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Tag: Wind Energy

THE FUTURE OF ENERGY IN BRITAIN – MEET TARGETS BY 2050

Sally Hill | 30.07.10

Launched by the DECC, the 2050 Pathways Analysis report illustrates six possible energy mixes to achieve secure and affordable energy supplies in the UK while still hitting the 2050 target of reducing emissions by 80 per cent on 1990 levels.

It is the government’s first comprehensive, long-term look at the UK’s energy supply and demand sectors and greenhouse gas emissions to 2050. The report tries to illustrate some of the energy choices and trade-offs to be made over the next 40 years.

2050 Pathways Calculator Tool

This is an online tool that allows users to explore different combinations of levels of change across the energy sectors to create pathways which successfully achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, while ensuring that energy supply meets demand.

The Calculator was created under the supervision / direction of David Mackay, chief scientific adviser at DECC. A description, in the words of Adam Vaughan:

"You get to play with two sets of sliders. One set affects energy consumption such as temperature within buildings, number of electric cars and so on. The other controls energy generation - you can choose how many wind turbines you want, go for nuclear, invest in bio-energy and ramp up solar. In other words, it's rather like the Guardian's very own "national carbon calculator", which we launched in April."

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Va Va Voom

Anna Shepard | 05.11.10

Dale and Damon with Nemesis

Guest post by green writer Anna Shepard

Forget the myth of hair shirts and worthiness that plagues the green movement. Last night, at Somerset House, it was all glitz and glamour, champagne and canapés, and at the heart of it, one very stylish sports car.

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ecotricity, wind car, renewable energy, dale vince, wind energy, nemesis, damon hill

Greenhouse Morning News

Greta Jonyniate | 29.02.12

News stories – 29th February 2012

Top news stories

Heartland associate taught 'biased' climate course at Ottawa university – The Guardian
Fukushima, a year on: 3,000 workers take on the twisted steel and radiation– The Guardian
RenewableUK unites with UK's largest union to drive green jobs – Business Green
EU vote expected to back plan to prop up carbon price – Business Green

Solar

‎Solar Investing – FT Adviser
Solar scheme hopes for 18th century home - This is Gloucestershire
‎Bristol City Council charts its solar potential – Solar Power Portal

‎Wind
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Wind myths: Turbines increase carbon emissions – The Guardian
Wind myths: Turbines can damage your health – The Guardian
Opposition groups kick up storm over windfarms in Wales – The Guardian
Cameron leads defence of wind energy policy – Business Green

Food
‎
Mexico City's floating gardens threatened by urbanisation – The Guardian
Food giants cook up sustainable beef masterplan – Business Green
Animal health 'a key part of keeping the world fed' - Scotsman
‎Seattle to Create Nation's Largest Public Food Forest – Treehugger

Ethical Finance
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What are the options for financing climate change adaptation? – The Guardian
Intelligent Energy fundraising nets $30m - FT
UK rises to fifth place in global renewable investment league‎ Solar Power Portal
Challenging year ahead for renewables investments – Ernst & Young‎ Environmental Finance

Interesting news

New Zealand's penguin power – The Independent
Lofty ambitions: why green roofs are the future of urban gardening – The Ecologist
The Ecologist meets… eco designer Alice Asquith – The Ecologist
6 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Company’s Carbon Footprint – Inhabitat

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solar, wind energy, farming, food, wind power, wind turbine, green news, wind, wind power news, solar news

Greenhouse morning news

Greta Jonyniate | 06.03.12

News stories – 6th March 2012

Top news stories

Controversial green energy report 'very, very poor', says government economist – The Guardian
Why Rio+20 must not leave politics out of sustainable development – The Guardian
UK's green credentials 'worsening' - PA
‎Controversial renewable energy report branded 'shoddy nonsense' – Business Green
Scotland steps up plans for 100 per cent green electricity by 2020 – Business Green
High profile support for anti-nuclear protest - Edie

Solar

Wrexham leads Europe's solar charge – The Guardian
Thousands protest sweeping solar cuts in Berlin - Reuters UK
‎Ilkeston Community Hospital solar scheme is completed – BBC news Derby
‎The Green Electrician South Wales installs £1.25 million of solar across Milford Docks – Solar Power Portal
Solar energy in off-grid locations - Engineer Live
‎Solar apartments are the hot, new trend in Japan – Smart Planet

Wind
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Does building turbines use more energy than they produce? – The Guardian
Partnership aims to help wind turbine budgeting - FarmersWeekly
‎Cheaper turbines to revive North American wind industry – Smart Planet
‎A tale of two consultancies: the evolution of the Panorama wind report‎ - Carbon Brief (blog)

Food

Cost of eggs set to rise another 20p per dozen after doubling last year – Daily Mail
Don't believe the lie: Organic farming CAN feed the world – Natural News
‘Outcry at Countryfile food claims’ – Farmers Weekly
In season now: what to eat during March – The Ecologist
Pig farmers attack organic and welfare campaigners - Meatinfo

Ethical Finance

Google Buys Wind, Bets on Sun - BusinessWeek
‎Oliver Letwin encouraged green investment in the UK - KMS Baltics
‎Wind grants to boost local good causes - This is The West Country
‎Planting the idea of alternative investment – The National
‎
Interesting news

Sustainability: Green business - Business Excellence Magazine
Springing into action: 10 eco-friendly cleaning tools – All MNN content
‘Mountain Band-Aid’ Transforms Strip-Mined Mountainside Into a Vertical Eco Village – Ihabitat
Thousands of Christians 'Give Up' Carbon for Lent - TreeHugger

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Millions Watch Collapsing Cooling Towers

Greta Jonyniate | 12.03.12

Want to watch cooling towers collapse? It may seem like an odd question, but over 2.2 million people have watched Ecotricity’s latest video, which features personified cooling towers being brought down with controlled explosives. Over 50,000 people have shared the video on Facebook.

Why so popular? Whilst there is no exact set of rules to making a viral video, Ecotricity’s video makes it seem simple. Take an underappreciated trend on Youtube, ie. videos of collapsing buildings, which attract hundreds of thousands of viewers, link it to the green movement in a way that seems completely natural, and add a little bit of absurdity to raise a smile.

The video is in aid of the energy company’s campaign to “Dump The Big Six.” Ecotricity want to see consumers and businesses stop using npower, SSE, E.ON, British Gas, EDF and Scottish power and move to more sustainable energy sources. Whilst the UK average for renewable energy in a provider’s fuel mix is just 7.9%, Ecotricity relies on renewable sources to create 54.1% of its energy supply. Ecotricity hasn’t just hit the government’s demand that 15% of energy comes from renewable sources by 2020, they have … well, demolished the old guard and ushered in the new.