Renewables Give Us More Power Than Nuclear

Renewables Give Us More Power Than Nuclear

Discusses the recent news that renewable energy (including hydro as well) now supplies more electricity to the US grid than does nuclear power. The post then goes on to list some large solar and wind projects in advanced stages of the development pipeline as a reason for being optimistic that the solar and wind side of the renewables is rapidly growing in scale.

Is the Concentrated Photovoltaic Sector Heating Up?

Is the Concentrated Photovoltaic Sector Heating Up?

Concentrated solar photovoltaic energy or CPV is a relative newcomer to the solar power arena and is showing signs of entering into a phase of very rapid growth. It works by concentrating the sun onto a small area of active PV, which operates at around twice the efficiency of normal PV, and promises savings because it requires only a fraction of the photovoltaic material that normal systems require. The DOE has announced a $90 million loan guarantee to support a planned 30-megawatt facility near Alamosa, Colorado.

Cleantech Financing Strategies in the Global Economy

Cleantech Financing Strategies in the Global Economy

In this post Peg summarizes a round-table discussion about cleantech financing in the global economy held at 5th Annual Babson Energy and Environmental Conference on Entrepreneurship for a Sustainable Future and chaired by Mark Donohue. The discussion covered some of the global aspects affecting cleantech financing and looked at various challenges and opportunities lying ahead.

Green Tech Sector Advances Despite Failure of Climate Bill

Green Tech Sector Advances Despite Failure of Climate Bill

While the collapse of climate legislation in Congress was a setback for some green businesses, many others are moving ahead with projects to develop renewable energy. One major reason: The clean-tech sector is rapidly growing worldwide, and U.S. companies don’t want to be left behind.

A Strong Climate Treaty Could Mean Significantly More Jobs Than If We Continue Using Coal

The world stands to gain 6.9 million jobs by 2030 in the clean energy sector if a strong deal is reached in Copenhagen, according to a report released recently by Greenpeace International and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC). A switch from coal to renewable electricity generation will not just avoid 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions, but will create 2.7 million more jobs by 2030 than if we continue business as usual. Conversely, the global coal industry – which currently supports about 4.7 million employees worldwide – is likely to contract by more than 1.4 million jobs by 2030, due to rationalization measures in existing coal mines.

Free EBook Offer: Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air

Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air, written by David MacKay, Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge is available for free as a download. Addressing the sustainable energy crisis in an objective manner, the book analyzes the relevant numbers and organizes a plan for change on both a personal level and an international scale—for Europe, the United States, and the world. In case study format, this informative reference answers questions surrounding nuclear energy, the potential of sustainable fossil fuels, and the possibilities of sharing renewable power with foreign countries. While underlining the difficulty of minimizing consumption, the tone remains positive as it debunks misinformation and clearly explains the calculations of expenditure per person to encourage people to make individual changes that will benefit the world at large.