1. Tracking energy sector sustainability – a new methodology
2. Roadmapping Coal’s Future
3. Alternative Fuels: An Energy Technology Perspective
4. Benefits of Bioenergy
5. IEA District Heating/Cooling Programme – special terms for low-GDP participants

-Improved solar thermal capacity measurement
- Demand Response Dispatcher
- Fluidized bed conversion
- Electricity & Development
- Cooling buildings in warming climates

- Projected Costs of Generating Electricity
- District heating policy: IEA book in Russian
- Russian Electricity Reform
- Energy policies of Canada, Luxembourg, Turkey
- Saving Oil in a Hurry (out 28 April)

. Second International Conference on Clean Coal Technologies for our Future, Castiadas, Sardinia (Italy), 10-12 May 2005.

. Global Advances in Heat Pump Technology Applications, and Markets - 8th IEA Heat Pump Conference, 2005, Las Vegas (United States), 30 May-2 June 2005. (Deadline for reduced-rate registration: 29 April.)

. Workshop Policies for the Diffusion of Innovative and Sustainable Transport Technologies, Zurich (Switzerland), 1-3 June 2005.

. Power for Europe: Can We Shape the Future? EURELECTRIC Annual Convention and Conference, Vienna (Austria), 13-14 June 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.

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

1. Tracking energy sector sustainability – a new methodology. Countries’ progress towards energy-sector sustainability can now be measured using a set of energy indicators just released in a pioneering new multi-agency publication, Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies. This downloadable report offers a versatile analytical tool enabling statisticians, analysts, policy makers and academics to study the effects of energy policies on the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The book’s presentation of a thematic framework, guidelines, methodologies and energy indicators stems from IEA’s collaboration with four leaders in the field of energy and environmental statistics and analysis (International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Eurostat, European Environment Agency). Click to download (Full Text) or order.

2. Roadmapping Coal’s Future. What are the technology pathways leading to near-zero emissions from coal-fired power plants? Roadmapping Coal’s Future is the latest addition to the IEA series Zero Emissions Technologies for Fossil Fuels. It discusses various clean-coal technology roadmaps, based on different candidate technologies, to reduce or eliminate the environmental impact of coal use. Some clear pointers are identified for advancing the coal-fired power plants that generate virtually no unwanted emissions. Click here to access this brochure, which has been prepared by the IEA’s Coal Industry Advisory Board, in collaboration the IEA Working Party on Fossil Fuels, and produced by the IEA Clean Coal Centre.

3. Alternative Fuels: An Energy Technology Perspective. As oil prices soar, interest in the potential of alternatives grows. This free downloadable study from Dolf Gielen and Fridtjof Unander of the IEA Secretariat draws on current IEA Energy Technology Perspectives analysis to consider what sort of roles various different alternatives to oil might play in the medium- to long-term future. It pinpoints technology and policy issues and draws some conclusions. Click to download the study.

4. Benefits of Bioenergy. This new free downloadable report from IEA Bioenergy provides answers to basic questions about bioenergy and its role as an energy choice in today’s quest for sustainable development. A wide range of biomass sources and conversion technologies are described. Social, environmental and economic factors are discussed. Case studies show how different countries have brought the bioenergy option into play to help meet national energy demand and broader national objectives. Download the report from IEA Bioenergy, one of the international collaborative programmes within the IEA’s interntional Framework.

5. IEA District Heating/Cooling Programme – special terms for low-GDP participants. As it embarks on its new three-year work period, the IEA’s District Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA DHC) is offering special participation terms for countries with a large interest in DHC but less large budgets, notably new or prospective EU entrants. Romania, for example, is already seriously considering joining this IEA international collaborative effort, which will unveil the final results of its latest projects at a seminar at the Euroheat & Power Congress in Berlin on 6-7 June. See article on IEA DHC’s activities and participation in its programme. Consult IEA DHC’s website. IEA DHC is one of some 40 international collaborations within the IEA’s international Framework.

. Improved solar thermal capacity measurement. IEA's Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC) and solar trade associations in Europe and North America have established a new methodology for measuring installed solar thermal collector capacity in GWth. This departure from square-metre measurement enhances solar thermal's comparability with other energy sources and facilitates its inclusion in official renewable energy statistics. Consult IEA SHC's latest Solar Update and its website to learn more. The IEA SHC is one of some 40 international collaborations within the IEA’s international Framework.

. The latest Demand Response Dispatcher newsletter has just been issued by the Demand Response Resources project within the IEA’s Demand-Side Management Programme (IEA DSM). Visit also the general website of IEA DSM, one of some 40 international collaborations within the IEA’s international Framework.

. Presentations from Future Challenges for Waste Combustion and Co-combustion in Fluidized Bed Conversion - 48th Workshop organised by the IEA Implementing Agreement on Fluidized Bed Conversion, Vienna (Austria), 24 May 2004. Click to access. This Implementing Agreement is one of IEA’s international collaborations.

. Summary, IEA Electricity & Development Workshop, IEA Headquarters, Paris (France), 17-18 January 2005. “The Developing World and the Electricity Challenge” was the theme of this event. The Workshop Summary offers a synopsis and conclusions from the event.

. Report of Findings from the workshop Cooling Buildings in a Warming Climate – A Future Buildings Forum, Sophia Antipolis (France), 21-22 June 2004. Against a backdrop of likely gradual warming of the climate and more extreme weather conditions, this event examined the implications for building design, energy technologies and systems, and energy policies needed to ensure optimum energy use and comfort. Click here for the Report.

. Projected Costs of Generating Electricity. This joint IEA/Nuclear Energy Agency study provides generation cost estimates for over a hundred power plants using various fuels and technologies. Major issues addressed include: state-of-the-art generation technologies; methodologies for incorporating risk in cost assessments; the impact of carbon emission trading; and how to integrate wind power into the electricity grid. Click to order.

. Russian-language edition of the IEA publication Coming in from the Cold -- Improving District Heating Policy in Transition Economies. See press release in Russian. Click to download this Russian-language book free of charge. The English-language version can be ordered from IEA’s Online Bookshop.

. Russian Electricity Reform – Emerging Challenges and Opportunities. The Russian Government has embarked on a highly ambitious programme of electricity reform. This book focuses notably on key aspects of the proposed reform that could have an important bearing on its success. Click to learn more and order. A Russian-language pdf version can be downloaded.

. Energy Policies of IEA Countries – reports on Canada, Luxembourg, Turkey. These are the latest releases in the IEA’s series of peer reviews of energy policies in individual IEA countries. Visit the IEA’s Online Bookshop.

. Second International Conference on Clean Coal Technologies for our Future, Castiadas, Sardinia (Italy), 10-12 May 2005. Co-organised by the IEA Clean Coal Centre, this event will review the current major issues against the backdrop of fast changing coal markets. Click to learn more.

. Global Advances in Heat Pump Technology, Applications, and Markets - 8th IEA Heat Pump Conference, Las Vegas (United States), 30 May-2 June 2005. Note: 29 April is the deadline for registration at the reduced rate. Organised under the auspices of the IEA Heat Pump Programme, this conference will focus on: heat pump technologies, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, and systems for residential, commercial, industrial and district heating/cooling applications. On the agenda will be current technology and market status, progress and trends. For the call for papers, latest information and online registration, click here. For the 2nd announcement, click here.

. Workshop Policies for the Diffusion of Innovative and Sustainable Transport Technologies, Zurich (Switzerland), 1-3 June 2005. Organised jointly by the IEA, its Working Party on Energy End-Use Technologies and the Swiss energy authorities, this workshop will seek to formulate recommended policies that can accelerate take-up of sustainable transport technologies. For more information, see IEA's website.

• Power for Europe: Can We Shape the Future? EURELECTRIC Annual Convention and Conference, Vienna (Austria), 13-14 June 2005. A high-level Executive Forum, “Will Technology Change the Electricity Business?”, opens this year’s event. The conference, supported by IEA, will address future corporate structures and markets, taking a comprehensive look at the challenges ahead and offering policy recommendations. Consult EURELECTRIC’s website.

. 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.

. 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.