Monday, July 15, 2013

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 15 July 2013

Sir Richard Branson: Championing the Green Economy
Sir Richard Branson tells the Ecologist what kind of world he would like to see his grandchildren grow up in and argues that organisations both public and private have a responsibility to ensure the next generation inherit just such a world........

The thought of having grandchildren fills me with joy, although at times I do wonder what sort of planet we are leaving behind for them to inherit. read more>>>

Global Partnership Formed to Lower Emissions in Cities Around the World
Jul. 4, 2013 - The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) today announced a global partnership to advance investments related to energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in existing buildings in cities around the world. The partnership agreement was signed today at ULI's annual Asia-Pacific Real Estate Summit in Shanghai.

In partnership, the organizations will forge better connections between public sector officials and private building owners in C40 cities that are actively engaged in reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of buildings. read more>>>

Chelsea Green Publishing - the leading publisher of sustainable living books since 1985.

Nevada needs more clean-energy leaders
July 10, 2013 - We recently survived the hottest June on record in Las Vegas. My car’s thermometer, which has always been fairly accurate, registered an outside temperature of 121 degrees as I drove across town one day. It remained there for several miles before it slowly dropped down, barely into the one-teens. It was still only June! I’ve been writing about the likely effects of climate change for years but the reality of the experience is deeply disconcerting.

We need to get a handle on this issue and most of my columns focus on things we can do as homeowners to make a difference. read more>>>

Minnesota's solar standard stands out in season of modest energy progress
07/10/13 - A new survey of 2013 legislative sessions suggests that Minnesota lawmakers’ embrace of solar power puts the state once again in the forefront of action on progressive energy measures, and in a year that was expected to be unfavorable — even hostile — toward investment in renewables.

The survey was conducted by the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, which summarized its findings this way: read more>>>

Grass Roots: Shop Our Green Gift Guide

States Defend Clean-Energy Mandates Targeted by Conservatives
Jul 11, 2013 - State legislatures from North Carolina to Kansas rejected efforts to repeal or reduce renewable-energy mandates sought by conservative groups funded by oil companies and utilities.

None of the 26 bills to roll back requirements passed before most state legislature sessions ended, according to a July 9 report from Colorado State University’s Center for the New Energy Economy. Eight states voted to strengthen or modify laws that require utilities to purchase electricity produced from renewable sources. read more>>>

Energy leaders of tomorrow to get their say at World Energy Congress
Jul. 9, 2013 - The next generation of energy industry leaders will play a key role at the World Energy Congress in Korea, 13-17 October 2013, as part of the Future Energy Leaders Programme (FELP).

This initiative will bring to the Congress some of the brightest young talent from across the globe. One hundred delegates from 44 countries have been selected to take part, including 20 from developing nations. A total of 46 nationalities will be represented on the programme. This elite group will contribute their insights to the Congress programme, which has been developed under the overall theme of ‘Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today’. read more>>>

Chelsea Green Publishing - the leading publisher of sustainable living books since 1985.

Good and Green: Clark Construction Designs with the Environment in Mind
10 July 2013 - The folks at Clark Construction feel that good design is nearly always green design and environmental sensitivity has been part of their mission since their beginnings in 1987.

They have started a series of blogs entitled "The Great Redo", which will highlight green products and techniques which make sense for your home.

The first in the series is "Greening up your Bathroom" . read more>>>

G.C.C. countries’ green materials presents boon for business opportunities
11 July 2013 - The green materials market in the member-countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council is currently in its growth stage, presenting a wealth of business opportunities for green material suppliers, according to an analysis done by American-based market research firm Frost & Sullivan.

The study, titled “Strategic Analysis of Green Materials in the G.C.C. Construction Sector,” found that the green market in the region earned revenues amounting to $17.91 billion back in 2012 and is projected to reach $22.97 billion in 2016. read more>>>

GoGreenSolar.com

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Rival Conventional Cell Efficiency
July 10, 2013 — Dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency has been raised to a record 15% thanks to a new fabrication process developed by EPFL scientists in Switzerland.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have many advantages over their silicon-based counterparts. They offer transparency, low cost, and high power conversion efficiencies under cloudy and artificial light conditions. However, until now their overall efficiency has been lower than silicon-based solar cells, mostly because of the inherent voltage loss during the regeneration of the sensitizing dye. In a Nature publication, EPFL scientists have developed a state solid version of the DSSC that is fabricated by a new two-step process raising their efficiency up to a record 15% without sacrificing stability. read more>>>

The next center for microgrids will be... Africa? Obama says yes
Jul 12, 2013 - In early July, US President Barack Obama announced a series of programs to improve electrification in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The package includes $7 billion in government funding plus an additional $9 billion in private sector commitments. The stated goal is to double the number of people with access to electricity. Currently, less than a third of the region's residents have access.

By way of comparison, the U.S. smart grid stimulus funding that had such an impact on the sector was only about $4.3 billion. The countries of Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania will receive nearly four times that much. read more>>>


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