A cynic would argue that this story is predictable, but it is incredibly depressing. British government officials have secretly briefed ministers that the country has no hope of getting remotely near the new European Union renewable energy target that Tony Blair only signed up to in the spring – and have suggested that they find … Read More
Alternative energy
McCain Warns of Vulnerability of Foreign Oil
In the third of three major policy addresses, Republican presidential candidate, John McCain has talked about the “great and urgent challenge – breaking our nation’s critical dependence on foreign sources of oil”. In a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) McCain warned that America’s “dependency on foreign oil and the way … Read More
Development Banks’ Inconvenient Truth
Multilateral development banks concluded a two day conference in London yesterday on “Financing Clean Energy”. Non-governmental organizations were generally shut out of the meeting, restricted to a handful of participants, but a long list of oil and energy companies were in attendance and they were ready to discuss just about anything other than phasing out … Read More
The Big Green Fuel Lie
Now the Independent newspaper has launched into biofuels with a front page lead in today’s paper. The biofuel bonanza is set to reach a landmark this week the US President, George Bush, arrives in Brazil to kick-start the creation of an international market for ethanol that could one day rival oil as a global commodity. … Read More
Blair Backs EU Renewable Targets
UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair will complete a U-turn over green energy next week when he supports an ambitious 20 per cent mandatory target for renewables at an EU Summit. Blair is said to have overruled Alistair Darling, the Trade and Industry Minister, who wanted a voluntary agreement. France has also indicated it will drop … Read More
Scientists Urge Global Action on Clean Energy
The United Nations Foundation and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, has released the results of a two year study which is calling for drastic reductions in fossil-fuel emissions around the world and rapid increases in spending on clean-energy research. The report concludes that global warming is “unequivocal”. If nothing is done global temperatures could … Read More
London Aims 60 per Cent Cut in Carbon Emissions
London’s Mayor, Ken Livinstone will announce radical plans to slash London’s carbon emissions by 60% within 20 years. Livingstone wants a quarter of London’s electricity supply to be shifted from the national grid to local combined heat-and-power systems by 2025.
BP Invests $500 Million In Biofuels Research
Oil giant, BP has selected a consortium led by the University of California, Berkeley for a $500 million research programme focusing mostly on clean energy and biofuels. “This is our generation’s moon shot,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau said at a press conference to announce the move. BP will allocate 80% of the money to … Read More
US Wind Power Capacity Jumps
Wind power generating capacity increased by 27 percent in 2006 and is expected to increase an additional 26 percent in 2007, proving wind is now a mainstream option for new power generation, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The U.S. wind energy industry installed 2,454 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2006, … Read More
Bush’s Plans May Cause More Harm Than Good
Bush’s plans to tackle climate change and reduce foreign oil dependence have been widely condemned by environmental groups. Jan Kowalzig of Friends of the Earth Europe said that whilst ethanol from corn is “carbon neutral”, production of ethanol requires fossil fuels. “Transportation of the fuels, processing of the fuels – all that requires energy which … Read More