By 2050, Most Energy Will Come From Renewables

Recently,  DNV GL, an international energy consulting company, asked 1,600 people who actually work in the field — at equipment manufacturers, power producers, utilities, policy-making agencies, energy retailers, regulators, and equity investment firms — about the future of renewables. One of the main questions: How quickly will renewables be generating 70 percent of the energy in the markets you work with? Almost half of the survey respondents said they could see that happening by 2030. And almost all of them — about 80 percent — thought renewables would dominate by 2050.  Read more at http://nymag.com

Energy Efficiency is about Productivity

Anyone who has ever managed a budget can tell you that controlling your overheads will help to bring expenditures down and improve your overall productivity. Right now, Australia has the opportunity to do just that with national energy bill, and the building industry is well placed to be front and centre of this effort. The building sector is one of the major contributors to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from power used on sites, together with emissions involved in creating all the materials used by the industry, contribute around 23 per cent of Australia’s total emissions. Read more at https://sourceable.net

Climate change: Canada glaciers to shrink by 70 per cent by 2100

The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, was headed by Garry Clarke, a professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The team used a computer model that combined four well-known scenarios for global warming this century, with data about three glacier-covered regions and dynamics of ice melt. Even at the lowest projected warming, most of the glaciers are essentially doomed, according to their forecast. "When the glaciers have gone, we lose the important services they provide: a buffer against hot, dry spells in late summer that keeps headwater streams flowing and cool, and sustains cool-water aquatic species." Read more at http://www.straitstimes.com

10 Energy Saving Tips for Spring

There are some easy things anyone can do to save energy and money both around the house and at the office.  Here are 10 energy saving tips for sppring season:
1. Service your air conditioner. Easy maintenance such as routinely replacing or cleaning air filters can lower your cooling system’s energy consumption by up to 15 percent. Also check your air conditioner’s evaporator coil, which should be cleaned annually to ensure the system is performing at optimal levels.
2. Open windows. Opening windows creates a cross-wise breeze, allowing you to naturally cool your space without switching on air conditioners. This is an ideal tactic in spring and fall when temperatures are mild.
Read more at http://greenbuildingelements.com

Russia Pledges Essentially Zero To Global Greenhouse Gas Goals

Every country is supposed to issue their  intended nationally determined contributions (INDC) pledges before the next big U.N. climate change meeting in Paris this coming December. The Russians have just issued their INDC and it's kind of amusing. The Russians pledge to aim at "Limiting anthropogenic greenhouse gases in Russia to 70-75% of 1990 levels by the year 2030 might be a long-term indicator, subject to the maximum possible account of absorbing capacity of forests". Why amusing?  Russian emssions are already well below the 70 percent mark. Read more at http://reason.com

Building a More Competitive Mexico City Through Energy Efficiency

Mexico City – 1 of 5 global cities – is now working on a Building Efficiency Accelerator for retrofitting buildings to use less energy and make them competitive. At least 20 percent of the city's emissions come from buildings, so improving energy use will help the city hit its goal of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020. Efficient buildings—those that use fewer resources but provide the same level of services—are more livable and comfortable, improving the health of occupants and the productivity of workers. For example, integrating energy efficient building principles into the design of two LEED certified 7-Eleven stores in Monterrey, Mexico reduced energy use by 20 percent, improved customer experience, and increased sales by 22 percent compared to non-LEED stores in the area. Read more at http://sustainablecitiescollective.com

Climate Change: New study enables detailed projections of coral reef bleaching

There are regions within many countries where some reefs are projected to experience annual bleaching conditions 15 or more years later than neighboring regions. This applies to reefs in Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and Mexico. Reefs projected to experience bleaching conditions later can be conservation priorities. The loss of coral reefs can have economic, social and ecological effects. Coral reefs provide rich habitat for valuable fisheries that people depend on for food. They serve as protective buffers to coastlines by absorbing wave energy from storms, and they boost local economies by attracting tourists who fish, dive and explore these underwater treasures. Read more at http://summitcountyvoice.com

Renewable energy: annual report says global investments rebound strongly

Global investments in renewable energy rebounded strongly last year (2014), registering a solid 17 percent increase after two years of declines and brushing aside the challenge from sharply lower crude oil prices, said UNEP ninth annual report. Major expansion of solar installations in China and Japan and record investments in offshore wind projects in Europe helped propel global 2014 investments to $270 billion. According to the report, the 103 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity added around the world made 2014 the best year ever for newly installed capacity. Read more at http://www.brecorder.com

Graphene Light Bulb Expected to Last Longer, Be More Efficient, Save Money and Energy

The bulb’s developers — a Canadian-financed company called Graphene Lighting — expect the dimmable bulb to use 10 percent less energy than conventional bulbs, last longer and be priced lower than some LEDs, at roughly $20 each. It was designed at the University of Manchester, where the revolutionary material was discovered. Read more at http://www.sustainablebrands.com

U.S. unvailed plan to stall climate change

The U.S. administration on Tuesday unveiled details about its proposal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. This common-sense and achievable plan to decarbonize the U.S. economy will result in significant cost savings from cleaner technologies and create more American energy jobs to power our homes and businesses. Mr. Obama’s plan, part of a formal written submission to the United Nations ahead of efforts to forge a global climate change accord in Paris in December, detailed the United States’ part of an ambitious joint pledge made by Mr. Obama and President Xi Jinping of China in November. 
 Read more at http://www.cnn.com
http://www.nytimes.com