Can concentrated solar power compete with photovoltaics?

Technical problems, including fire at the world's largest solar plant, are the least among the challenges, which concentrated solar power technology faces. At the time when Ivanpah Solar Power Facility (California) was just a proposal in 2007, the cost of electricity made using concentrated solar power technology was approximately the same as that from photovoltaic solar panels.

Germany decided to replace feed-in tariffs with energy auctions to cut costs of renewables

Feed-in tariffs worked well in the past, when renewable energy was still relatively expensive and number of installations was comparatively low. Germany went from 6 percent renewables share in 2000 to more than one-third in 2015, while photovoltaic solar costs, for example, dropped by 80 percent.

Pacific islands may disappear because of climate change

Study published by researches from Australia confirms the connection between human-caused climate change and quick shoreline erosion of 33 South Pacific reef islands, including five that were completely vanished between 1947 and 2014, as well as six with decrease of shorelines by more than 20 percent.

Morocco’s concentrated solar power plant will help to meet the electricity needs of 1.1 million people

In February this year Morocco launched the first phase of the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the world. The three-plant Noor-Ouarzazate CSP complex called NOORo expects to achieve over 500 megawatts  installed capacity, ultimately supplying power to 1.1 million Moroccans by 2018. It is estimated that the plant will save for country about 2.5 million tons of oil annually and will reduce carbon emissions by 760,000 tons per year.

EIA forecast: world energy consumption from renewables will double by 2040

In its International Energy Outlook 2016 (IEO2016), the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts a raise of total world energy consumption from 549 quadrillion Btu in 2012 to 815 quadrillion Btu in 2040, an increase of 48%. By 2040, almost two-thirds of the world’s primary energy will be consumed in the non-OECD economies.

El Niño-induced weather extremes this year have cost billions of dollars in damage

According to Climate Central's analysis, exceptionally strong El Niño this year caused weather transformation leading to disastrous events like tornadoes, droughts, wildfire, floods, food and water shortages all over the world. El Niño shifts a large pool of warm ocean waters from the western to the central and eastern tropical Pacific, disrupting its typical atmosphere circulation patterns, what can impact weather thousands of miles away.

Chocolate lovers beware - its production requires over 17000 liters of freshwater per kilogram!

Global warming and quickly growing water use for human life and activity needs are the major risks leading to depletion of Earth's freshwater resources. Only 8% of water is used for domestic needs, while 70% - for irrigation, and 22% - for industry.

3D printing has significant potential to lower GHG emissions

Study, published in Energy Policy journal,contains a qualitative assessment of 3D printing induced sustainability implications and quantifies changes in life cycle costs, energy and CO2 emissions globally by 2025.

Over 80 000 people are evacuated in Alberta because of wildfire probably caused by unusually hot weather

The Alberta government declared a provincial state of emergency due to a devastating forest fires that has destroyed 1,600 homes in Fort McMurray and promoted the largest evacuation due to fire in Alberta’s history.

2015 was a record global growth year for both wind and solar power

According to Bloomberg, renewable energy has attracted in 2015 twice as much global investment as fossil fuels. As a result, renewable generation capacity increased by 152 gigawatts (GW) or 8.3% during 2015. Wind power grew 63 GW (17%) driven by declines in onshore turbine prices of up to 45% since 2010. Solar capacity increased 47 GW (26%) thanks to price drops of up to 80% for solar photovoltaic modules in the same time period.