Biomass

Total new investment in global clean energy increased 5 percent to set a record of USD260 billion in 2011, despite the sluggish global economy and a painful squeeze on manufacturers, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance.Most notable, according to the report, is that the US reclaimed its crown from China for clean energy investment for the first time since 2008, with total investment surging by 33 percent to USD55.9 billion compared to China’s USD47.4 billion, which was only an increase of 1 percent over 2010.

Malaysia's new renewable energy feed-in-tariff (FiT) regime has had mixed results since applications opened at the beginning of the month. While almost the entire allocation of FiT budget earmarked for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects through to the middle of 2014 was applied for within 24 hours, other types of renewables covered by the scheme have proven to be considerably less popular thus far. The country is following the familiar FiT model but with a quota system for different types of renewable energy (RE), designed to avoid the bubbles in RE project development as seen in the European solar sector.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a new report focusing on energy poverty. The agency says 675 million people in developing Asia and more than 1.3 billion worldwide do not have access to electricity while those relying on traditional biomass for cooking amount to over 1.9 billion in the region and 2.6 billion globally.

Malaysia's Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) has told the Umas residents they have access to electricity when work on a biomass power plant is completed. 

The Philippines largest and often criticized power distributor, Manila Electric Co (Meralco), is lobbying the federal administration to rethink its plans to invest in renewable energy as the moves may pose further burden on consumers with higher electricity prices.

More money is flowing into India's renewable energy sector. The World bank's private investment arm, the International Finance Corp (IFC), has bought a USD15 million slice of private Indian biomass power firm Shalivahana Green Energy according to news reports.

Nearly three quarters of the electricity used in New Zealand last year was generated by renewable sources, the highest level in 12 years, acting Minister of Energy and Resources Hekia Parata has revealed.

According to the latest news released by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), China along with a number of developing countries are now the biggest investors in large-scale renewables while Germany surges ahead on rooftop solar.

Philippine Senator Sergio R Osmeña III, is questioning the government's moves towards backing solar energy, and instead suggests more efforts should be put towards other forms of renewables such as biomass and hydro.