In 2010 China was the world leader in investment in renewable energy technology according to the UN’s Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2011. Globally investment was up almost one third in 2010 over 2009, at a record US$211 billion, and for the first time developing economies put more into ”financial new investment” than developed ones. Global...
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The Welsh village of Llangattock in the Brecon Beacons National Park has been named the UK’s greenest community and won $100,000, in a challenge that encourages neighbourhoods to save and generate as much energy as possible. To win the prize the community team undertook an audit of the energy efficiency of the whole community,...
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We’ve recently had articles on a ground source heat pump and on other alternative energy sources. Now here’s a guest post of the benefits of wind power. Wind energy is the process where wind turbines are converting kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy, which again is converted into electricity by a generator....
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Many sensationalist news reports have been published over the years claiming some new fangled gadget – be it a vaccine, a microwave, a mobile phone or now, an energy saving light – is really evil incarnate or at least a little questionable. But often these reports are so extreme that they seem ridiculous and...
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The world’s first mass market, zero emmission car will arrive in Australia in 2012, while the world’s largest electric car charge network will give the car the same range as petrol cars. Beginning with the ACT in the second quarter of 2012, Better Place will be rolling out its network which will include both...
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When it comes to looking for alternative energy sources, there are really three viable alternatives to solar energy. They are wind, geothermal and tidal energy. So let’s take a look at each of them. Wind Power Wind energy really is another form of solar energy, since wind is produced when warm air and cool...
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Renault, partnering with Gestamp Solar, has launched the global automotive industry’s most ambitious solar project. They are installing enough solar roof panels on their French plants to reduce CO2 emissions by 30,000 tonnes a year. The project’s power capacity will be by 60MW – enough to power a town of 15,000 for a full...
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US Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced almost US$15 million for eight new research and development projects into high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). LEDs and OLEDs can last 25 times as long as incandescent light bulbs and be as much as 10 times more efficient than...
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As we become more aware of the need to reduce our impact on the earth’s environment, it becomes more and more apparent just how much needs to change if we are to provide future generations with a sustainable future. One of the major areas in which people can make changes towards reducing their carbon...
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Environmental protection and conservation is among the top concerns in the world today. It seems that in all facets of living, eco-friendly actions are a priority. It is natural, then, to expect this importance to drift into the home. While many homeowners consider solar panels, heat conservation, and earth friendly paints, another great avenue...
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An estimated 45,000 people attended rallies in support of “climate action”, saying Yes to a price on carbon, around Australia on Sunday. Rallies were held in most capital cities. It was frigid in Canberra with temperatures around 10°C and wind gusts up to 45km/hr, but thousands marched up to Parliament House to tell politicians...
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Hardwoods come in a great many varieties. Humans have an affinity with trees; they have been our friends and one of our earliest sources of fuel, shelter and food. Trees play a major role in religious stories and most countries have a tree as their symbol. The most recent twist in the tale of...
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If you are serious about making green interior design modifications to your home then one of the first things you will contemplate doing is installing one or more programmable thermostats in your home. Energy efficiency is a big part of being green nowadays – it reduces the amount of non-renewable resources used and cuts...
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(This article updated March 2012) There are not too many people who really want to go back to with living without our modern appliances like stoves, fridges or air conditioners. The problem is that we need to figure out a way for powering our homes without destroying our world around us. Many are considering...
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There is more than one way to heat your house and water with renewable energy. Using solar energy to power your home is of course one way. But another option is to use a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) (also called a geothermal heat pump* or ground heat pump). This still uses electricity to power...
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Sustainable interior design is concerned with the present health of people and the planet and also with the future health of the world and its inhabitants. The two are inextricably bound: only by ensuring the health of the environment at the moment can we hope to ensure a good quality of life for future...
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A new UN report shows that nearly 80% of our global energy needs could be supplied by renewablesby 2050 if backed by the necessary government policies. The report, released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on May 9, reviewed six renewable energy technologies: bioenergy, solar, power, geothermal power, hydropower, ocean energy, and...
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Members of the solar sector in Australia have pronounced the 2011 Federal Budget, released last week, as “disappointing”. But Australian’s aren’t taking disappointment lying down. The Solar Last Chance Rally today is a response to the NSW Government permanently closing down their Solar Bonus Scheme (notably started by the previous government), and announcing last...
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A recent study in California found that having a rooftop solar power system installed significantly increased the value of homes. No surprise right? But the interesting thing was that the sale value of the homes with solar power increased by about the cost of installing the system – even though the original home owner...
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![Renewable Energy "Guru": A Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels [Kindle Edition] by Alan MacKay](http://sustainablesuburbia.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/beginnersguide-how-solar-energy-works-140x140.jpg)
Using solar power for homes has become very popular in recent years. Solar powered devices are environmentally friendly and relatively cheap. The technology is not so new and you have probably seen simple solar panels on your watches or calculator. But if you are planning to install more complex solar power system, you might...
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