Ontario just completed a revision of its landmark feed-in tariff program, and rates for renewable electricity generation and prices fell sharply: 30% for solar and 15% for wind power. This continues a trend of falling costs for renewable energy around the world. As a bit of background, Ontario’s feed-in … [continued]
A new report shows that, as of the second quarter of 2012, the number of microgrids either planned, proposed or currently operating has continued to increase, representing a 54 percent increase over planned and operating capacity identified in the fourth quarter of 2011. “Microgrids are rapidly moving beyond pilot … [continued]
Check out this great post by John Griffith and Richard Caperton of the Center for American Progress (via Climate Progress): The U.S. government is arguably the largest and most influential financial institution in the world, with about $2.7 trillion outstanding in loans and loan guarantees. Among other things, these … [continued]
A recent study by scientists at the ETH Zurich’s Department of Management, Technology and Economics (D-MTEC) looked into the cost of generating 1/10 of the electricity needed for 6 countries (Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, Nicaragua, and Thailand) using wind power, utility-scale solar PV, or conventional options. (The research team … [continued]
I recently ran across a story about a home energy-harvesting tech company called EnOcean. The company mostly offers such tech for commercial environments, but is reportedly moving more and more into the residential arena. Examples of what kind of tech I’m talking about? Lighting, HVAC, security, and digital health monitoring … [continued]
As someone in love with 3rd-generation bike-sharing systems before the large majority of Americans knew anything about them, I’ve been eagerly anticipating and covering NYC’s huge bike-sharing plans for years. This could transform NYC. Bike sharing did so in Paris, and NYC’s program is to be a similar size. Additionally, … [continued]
In a sign that wave and tidal stream renewable energy technology may be poised to come of age, Vattenfall, Europe’s sixth-largest power utility, Spanish multinational renewable energy developer Abengoa, and UK-based international engineering firm Babcock have joined to form Nautimus, a Scottish company that will provide engineering, procurement, integration and construction (EPC) services for utilities’ wave power and tidal stream projects. […]
This is going to be a quickie, but I hope it drives home a very important point that we could all benefit from. Southwest Airlines just won an Eco-Aviation Award from Air Transport World (ATW) Magazine today. Southwest was named “the Eco-Pioneer of the Year for the airline’s focus on efficiency … [continued]
If you’re not familiar with The Onion, you should really give it a look — it’s a fake news site that often actually does better at reporting the news and important issues of the day than… well… anyone else around. Some of its coverage on global warming, extreme weather, and … [continued]
Japan’s very nature of geological instability (it is a volcanic island chain, after all) might give it an edge in geothermal power. It’s sitting right in […]
