By subsidising fossil fuels, governments are “stealing money from the pockets of the poor, who would get money otherwise for schools and hospitals”. So says Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency, in the latest issue of Wind Directions. Fossil fuels get over half a trillion US dollars – six times more than … Continue reading IEA Chief Economist: governments
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America now has more solar energy workers than coal miners
Some might dismiss the solar energy industry because it’s still very small compared to the oil & gas industry. But to paraphrase a famous Canadian hockey player, we need to skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been. Indeed, solar is still in its infancy, but it’s growing quickly … Continue reading America now has more solar energy workers than coal miners
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Bike-Sharing Programs Hit the Streets in Over 500 Cities Worldwide
Politicians, lobbyists, and tourists alike can ride bicycles along a specially marked lane between the White House and the U.S. Capitol, part of the 115 miles of bicycle lanes and paths that now crisscross Washington, DC. In Copenhagen, commuters can ride to work following a
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EREC report Hat-trick 2030
Football fans know the value of a hat-trick
Continue readingRenewable Energy and the Future of Energy
The development of renewable energy sources is crucial for the future of the global energy market, both in emerging and developed countries, says Enel Green Power CEO Francesco Starace. ‘We are seeing a constant reduction of costs in renewable energy thanks to technology, which is improving the performance of equipment and production costs,’ said Enel … Continue reading Renewable Energy and the Future of Energy
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Japan Puts Nuclear Energy on Hold, Embraces Solar Power
Two years after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in 2011, Japan has scaled back it’s nuclear power and is seeking to diversify it’s energy mix, with solar power showing the strongest growth. Supporters of Japan’s nuclear industry claim it would be unwise to give up the advantages of nuclear power because of a single accident. However, … Continue reading Japan Puts Nuclear Energy on Hold, Embraces Solar Power
Continue readingFossil fuel power sources cost more than renewables in Germany
If all the costs of fossil fuel power generation were detailed in German power bills they would exceed the costs of renewable energy “by a wide margin”, a study by Greenpeace Energy Germany and the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) says. Currently German power bills clearly outline the cost of the EEG – the support … Continue reading Fossil fuel power sources cost more than renewables in Germany
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Fracking: The Solution? Or the Problem?
Fracking advocates proclaim a natural gas revolution, but are they simply perpetuating our catastrophic fossil fuel dependence? Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has been touted as a way to increase fossil fuel extraction efficiency and help sustain our current energy consumption rates, however, it has has been widely criticized for its environmentally damaging effects. The growing fracking … Continue reading Fracking: The Solution? Or the Problem?
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Falling Gasoline Use Means United States Can Just Say No to New Pipelines and Food-to-Fuel
Freeing America from its dependence on oil from unstable parts of the world is an admirable goal, but many of the proposed solutions—including the push for more home-grown biofuels and for the construction of the new Keystone XL pipeline to transport Canadian tar sands oil to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast—are harmful and simply … Continue reading Falling Gasoline Use Means United States Can Just Say No to New Pipelines and Food-to-Fuel
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Debunking Howard Rich’s errors on wind energy
A recent column by Howard Rich on Forbes.com simply repackaged many previously refuted myths about wind power. Recent posts on this blog have already debunked a study on wind resource potential and explained that wind energy has been a success story for reducing fossil fuel use and emissions in Germany and other European countries. … Continue reading Debunking Howard Rich’s errors on wind energy
Continue readingChina to build unified low-carbon certification system
China will build a unified certification system for low-carbon products as part of its efforts to boost the consumption of green goods, according to the country’s top economic planner. An independent third-party agency will assess the carbon footprint of products and services and grant low-carbon certificates to those that have met certain requirements, according to … Continue reading China to build unified low-carbon certification system
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Where Has All the Ice Gone?
As the earth warms, glaciers and ice sheets are melting and seas are rising. Over the last century, the global average sea level rose by 17 centimeters (7 inches). This century, as waters warm and ice continues to melt, seas are projected to rise nearly 2 meters (6 feet), inundating coastal cities worldwide, such as … Continue reading Where Has All the Ice Gone?
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China’s power capacity to hit 1.23 bln kw by year’s end
China’s installed power capacity will top 1.23 billion kilowatts (kw) by the end of 2013, a report from the China Electricity Council said on Thursday. Thermal power will still account for the bulk of the capacity, topping 860 GW, followed by 280 GW from hydropower, 14.78 GW from nuclear power, 75 GW from on-grid wind … Continue reading China’s power capacity to hit 1.23 bln kw by year’s end
Continue readingFossil Fuel Subsidies Topped $620 Billion in 2011
The energy game is rigged in favor of fossil fuels because we omit the environmental and health costs of burning coal, oil, and natural gas from their prices. Subsidies manipulate the game even further. According to conservative estimates from the Global Subsidies Initiative and the International Energy Agency (IEA), governments around the world spent more … Continue reading Fossil Fuel Subsidies Topped $620 Billion in 2011
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Nuclear power revives… in Iran
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced Saturday that the Islamic republic plans to construct 16 nuclear power plants in different parts of the country, Press TV reported. “Following months of efforts, 16 new sites for nuclear power plants have been designated in coastal areas of the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea … Continue reading Nuclear power revives… in Iran
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Renewables dominate headlines in Germany, UK, France
It seems that energy policy has never been such a hot topic – at least judging by the huge media attention it is now receiving. Today, and this week generally, has seen a blizzard of European media coverage of energy policy – with wildly differing perspectives, and arguably also in quality of reasoning. Today in … Continue reading Renewables dominate headlines in Germany, UK, France
Continue readingWarmest Decade on Record Brings Weather Extremes
In recent years weather events have whiplashed between the extremes of heat and cold, flooding and drought. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases—largely from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas—have loaded up in the atmosphere, heating the planet and pushing humanity onto a climatic seesaw of weather irregularities. High-temperature records in many places … Continue reading Warmest Decade on Record Brings Weather Extremes
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Smart Energy: Five Metatrends to Watch in 2013 and Beyond
The Smart Energy paradigm is fast evolving from niche markets into a standardized part of the global energy portfolio. Oil majors, national governments, and technology developers have all reached the consensus that a more diversified energy mix is critical to sustainable economic growth in the future. As a result of this development, combined with the … Continue reading Smart Energy: Five Metatrends to Watch in 2013 and Beyond
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Home Energy Management from Broadband Service Providers
Broadband service providers (BSPs) have entered the home energy management (HEM) space in the past few years with the aim of helping customers reduce or more efficiently control their energy consumption. The approach has been to bundle home energy management tools with current home security and home automation products and services. This nascent market has … Continue reading Home Energy Management from Broadband Service Providers
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UNEP scientist in climate change reduction recommendation
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) chief scientist Joseph Alcamo on Tuesday called for more efforts to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) so as to slow down global warming. In an interview with Xinhua, Alcamo said that reducing SLCPs will also protect human health, and in some cases, reduce air pollution. According to the UNEP, SLCPs, … Continue reading UNEP scientist in climate change reduction recommendation
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