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DOE announced on September 8 that it will award $6.6 million in competitive grants for 15 state-level projects, nine of which focus on developing policy and regulations to support gigawatt-scale clean energy capacity, and six of which focus on developing advanced building codes. Of these awards, $4 million will go to the gigawatt-scale clean energy capacity projects, which will develop policy and regulatory frameworks that will enable gigawatt-scale clean energy, either through renewable energy or demand-side reductions. Although no cost share was mandated, state partners will contribute up to $1.8 million for these projects. The six advanced building codes projects will receive $2.6 million, which will assist states in developing and implementing residential, commercial, or overarching building codes. Along with its financial assistance, DOE will support these projects with ongoing technical assistance.

Thin-film solar company Nanosolar has been sitting on a big secret for much of this year, it turns out: The company took a $300 million financing this March, and has remained mum ever since, only detailing it on the company's blog this morning after VentureWire reported the funding. While Nanosolar hasn't been entirely secretive about its technology, with chief executive Martin Rosencheisen showing off a rapid manufacturing technique early in summer, but apparently it didn't want details leaking on this giant-sized investment until necessary. Word slipped out in April about $50 million of the total, but at the time, Nanosolar didn't want to talk - and it's now clear why. The race for funds, and ever-larger production targets, is definitely on for thin film. Secretive thin-film silicon company Optisolar has raised over $200 million this year, and Nanosolar's thin-film CIGS competitor Miasole is trying to close on a similar amount. And while dozens of other startups are also on the hunt, large companies like Oerlikon Solar and Applied Materials are pouring money into ventures of their own. In many ways, it looks like an overheated sector. But on the other hand, Optisolar's recent deal with PG&E to provide 550 megawatts of electricity suggests that the potential for thin film panels is larger than previously expected, even when considering one analyst firm's prediction earlier this year that the sector will grow at 45 percent annually. That figure could now be much higher, especially for a few big winners - of which Nanosolar will likely be one. The company will be doing some utility-scale projects of its own, Rosencheisen tells us, with experienced partners. It also has a panel built specifically for use by utilities. And one of the backers of this funding, AES Corp., is also one of the world's biggest power companies. At the moment, Nanosolar is still working toward a gigawatt of annual manufacturing capacity, but it will grow be

Global competition, energy supplies and new technologies are among the issues converging to create a perfect storm that threatens to engulf the materials industries, according to a materials industry consultant.

Nanowires being used for memory is hardly a new idea, but a group of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania seem confident that they've found a way to leapfrog the competition, and shake up storage devices as we know them.

The tipping point at which the world's cleanest, most renewable resource is cost-competitive with other sources of energy on electricity grids could happen within two to five years in some US regions and countries if the price of fossil fuels continues to rise at its current pace, they add.

The European Commission yesterday issued its statement of objections to BHP Billiton's proposed $79.5bn (£49.3bn) hostile takeover of mining rival Rio Tinto, with the main competition barriers thought to be in the iron ore market.

South Africa's competition authorities have recommended approval of BHP Billiton's takeover of mining rival Rio Tinto

Investment in network infrastructure can boost long-term economic growth in OECD countries. Moreover, infrastructure investment can have a positive effect on growth that goes beyond the effect of the capital stock because of economies of scale, the existence of network externalities and competition enhancing effects.

(Washington, DC) Some of the most influential and competitive organizations in the renewable energy industry have now joined together to create the first trade association for organizations that market renewable energy. The Renewable Energy Marketers Association (REMA) has formed to vigorously promote the economic and national security benefits of domestic renewable energy.

Onamba Co., Ltd. has announced that it will shut down and absorb two domestic plants that produce electric wire and wire harnesses. The decision will be implemented in H1 of FY2009 and is attributed to the weakening economic environment, the appreciation of the yen and the increased market competition. The company employs 130 staff.

But the new technologies-which could help consumers cope with these prices-are unlikely to arrive in large numbers in time for the next oil spike. According to the authors of "The Impact of Plug-in Hybrids on U.S. Oil Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions," a chapter in the new book Plug-in Electric Vehicles: What Role for Washington, published by the Brookings Institution, cars are durable goods that last well over a decade. "The transformation of the light-vehicle fleet to new internal combustion technologies or to hybrid and plug-in hybrid technologies will take decades from the time such vehicles are widely available at competitive prices," according to the authors, Alan Madian, Lisa Walsh and Kim Simpkins, researchers at consulting firm LECG. They believe it could take another decade from now until the new technologies compete on a price basis, and begin the process of replacing current fleets.

Solar power will not be able to compete with conventional energy until there is a breakthrough in the technology, BP's chief executive has said, in a further sign of the company's move away from renewables towards oil and gas. BP has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in making solar cells and components, but in the past six months it has been closing factories around the world, and announced a sharp cut in its investment in alternative energies, such as solar, from $1.4bn last year to $1bn (£658m) this year. Tony Hayward, chief executive, yesterday told a conference in California: "I think solar is probably the most challenged of all of BP's alternative energy interests." He added: "It is not going to make the transition to be competitive with more conventional power, the gap is too big."

LONDON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The market for copper scrap is set to tighten as competition for the secondary raw material, eagerly sought as a cheaper alternative to refined copper cathode, rises globally.

Founded in 2005, LeDi is located in China near Shanghai in Zhejiang province, a hub of transportation, trading and communications. The company has three copper wire production lines with total annual capacity of approximately 36,000 tons. In April 2009, LeDi received a license to import scrap metal directly from foreign countries, making it one of the only copper processing companies in China that is licensed to import scrap copper directly from the USA, thereby decreasing raw materials costs and providing a meaningful competitive advantage.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bay Acquisition Corp. (formerly known as SecureLogic Corp.) (OTCBB: SLGI) ("Bay Acquisition"), announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Zhejiang Ledi Electronic Technology Co., LTD. ("LeDi"), a copper processing enterprise located in China, which produces electrical copper wires in the wire and cable industries. The transaction is structured as an acquisition of LeDi's Samoan-based holding company.

It was reported that the European Commission charged twelve companies with collusion for specific practices that they underwent in the submarine, underground power cable and related products sector. Nexans, Prysmian, ABB and NKT all confirmed that they had received a charge sheet from the European competition authorities and will respond following a thorough analysis of the E.U.'s Statement of Objections. The maximum fine applicable is 10% of global revenues. The charges relate to raids which took place over two years ago, however, the legal process was delayed due to the recent disaster in Japan.

"The competitive landscape of the market presents a very interesting picture. The market is witnessing new product launches and large scale collaborations, and agreements and partnerships, across the value chain, with a number of tier-one players around the globe. "

"Vietnam is one of the few countries in the Southeast Asian region that has established regulatory bodies in the power sector. In 2004, the Electricity Reform Law was introduced to establish a competitive electricity market in the country. Reforms were initiated in 2012 and agencies such as the Directorate General of Energy (DGE) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERAV) restricted the control and ownership of transmission grid and power generation of Vietnam Electricity (EVN)."

"The collapse of key energy policy pillars of Barroso's decade 1. The world has cheaper and more abundant fossil fuels than expected. 2. The EU internal Market conceived for gas-fuelled plants competition (CCGTs) has to deal with a fierce RES subsidised push. 3. The EU Green Revolution (to push us as world R&D and leading manufacturer of a decade-long green growth) is gone. 4. Carbon pricing originated in the EU and was adopted to some degree here and there but ceased to offer any incentive to change the EU vis-à-vis GHG emissions. 5. The EU Supply Security is lower than at the fall of the Soviet Union, or before the Bush-Blair invasion in Iraq; and the EU has to address it by itself. Then what are the key components that can put EU energy policy back on track toward reaching our 2020-2030 goals? The following policy brief offers a new vision of the energy policy for our new Commission from an independent, academic point of view."