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“Australia is an energy-efficiency laggard among developed nations and if the Government is to deliver on its election promise of putting Australia ‘at the forefront of OECD energy efficiency improvement’ it needs decisive efficiency initiatives in addition to an emissions trading scheme,”

The paper indicates that Australia has largely untapped its energy saving potential – up to around 70% in the residential and commercial sector and up to 46% in the manufacturing sector.

t was a huge event, with close to 2,000 participants and a palpable energy and a sense of - finally - progress. The conference was attended by the ministers for energy or senior political representatives  from several countries (the UK, Germany, several Nordic countries - see the link above) and happened at the same time as an important German government meeting that decided to increase offshore tariffs to 14c/kWh, a strongly supportive measure which is likely to be the starting point of a massive wave of investment in the sector in that country. Interestingly, despite that decision, and the excitement it generated, the UK market is still seen as likely to be bigger than the German one over the next 10-15 years, with all other markets being somewhat smaller.

The European Commission (EC) has outlined a host of proposals to update its energy strategy, boosting energy efficiency and security in the region, while reducing emissions.The new measures are needed to reduce Europe’s reliance on energy imports, which currently make up over half of the region’s usage, help address rising prices and ensure that the region meets its 20-20-20 targets, said Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Japan, the United States and the European Union will jointly propose at this year's Group of Eight summit meeting that an international organization be established to study and evaluate the energy-saving measures of countries, including China and India, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Saturday.

As the cost of fuel soars and the pressure mounts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, several schemes for a new generation of airship are being considered by governments and private companies. “It’s a romantic project,” said Mr. Massaud, 45, sitting amid furniture designs in his Paris studio, “but then look at Jules Verne.”

COAL-FIRED power stations should not be privatised but bulldozed over the next 20 years to curb greenhouse gas emissions, one of the state's leading energy academics has told the Iemma Government.