The twentieth century way of life has been made available, largely due to the miracle of cheap energy. The price of energy has been at record lows for the past century and a half.As oil becomes increasingly scarce, it is becoming obvious to everyone, that the rapid economic and industrial growth we have enjoyed for that time is not sustainable.Now, the hunt is on. For renewable sources of energy, for alternative sources of energy, for a way of life that is less dependent on cheap energy.Â
US officials consider burning oil slick Posted 25 minutes ago Officials say they may set fire to a vast oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico to prevent what could become one of the worst ecological disasters in US history. A BP oil rig exploded and sank last week and the equivalent of at least Continue Reading →
Dipal Barua has a vision. He sees his homeland becoming one of the world’s first “solar nations”. He believes solar and other renewable energies can transform the lives of the 75 million Bangladeshis who have no access to electricity. To achieve this transformation, he wants to train 100,000 women entrepreneurs to set up their own renewable energy businesses by the year 2015. If Dipal Barua has his way, Bangladesh will, he says, “become a role model for 1.6 billion energy-starved people all over the world”.
27 April 2010 Rudd must stop punishment of solar pensioners Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown says he will move in theSenate to stop pensioners and small investors being penalised forselling solar power into the electricity grid. In New South Wales, pensioner Don Campbell, who invested$11,000 in solar panels has been told by the federal government Continue Reading →
NB (How mean is this) Pensioners hit for solar bonus Updated: 07:04, Monday April 26, 2010 Pensioners will have their payments cut if they sell excess electricity from their solar electricity systems, the federal government has confirmed. Former policeman Rod Campbell, 63, collect’s a carer’s pension while looking after his wife, and spent $11,000 to Continue Reading →
Wind industry disputes ‘quick’ UK planning process claim Ecologist 22nd April 2010 European report ranks UK application process for wind farms as amongst quickest, ahead of Spain and Portugal It takes nearly two and a half years to get planning consent for an onshore wind farm in the UK – a year less than the Continue Reading →
Nearly a year and a half ago I wrote about China’s tentative first steps to build an alternative energy transportation industry. Since then, China’s car market has surpassed that of the United States, becoming the largest market in the world (in December 2009 vehicle sales in China exceeded 1 million units). The focus of future development is increasing the alternative energy car segment of that market.
The pieces of the alternative energy vehicle industry puzzle that now are in place (or will be in place shortly) provide an increasingly complete picture of the future of alternative energy transportation in China. Not surprisingly, the Chinese are well along in constructing a robust alternative vehicle industry and the infrastructure to serve it. It is certain that that industry will become a force worldwide.