EU sets up advice platform on wind power policy and pricing

With the aim of helping to remove barriers to deployment of renewable energy in China, a European Clean Energy Centre is planned for opening in the country by the end of 2008, announced the EU Commission's Georges Papageorgiou at the Wind Power Shanghai 2007 conference. "There is still a lot to do regarding price, policy and access to the grid," he noted. "There is a lot to share between China and Europe here." Frank Haugtwiz of the EU-China Energy and Environment Program announced his program, designed to strengthen security of supply in China and the EU and foster industrial co-operation to ensure sustainable development, is being extended to November 2009. With a new budget of just under EUR 43 million -- with the EU providing EUR 20 million and China EUR 22.9 million -- he pointed out that the deadline for a call for proposals to conduct feasibility studies for the offshore wind sector is December 19. Grants are available, he said, but only for non-profit making actions, "although you can apply even if you are a profit-making company, which is unusual."