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Energy:

Los Angeles abandons plan to spend billions of dollars to rebuild gas plants

Los Angeles is making steady efforts in its swift energy transition from fossil fuels to more climate-friendly energy sources. With coal almost out of the picture, the city is now ready to part ways with natural gas too. In a move to get the city closer to its goal of 100 percent renewable energy and improve air quality in highly polluted communities, the city has announced that it will abandon plans to spend billions of dollars rebuilding three natural power plants. The decision comes several months after state lawmakers passed a bill requiring California to get 100 percent of its…

Source: Los Angeles Times
Category: Energy - Date:02/13/2019

Australian court rejects construction of coal mine over climate concerns

Australia has been one of the slowest nations when it comes to ditching coal, but now it seems they're getting with the program. Recently, a landmark ruling rejected the construction of a coal mine because of its potential impact on the environment. The ruling represents the first time a new coal mine has been rejected in Australia, the world’s leading coal exporter, because of the potential contribution to global warming. What might have influenced the court’s decision are the extreme weather patterns taking place in Australia over the past few months, which caused major destruction in large parts of the…

Source: Nature
Category: Energy - Date:02/12/2019

How origami inspired designers to create blinds that generate solar energy

If you’ve been following the Optimist Daily for the past couple years, you’ll know that many companies are trying to design windows that can harvest energy from sunlight. The problem is often these solar windows are inefficient and block sunlight from getting through, darkening rooms in the process. To solve this issue, a design firm is turning to the art of origami to create blinds that you can hang inside your window that simultaneously generate electricity while bringing more natural light inside. The geometric shape of these origami-style blinds makes it possible to bounce light between multiple solar panels, generating…

Source: Fast Company
Category: Energy - Date:02/11/2019

More Africans have access to electricity than ever thanks to solar energy

Africa’s great size, along with a number of different factors, has made it an extremely difficult task to create electrical grids that consistently deliver power. This has led more and more people to rely on less-clean energy sources such as kerosene or diesel fuel. The good thing is Africa has an abundance of sunlight (potential solar energy), and with the price of solar panels falling to an all-time low, more and more people are able to harness solar energy power for their homes, with some companies offering low-income families access to solar energy for as little as $1 per month.…

Source: OZY
Category: Energy - Date:02/05/2019

Pakistan to exempt renewables manufacturers from taxes

Considering that renewables account for only 5 to 6 percent of Pakistan’s electricity generation, the country’s government has proposed to exempt solar and wind manufacturers from taxes. The initiative is expected to boost production by encouraging greater local manufacturing of equipment needed for renewable power expansion.

Source: World Economic Forum
Category: Energy - Date:02/04/2019

Could additional nuclear power force fossil fuels out? The answer should be NO.

While sustainable means of generating electricity like wind and solar are gaining momentum, at the moment, some continue to suggest that nuclear energy could be the best way to dissolve our reliance on dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and gas. Nuclear power doesn’t rely heavily on fossil fuels in order to operate, and its carbon footprint is almost non-existent. On the other hand, there are innumerable concrete reasons why nuclear energy is a terrible idea: lack of private sector financing, exorbitant cost, and extended construction timeline, radioactive waste, security vulnerabilities, etc. We at the Optimist Daily completely reject the…

Source: My Good Planet
Category: Energy - Date:01/31/2019

Researchers invent air-conditioners that can also generate electricity

Scientists at Stanford University have managed to engineer an air-conditioner which generates power at the same time. Air conditioners and climate change interact in a vicious cycle: as the planet warms, demand for air conditioning increases, thereby driving emissions ever higher. The new device works by employing a process known as radiative cooling, which could potentially make ACs in the future generate and simultaneously save electricity.

Source: GreenBiz
Category: Energy - Date:01/31/2019

Corporate clean-power deals more than doubled last year compared to 2017

Last year, corporations demonstrated their dedication towards stepping over to renewables. In 2018 the corporate clean-power deals more than doubled compared to the record set in 2017. Big firms’ sustainability targets and concerns about climate change are driving a green boom that has been propelled by clean-energy subsidies and government mandates.

Source: Bloomberg
Category: Energy - Date:01/30/2019

Scientists invented a novel device that can store solar power for over a decade

Scientists may have uncovered the solution to the problem of long-term energy storage by developing a device that uses a specialized fluid that can store solar power for more than 10 years. The renewable, carbon-free energy device is made up of a concave reflector with a pipe in the center, which tracks the Sun like a satellite dish. With tests showing signs of success, the device is attracting the attention of investors. If all goes well, the technology is expected to be available for commercial use within 10 years.

Source: ScienceAlert
Category: Energy - Date:01/29/2019

Germany’s energy sector to go coal-free by 2038

In its quest to move away from fossil fuels, Germany has decided to phase out all of its coal plants by 2038. The country is the last major bastion of coal-burning in north-western Europe and the dirtiest of fossil fuels still provides nearly 40 percent of Germany’s electricity. The decision to bid farewell to coal will have major implications for Europe’s attempt to meet its Paris climate change targets.

Source: The Guardian
Category: Energy - Date:01/28/2019

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