Solar Power Portal: “Solar lanterns are capable of emulating the likes of Coca-Cola and mobile phone companies by finding a route to mass markets in Africa, according to UK-based charity SolarAid.” Read more
Solarcentury
The company I founded in 1998 to design and supply solar energy solutions for the built environment. Solarcentury
Solar Aid
The charity I founded in 2006, with a 5% contribution of Solarcentury profits, to help deliver solar lighting to Africa. Solar Aid
Solar lanterns on the verge of mainstream acceptance in Africa.
February 28, 2013 Change for Good, Clean Energy
Peak oil: gone for now but celebrations will be short lived”: oilprice.com.
February 28, 2013 Oil
Tom Whipple: “Given the increase in the amount of oil that China and India are importing, it looks as if there will be no oil available for other countries to import in another decade, experts warn.” Read more
Shale gas lobbyist urges UK companies to disclose use of all chemicals.
February 28, 2013 Gas
Guardian: “A revamped lobby group for the British shale gas industry has responded to concerns over controversial drilling techniques by drawing up a set of guidelines encouraging companies to disclose all the chemicals they use in the fracking of wells.” Read more
4 years after exiting solar, Shell sees it as world’s biggest energy source.
February 28, 2013 Clean Energy
REW: “Royal Dutch Shell Plc says solar power, a business it abandoned four years ago, may expand into the world’s biggest source of energy in the next half century.” Read more
Environmental concern at lowest level for 20 years in multiple countries.
February 28, 2013 Climate
Guardian: “The GlobeScan poll, undertaken last summer before superstorm Sandy hit the Caribbean and New York, showed levels of public concern in 12 countries over environmental problems – which also also included fresh water shortages and depletion of natural resources – were even lower than 1992, when the first Earth summit was held in Rio”.” Read more
EU Parliament agrees to cap bankers’ bonuses.
February 28, 2013 Finance
Guardian: “The UK financial sector was dealt a withering blow on Wednesday night when the European Union agreed on moves to slash the bonuses that may be paid to bankers, defeating strong Treasury opposition to the new rules.” Read more
US shale gas boom will last for decades, says report co-led by BP advisor.
February 27, 2013 Gas
Shell puts Arctic operations on ice.
FT: Shell has abandoning plans to drill for oil off the north coast of Alaska this year, “in a huge setback for the company’s Arctic ambitions.” Read more
Operator of delayed Olkiluoto reactor is running out cash.
February 27, 2013 Nuclear
TVO press release: “TVO is now asking its shareholders to inject additional 300 million euros into the company.” Read more
BP’s drillers wrote of “chaos” and “insanity” drilling Macondo well.
February 25, 2013 Oil
Guardian: “The man in charge of BP‘s ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig warned his boss that staff were operating in “chaos, paranoia and insanity” just days before a fatal blowout killed 11 men …” Read more
BP opts for Deepwater trial, refusing a $16bn settlement deal with DoJ.
February 24, 2013 Oil
Guardian: “The US Justice Department and BP were engaged Sunday in efforts to forge a last-minute deal to avert a trial over 2010′s deadly Deepwater Horizon disaster, set to begin in New Orleans on Monday.” Read more
Moody’s downgrades the UK’s triple A rating.
February 22, 2013 Finance
FT: “Sterling slid against the US dollar to hit $1.5073, its weakest level since the summer of 2010, as investors reacted to the downgrade of UK debt by one notch to Aa1 from Aaa.”
6˚C of global warming capitalised by uncontrolled finance: it can’t last.
February 21, 2013 Climate, Commentaries
Mark Campanale and Jeremy Leggett in Investment & Pensions Europe: “Despite tightening climate regulations, the capital markets are becoming more fossil-fuel intense, not less. The major coal, oil and gas-focused companies, with the support of the investment banks and their pension fund clients, continue to be the most successful raisers of capital on the world’s leading stock exchanges. The challenge for the investors brave enough (or bound by tracker portfolios) to invest in them is that the science on climate change is placing increasing uncertainty on their future.”
We can still stay <2 degrees – if industrialised countries cut 50% by 2020.
February 20, 2013 Climate
Energy Policy: Dutch government advisors: “For a medium chance of achieving 2 °C, Annex I countries would need to reduce its emissions by about 50% below 1990 levels by 2020.” Read more
Renewables provide all new US generating capacity in January 2013.
February 20, 2013 Clean Energy
REW: “According to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects, 1,231 MW of new in-service electrical generating capacity came on line in the United States in January 2013 — all from wind, solar, and biomass sources.” Read more
RWE boss warns UK government against nuclear subsidies (for EDF).
February 20, 2013 Nuclear
Guardian:”RWE npower, one of the big six power suppliers, has warned ministers not to seal a long-term subsidy deal with the nuclear industry behind the backs of consumers and saddle them with “unnecessarily high bills” for the next 40 years.” Read more
EDF sues anti-gas campaigners for £5m, assisted by UK police.
Guardian: “EDF is seeking more than £5m in damages from a group of more than 20 activists who occupied one of its power stations for a week last year, in an action campaigners claim could stifle the right to protest across the country.” Read more
E.ON lobbied for long sentences for climate protestors, or else.
Guardian: “The UK chief executive of energy giant E.ON repeatedly lobbied the then-energy secretary Ed Miliband and others over the sentencing of activists disrupting the company’s power plants, warning that any failure to issue “dissuasive” sentences could “impact” upon investment decisions in the UK.” Read more
Warning of massive job losses if EU opts for tariffs on Chinese solar.
February 19, 2013 Clean Energy
New York Times: “The claims by the Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy, a coalition of companies that install and service panels, were aimed at stopping the European Commission from imposing penalties in the biggest trade case of its kind in terms of value.” Read more
UK energy supplies heading downhill fast, warns Ofgem.
Guardian: “The energy regulator’s chief executive, Alistair Buchanan, issued the stark warning to consumers and businesses to prepare for higher prices as power plants close, foreign gas supplies shrink and increasing demand tightens the British energy market.” Read more
EDF confirms it is pressuring UK ministers for 40 year subsidies.
February 19, 2013 Nuclear
Guardian: “The French-owned company is in talks with ministers over “contracts for difference” funding, under which the government guarantees generators will be paid a minimum price for electricity from new nuclear plants: if the market price falls lower than this “strike price” then a surcharge will be added to customers’ bills; if it rises higher there would be a refund.” Read more
UK government offers nuclear subsidies for 40 years.
February 18, 2013 Nuclear
Guardian: “The government is launching a last-ditch attempt to sign up energy companies to build new nuclear power stations by proposing to sign contracts guaranteeing subsidies for up to 40 years.” Read more
Largest climate protest in US history pressures Obama to reject tar pipeline.
February 17, 2013 Oil
Guardian: “Thousands of protesters descended on Washington DC on Sunday demanding Barak Obama shut down the Keystone XL pipeline project to show he is serious about taking action on climate change.”