The independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC) will today release a major new report arguing that the UK should be able to deliver at least 30 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 as part of efforts to deliver deep cuts in carbon emissions. The wide-ranging report, which was commissioned last year Continue reading →
climate change
In the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change is considering how to reform the UK electricity market in ways that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The agency appears to be taking the lead in supporting the growth of smart energy demand as a means to increase renewable energy and enable greater energy efficiency. Continue reading →
Peter A. Darbee, a utility executive who is ultimately responsible for keeping the lights on for 15 million people, has a message some may not want to hear: “Climate change is real, it’s urgent, it’s most likely a result of human interactions and what human beings have done in their emissions to the atmosphere, and Continue reading →
Combating climate change is proving to be a difficult challenge for governments around the world. In the US, already hobbled by a lack-luster economy, the White House was unable to push a climate change measure through the Senate. But what governments can’t yet do, small businesses and entrepreneurs might be able to. VOA’s Rebecca Ward Continue reading →
Dan Reicher, director of climate change and energy initiatives at Google Inc., spoke at the Renewable Energy Finance Forum Wall Street on Wednesday in support of a new government agency that would help clean technology companies bridge the “valley of death,” a gap in financing for the first full-scale demonstration. via Google’s Renewable Energy Push Continue reading →
Over the past 35 years, California’s groundbreaking energy policies have saved ratepayers $56 billion and helped avoid the need to build dozens of fossil fuel power plants. We are now on the brink of taking another giant step forward by supporting smart grid technologies that create local jobs, protect our environment and help consumers save Continue reading →
The nation will spell out clear strategies for developing smart grids in its 12th Five Year Plan (2011-15) for the energy industry, as part of its steps to foster use of more clean energy and combat climate change. The 2011-15 plan will outline the detailed plans for setting up smart grids, said Ouyang Changyu, director Continue reading →
Despite Google’s lobbying on clean-energy policy and investments in renewable energy, it was Cisco and Ericsson who received Greenpeace’s top marks in its ranking of computing vendors’ activity on climate change. The environmental watchdog group released its annual Cool IT Leaderboard on Thursday, which judges large IT and consumer electronics companies on a range of Continue reading →
The U.S. electrical grid is the largest interconnected machine on Earth: 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 5.5 million miles of local distribution lines, linking thousands of generating plants to factories, homes and businesses. The National Academy of Engineering ranks it as the greatest engineering achievement of the 20th century. What it cannot do Continue reading →
EU energy efficiency legislation for buildings and the new layout of the EU energy efficiency label were approved by the Industry Committee on Wednesday. These measures – which come in addition to the EU’s 2008 climate change package – were agreed with the Council last year and are to be put to a final vote Continue reading →
About 45 companies and organizations have united in an effort to push for greater national integration of the smart grid, especially as it pertains to business and consumer energy monitoring, pointing to a potential $46 billion in nationwide energy savings. In an open letter to the president, the Climate Group coalition received the support of Continue reading →
NB Power has been given $2.4 million by the New Brunswick Environment Department to support the development of a smart grid. Environment Minister Rick Miles says, “Investments such as this will ensure that New Brunswick meets its goal set out in the climate change action plan.” via New Brunswick to Develop a Smart Grid.
John Kerry says the energy bill he is co-sponsoring will create jobs and spark energy independence, with climate benefits “along for the ride.” Senator, you had us at jobs and independence. Here’s hoping the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman team take a lesson from the Gipper. Ronald Reagan would have sold this policy on smart economics and smarter geopolitics. Continue reading →
Recent research by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has shown that many European Member States are on course to achieve their target of 20% renewable energy by 2020, with some even set to exceed the target. This is a fantastic achievement for the EU in terms of tackling climate change and ensuring that renewable Continue reading →
It seems like Copenhagen is the place to be in terms of smart grid and green technology news. Not only is the company the “greenest” city in Europe, but, with the Copenhagen climate conference underway, it seemed the city was doing its best to control emissions in the area. via Smart Grid.
Among the tech giants supplying solutions that address climate change is SAP. Recently the company announced its participation in the Smart City Project – what will eventually become a large network of low-carbon communities all around the world. Other companies participating in Smart City include Sharp, Nikken Sekkei Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Japan, Mitsui Fudosan, e-Solutions Inc., Continue reading →
This month, against the backdrop of the Copenhagen UN climate change conference, the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change announced its plans to fit every home in Britain with a smart meter by 2020. Ministers claim the new meters will help people cut their energy bills and their carbon footprint. via Embedded.com – COMMENTARY Continue reading →
So, if we were to then poll people on what actions we should take, we might find some surprises. After all, in our own unscientific survey that mostly reached outright skeptics and agnostics, we found surprising support for building a smart energy grid and reforestation, to the point that they were willing to pay $150 Continue reading →
Smart grid industry leaders tell Nancy Pelosi and House members in Copenhagen that they want legislative support to help their industry mitigate climate change and boost job growth. What can the smart grid do for the climate and the economy – and how can Congress help out? via Greentech Media: U.S. Smart Grid’s Pitch to Continue reading →
As world representatives conclude their quest in Copenhagen for ways to slow global warming, something needs to be done to kick-start the discussion into a more concrete and collaborative phase. Otherwise, the UN conference will have failed to turn what so far has been a latter-day Tower of Babel on climate change into a more Continue reading →
