Solar

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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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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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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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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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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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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Kuwait sets ambitious renewable energy goals

To Business Week : ” Sun-drenched Kuwait, a desert nation with no solar-power plants and electricity demand that’s growing about 8 percent a year, has set the most ambitious target for using renewable energy in the Gulf region.” The country plans to have ten percent of renewables in its electricity mix by 2020. This exceeds

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Why continuing the Kyoto Protocol is crucial

To TreeHugger : ” If (the) Kyoto Protocol dies at COP17 climate talks, so does our climate “. This article reminds us that the next round of UNFCC climate talks will start in less than two months in Durban, South Africa. It also reminds us that it is the only law we have on a

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Solar PV to become the cheapest option by 2018

Currently, the world is relying massively on coal to generate electricity as it is cheap, awfully cheap – if you don’t take into account the negative externalities as it is polluting our air, our soil and is one of the main factors to climate change. But what if solar became even cheaper than coal ?

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