1. G8 leaders enlist IEA's expertise
2. Offshore windpower ... Renewables & intermittency - two IEA studies to download
3. Better solar resource assessment & forecasting - a new IEA project
4. IEA solar photovoltaic design competition
5. New IEA books: Saving Electricity in a Hurry ... Making Cars More Fuel Efficient

- Priorities for renewable energy R&D
- Security of supply for power generation
- Policies for an alternative energy future
- Technology and the electricity industry

- Newsletters: Bioenergy, Buildings and Community Systems; Greenhouse Issues
- New Journalists' Page on IEA's website
- Out soon: IEA World Energy Outlook 2005

. 26th IEA Annual Workshop & Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery, Chiba (Japan), 25-29 September 2005.

. 2005 International Conference on Coal Science and Technology (ICCS&T), Naha, Okinawa (Japan), 9-13 October 2005.

. Global Cooperation on 1 Watt: A Meeting on Standby Power, Seoul (Korea), 2-4 November 2005.

.European Seminar Offshore Wind and Other Marine Renewable Energy in Mediterranean and European Seas, Civitavecchia, Rome (Italy), 20-22 April 2006.

. 8th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies, Trondheim (Norway), 19-23 June 2006.

. Thermal Storage Here and Now - Tenth Triennial IEA Energy Conservation Through Energy Storage Conference on Thermal Energy Storage, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (United States), 31 May-2 June 2006.

• IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme honours Dr. Jan-Olof Dalenbäck of Sweden.

• International Association of Energy Economics honours Dr. Fatih Birol, IEA Chief Economist.

1. G8 leaders enlist IEA's expertise. IEA is called upon to play a strong role in implementing the G8 “Gleneagles Plan of Action” on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development. IEA’s leadership and contributions figure prominently in the wide-ranging portfolio of global efforts to which the heads of the world’s leading industrialised states signed up last week in Scotland. The Agency is invited to advise on alternative energy scenarios and to conduct an extensive programme of analysis, assessment and dissemination to promote energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, vehicles and industry. The proposals also focus on clean coal and other fossil power technology, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy and hydrogen. On promoting dialogue with major developing countries and networks for R&D, G8 leaders undertook to work with the IEA in various ways, notably building on work already underway through IEA Implementing Agreement R&D programmes to facilitate co-operation and share energy research findings, also on reinforcing links with the international business community and developing countries. For more details, consult: the Gleneagles Communiqué and IEA’s press release. See also the Joint Declaration issued by other countries attending the summit: Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa. Summit documents can be accessed on the G8 website.

2. Two new IEA studies to download. Offshore Wind Experiences checklists current issues in the emerging offshore wind industry. Destined for policy makers and business players, it highlights know-how gained in recent commercial projects and identifies the most important challenges facing the industry today. Case-study insight is provided on regulatory and policy practices. Areas for offshore-specific R&D are pinpointed.

The most recent experience with managing intermittent renewables in today’s electricity grids is described in Variability of Wind Power and Other Renewables – Management Options and Strategies. This study identifies the promising technology options, as well as the regulatory, grid management and site planning approaches for addressing intermittency. It points to solutions-oriented approaches to the challenges, drawing on the experience of several countries. Key cost variables and optimum market options are outlined.

3. Better solar resource assessment & forecasting - a new IEA project. Knowing when and where solar power can be most profitably harnessed helps reduce the cost of planning and deploying solar energy systems. It can improve system efficiency and optimise the solar energy produced. “Solar resource knowledge management” is the mission of a project recently launched by the IEA’s Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC). Its aim is to ensure that the solar energy industry, the power sector and other stakeholders have better access to more reliable, standardised information on spatial and temporal solar coverage. Consult the Work Plan for this new project under IEA SHC, one of some 40 programmes within the IEA’s international collaborative Framework. The project welcomes new participants; expressions of interest should be addressed to: david_renne@nrel.gov. IEA SHC has also recently published its 2005 edition of Solar Heating Worldwide, which documents installed solar thermal capacity in major markets.

4. IEA solar photovoltaic design competition. Fostering innovative business-oriented ideas for urban integration of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems is the objective of the Lisbon Ideas Challenge. Recently launched by Task 10 of the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS), this international competition seeks to highlight the technological potential of PV systems, but also their business potential, to be demonstrated through a business plan accompanying competition entries. The competition will be of particular interest to architects, engineers and designers. Consult the IEA-PVPS website. Note also that IEA-PVPs has just issued its latest PV Power Newsletter.

5. Saving Electricity in a Hurry. Some of the most recent power shortfalls come under the spotlight in this new IEA publication. Drawing on various countries' experience, it pinpoints policies for reducing power consumption fast and for doing so without harming the economy as much as blackouts or unplanned curtailments. And it connects these policies to the traditional goal of saving electricity slowly. Click to learn more and order.

Making Cars More Fuel Efficient. Produced jointly by the European Conference of Ministers of Transport and IEA, this publication presents an analysis of the fuel efficiency gap between official test ratings and the higher on-road figures reflected in studies. It examines technologies available which, in combination, could reduce that gap and improve fuel economy by as much as 10%, as well as policies that could encourage their uptake. Click to learn more and order.

. Report from the IEA Seminar Catching Up: Priorities for Augmented Renewable Energy R&D, IEA Headquarters, Paris (France), 3 March 2005. This report notably discusses lessons learned over past decades, records conclusions from the Seminar's deliberations and lists detailed R&D priorities by technology. Click for this Report, also a Summary and access to presentations.

. Outcomes from IEA/NEA workshop Security of Energy Supply for Electricity Generation, IEA Headquarters, 24 May 2005. This high-level workshop, organised jointly by the IEA and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), addressed the concept of security of energy supply in the power sector, the implications for technology choices and the role of governments in addressing related issues, particularly in the context of liberalised electricity markets. Click here for Key Outcomes and Findings paper.

. Summary paper from IEA Workshop Policies to Shape an Alternative Energy Future, IEA Headquarters, Paris, 25 May 2005. The objective of this workshop was to identify concrete policy options to move towards a more sustainable energy future and to provide input to international fora on climate-change and energy policy. Click to access the Workshop Summary and presentations.

. Highlights from EURELECTRIC's Annual Convention and Conference, Vienna (Austria), 13-14 June 2005. “Will Technology Change the Electricity Business?” was the topic of a high-level Executive Forum opening this year’s event, supported by IEA. Consult EURELECTRIC’s website for the Conference Highlights, including the "Vienna Declaration", The Future of European Electricity: Matching the Ambitions of Citizens and Customers.

. Recent newsletters from IEA collaborative R&D programmes: Bioenergy News; Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Programme News; Greenhouse Issues.

. For the media: IEA's website has just launched its new Journalists' Page.

. Out soon: World Energy Outlook 2005: Middle East and North Africa Insights. Coverage of domestic energy demand and supply trends for the entire region with special emphasis on Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. 500 pages of detailed analysis supported by graphs and tables. Benefit from a 10% discount on orders placed before 31 October 2005. Click to learn more.

Reminder: two calendar years after publication, pdf versions of many of IEA's publications are downloadable free of charge.

• 26th IEA Annual Workshop & Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery, Chiba (Japan), 25-29 September 2005. "Advancement of Simulation Technologies for Improved Oil Recovery" will be the theme of this event, hosted by Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and organised under the auspices of the IEA's Collaborative Project on Enhanced Oil Recovery. Click for more information.

. 2005 International Conference on Coal Science and Technology (ICCS&T), Naha, Okinawa (Japan), 9-14 October 2005. For more information, contact Dr. O Yamada of Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the sponsor organisation for the conference. The IEA Clean Coal Centre will also play an organisational role.

. Global Cooperation on 1 Watt: A Meeting on Standby Power, Seoul (Korea), 2-4 November 2005. Organised jointly by the IEA, the Korean authorities and the Australian Greenhouse Office, this event on reducing power consumption of equipment in standby mode will focus particularly on the eastern Asia and Pacific regions. It will examine testing, specifications and standards issues, also procurement policies. Click for more information.

.European Seminar Offshore Wind and Other Marine Renewable Energy in Mediterranean and European Seas, Civitavecchia, Rome (Italy), 20-22 April 2006. Co-sponsored by the IEA Wind Co-operative Agreement, this event will focus on the promising field of marine energy applications and the fast evolving technologies involved. The goal will be to make a specific and up-to-date review of ongoing activities and programmes and so foster information exchange and promote co-operation.

. 8th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT-8), Trondheim (Norway), 19-23 June 2006. This latest event in the series organised by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme will update on recent advances in greenhouse gas control technologies, particularly in industry, and notably on CO2 capture and storage. Visit the programme's website.

. Thermal Storage Here and Now - Tenth Triennial IEA Energy Conservation Through Energy Storage Conference on Thermal Energy Storage, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (United States), 31 May-2 June 2006. Topics will include seasonal, diurnal and short-term storage technologies at this event, organised by IEA's Implementing Agreement on Energy Conservation through Energy Storage and the United States Department of Energy. Click for more information.