As the United States takes its first steps toward mandating that power companies generate more electricity from renewable sources, China already has a similar requirement and is investing billions to remake itself into a green energy superpower.

Los Angeles will eliminate the use of electricity made from coal by 2020, replacing it with power from cleaner renewable energy sources, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

The U.S. Energy Department on Thursday offered loan guarantees worth $59 million to two renewable energy companies as the agency tries to quickly boost green energy production with a windfall of funding from the economic stimulus package.

Chandigarh: The Haryana government has launched a new scheme to encourage energy conservation in villages of the state. Under the scheme, the deserving panchayats would be awarded cash prizes ranging between Rs 20,000 and Rs 4 lakh for popularising the applications of various non-conventional and renewable sources of energy in their respective villages.

M.J. PRABU

Necessity, invention: Subramaniam and his windmill on the rooftop of his house in Rasipuram, Tamil Nadu.

Good growth of a crop depends mainly on timely irrigation. For irrigation, electricity supply is required (though some use diesel pumps).

A group of farmers in Rasipuram taluk, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, who do not want to be identified say:

India said on Tuesday it was working with Pakistan to evolve a common stance on the issue of climate change at international level.

The climate bill that the U.S. House of Representatives passed on Friday contains several elements that could begin to push the energy industry away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy.