Impact of a carbon tax

EiD has given readers articles about energy and climate change policies in Canada to give them a better appreciation of how the fossil fuel industry can distort national policies that used to be appreciated globally. Three distinguished experts provided an important column in Canada’s Globe and Mail about a major success story in one province. … Continue reading Impact of a carbon tax →

The gloves are off in arguing for Scottish independence

In September, Scots will be voting on whether they will become an independent state. The debate, not surprisingly, is heating up. While Scotland has benefited from offshore oil and gas, the Scottish government sees its future in a green energy revolution. Scot MacNab writes in The Scotsman about whether or not independence will be a … Continue reading The gloves are off in arguing for Scottish independence →

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 →

Showing urban leadership – part 1

Many US cities are working very closely together to increase the energy performance of large buildings. Sarah Kollmorgen writes on Northwestern University’s Madill Reports website about the City Energy Project that includes Chicago from where she is writing from. 10 cities, one energy-efficient goal Chicago is one of 10 cities that have joined the … Continue reading Showing urban leadership – part 1 →

Why it is difficult to get cities to focus on energy efficiency

We know implementing energy efficiency strategies is complicated and we also know the benefits that can come from effective implementation. We usually review the main barriers hindering progress before embarking on new measures to ensure those chosen target the problems and achieve greater impact. Thomas Jackson, Vice President Corporate Strategy at Climatec provides an excellent … Continue reading Why it is difficult to get cities to focus on energy efficiency →

China looking to energy efficiency to address urban air quality problems

China is facing pollution challenges today similar to what Los Angeles faced during the 1980s, a problem that energy efficiency helped mitigate. In China, combining cleaner heating fuels with better-insulated buildings is one concrete measure that would support cleaner skies in northern China and beyond, Clay Stranger writes in the Christian Science Monitor. China smog: … Continue reading China looking to energy efficiency to address urban air quality problems →

A green urban network being planned in Hamburg

The German city of Hamburg is planning a green network that will cover 40% of the city area, contributing to resilience and allowing biking, swimming and nature watching in the city. Elisabeth Braw provides a good overview of the plans in the Guardian. Hamburg's answer to climate change Hamburg is planning a green network that … Continue reading A green urban network being planned in Hamburg →

Jobs are what count

The Social Democrat Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany has come out strong to support in favour of job protection before expansion of renewables according to a report from the German Energy Blog. SPD Premier of NRW: Jobs Protection in Energy and Energy-Intensive Industry More Important Than Speedy Expansion of Renewables Job protection in the … Continue reading Jobs are what count →

Shared cycling gaining popularity globally

The Economist recently provided an excellent article on recent developments to promote bike-sharing in cities. It is particularly impressive to see the new developments coming to Copenhagen but, really, there are so many excellent examples – and even one in EiD’s neighbourhood. Bike-sharing - Sharing two wheels is becoming ever more popular In … Continue reading Shared cycling gaining popularity globally →

Texas starting to make big effort in energy efficiency

Texas is known for its oil that has been a major driving force of its economy for many decades. While it did promote wind energy in the past, and possibly still does, it is a state that certainly isn’t known for its efforts on energy efficiency. Jim Malewitz writes in the New York Times about … Continue reading Texas starting to make big effort in energy efficiency →