Last Friday saw the successful completion of the world’s first international solar-powered flight. But, asks Valentina Jovanovski, will this innovation really change the face of air travel or is it just another white elephant?
… Solar powered flights: the future of aviation? … Jovanovski | 19th May 2011 Ethical Living Solar Airport Airplane Emissions Aviation CO2 Airline Climate Change Green Living solar-plane-holding.jpg Above: the Solar …
Not only can the US save money on its electricity by moving to a 48-state power network based on high voltage DC power lines, writes Christopher Clack. It's also the key to increasing the penetration of renewables as the lowest cost energy source, with wind and solar delivering 55% of the nation's electricity demand - and a 78% reduction in carbon emissions.
… The cheapest way to scale up wind and solar? A US-wide high-tech power network … the lowest cost energy source, with wind and solar delivering 55% of the nation's … reduction in carbon emissions. Wind power and solar power are ways to reduce carbon …
The world economy and energy use both grew in 2014 - but carbon emissions did not, writes Alex Kirby. The reason? The worldwide surge in renewables, especially in China, has reduced demand for coal in power generation.
… Change Renewables Emissions ouagadougou-solar-shop-cut.jpg The world economy and … 10 years earlier. Growing fastest of all was solar energy, whose installed capacity was 68 … who chairs REN21. Distorting subsidies Solar, wind and other technologies, including …
The first ever global life-cycle assessment of clean energy sources shows that a renewable system could supply the world's entire electricity needs by mid-century, writes Tim Radford.
… tried to consider the whole-life costs of solar power, wind power, hydropower and gas … that the large-scale implementation of wind, [solar] PV, and CSP [Concentrated Solar Power] has the potential to reduce …
China has just recorded its first fall in emissions from burning fossil fuels in 15 years, writes Lauri Myllyvirta. The sharp decline has surprised analysts, and reflects the fast growing proportion of renewables in the country's power supply.
… has set new global records for wind and solar installations and seen an increase in … in power generation from hydropower, wind, solar, nuclear and gas, along with slower … China has set new global records for wind and solar installations and seen an increase in …
Wealthy Americans’ homes generate 25 percent more greenhouse gasses than those less affluent.
… Covering Climate Now Emissions Climate Crisis Solar Wealthy Americans’ homes generate 25 … from fossil fuels towards renewables such as solar and wind, the researchers point out that …
Levels of CO2 are at their the highest in 800,000 years, writes Tim Radford, but news of a probable decline in emissions this year is providing welcome cheer at the COP21 climate summit: thanks to renewables, economic growth and falling emissions can go hand in hand.
… greater efficiency and a shift to wind and solar power began to slow the rate at which … in 2014 was met from hydro, nuclear, wind and solar power. China is responsible for 27% of …
The aviation industry has its climate change plans, car manufacturers are working on 'eco' alternatives, and rail is considered top of the class, but what has the transport mode that delivers 90 per cent of goods to the UK done to improve upon its environmental credentials?
… Trade Emissions Pollution Particulates solarshiplarge.jpg The aviation industry has … has also proved a problem. Technology: Solar sails Promoter: Solar Sailor How does it work?: Combining the …
Degrowth and its opponents recognize the necessity of mass movements and system change to address the climate emergency.
… push for electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, solar panels and wind turbines.” Why not do … investment to be targeted to churning out solar panels, heat pumps and batteries “at a …
As China pursues a startling array of energy, mining, logging, agricultural, transport and other infrastructure projects on virtually every continent, it is having an unprecedented impact on the planet, writes William Laurance. It's not that China is any worse than historic colonial powers - the difference is in the sheer scale and pace of environmental destruction, and the total lack of oversight under which Chinese mega-corporations operate.
… activities, such as investing heavily in solar and wind energy , cracking down on its … . Yes, China is investing in new wind and solar technologies, but it is plowing far more …
The 'Absolute Zero' report demonstrates how the UK can deliver on its climate change commitments. In doing so, it debunks technological utopianism - but what of economy and class?
… nuclear, combined cycle gas turbine, wind and solar deployments in recent times, showing … turbines, the lithium in the batteries, the solar panels. In the short term, how do you … rail construction, the iron ore mining, the solar panels produced using coal power? JA: …
Germany cut emissions and boosted renewables to record levels last year, writes Henner Weithöner. Yet the country's coal burn remains the EU's highest - and ambitious emissions targets can only be met by closing coal-burning power stations.
… lignite, coal and nuclear behind. Wind, solar, hydropower and biomass reached a new …
There is much talk of the possibility of a future ‘hydrogen economy’, which will power all our vehicles and homes. It is important to remember that hydrogen is not an energy source; it is an energy carrier. To obtain hydrogen it must be split from either natural gas or water molecules. The former, most widely used, method not only requires energy but also gives off carbon dioxide (CO2) in the process. Hydrogen produced in this way requires more energy to make than will eventually be returned when it is used. It makes more sense from a climate perspective to burn the natural gas itself than to convert and re-convert it to hydrogen in this way.
… of electricity such as wind turbines or solar panels. Even here, though, it makes more …
Copper underwires the modern world, running through everything from the gas guzzler to the wind turbine. Any country that finds substantial reserves of the metal ought to consider itself to have struck gold. That is, until you let the World Bank decide how your mines should be run…
… as the world’s most economically viable solar panels: copper-indium-gallium-selenide …
Advanced new catalysts are poised to stimulate a clean energy revolution, writes Tim Radford. An organic replacement for the precious metal platinum would allow surplus electricity to be cheaply converted into hydrogen fuel, then burnt in low cost fuel cells to propel 'green' vehicles and generate power on demand.
… ideally from renewable sources like wind and solar - to produce hydrogen and oxygen, with …
The UK Government has ditched the requirement for new homes to be 'zero carbon' from April 2016, writes Gordon Walker. With builders already geared up to meet the challenge, this needless reversal will raise energy bills and carbon emissions for a century or more to come, and send out all the wrong signals for the Paris climate talks.
… low or zero-carbon energy generation, such as solar panels. More recently forms of carbon …
JP Morgan's announcement that it's pulling out of coal is purest doublespeak, writes Assaad Razzouk. But it's not the only financier to engage in climate hypocrisy, as banks prepare to lend $5 trillion to build 2,440 new coal power stations. To deliver the Paris Agreement they - and the loans that would finance them - must be cancelled.
… what they were prepared to provide to new solar or wind power plants. And the same …
As economic growth in Pakistan surges forward, and its emissions are set to soar, are the implications for climate change being forgotten, asks ANAM ZEB
… project in Karot, the $ 1.2 billion solar power park in Bahawalpur and the $ 260 …
The UK imports millions of tons of American wood pellets every year to be burned in power stations for 'climate friendly' electricity, writes Matt Williams. But his recent visit to the southern US showed him that this practice is devastating beautiful, natural forests rich in wildlife - while the UK government's own research shows that it's worse for the climate than the coal it replaces.
… green, low impact technologies like wind and solar. But in fact, 72% of the electricity we …