Type of Renewable Energy have been increasing with development in Technology and the imperative of using Alternative Energy as Fossil Fuels deplete and increase in costs.Besides Global Warming has made the benefits of Renewable Energy seem more attractive with each passing year.Note though there are many niches Renewable Energy types,the Three Major Forms of Renewable Energy are Solar Energy,Wind Energy and Biomass Energy (Biofuels).Nuclear and Hydro Energy are not considered as Renewable Energy according to the strict definition of Renewable Energy.However Hydro and Nuclear Energy both are responsible for more than 15% of global electricity production each.The clean energy industry saw a 30% increase in investments to $243 billion in 2010 which was another record year for Renewable Energy Capacity addition.Around 18 GW of Solar Energy and 38 GW of Wind Energy were installed with Solar Energy Capacity increasing by a whopping 150% from 2009.\wind power continued to lead at $95 billion. The solar sector is experiencing significant growth, with investments growing at 53% to $79 billion (source Pew).

Renewable Energy has become a very hot topic amongst the masses and global leaders as the problems with non-renewable energy manifest themselves in various virulent forms like the BP Oil Spill,Coal Mine Deaths,Energy Insecurity etc.Renewable Energy as the name implies has the greatest benefit of being renewable that is it does not get exhausted like the Oil beneath the Earth.Fossil Fuels which are the primary non-Renewable Energy form suffers from the problem that it releases Carbon sequestered in the ground in the form of Carbon Dioxide and other Greenhouse Gases.These GHG emissions lead to Global Warming which can have catastrophic effect on mankind even endangering the very existence in the worst case scenario.However Fossil Fuel Lobbies are very strong and have tried to obfuscate the Climate Change Issue.They have been able to do that because Climate Change is highly complex and the outcome is not 100% or even 90% certain.But repeated studies have shown that human induced Carbon Emissions will lead to major changes in the weather,sea level rise and other disasters.We can see Climate Changing already with massive floods and droughts and the highest temperature recorded in the last 200 or so years.

Brightsource Energy,the Solar Thermal Startup has been making huge progress getting high profile investors and managing a $1.37 billion DOE grant for its Ivanpah 392 MW Solar Thermal Power Plant.The Company has managed to get its billion dollar Ivanpah Project financed through equity investments from NRG Energy and Google.It is now looking set to do an IPO which would allow its Stock to List and gain further funds for expansion in USA,China and India.Note I don’t think Solar Thermal Technology is managing to compete effectively with the fast declining costs of Solar Photovoltaic Technology.However there still exists a niche area for Solar Thermal Companies and Technology.Note there are a number of Solar Thermal Companies fighting for the No.1 Position which includes giants like Siemens,Areva,Abengoa and startups like eSolar.Which one of these companies will be successful in the face of the Solar PV Onslaught is a matter of debate.However Brightsource has certainly stole a march through smart funding.Here is some facts about Brightsource Energy

A study of soil samples conducted by a team of experts from Kyoto University and Hiroshima University has revealed that as much as 400 times the normal levels of radiation could remain in communities beyond a 30-kilometer radius from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.The study found cesium-137 at levels between about 590,000 and 2.19 million becquerels per cubic meter.After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the former Soviet Union in 1986, residents who lived in areas where cesium-137 levels exceeded 555,000 becquerels were forced to move elsewhere.

Wind Power in India forms the biggest Renewable Energy Sector in India with an annual investment of around $2.5-3.5 Billion a year and a capacity installation of around 1-2 Gw a year.The Wind Industry in India has shown tremendous growth to become the 5th largest global market by installed capacity which totaled around 13 GW by end 2010.With the government of India mandating a target of 15% from Renewable Energy by 2020 from 6% now,Wind Energy stands to gain immensely.A Number of Private Companies like Caparo,Technoelectric,KSK,Orient Green Power,Greenko have newly entered the Wind Electricity sector and are setting up hundreds of megawatts of capacity each.Wind Energy Companies in India have also rushed to set up Wind Turbine Equipment Manufacturing alone or in JV with foreign partners while Global WTG Companies like Siemens,GE are adding to their Indian factories as well.States like Maharashtra which are low on Green Energy Capacity are giving additional incentives and subsidies to promote the use of Wind Energy while low speed Wind sites are being targeted as well.

Wind Energy Companies in India were already facing trouble when China’s largest power equipment producer and the 3rd largest Wind Turbine Manufacture Dongfang Electric won major Wind Contracts from Power Producers.Note Chinese companies have become the low cost leaders in the Wind Equipment Industry and sell much below Western competitors.Leading WTG companies from the West like Vestas and Gamesa are reeling from Chinese competition and slowdown in Western markets.Suzlon too has been affected as Korean shipbuilders and Chinese wind producers have become major players.India is the world’s fifth biggest wind energy market and is expected to continue to build 1.5-2 GW wind power plants per year for the next decade.