For an overview of what’s happening in the California Solar Market, take a look at this article.

California is home to quite a few listed solar companies, like Solar Integrated. So the recent legislative approval of SB1 is very important - listen to this podcast interview with Senator Murray . Solar PV - at least for now - remains very expensive which is why it is so tied up with supportive legislation and politics. So the legislative backdrop to the solar market in any country is a very key consideration.

I always wonder about the motives of those who describe President Bush as in the hands of Big Oil. If only because his legislative record vis a vis renewable energy is highly supportive. This started when he was Governor of Texas, whose renewables programme is growing at a tremendous pace - thanks in no small measure to the Renewables Portfolio Standard he signed into action in 1998.

So the news that the Solar America Initiative will have increased annual funding from $80 m to $148 m comes as no great surprise.

The Solar America Initiative (SAI) is a broad national program designed to encourage competition throughout the solar industry by lowering the cost of photovoltaic units and fostering innovation of new technologies. These are worthy aims. The more pertinent question is then not about Bush. But is this an efficient way of using public funds?

Today’s much heralded Energy Review in the UK, appears to have been a bit overshadowed by the debate over nuclear.

The important point is that there is a long-term commitment to 2020 to reach 20% renewables in electricity generation. Considering that according to the last official figures for 2004, windpower contributed only 0.54% to UK electricity, expect high compound growth rates for years to come to get anywhere near that figure.

Duriing an interview on BBC News 24 TV in mid-afternoon, I said that we need to talk much more about the economics of energy costs. Most of the news coverage I thought gave far too much prominence to lobbyists and politicians. When it is taxpayers, consumers and investors who will have to foot the bill.

What is welcome will be the easing of planning restrictions. As I have mentioned here before, they are the single greatest obstacle to the takeup of windpower in the UK.

London’s Stock Exchange recently announced a Capital Markets Day for the Renewable Sector set for October 13th.

Those companies in the sector - listed or planning to do so- will have the opportunity to meet a number of small-cap funds who want to know more about them.

A few days after the Energy Bill has been passed in the USA, now is a better time to reflect on what it means for the alternative energy industry.

Bioethanol - production target set of 7.5 billion gallons by 2012, up from 4.5 billion today and tax incentives for the creation of ethanol plants.

Fuel Cells - USD 2.0bn over five years for fuel cell research and development and USD 1.3bn for demonstration projects. There are tax incentives for customers who buy fuel cells for either vehicles or buildings and USD 450m to help state and federal governments buy fuel cells.

Wind - extension of the Production Tax Credit of 1.9 cents until 2007.

Solar - The first ever residential tax credit for solar energy in the past two decades.

So ignore all the partisan lobbyists claiming the Energy Bill only caters to big oil, does nothing for renewables etc. - there’s really quite a lot here to encourage the take up of alternative energy.