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Alok Jha, green technology correspondent guardian.co.uk,

Lighting the way ... a solar panel in China's Olympic village. Photograph: Dan Chung

China is the world's leading producer of energy from renewable sources and is on the way to overtaking developed countries in creating clean technologies, according to a report by the Climate Group.

Published today, the group's report, China's Clean Revolution, shows that supportive government policies investing billions of dollars in energy efficiency and renewables are driving huge levels of innovation in China.

Vast farms of solar panels in the Sahara could provide clean electricity for the whole of Europe, according to EU scientists working on a plan to pool the region's renewable energy.

Harnessing the power of the desert sun is at the centre of an ambitious scheme. The plan is to build a Euro 450 billion European supergrid that would allow countries across the continent to share electricity from abundant green sources such as wind en ergy in the UK and Denmark, and geothermal energy from Iceland and Italy.

India unveils strategy to counter climate change INDIA released its much-anticipated action plan to mitigate and adapt to climate change on June 30, almost a year after it was announced. Coming a week ahead of the G-8 summit, the plan was welcomed by both industry and environment groups, though not without some reservations. The action plan

Senior energy adviser to US Department of State, Dr Griffin M Thomson has suggested setting up of economically viable eco-friendly projects in the Northeast to become self-reliant in the field of energy. Talking exclusively with The Assam Tribune here today Dr Thomson, who is closely associated with several big projects in the US, said his government is ready to extend all technical support to the region for initiating any energy project. " This region has tremendous hydropower potential, but before extending any technological support we must get a proper report in this regard.

Sushmi Dey NEW DELHI

WITH oil prices ruling high despite recent correction, domestic companies such as Reliance Industries (RIL), Tata BP Solar, Essar Power, Suzlon and Moser Baer are investing more in renewable energy.

While Suzlon, Moser Baer, Indowind and Webel raised $1.4 billion overseas in 2007 through convertible bonds for investment in green energy, RIL, Tata BP Solar and Essar Power raised $628 million on domestic stock exchanges in 2007.

India faces an uphill task of not only convincing the global community but even environmentalists in the country about the feasibility of its action plan, says P P Sangal

Subhash Narayan NEW DELHI

THE energy coordination committee headed by prime minister Manmohan Singh has suggested imposition of a carbon tax on polluting power stations. The proposal would club India with a select group of countries that tax carbon emissions directly and boost the renewable energy initiative.

A McKinsey study on India's power sector foresees the power deficit surging from 15,000 mw today to 70,000 mw by 2017.

A clean-power colossus hopes to grow even bigger

By N N Sachitanand

Despite its limitations, the global growth rate of solar photo voltaic installations has spurted.

Those who dislike nuclear energy because of its safety problems strongly tout solar energy as a clean and renewable alternate for India. India experiences clear sunny weather for over 250 days a year, with the average daily solar energy incident over the country being as high as 5.8 kilowatt-hours per square metre, With a land area of roughly 3 million sq km, this translates to a total energy incidence of 6000 trillion units/year (1 unit = 1 kilowatt hour).