100 Percent Renewable Energy is Within Reach. There are no technological or economic reasons why we cannot completely replace fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy. In addition to curbing climate change causing greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy also improves human health. Minimizing climate impacts and reducing health costs would generate trillions of dollars of cumulative savings. The idea that the world can be powered entirely by renewable energy is not new. In 2011, Stanford researcher Mark Z. There are already commitments and functioning examples of 100 percent renewable energy use. Hawaii has been reducing its dependence on fossil fuels to generate electricity, but the state still uses petroleum for 70 percent of its energy generation. California is working towards the goal of getting one third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. California is already getting more than 12 percent of its power from renewable sources and individual cities in California are going even further.
California's 40 Years Of Energy Efficiency Efforts Have Saved $90B In Utility Costs. August 25th, 2015 by Derek Markham Over the last 40 years, the state of California has been investing in energy efficiency initiatives, to the tune of about $1 billion per year, and these efforts have saved its residents some $90 billion in utility costs, created “hundreds of thousands” of energy efficiency jobs, and by the end of the decade will have avoided the pollution equivalent of 41 power plants, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
An update to NRDC’s California energy efficiency report from five years ago, titled “California’s Golden Energy Efficiency Opportunity: Ramping Up Success to Save Billions and Meet Climate Goals,” found a lot to congratulate the state for, but also found that much more (“a major efficiency ramp-up”) will be required in order to meet the state’s long-term climate goals. The report, which was co-produced with Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is available to download at NRDC as a PDF. Tags: California, NRDC About the Author. NASA Photos Show China’s Plan to Meet New UN Climate Pledge. NASA satellites show part of China’s plan to meet its ambitious new UN pledge to cut carbon emissions: solar power. On Tuesday, China said it would halt the rise in its heat-trapping emissions within 15 years and would boost its share of non-fossil fuel energy use to 20 percent by 2030. Its commitment, similar to the one it made last year in a joint U.S. agreement, comes ahead of UN climate talks in Paris in December.
China’s goal reflects how quickly it’s becoming the world’s leader in solar power. It produces two-thirds of all solar panels, and last year, it added more solar capacity than any other country, according to the International Energy Agency or IEA. Germany still has the most cumulative photovoltaic capacity, but second-place China will likely soon close the gap. The Gobi Desert reveals why.
In the northwestern Gansu Province, where sunlight and land are abundant, construction began nearly six years ago on the country’s first large-scale solar power station. To infinity and beyond: Apollo project to boost green energy growth. UK’s chief climate diplomat calls for £15bn a year R&D spending on clean energy to make it cheaper than coal Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the lunar module Eagle during the Apollo 11 mission.
(Pic; NASA) By Damian Carrington, the Guardian A plan to tackle climate change by emulating the race to put a man on the moon is launched on Tuesday, aiming to channel billions of dollars in research that will give renewable energy commercial lift off. The Global Apollo Programme aims to make the cost of clean electricity lower than that from coal-fired power stations across the world within 10 years. It calls for £15bn a year of spending on research, development and demonstration of green energy and energy storage, the same funding in today’s money that the US Apollo programme spent in putting astronauts on the moon. The plan has been discussed by G7 energy ministers and is on the agenda for the G7 heads of state meeting in Germany on 7 June. Developing Nations’ Renewable Investments to Exceed Those of Developed World. When President Barack Obama signed his historic climate change agreement with China last year, there were those among his opponents who felt he had given away too much without asking for enough in return.
Never mind that the U.S. has been emitting carbon far longer and has already had the opportunity to bring most of our population out of poverty (at least compared to China). Yes, the U.S. set a 26 to 28 percent reduction target for 2025, while China has promised to achieve a declining emissions trajectory starting in 2030. But let’s look at what China is doing. Last year, it spent $83 billion on renewable energy. That’s not only a 39 percent jump over last year and a new record, but it’s also twice what we spent in the States. China is not alone in this. By 2030, $7 trillion will be invested in new energy systems, two-thirds of which will come from developing countries.
The total OECD energy capacity projected by 2030 is 3,700 gigawatts. What’s the motivator? Arik Ring sur Twitter : "Solar For The Masses! #Africa’s Mobile-#Solar #Energy Revolution #Green #Climate. Africa’s Mobile-Sun Revolution. The transformative potential for mobile communications is upon us in every aspect of life. In the developing world where infrastructure of all types is at a premium, few question the potential for mobile, but many wonder whether it should be a priority. Many years of visiting the developing world have taught me that, given the tools, people — including the very poor — will quickly and easily put them to uses that exceed even the well-intentioned ideas of the developed world.
Poor people want to and can do everything people of means can do, they just don’t have the money. Previously, I’ve written about the rise of ubiquitous mobile payments across Africa, and the work to bring free high-speed Wi-Fi to the settlements of South Africa. One thing has been missing, though, and that is access to reliable sources of power to keep these mobile phones and tablets running. It is also the sort of disruptive trend we are getting used to seeing in developing markets. Infrastructure history. India Plans World's Largest Floating Solar Power Project (50 MW) Clean Power Published on July 2nd, 2014 | by Mridul Chadha July 2nd, 2014 by Mridul Chadha After canal-top solar power projects, India is planning to install the world’s largest floating solar power project.
India’s leading hydro power generator National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) is planning to set up a 50 MW solar photovoltaic project over the water bodies in the southern state of Kerala. Renewable Energy College will provide assistance to the company for implementing the project. Under the contract with NHPC, Renewable Energy College will provide technical know-how and assist in the installation of the proposed floating solar power plant. This floating solar power plant technology was developed last year by a team led by SP Gon Choudhury, Chairman of the Renewable Energy College. Solar panels will be installed on floating platforms which will be anchored firmly to avoid undulation of the panels around the surface of the water.
About the Author. Fuel Cell Technologies Office Home Page. World Energy Report (Infographic) Clean Power Published on September 30th, 2011 | by Zachary Shahan "World Energy Report" (CLICK TO ENLARGE) OK, so this isn’t an official World Energy report just released by some international energy organization or research institute, but it is a fun infographic created by some friends of ours over at MyEnergy.com that helps to visualize and convey some key energy facts.
One of the most striking points (visualized with the Big Macs) is how much more energy per person the U.S. and other developed nations use compared to India, China, or the world as a whole. Here’s a good quote from the World Watch Institute on that (from State of the World 2008: Innovations for a Sustainable Economy): “Clearly, Western Nations have been the key driver of climate change so far. How Do We Respond? Two key ways to respond to this would be increasing our energy efficiency (and there’s a ton of potential for that) and, of course, powering more of our country (or world) with clean energy, like wind and solar.