The European Union's executive will next month publish its strategy for promoting hi-tech solutions to climate change, aiming to give European businesses a head start as the world switches to low-carbon energy.

A draft document obtained by Reuters gives insight into the European Commission's priorities.

Trees might be the source of the ultimate green power and researchers have figured out a way to plug into the power generated by trees.

Scientists have known for some time that plants can conduct electricity. In fact, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that plants can pack up to 200 millivolts of electrical power. A millivolt is onethousandth of a volt.

Germany's cabinet on Wednesday adopted a plan to speed along the construction of offshore wind parks in the North Sea, paving the way for a targeted 25,000 megawatts of capacity to come on line by 2030.

California is on track to more than double its power generated by solar panel installations in 2009, going against a downward global trend, according to research released on Wednesday.

South African industry needs to tap its 2,000 MW co-generation potential to avoid another power crisis, but is facing pricing and regulatory hurdles, an industry official said on Wednesday.

Dave Long, a former regional manager at paper maker Sappi, said that despite a battle lasting years the industry has not been able to sell any cogenerated power so far.

East Africa should tap its large cogeneration potential, burning waste from its sugar and tea output to cut reliance on hydro power, which is increasingly hit by drought, an energy analyst said on Wednesday.

MP Energy Development Corporation Limited in cooperation with MP Electricity Regulatory Commission organised a workshop on energy efficiency in which Energy Minister Anup Mishra was present as chief guest.

With the revised cost shooting past Rs 900 crore, the 100-MW Uhl project, the only major scheme being executed by the state electricity board, is heading for huge time and cost overruns, much like the controversial Larji project.

The central electricity authority had approved a cost of Rs 432 crore in 2002 and it was originally scheduled to be commissioned by March, 2006.

Government officials here are reviewing the safety of a geothermal energy project that scientists say set off an earthquake in mid-August, shaking buildings and frightening many residents of this small city.