Posted by jumperhead on February 28th, 2008
Have you got a suggestion for Wal-Mart? Is it better than sponsoring the rebirth of the Dale Winton student-and-unemployed entertainment fest that was Supermarket Sweep? Yes? Does it involve clean tech? YES?! Then Wal-Mart wants to hear from you.
Wal-Mart first snuggled up with the Cleantech Group to work out ways of using - yes, you’ve guessed it - clean tech back in the heady days of 2007. Now the twosome have dreamt up a web based tool called the Cleantech Accelerator Project.
Using the Cleantech Accelerator, you can put forward your suggestion for “innovative ideas” on how Wal-Mart can green up its image. It’s looking for suggestion in these areas:
• alternative battery technology for forklifts;
• wind harvesting;
• closed-loop water processing;
• sustainable building materials;
• organic waste;
• oil-based waste; and
• household hazardous waste
Once the Cleantech Group has got enough suggestions, it will give Wal-Mart two to four of the crème de la crème in each category and them the supermarket juggernaut will get stuck in to rolling them out within 24 months.
Got an idea? Stick it in here.
Posted by jumperhead on February 28th, 2008
As a kid, did you ever stand around while two of your mates wrestled each other, hair mussed up, satchels flying shouting: “bundle! bundle!”? Well, prepare to relive that moment, albeit in a more grown-up eco business way, for a two NGOs, CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe, have demanded the EU lay off “50 environmentally damaging and economically dubious infrastructure projects” worth some €22 billion.
Those projects generating ire include motorways and incinerators. Instead of pumping EU funds into the projects, they should be pumping funds into recycling and renewable energy.
Martin Konecny, Coordinator for EU funds at FoEE said:
“EU funding support for Central and Eastern European countries is necessary and welcome. But if the money drives reckless developments and environmental destruction, its potential to deliver benefits is being wasted. The map shows that harmful projects are unfortunately not limited to a few isolated exceptions. Yet these problems are wholly unnecessary because alternatives exist. The European Commission and the EIB should call a halt to such projects and demand that alternative solutions are properly assessed.”
Meanwhile Bankwatch is also part of a call by 18 non-governmental organisations from across South East Europe to demand the withdrawal of political support “for a rash of environmentally and economically destructive power plants planned for the region” - and none of which includes any renewables.
Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath, South East Europe coordinator of CEE Bankwatch Network, said:
“Looking at the list of priority energy projects for our region, it’s like being back in the 1950s again. You would think that CO2 reduction targets and renewable energy had never happened. It’s bad enough that national-level decision-makers come up with these emission-spewing projects, but for the international community to support them is unforgivable.”
Posted by jumperhead on February 28th, 2008
Here’s a story that’s actually rather sad: a village in Alaska, which is being forced to move due to flooding, has brought a lawsuit against a number of oil companies, 14 power companies and a coal company, blaming them for the global warming that has caused the encroaching waters, once blocked by now-melted ice.
The town, called Kivalina, also accuses the companies of conspiracy, according to the New York Times:
“There has been a long campaign by power, coal and oil companies to mislead the public about the science of global warming,” the suit says. The campaign, it says, contributed “to the public nuisance of global warming by convincing the public at large and the victims of global warming that the process is not man-made when in fact it is.”
The village is seeking damages.
Posted by jumperhead on February 27th, 2008
Northwestern Uni has cracked a new anode coating strategy to get solar cells running more efficiently, according to the US educator, which will produce “cheaper, more manufacturable and more easily implemented solar cells”.
Here comes the science bit - concentrate. Greenbang will let Northwestern explain in its own words:
To date, the most successful type of plastic photovoltaic cell is called a “bulk-heterojunction cell.” This cell utilizes a layer consisting of a mixture of a semiconducting polymer (an electron donor) and a fullerene (an electron acceptor) sandwiched between two electrodes — one a transparent electrically conducting electrode (the anode, which is usually a tin-doped indium oxide) and a metal (the cathode), such as aluminum.
When light enters through the transparent conducting electrode and strikes the light-absorbing polymer layer, electricity flows due to formation of pairs of electrons and holes that separate and move to the cathode and anode, respectively. These moving charges are the electrical current (photocurrent) generated by the cell and are collected by the two electrodes, assuming that each type of charge can readily traverse the interface between the polymer-fullerene active layer and the correct electrode to carry away the charge — a significant challenge.
The Northwestern researchers employed a laser deposition technique that coats the anode with a very thin (5 to 10 nanometers thick) and smooth layer of nickel oxide. This material is an excellent conductor for extracting holes from the irradiated cell but, equally important, is an efficient “blocker” which prevents misdirected electrons from straying to the “wrong” electrode (the anode), which would compromise the cell energy conversion efficiency.
And in short, all this scientific talk translates to this: the researchers upped cell voltage by approximately 40 percent and the power conversion efficiency from approximately 3 to 4 percent to 5.2 to 5.6 percent.
Posted by jumperhead on February 27th, 2008
Salut mes potes. Gaz de France is set to become, metaphorically at least, Vent de France, after the energy company announced it was acquiring a company seemingly fluent in Franglish called Nass & Wind Technologie.
Gaz de France already owns the biggest wind farm assets in France, making it the biggest misnomer since aluminium put on a fake moustache and glasses and called itself tin foil. Who knew?
Nass & Wind develops, builds and operates land based wind farms in France and runs installed capacity of 34 MW, and has all the boxes ticked for 150 MW more in the short term. And there’s more: its pipeline has a whopping 1500 MW in the long term.
And this is what Gaz de France has to say about its latest acquisition:
This acquisition is fully in step with the Group’s strategy in electricity production generated from renewable energies, in particular wind energy. Gaz de France already owns the largest wind farm assets in France, with installed capacity of almost 145 MW at the beginning of 2008.
In light of the acquisitions carried out over the last few months, Gaz de France has decided to focus and rationalise the stakes it holds by creating a subsidiary dedicated to renewable energies, which will be named “GDF Futures Energies”.
This company now encompasses all of the subsidiaries and shares owned by Gaz de France in the field of electricity generated from wind power: Maïa Eolis, Erelia, Eoliennes de la Haute-Lys and soon Nass & Wind Technologie.
GDF Futures Energies, soon to be operational, will be responsible for:
• developing, building and managing the asset portfolio in green electricity generation,
• handling operations and maintenance at the said facilities through its own subsidiaries,
• strengthening, bringing together and creating synergies between the industrial skills in the Group to ensure its development in this field.
The creation of GDF Futures Energies represents a further step in Gaz de France’s sustainable development policy, designed in response to today’s global challenges. With this new subsidiary, the Group strengthens its commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gases, to the use of renewable sources of energy designed to combat global warming, and to security of power supply. GDF Futures Energies will base its growth principally on the development of wind power but it will also contribute actively to other forms of green electricity generation such as solar power, for example.
Posted by jumperhead on February 27th, 2008
Defra has gone news mental these days. Every time Greenbang turns around it’s making another announcement, enabling the trotting out of some lazy Mr Benn puns (Greenbang tips her hat to the Defra media folk for always referring to the venerable Hilary as Mr Benn). So what have the government scamps been up to after the carbon offset kitemark system? Getting out their great, big, fat, leathery government wallet and depositing a healthy £400 million at the feet of the clean tech makers.
Here’s the facts from the mouths of the Defra boys themselves:
As part of the domestic Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF), the Carbon Trust will receive £47.4 million to bring forward new energy technologies such as offshore wind, third-generation photovoltaic power, marine energy and biomass heating. This funding will also be used to increase the Carbon Trust’s energy-saving loans scheme for small and medium sized enterprises by a further £12 million to £62 million since 2003.
In addition, over the next three years the government will also provide around £10 million for a new anaerobic digestion demonstration programme. Up to four commercial-scale facilities will show the potential of this technology to create renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid waste being sent to landfill.
The 1.4% real increase in Defra’s overall budget on 2007/08 shows the government’s commitment to the environment with significant new investment in the following areas:
• low-carbon technology – domestic ETF fund increased to £400 million plus £800 million to tackle environmental challenges in developing countries over the next three years;
• sustainable waste infrastructure – over £2 billion Private Finance Initiative credits provided over the next three years;
• flood protection – spending £2.15 billion over the next three years; and
• Rural Development Programme for England – resources doubled to £3.9bn available to 2013.
As part of the 2008/09 budget settlement:
• Natural England will receive £176 million to enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas;
• The Environment Agency will receive £796 million to protect and improve the environment in England and Wales;
• Animal Health will receive £128.1 million to combat disease and ensure animals are healthy; and
• The Rural Payments Agency will receive £255.8 million to effectively administer the Single Payment Scheme payments.
Posted by jumperhead on February 27th, 2008
Greenbang likes this story a lot. She would even go so far as to say “Moi, j’aime cet article”, mainly because she wants to show off her French GCSE. The story that prompts this educational grandstanding comes courtesty of The Observer: French winemakers are turning to water transport rather than road to cut the emissions associated with shipping their products. And good on them for that, Greenbang says.
The Observer says that later on this month, 60,000 bottles of sweet sweet vin from Languedoc will be brought by boat to Ireland, and in the future, more could be gently punted off to Bristol, Manchester and even Canada. And there’s more:
The three-mast barque Belem, which was launched in 1896, the last French merchant sailing vessel to be built, will sail into Dublin following a voyage from Bordeaux that should last about four days. The wines will be delivered to Bordeaux by barge using the Canal du Midi and Canal du Garonne, which run across southern France from Sète in the east, via Béziers in Languedoc. Each bottle will be labelled: ‘Carried by sailing ship, a better deal for the planet.’ Although the whole process will end up taking up to a week longer than a flight, it is estimated it will save 4.9oz of carbon per bottle.
Greenbang feels a Jean de Florette style warm and fuzzy glow just from this news. Ah, c’est bon, non?
Posted by jumperhead on February 27th, 2008
Scotland is to get a green energy centre, called rather cleverly the Scottish European Green Energy Centre, which will help out the EU in tackling its big-ass carbon cutting plan by giving other European countries a nice helping hand on research into renewable energy.
There were no timescales, targets or cash amounts put on the centre by First Minister Alex Salmond but there were a lot of fine, fine words as he spoke at the European Movement Energy Conference. And here they are, reprinted for you edification:
“Not long ago, Scotland’s climate was seen as something of a drawback. Well no longer. Now our powerful waters and our high winds - onshore and offshore - are the envy of Europe, and key to our future prosperity.
“Our universities and industry punch above their weight - and here at Aberdeen University, and in Glasgow and Edinburgh, we have seen them come together through the new Energy Technology Partnership, and its work to develop and disseminate ground-breaking renewables and low carbon research.
“So we can offer a powerful shared commitment between Government, industry and our universities. But we also know that we can learn much from European countries, whether they be near neighbours or from further afield.
“That is why I am proud to announce that we intend to develop a new Scottish European Green Energy Centre, to become an EU agency within five years.
It will draw upon the strengths of the Energy Technology Partnership and build on the broad network of European research and industry-wide partnerships we already have in place. It will use this strong base to develop new and strengthened links and deliver new projects.
“I am pleased that European Commissioners have offered us strong support for the idea. In the immediate term we will build on the many existing initiatives already in place and secure EU funding streams in energy and research to support the activities of the centre. I am also delighted to report that Scottish companies are keen to give this project their full support.
“And it is only right that the hub of the new centre will be based in Aberdeen - based at the new Energy Technologies Institute, a joint venture between Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University.
“I want to see Scotland working as a full and equal partner with our fellow countries in the North West Atlantic actively deploying the new energy technologies for the benefit of all. We want Scottish based industry and research to be at the forefront of European and world developments in this field. I want Aberdeen - and Glasgow and Edinburgh for that matter - to be the real European energy centres of the future as well as the present.”
Posted by Greenbang on February 27th, 2008
banging head against wall
Posted by jumperhead on February 26th, 2008
Hoorah. It looks like Apple and Nokia are not only scrapping it out for the title of ‘mobile phone daddy’, they’re also having the environmental equivalent of a thumb-war over recycling their end-of-life kit.
According to a veritable slew of reports, Apple has added iPod and mobile phone recycling to its range of recycling programs at no cost. No far, so blah right? Not so fast. Apparently, this is the first time Apple has agreed to recycle for gratis without consumers signing up to buy a replacement device. Nice one Apple.
Alas, if you’re trying to recycle your Mac, no freebies for you unless you pay or get yourself a new bit of hardware.
Meanwhile, Nokia is kicking off its first recycling initiative in Kenya, for good measure. Presumably while flashing the Remade and the Evolve while it’s about it.
