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Around the World – Renewables = Over 50% New Electricity Capacity & 16% Of Energy Investment – The executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, was on a Global Action Day panel last week in Abu Dhabi. For countries, companies, and organizations that have large investments in fossil energy, this seems to be the popular approach — highlight the angelic nature of renewables and their sudden cost-competitiveness and growth. wo clean energy stats highlighted close to each other in Birol’s time on the mic jumped out at me. He emphasized that over 50% of new global power capacity came from renewables in 2016. He noted that only 16% of the $1.8 trillion invested in energy globally in 2015 was invested into renewables – Clean Technia: Read Details

Asia- Tantangan, South Cotabato, Philippines – Discussions  are in progress  for the construction of a 50-megawatt solar power plant in nearby Tantangan town, a municipal  official confirmed. If the project pushes through, it will be the second solar facility in  South Cotabato. Tantangan Vice Mayor Timee  Joy Torres-Gonzales  disclosed  in a press conference that  officials  of  nv vogt Philippines Solar Energy One, Inc., are in talks  with Mayor Benjamin Figueroa Jr. and land owners  for the possibility of  acquiring  100 to  130 hectares where the solar power energy developer  could construct its new  power plant – PIA: Read Details

Canada – Ottawa, Ontario – The planning committee on Tuesday approved Textbook Suites’ proposal to build 172 bachelor, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for university students at 774 Bronson Ave., just south of Carling Avenue. The 3,549-square-metre lot has frontage on both Bronson and Cambridge Street South. Plans call for the west side of the building off Cambridge to incorporate setbacks at the fifth, eighth, 10th and 12th storeys to concentrate the density on the Bronson side – Ottawa Citizen: Read Details

Canada – Pictou, Nova Scotia – On Monday, town council awarded CBCL Limited the design tender for a new water treatment plan in the town for a cost of $425,000. Mayor Jim Ryan said during a council meeting that CBCL scored the highest in a grading system for the tenders, but he stressed this doesn’t mean it had the highest pricetag. The federal government, province and town are all contributing $1.6 million to the project. He said council hopes to get the agreement between CBCL and the town signed this week. A $5 million water treatment plant to be built in town will take care of high manganese and iron levels as well as low water pressure – The News: Read Details

Europe – Across the Ukraine – EBRD strengthens public procurement in Ukraine – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is strengthening the role of civil society in public procurement. Together with the Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF) and the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) the Bank is launching today a two-year project to monitor the public procurement of goods and services using the national electronic procurement system, ProZorro, and a special application developed by Transparency International Ukraine for collecting feedback – EBRD: Read Details

Middle East – Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Dubai’s ruler announced the sheikhdom, which is home to the world’s tallest skyscraper, would build a new 1,400-berth marina and massive lighthouse along its coast. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made the surprise announcement Jan. 1. The plan for the Dubai Harbor is to occupy more than 20 million square feet of space and include a cruise ship port and terminal. The project would also include a 443-foot tall lighthouse – The Log: Read More

Middle East – East Jerusalem & West Bank, Israel – Israel has approved a plan to construct 2,500 new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, two days after the regime accepted building permits for more than 500 settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem (East al-Quds). Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the majority of the housing units will be built in existing settlement blocs, areas where most settlers live and which Israel wants to keep under its control under any future peace deal with Palestinian officials – Tasnim News: Read Details

South America – Across Brazil – Brazil’s federal savings bank Caixa Econômico Federal (CEF) and national development bank BNDES have a combined waterworks budget of 11bn reais (US$3.47bn) for this year. The amount jumped 140% from 2015, local paper Folha de São Paulo reported – Business News Americas: Read More

USA – Dover, NY – Advanced Power AG, announced today the successful financial close for the construction of the $1.584 billion Cricket Valley Energy Center, a fully-permitted approximately 1,100 MW combined-cycle natural gas electric generating facility located in Dover, New York. The investors in this project, who are providing $709 million in equity commitments, include Advanced Power AG; JERA Co., Inc. (half-owned by each of Chubu Electric Power Company and TEPCO Fuel & Power); TIAA Investments; BlackRock Financial Management Inc.; Development Bank of Japan, Inc.; and NongHyup Financial Group (under the direction of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of Korea) – Business Wire: Read Details

USA – North Dakota to Illinois – President Trump signed executive orders Tuesday clearing the way for the controversial Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines to move forward – The White House did not immediately release texts of the orders. Trump said that both pipeline projects would be subject to renegotiation. In an Oval Office signing before reporters, the president said he would want any new projects to make use of American steel – The Washington Post: Read Details

USA – Roseburg, OR – After securing $1.5 million from a federal grant, United Community Action Network took one final step forward in building permanent classrooms for its Head Start program. Although the amount is significant, and is the highest amount a nonprofit could receive from a Community Development Block Grant, it will only cover part of the $4 million project. UCAN garnered the remaining funds through a community campaign and several donations from local foundations. There is enough money to build the new classrooms on UCAN’s campus on Kenneth Ford Drive in north Roseburg, Executive Director Mike Fieldman wrote in a press release – The News Review: Read Details