Cleantech

Toward super efficient solar panels

I came across two news today that could revolutionize solar panels by drastically increasing their efficiency. Given the current potential of this energy source with today’s technology, tomorrow will be bright for solar ! To the MIT Technology Review :” Replacing flat panels with three dimensional structures (see left) can significantly change the economics of […]

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Mixed feelings about the Durban climate talks

As you sure know, the Durban Climate talks ended Sunday. There are some good news, but they are mostly bad. Good news first : The Kyoto Protocol has been extended until 2017. Another good news : the Durban agreement was the first ever to bind all countries to act on climate change. Sure, this is

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How Africa is embracing cleantech

I have recently noted that cleantech is booming globally, but what does it mean for Africa ? In today’s post I will try to give a few answers to this crucial question as still 600 million Africans have no access to electricity. To a study titled Mega Trends in Africa: A bright vision for the

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One trillion dollars has been invested in cleantech

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a trillion dollars – that’s a thousand billion, or 748 billion euros – has been invested in renewable energies, energy efficiency and smart energy technologies since 2004. As stated in the article : ” Annual clean energy investment has risen nearly five-fold, from $52bn (39 billion euros) in 2004

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Solar to account for a third of energy by 2060

According to an International Energy Agency official, a third of ALL global energy needs could be answered by solar energies within the next five decades. (photovoltaic, concentrated and thermal) And this could be a low estimate : as Climate Progress notes : ” Solar is clearly proving itself without a price on carbon. With an

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Worth an article – My November 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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Investments in renewables surpass fossil fuels

These are great news, just in time for the current climate talks taking place in Durban as to a new report from Bloomberg, global investments in renewables are surpassing for the first time ever the amounts invested in fossil fuels. With economies of scale and scope, both solar energy and wind power are getting cheaper

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IEA World Energy Outlook 2011

According to the IEA’s annual report, the situation is getting bleaker and bleaker. Confirming that we have five years to start decreasing our global emissions – cf. my previous post on that very matter – it is also providing several other findings. As you can sure imagine, several websites published lengthy articles on the very

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Prefering efficiency and sobriety over renewables

Here is my latest reflection on Cleantechies : ” The more I delve into energy and climate issues, the more this seems completely evident : we should prefer energy efficiency and sobriety over renewables.“ ” Making efficiency a priority – whereas renewables are the priority nowadays – will without a doubt benefit the consumer, the

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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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