In January the Carbuyer website wrote: “It’s no secret that British car buyers have a soft spot for SUVs. These 4x4-style vehicles have become more popular than ever before.” Hiroko Tabuchi writes in the New York Times that this is a global phenomenon. This is definitely a worrying trend. Solutions? The World Is … Continue reading Bumpy road for our energy transition: consumers increasingly embracing gas-guzzling vehicles
Author: Rod Janssen
Global information network requires more energy than the whole of the UK – low carbon solution is needed
The carbon footprint of the Internet already exceeds that of air travel. Oscar Céspedes, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Leeds provides an informative article on unsustainability of the computing world and the need to find low-carbon solutions. He shows that there are options to continue our progress and minimise the ecological impact. … Continue reading Global information network requires more energy than the whole of the UK – low carbon solution is needed
New technology being developed to use farm manure to produce energy
One imagines there must be many modern initiatives globally to use manure. A Canadian Press article on the CBC website describes latest developments by researchers from the University of Waterloo to produce natural gas to heat homes. Farm manure could be viable renewable energy source Researchers at the University of Waterloo say farm manure … Continue reading New technology being developed to use farm manure to produce energy
Reintroducing ancient Chinese water systems into modern urban design
We realise more and more that we have much to learn from past experience. Landscape architect Kongjian Yu is making ‘friends with water’ to mitigate extreme weather events in modern metropolises. Brigid Delaney explains in an article in The Guardian. Turning cities into sponges: how Chinese ancient wisdom is taking on climate change How … Continue reading Reintroducing ancient Chinese water systems into modern urban design
We will need a truly gargantuan amount of electrical energy storage and “proton” batteries could make a valuable contribution
With increased frequency we are reading about developments in energy storage. John Andrews,, Professor, School of Engineering, at RMIT University in Australia writes about the development of a proton battery. What do you think about it? How protons can power our future energy needs As the world embraces inherently variable renewable energy sources to … Continue reading We will need a truly gargantuan amount of electrical energy storage and “proton” batteries could make a valuable contribution
Why are we subsidising an untraceable currency and destroying the environment?
Every day we are reading new stories about the Bitcoin phenomenon. While there are many regulatory concerns, there are also concerns about the energy required to make this cryptocurrency available. Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation and a regular contributor to EiD, gives us his views on recent developments. This article was … Continue reading Why are we subsidising an untraceable currency and destroying the environment?
British farmers encouraged to take advantage of financial scheme to invest in energy-efficient machinery
Often the agriculture sector gets overlooked in terms of potential energy efficiency improvements. Jonathan Riley writes in the Farmers Weekly website about the National Farmers Union encouraging farmers to take advantage of the tax incentives. He also lists the eligible equipment that can be supported. Farmers urged to use tax breaks to buy energy-efficient … Continue reading British farmers encouraged to take advantage of financial scheme to invest in energy-efficient machinery
“A leading solution may be hidden in plain sight”
Working in industrial energy efficiency, it has been difficult to tap into the potential for energy savings in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This report from Canada assesses the opportunities for SMEs to cut their carbon emissions. In Europe, this is also a relatively untapped sector that needs addressing, especially to improve its energy performance. … Continue reading “A leading solution may be hidden in plain sight”
How sparrows cope with noise from oil and gas infrastructure
It is not often that one reads about the impact of our energy industries on love songs from birds. Hiroko Tabuchi writes in the New York Times about how sparrows in Canada have adapted to the noise of the oil and gas industry. You should enjoy this. Near Noisy Oil Fields, Lovesick Birds Change … Continue reading How sparrows cope with noise from oil and gas infrastructure
The energy transition needs to protect the vulnerable
Fossil fuel subsidies are a popular and pervasive tool for helping people across the world to have access to energy. This is an issue that needs to be addressed in our energy and climate policies. Benjamin Sovacool, Professor of Energy Policy at the University of Sussex and Jessica Jewell, Research Scholar at the International Institute … Continue reading The energy transition needs to protect the vulnerable
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 