU leaders pledged 'to create ...

Tuesday 31st January 2012 | Read full article