By Zachary Shahan •
November 9, 2009
What would have been the Southern Hemisphere’s largest wind farm, a $2 billion NZD ($1.4 billion USD) and 630 MW wind farm in New Zealand, is not happening because New Zealand’s Environment Court says that it would ruin the surrounding landscape.
This project would have powered over a million homes and made a huge dent in New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions. It is not happening now because of a group of NIMBY activists and the Environment Court’s ruling.
This is a huge blow, in itself, to renewable and wind energy proponents, but it also brings concerns for future wind energy projects.
By Mridul Chadha •
November 8, 2009
A bill mandating energy usage and new energy efficiency measures for more than 700 energy intensive industrial units will be tabled in the Indian Parliament in November.
By Tina Casey •
November 6, 2009
The U.S. Department of the Interior reports that overall water consumption in the United States has declined in the past 25 years, even though the population has increased 30% and use by individual American households has increased. The statistics were compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey.
What’s the secret? The 25-year patterns of water consumption revealed in the DOI report provide tantalizing clues about the ability of the U.S. to sustain its legendarily consumer-centric lifestyle while stabilizing and ultimately decreasing its contribution to carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses.
By Mridul Chadha •
October 31, 2009
India has announced numerous changes in its climate policy signaling a renewed effort to cement its credentials as a global environment leader.
By Mridul Chadha •
October 31, 2009
The developed countries are struggling to build national consensus for ambitious mitigation measures while the developing countries have gained the higher ground in the negotiations for the next climate deal by announcing voluntary sectoral emission reduction targets.
By Susan Kraemer •
October 30, 2009
Here’s a low carbon cooling technology that uses hot water from waste to make A/C without fossil fuels, saving 80% over fossil-fueled chillers.
This industrial scale chiller from the Chinese company Broad Central Air can convert many different kinds of waste heat into air conditioning. The waste heat can come from many industrial sources, including what the Chinese site calls “town gas” - methane from town landfill, collected and burned to generate heat.
http://www.earthpolicy.org/index.php?/plan_b_updates/2009/update83
By Lester R. Brown
Emissions Drop 9 Percent in Last Two Years
For years now, many members of Congress have insisted that cutting carbon emissions was difficult, if not impossible. It is not. During the two years since 2007, carbon emissions have dropped 9 percent. While part of this drop is from the recession, part of it is also from efficiency gains and from replacing coal with natural gas, wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
The United States has ended a century of rising carbon emissions and has now entered a new energy era, one of declining emissions. Peak carbon is now history. What had appeared to be hopelessly difficult is happening at amazing speed.
By Zachary Shahan •
October 28, 2009
There has been a lot of discussion over the last few years about biofuels and whether or not they are actually green, especially when produced on a large, global level.
A new study led by Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) senior scientist Jerry Melillo says no, they aren’t green (when it comes to climate change). However, there are still many important factors to keep in mind before claiming this is the end of a long and complicated discussion.
By Susan Kraemer •
October 25, 2009
Chances are, if you run a major polluting company, you’re not reading cleantechnica. But you never know. So here’s my advice, based on my experience writing about energy; gathered into one easy quick read for the non-eco reader, on how a polluting company can benefit from the new energy bill requirements to cut carbon emissions.
By Mridul Chadha •
October 25, 2009
With so much going on at the international front the Indian government has struggled to chalk out official negotiations plan for the Copenhagen Summit. It must now decide if it wants to be a deal breaker or a major initiator at the climate talks.
By Mridul Chadha •
October 24, 2009
With an international deal in doubt, India and China look to increase cooperation in areas like renewable energy, climate change research.
