Victoria
A report by Victorian Business has indicated that for Melbourne to cope with the serious infrastructure problems it faced over coming decades, there needed to be a ‘‘serious examination’’ of options such as nuclear power.

Carbon Price Comparison
Chinese power generators face what is in effect a carbon price eight times higher than Australian producers, and British companies pay 17 times more, according to a study that challenges the argument a carbon price would penalise Australian industry while international competitors continue to pollute without penalty.

The analysis, which calculated the total cost of taxes, regulations and subsidies to reduce CO2 emissions in six countries, found Australia was lagging rather than ”leading the world” on a carbon price. On an international comparison, Australian electricity producers face extremely low charges.

The study found Australia’s renewable energy target and various state government policies add up to what, is an estimated carbon tax on electricity producers of $1.68 per tonne of emissions. That compares with a cost of $29.31 in Britain, $14.22 in China, $9.52 through the emissions trading scheme in the north-eastern states of the US, $5.05 in other US states, and $3.11 in Japan. Only South Korean power producers enjoy a lower carbon price than Australia, at 72¢ per tonne.

US
The US Trade Representative Office has announced it will start an investigation into allegations by the Steel Industry Unions that China is unfairly supporting renewable technologies.

Policy makers around the world would be scratching their heads at the play from the US. Most countries around the world (esp the US) have subsidised, provided grants, offered credit lines of credit or paid feed-in tariffs to assist the uptake of renewable energy and emerging renewable technologies.

South Korea
South Korea has revealed ambitious plans to catch up with global rivals in wind and solar with a US$36 billion program to boost exports. The program is looking to turn around the country’s small stake in the global manufacturing business for turbines and PV.

UK
The UK government has dropped its £21bn support for the Severn estuary tidal-energy scheme, saying that wind, carbon capture and storage and nuclear power represent a better deal for taxpayers.

Clipper
US industrial giant United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and the management of Clipper Windpower have reached an agreement for UTC to buy the troubled turbine company.