Tesla, which builds electric cars for a niche market, is taking a new approach to now make the car affordable to a large market. As Kristine Owram writes in Canada’s National Post, this includes the construction of a new large-scale battery plant and plans for supercharger stations. Tesla moves closer to mass-market electric car … Continue reading The age of the mass-market electric car will soon be here
Building a grid based primarily on renewable resources will not be easy
Elena Krier and Julia Trezona Peek provide a good article describing on The Hill website about the need for an alternative energy grid in the US to deal with the increased use of renewable energy. Krieger is the director of the Renewable Energy Program at Physicians, Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy, and Peek is … Continue reading Building a grid based primarily on renewable resources will not be easy
Investing through crowdfunding platforms
Rebecca Burn-Callander writes in The Telegraph about one “legend” who has made a significant investment in renewable energy through a crowdfunding platform. Is this the way of the future? Vivienne Westwood invests £1m in renewable energy start-up Dame Vivienne Westwood, British fashion legend and environmental activist, has become a major shareholder in Trillion Fund, … Continue reading Investing through crowdfunding platforms
Trends in building automation
The market consultants, Frost & Sullivan have reviewed the global trends in the adoption of building automation systems. Such systems have the potential to achieve significant energy efficiency improvements in buildings. Energy Efficiency Initiatives and Advanced Features to Transform the Building Automation Market Building owners across the globe are increasingly adopting building automation (BA) … Continue reading Trends in building automation
Energy efficiency starting to be appreciated for potential role in energy security
Arthur Neslen writes an important article in The Guardian about the EU starting to realise that improved energy efficiency can play a major part in cutting dependence on Russian energy supplies. If one looks carefully at the Impact Assessment that accompanied the July 23rd Commission’s Communication on energy efficiency, one will see that its own … Continue reading Energy efficiency starting to be appreciated for potential role in energy security
Global solar hot water developments
Kate Galbraith writes in the New York Times about the rapid increase in the use of solar systems to heat water globally, even though the technologies differ significantly. Interest in Solar Water Heating Spreads Globally To produce milk and cheese for the world, dairies need cows and grass. But they also go through enormous … Continue reading Global solar hot water developments
Understanding how business both uses energy and can save energy
Phys.org describes a new research project in the UK that works with retailers to help them find more efficient ways of managing their energy consumption. Research brings to light businesses' energy use According to Oxford University researchers, many retailers, including those with smart meters, are not actively 'managing' how much energy they use and … Continue reading Understanding how business both uses energy and can save energy
Taking energy efficiency to the cleaners
Some media have been outraged by the decision of the EU’s Ecodesign programme to set minimum energy efficiency requirements for vacuum cleaners. This has meant that some of the most highly powered (but not necessarily efficient) appliances will have to be taken off the market. John Vidal tries to allay the hysteria by arguing of … Continue reading Taking energy efficiency to the cleaners
Latest update on Sustainable Energy Finance
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides the August update on global developments in sustainable energy finance. August 2014 Sustainable Energy Finance Update During the month of August, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the African Development Bank … Continue reading Latest update on Sustainable Energy Finance
More concerns about fracking
Pilita Clark and Ed Crooks write in the Financial Times about the increased threat of water shortages resulting from the development of shale gas. Water shortages pose larger than expected threat to shale gas Water shortages pose a bigger threat to the global shale oil and gas industry than is widely realised, according to … Continue reading More concerns about fracking
