As global prices escalate, Argentina plans to quintuple production of soyabean diesel by 2010. It will dramatically change agriculture and the environment.

After harsh contention the conservative and social democrats forming the fractious German government have agreed on a revision of the Renewable Energy Sources Act that regulates clean power promotion. Dispute was sharpest over provisions of photovoltaics.

The gold medal for new wind power production in 2007 goes to the United States. More than 5,200 megawatts of capacity were installed there, a new world record. New factories are to ensure further growth, provided the promotion criteria are extended in time.

With more than a thousand square kilometres of rooftops there's plenty of room for photovoltaics in Germany. A new study says, however, that newly installed capacity will level off at about one gigawatt per year.

The demands on wind turbines to support the power grid are growing in Germany and Spain. Some sector lobbyists see no sense in various stipulations by the grid operators.

Catch crops planted in the summer months can complement energy grains and the combination with them be an alternative to energy maize. But they

Sales of solar heating installations fell short of expectations almost everywhere last year. Despite this firms are optimistic. Improved political support is driving hopes of an upswing.