Critigen, a global technology consultancy for critical infrastructure, today announced its entry into the market as a privately held company. Recently divested from CH2M HILL's 62-year, $6.4 billion engineering business, the independent company emerges with deep domain expertise combined with the entrepreneurial ability to proactively apply technology-based approaches, new insights and visionary thinking that modernizes every sector of the growing critical infrastructure market.

SolarTech (www.solartech.org) convenes an industry wide competition to develop online permitting solutions that will reduce time and eliminate the redundant paperwork associated with the permitting of solar systems. This work is in-line with the consortium's goal to reduce permitting cycle time by 50% by 2011. SolarTech issued a software interoperability standard at the Solar Power International conference in Anaheim last month for different programs to exchange data using the same protocols.

The winds are turning favorable for renewable energy companies to seek financing from the public markets and although going public isn't for everyone, it's hard to ignore the capital that is becoming available.

Following a most successful inaugural conference and exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2009, Renewable Energy World Asia moves to Singapore in 2010. Renewable Energy World Asia, co-located with POWER-GEN Asia, is anticipated to receive around 7,000 power and renewable industry professionals, who will gather for three days to enjoy the industry's leading conference and experience the latest developments and ideas for the future of the Asian renewables sector.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a €80 million loan to Gemasolar 2006 SAU to finance the construction and commissioning of a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Fuentes de Andalucía, Seville.

The bilateral relationship between the United States and China has begun to take on a more pragmatic and secure quality under the Obama Administration, a welcome contrast to the past, when the U.S. was mostly uneasy about the rise of China and China was often uncertain about assuming its emerging role as an economic and political center of gravity. Though disagreements over the value of the Yuan, trade restrictions and human rights issues will continue to be present in the Sino-U.S. relationship, the exigencies of the worldwide economic downturn and the opportunities for cooperation in the development of a new energy future, are paving the way for a sustainable and productive bilateral relationship.

More than 550 high-level political decision makers at EU, national and regional level, representatives of the renewable energy industry, NGOs and scientists gathered in Brussels for the 3rd European Renewable Energy Policy Conference, organized by EREC as an official event of the Swedish EU Presidency.

The U.S. Department of the Interior and the California Energy Commission have completed a joint draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System Project. The project, to be located on about 4,000 acres of federal land in Southern California's Ivanpah Valley will have the capacity to generate up to 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

The green revolution goes beyond financing research and development. It is also helping to create a robust national market for existing technologies and shovel-ready projects.

The Spanish Minister of Industry, Miguel Sebastian, announced this week that the Andasol 3 and Ibersol power plant projects, developed by Solar Millennium AG, will obtain the pre-registration required to receive the Spanish feed-in tariff.

Johnson Controls, the global leader in energy efficiency and sustainability, has named Philip Fairey, deputy director of the Florida Solar Energy Center, the recipient of the second annual Building Efficiency Lifetime Leadership (BELL) award. The BELL Award was created to recognize individuals who have devoted many years of their career to energy efficiency, sustainability or renewable energy.

The Australian renewable energy industry faces a colossal threat of sudden extinction. Last month, the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) price dove to AU $23 after spending recent months hovering at $38. This is well below the $50/REC enjoyed only four months ago, and poses severe problems for the renewable energy industry.

Disruptive innovation hasn't been a driving force of the modern energy industry, but today it is becoming the norm. To celebrate the companies, business leaders and cutting edge state and local governments that are leading this new wave of innovation, RenewableEnergyWorld.com is rolling out its inaugural Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards -- and we want you to participate.

Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is pleased to announce results for the third quarter of 2009 for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm's Cleantech Group.

Novato-based SolarCraft announced that the North Bay Business Journal will honor two of their solar energy clients as the North Bay's Top Projects. In the Medical category: Marin Health & Wellness Campus in San Rafael, CA and for Winery: Goldeneye Winery in Philo, CA. The Business Journal will honor 11 North Bay real estate projects at its fourth-annual 2009 Top Projects Awards reception on December 10th.

Twenty five years ago, the first Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) boom began in California's Mojave Desert. But shortly after the 354 MW of parabolic troughs were installed, the market ground to a halt when the technology couldn't keep pace with plummeting oil and natural gas prices.

As we move toward climate talks in Copenhagen, and energy policy is being debated and formulated within the Senate and House, I thought it was a good time to take a look at my own clean-energy policy wish list.

Not even Franklin Delano Roosevelt could have imagined the scope and breadth of the current federal programs to stimulate the economy. Some of the new federal programs require standing in a different kind of line -- a line to obtain grants set aside for energy-related projects and, unlike the FDR programs, it appears to be the race goes to the swift.

Solar Power International 2009, North America's largest business-to-business solar energy event broke attendance records for the sixth year in a row last week. This year's vent drew more than 24,000 industry professionals, an increase from 17,500 in the previous year. Attendees came from 99 different countries and and represented all segments of the solar and related industries, including electric utilities, construction and investment banking.

Since solar energy technology is on solid ground and the finance and policy pieces of the puzzle are being addressed through the stimulus plan, all that's left to make solar energy an integral part of the American energy economy is education, according to Rhone Resch of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).