Reviewing the benefits to our cities of energy-efficient buildings

We are increasingly aware of the importance of addressing climate and energy issues at the urban level. This is a good article by Eric Maackres on the Eco-Business website about four ways he has identified that cities benefit from better energy performing buildings. 4 surprising ways energy-efficient buildings benefit cities Urbanisation presents major challenges: … Continue reading Reviewing the benefits to our cities of energy-efficient buildings →

State of New York wants to lead on green energy

It is actually quite interesting to see everything going on in the US. The Obama administration has found ways around Congress to make progress on clean energy and many states and cities are increasingly active. Justin Gillis writes in the New York Times about the developments underway in New York. New York Plans to … Continue reading State of New York wants to lead on green energy →

Have your say . . .

Silvia Zinetti is well known to many of us who have been working in and around Brussels. Last year she moved to the San Diego area but has continued to work in the field of sustainable energy and wrote a post for EiD last summer. She is very involved with many local groups encouraging sustainable … Continue reading Have your say . . . →

Reflections on a COST-JRC workshop on the role of cities-regions in achieving a low-carbon economy

Increasingly, we are better understanding the important role cities and regions can and should play to effectively address priority areas such as climate change and sustainable energy. Cities and regions are unique because so much happens in a relatively small area: we live, work and play there and globally we are becoming increasingly urbanised. This … Continue reading Reflections on a COST-JRC workshop on the role of cities-regions in achieving a low-carbon economy →

Good initiative in London to encourage business to reduce emissions

Matt Field writes on the edie.net website about the second Business Energy Challenge to get businesses to take action to reduce emissions mainly through improving energy efficiency. London hosts energy efficiency challenge for businesses The London Mayor's office has launched its second Business Energy Challenge to encourage corporations to step up to meeting city-wide … Continue reading Good initiative in London to encourage business to reduce emissions →

Plans for community-owned solar panels on buildings

ClickGreen provides an interesting article on the recent developments in Edinburgh for a partnership to create a community-owned renewable energy project. Will this be the way of the future? Edinburgh plans for UK's largest community renewable energy project Edinburgh Council has revealed plans to install community-owned solar panels on buildings across the Scottish capital. … Continue reading Plans for community-owned solar panels on buildings →

Saving energy raises many complications in New York City

Matt Flegenheimer writes a good article in the New York Times about what the impact of limiting internal and external lights in the city in order to save energy will have. Do you have any thoughts on this? New York Plan to Save Energy May Mean a Dimmer Skyline The Manhattan skyline — glimmering, … Continue reading Saving energy raises many complications in New York City →

Does this mean the end for renewable energy community projects in Britain?

There is never a dull moment in UK energy policy. Now, as explained by Adam Vaughan in the Guardian, the government regulator is accused of undermining official policy by refusing new applications for community projects. Green energy co-ops blocked by government regulator The future of community-owned green energy projects that ministers say are crucial … Continue reading Does this mean the end for renewable energy community projects in Britain? →

‘Mobility on demand’ coming to Helsinki

Adam Greenfield writes in The Guardian about the plans in Helsinki to integrate all forms of shared and public transport in a single payment network could essentially render private cars obsolete. Helsinki's ambitious plan to make car ownership pointless in 10 years The Finnish capital has announced plans to transform its existing public transport network … Continue reading ‘Mobility on demand’ coming to Helsinki →

Who would think a wartime bunker could be transformed into a green energy power plant

The German energy transition takes many interesting twists. A military bunker in Hamburg has been transformed to provide heat for 3000 homes and electricity for a thousand. Plus, it includes a visitor centre and a war memorial. The project is described by Diarmaid Williams for the Cogeneration & On-site Power Production website. Hamburg Energie … Continue reading Who would think a wartime bunker could be transformed into a green energy power plant →