In 2010, renewables accounted for 16% of energy consumption and 20% of global electricity demand. According to the report, renewables generated about half of the total capacity installed by all sources, including fossil fuels like gas and coal. The renewable installed capacity of wind power, concentrating solar power, solar energy photovoltaic and geothermal energy, excluding hydro, rose from 250    .. more …

The amount of venture capital put into green-tech companies plummeted in the second quarter amid talk of investors leaving the sector and the need for start-ups to rework their financing plans. Ernst Young earlier this week released the latest venture capital investment dollars , which showed a 44 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Although analysts warned against reading too    .. more …

U.S. government support for renewableenergy may plunge from record levels, setting back the use ofwind and solar power before they can compete on their own withoil, gas and coal. Direct spending, tax breaks and research funding pushedfederal renewable-energy subsidies to $14.7 billion in 2010,according to Alan Beamon, director of the Energy InformationAdministration ‘s Office of Electric, Coal,    .. more …