Today starts our new HOW TO SERIES – on demand by you our readers. How do we take our environmental footprints into our own hands and radically reduce our negative impact on the planet we hope to leave behind to our children in a liveable state? How do we adapt to the realities of the environmental crisis and live with reverence and joy? Every second week we will publish the … [Read more...]
Elections 2014 – who gets your green vote?
This week we will vote for the future of this country. If you are aware of climate change and other threats to our environment and therefore to our civilisation, it helps to take note of how the different parties plan to respond to these threats. What are they saying in their manifestos about: Energy and Climate change Water (services and resources) Mining and … [Read more...]
Abundant natural gas found off East African coast
To East Africa's assets of spectacular wildlife, abundant land and shimmering beaches you can now add gas - so much gas it could transform global energy flows along with some of the world's poorest countries. Finds announced just last week off Tanzania and Mozambique are estimated to hold enough gas to supply France, Germany, Britain and Italy for at least a year - possibly … [Read more...]
Wood Biofuel Could Be Competitive by 2020
Fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to fuel made from corn by 2020 if the wood biofuel industry is supported, according to a new University of British Columbia study. Corn ethanol is currently blended with gasoline to satisfy government-mandated targets to include renewable content in transportation fuel. Compared to corn, wood-based biofuel … [Read more...]
Growing a solar thermal power economy
In recent months South Africa has seen a dramatic change in its energy policy as the Department of Energy, NERSA and Eskom have taken steps to move to a renewable energy future. On November 4th the Independent Power Producer bidding process for the first 200MW of CSP will close, leaving many anxious developers waiting until COP17 to find out if their project has won the … [Read more...]
Blowing in the wind
Energy crisis: we hear these words every day but what does it mean? Are we tired and worn out? Not this time - this refers to something much bigger than us. In a nutshell we are not producing enough electricity from the various current fuel sources to produce the energy we need. But more importantly we are unable to extract sufficient fuel from mother earth to satisfy our … [Read more...]
Microhydro to be launched at Hydropower Africa
A database detailing all microhydro installations in Eastern and Southern Africa will be launched at the upcoming Hydropower Africa conference and exhibition in Johannesburg later this year. The web-based database will show current developments and provide information while hydropower industry professionals will also be able to update content. The driving force behind this … [Read more...]
The future of SA’s solar industry
Enough solar energy falls on the earth's surface every 70 minutes as humankind can use each year, and delivers reliable power without any fuel or significant storage costs. With an average of more than 2,500 hours of sunshine every year, South Africa's solar radiation output is twice that of Europe, making it one of the highest in the world, and the perfect climate for readily … [Read more...]
Heat
Started to worry about just how hot our world is going to get, and whether you can do anything about it? As the effect of climate change grows by the day, so does the amount of hot air and bluster spouted by politicians and businessmen on what we should do about it. What with the excuses, the lies, the fudged figures, the PR greenwashing and the downright misinformation … [Read more...]
