Monthly Archives: January 2008
Japanese researchers believe that they have found a way to neutralise the methane in the belches of the world’s 1.5 billion cows which is thought to account for five per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. Cows produce astonishing quantities of methane gas as the bacteria in their stomachs breaks down plant fibres. Their near-constant cud-chewing allows a small quantity of the gas to escape with nearly every breath each animal takes. A team at Obihiro University of Agriculture, led by Professor Junichi Takahashi, has found that a few simple addiitives, costing about $1 a day, could remove virtually all of … Continue Reading
It’s not the first time that an oil shortage has been predicted but it is the first time that such a prediction has come from the head of the world’s second largest oil company. Jeroen van der Veer, Shell’s chief executive, said in an e-mail to the company’s staff this week that demand for oil and gas would outstrip conventional supplies within seven years. “Shell estimates that after 2015 supplies of easy-to-access oil and gas will no longer keep up with demand” he wrote in an e-mail to staff. He forecast that, by 2015, regardless of government policy initiatives and … Continue Reading
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda today vowed to cut carbon emissions and help developing nations cope with global warming. Over the next five years, Japan will spend $US30 billion on new environmental technology at home and provide another $US10 billion for developing countries. Fukuda also proposed a 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency globally by 2020. In contrast, the European Union has pledged a 20 percent cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020. Fukuda said improved efficiency allowed Japan’s economy to double in size in the past three decades without increasing energy consumption by industry but an even more efficient use … Continue Reading
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, reminded business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum that the conflict in the Dafur region of Sudan arose out of a drought. "Too often, where we need water we find guns instead," he said. "Population growth will make the problem worse. So will climate change." He quoted a report by International Alert which identified 46 countries with 2.7 billion people where climate change and water-related crises create "a high risk of violent conflict" and a further 56 countries, with 1.2 billion people "are at high risk of violent conflict." Ban urged business leaders to … Continue Reading
Last year, the European Commision set an overall target of 20% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. Yesterday, proposed legally binding targets for individual EU countries were announced. The most recent figures, for 2005, show that the EU used about 8.5% renewable energy – varying amoung countries from almost zero in Luxembourg to almost 40% in Sweden. The process for arriving at individual countries’ targets puts a greater burden on those countries with a higher per capita gross domestic product. Britain has been set a target of 15% renewable by 2020 (up from 1.3% in 2005); Germany’s … Continue Reading
The buying power of the huge US retailer, Wal-Mart, has been a major factor in forcing down the price of Chinese manufactured imports. Now Wal-Mart has turned its focus to improving the environmental and energy standards of the products it buys in sells. Chief Executive, Lee Scott, today outlined plans to insist that its suppliers make its most energy-intensive products, such as computers,mnicrowaves and water heaters, 25% more efficient within three years and cut the power consumed by flat-screen televisions by 30% by 2010. He said that Wal-Mart would be willing to pay higher prices for such products. All foreign … Continue Reading
The Energy Plus office building to be located in the Gennevilliers area of Paris will be the worl’d greenest office. The 70,000 square metre, low-rise complex will house 5,000 workers but will consume no electricity other than that which it produces itself. The building will generate electricity from a array of more solar panels than any other building currently in existance. Temperature will be controlled using a cutting-edge form of insulation and circulating water pumped from the Seine throughout the building. The architects, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, say that the building will cost about 25 to 30% more than a … Continue Reading
Videos
Renewables News- New Aussie Technology to Clean Polluted WaterScientists from Deakin University, together with French colleagues, say that they have manufactured a lightweight and reusable material that can absorb up to 33 times its weight in a wide range of spilt oils, chemical solvents and dyes, while repelling … Continue Reading → […]
- Aussie Researchers Make Efficient Solar Cells from Low-grade SiliconResearchers at the University of New South Wales have found a way to make very high efficiency solar cells out of cheap, low-grade silicon. It has been known for several decades that hydrogen atoms can be introduced into the atomic … Continue Reading → […]
- First Aussie “Hot Rocks” Power Plant Begins ProducingThe first power plant in Australia to produce electricity using an enhanced geothermal ("hot rocks") system has begun producing electricity in the far north-east of South Australia. The one-megawatt Habanero pilot plant near outback Innamincka is operated by Geodynamics. Geodynamics … Continue Reading → […]
- New Aussie Technology to Clean Polluted Water
