Energy

Whatever concerns energy and the ways to produce it goes here

EPR reactor is being built in France

According to the French daily Le Figaro in its Monday edition, the construction of the first EPR reactor in France has begun and is going on well. The EPR technology provides several improvements to the current nuclear plants, including increased yield and security, decreased waste and radiations. This reactor will be operational in 2012 and […]

EPR reactor is being built in France Read More »

The low-carbon revolution starts at home

Since the writing of my Master’s thesis, I am aware that huge savings of CO2 emissions could be achieved by insulating our homes and shifting toward energy-efficient appliances. This feeling is strongly reinforced by the views of the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) which is part of the renowned Oxford University in the United Kingdom. In

The low-carbon revolution starts at home Read More »

Google to invest massively in renewable energies

The world famous US company Google ,which is behind the most used search engine, plans in the very next years to invest hundreds of millions Dollars in renewable energy sources. The goal is to make solar, geothermal and wind energies price-competitive with electricity from coal-fired plants. A very ambitious idea as coal is much cheaper

Google to invest massively in renewable energies Read More »

More and more tests of Carbon Capture and Storage

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one of the main solutions to decrease the greenhouse gases emissions of coal-fired plants. However there is no commercial application yet, but several programs are on their way in North America, Europe or China. The oil-producing countries from the OPEC also plan to work on this technology as it

More and more tests of Carbon Capture and Storage Read More »

CARMA rates CO2 emissions of energy generation

Thanks to my good friend Etienne Schneider, I discovered a very interesting tool that rates the CO2 emissions due to the energy sector worldwide. CARMA (CArbon Monitoring for Action) provides reliable data on 50,000 plants and 4,000 energy companies. All this enable us to see which countries are the most polluting. CARMA is “produced and

CARMA rates CO2 emissions of energy generation Read More »

IEA urges again to act strongly on energy efficiency

The International Energy Agency published this week the latest edition of its World Energy Outlook. It strongly reinforces the importance of energy efficiency and conservation to solve both problems that are climate change and energy scarcity. According to them, these policies have to implemented in the next ten years. This is the second time in

IEA urges again to act strongly on energy efficiency Read More »

A model of energy efficiency : Japan

I bookmarked a long time ago an article from the International Herald Tribune which is tackling Japan and its impressive energy efficiency policies. As we are more and more talking about energy conservation (the IEA recently urged to work fast on this), this country is an example many could follow. Indeed, according to the International

A model of energy efficiency : Japan Read More »

A look at the clean alternatives to coal

Today’s article is on coal as I am interested by this energy source and the possibilities to clean it up. A question of importance as it is the dirtiest energy source to date. According to the data I had access to, coal emits around 975 grams of CO2 per KWh; natural gas, 530 ; nuclear

A look at the clean alternatives to coal Read More »

The Grenelle, a French green revolution

Yesterday in Paris took place what will perhaps be remembered as the green event of the decade in France. The President Nicolas Sarkozy detailed in a 30-minute speech a very ambitious plan that concluded weeks of discussions on environmental causes within what is called here Le Grenelle de l’Environnement. From transportation and housing to electricity

The Grenelle, a French green revolution Read More »

Oil prices reached $90

After reaching the $85 limit per barrel earlier this week, oil prices went shortly last night over $90 at the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). This is explained by many factors such as geopolitical tensions or the exceptional weakness of the dollar as it reached a record level of $1.43 against the euro. As we

Oil prices reached $90 Read More »