Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 30 January 2013

The Great Climate Disconnect
Jan. 24, 2013 - The year ahead will be dominated by growing tension between ever-stronger evidence of climate change and the inadequacy of the global policy response. Drought in the USA in 2012 highlighted the vulnerability of commodity prices to intensified weather risk, and 2013 is set to be another year of above-average global temperatures. But global greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to rise, putting the world on track for overshooting the 2ºC “safe” target and ending up in a 4ºC world.

Governments are continuing negotiations to narrow the gap between the current targets for reducing emissions and the levels that scientists tell us are needed to limit climate change to 2ºC . Significant steps toward a new global climate agreement are not expected until the end of 2015. But the next 12 months will nevertheless be a year of transition—there is positive momentum emerging for low-carbon technologies, and negative pressures against “green growth” looks set to lessen. read more>>>

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Clean energy could become cleaner and better performing
January 29, 2013 - The National Science Foundation has awarded researchers from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), Case Western Reserve University, University of Pennsylvania, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, University of MONS in Belgium, University of Bologna in Italy and Santa Catarina State University in Brazil with a grant to explore ways in which biological-based materials can be used in the manufacture of turbine blades, solar panels and other components for the clean-energy industry.

As petroleum costs rise, this research will become increasingly valuable. New materials and chemical process will be developed which can be used to increase performance in solar cells and wind turbine blades. read more>>>

DOD to drive cleantech market
January 29, 2013 - The Department of Defense (DOD) has high goal for its renewable energy use. It's all part of the goal to reduce its energy costs (approximately $20 billion per year) and reliance on fossil fuels, as well as increase energy security.

According to Pike Research, DOD will increase its total installed capacity of renewable energy sources from 80 MW in 2013 to more than 3,200 MW by 2025. That's a more than fourfold increase in 12 years. read more>>>

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Five trends driving action on sustainability in 2013
January 30, 2013 - After an election year when energy and climate change policies were not central to the national discussion, it may seem interest in sustainability has flagged in the U.S. In fact, the public and private sectors, working together and separately, continue to progress on policies and strategies that support both ecological and economic goals.

This is evident in the commercial property sector. More than 28 billion square feet -- about 40 percent of the country’s inventory -- now use ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to monitor and report energy performance. LEED-certified properties in the U.S. and 130 other countries topped the 2 billion-square-foot mark this summer, and the U.S. Green Building Council notes that another 2 million square feet is certified each day. On the public-sector side, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced plans to reduce energy by 20 percent at state-occupied buildings. read more>>>

What was missing from the sustainability conversation at Davos
January 29, 2013 - While sustainability has become a top priority for many leading global businesses, adoption remains slow and patchy. That’s reflected by the fact that, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, sustainability has continued to be discussed as a standalone topic, rather like the Internet was a decade or two ago. Only when it is eventually embedded in all conversations will we know progress has been made.

Building the circular economy stoked particular interest in Davos this year. How long we must wait until the concept becomes the norm for businesses at a global scale will depend on our ability to break down barriers through new forms of collaboration. read more>>>

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There's plenty of good growth prospects in the green economy
January 30, 2013 - Inside Track Q&A : John Heally, founder, Absolutely Organic

What is special about your business?

Absolutely Organic is the oldest surviving organic food home delivery service in Dublin.

We started in a neighbour’s garage in Dublin 15 years ago. Everything we sell is certified organic and we are certified and inspected annually.

We have stayed true to our core values of trust, quality and customer focus and have continued to support local organic growers when others have walked away from these great people. We offer the biggest range of organic food items (over 600) with free delivery around greater Dublin.

What has been your major success to date? read more>>>


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