Year: 2011

Toward risk-free nuclear with Thorium ?

The French magazine Science & Vie [Fr] published this month a lengthy series of articles on thorium-based nuclear, and how it could solve the various issues encountered with uranium-based energy generation. Much more safer, without the need to be enriched, Thorium is also four times more abundant than Uranium. Molten salt reactors could also recycle …

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United Kingdom is committed to offshore wind

To Enerzine [Fr] the world largest offshore wind farm has gone online in the Irish sea. Walney 2 has a capacity of 367,2 MW, enough to power 320,000 British households. It was also the fastest ever installation. The farm will however quickly lose its title to other projects set to come online in the United …

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China & the USA to ban incandescent light bulbs

Incandescent light bulbs are a relic of the past, a vastly inefficient past. Modern alternatives like CFLs and LEDs consume five to ten times less energy. For these reasons, the European Union or Australia have already phased them out. More countries will be doing the same, namingly the United States and China. The latter will …

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Desertec first solar plant to start construction

Remember the Desertec project and how I was convinced ? Their goal is to build solar, wind and other renewable energies facilities to power North Africa, the Middle East and part of Europe. Well, I am not the only one as their first plant will start construction next year. With a capacity of 500 MW …

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Global emissions need to peak before 2015-2020

As TreeHugger reports : ” emissions must peak by 2020 and be reduced “well below” 1990 levels by 2050, if we are to have a “likely” (greater than 66%) chance of keeping temperature rise below 2°C by 2100. “ ” If emissions peak at 2030, we may be able to hold temperature rise to 3°C. …

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Smart thermostat programs itself to save energy

You would think that the inventor of the iPod would rest and enjoy the money he made afterwards. Well, he isn’t and this is great news for all of us as Tony Fadell invented a smart thermostat, the Nest Learning Thermostat. Knowing that we adjust thermostats up to 1,500 per year and that over 10 …

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Global weirding and warming at my doorstep

I wanted to write about how I am witnessing the weirding and warming climate myself. So far, France has seen an incredibly dry spring with dramatic droughts to the point of endangering many cultures. Then, summer came, with rain, a lot of it. It was one of the rainiest summers I had seen. You would …

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Seven reasons to develop solar thermal

Cleantechies published last week a tremendous article on solar thermal and why it is “is about to see explosive growth”. I am not entirely surprised of that as I have been a strong advocate of this solution for more than five years. Presenting the industry, the article goes on and gives no less than seven …

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Worth an article – My October 2011 tweets

I have been committed since January 2007 to bring you each month a selection of the latest headlines and best researches on sustainable development, climate change and the world energy sector. However, I don’t blog as much as I would like to and generally write around 25 posts per month. But many more news are …

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Global emissions soared by SIX percent in 2010

To the AFP : ” Harmful carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels made their biggest ever annual jump in 2010, according to the US Department of Energy’s latest world data released this week. “ Global greenhouse gases emissions rose by SIX percent compared to 2009. This represents no less than 564 million more tons of …

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