Low-Carbon Hybrid Energy Systems: China’s Future Energy Solutions
Coal dominated energy resources and consumption dominate the energy structure in China. This leads to the great challenges for China’s future energy development along with both growing demand for energy and high pressure for CO2 emissions reduction. From the earlier viewpoint, the reduction of CO2 emission could be reached by replacing fossil fuel by low-carbon energy resources for electricity generation. However, it gave rise to the questions. Is it possible to directly using low-carbon energy on the reduction of CO2 emission? Is there an efficient way to decrease the emission of CO2 by low-carbon energy, and utilize the C and O in CO2 to produce useful materials? Thus, a potential scheme is proposed to couple coal with the low-carbon energy via the high efficient integration, including nuclear, wind, solar, biomass and hydro power etc. Such a hybrid energy system may target both CO2 reduction and recycle on a large-scale.
The Building’s Green; What About the Equipment That Built It?
The building has been planned carefully as an eco-friendly model. Careful attention to detail in selecting building materials was paramount. The heating and air conditioning was not only environmentally sound but the ventilation system had been thoroughly tested on a scale model for maximum design efficiency. Selection of the location was precise for orientation, natural landscaping, and minimal impact. There are good reasons for such meticulous detail. Numerous studies show that across the lifetime of the building, when considering tenancy,…
Carbon Footprint Measurements: Understanding the Basics
Carbon emissions are directly correlated with energy and other business inputs. Conducting a comprehensive business carbon footprint can help you identify bottom-line savings in the form of operational, process, and technological inefficiencies. It can also draw the attention of investors, the press, and others, helping you to improve the overall profile of your organization in the public eye. Finally, as climate change concerns continue to grow, knowing your carbon footprint gives you a competitive advantage as more and more companies are being asked to provide this information to potential business partners, investors, and customers.
Major Cuts to Surging CO2 Emissions Are Needed Now & Not Down the Road
Halting climate change will require “a fundamental and disruptive overhaul of the global energy system” to eradicate harmful carbon dioxide emissions, not just stabilize them, according to new findings by UC Irvine and other scientists.
As Climate Warms Bark Beetles March on High-Elevation Forests
In a report published today (Dec. 31, 2012) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports a rising threat to the whitebark pine forests of the northern Rocky Mountains as native mountain pine beetles climb ever higher, attacking trees that have not evolved strong defenses to stop them.
Research and Markets: Green Airports: How Airports are Realizing Energy Savings
Airports often struggle to comply with environmental regulations arising out of operations. Airports must grapple with reducing tons of toxic emissions caused by landings, takeoffs, and use of diesel shuttles. And soaring energy-related facility costs can decimate a bottom line.
D*Haus’ D*Dynamic Origami-Inspired Shape Changing House
Architecture in origami form is a remarkable concept which is hard to envision but D*Haus has come up with a house design that follows the very dynamics of the paper folding art. D*Haus’ transformation house, D*Dynamic, has yet to be built but the conception is likely to take hold. They have designed furniture, such as the eight-tables-in-one and the D*Table where different shaped/sized tables are fitted together to form larger tables. D*Dynamic follows the form of the mathematical problem from…
Keys to Understanding Possible Impacts On Forest Biodiversity And People
There appears to be too much information about the world’s dwindling forests that is not properly considered. A new study released by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) contends that biodiversity is found to be a critical determinant of a forest’s ability to absorb greenhouse gases. The assessment also stresses that accounting for those who live in or near forests when implementing REDD+ (reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancing forest carbon stocks in developing countries) increases the likelihood of achieving carbon and biodiversity goals.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between biodiversity, forest management and climate change mitigation in the framework of the United Nations-backed initiative REDD+. Importantly, the report reviews the social implications of forest and land management interventions envisaged under REDD+ and points to the need for an integrated landscape management approach that involves all people who have a stake in forests.
Sustainable Cities Must Look Beyond City Limits
City leaders aspiring to transform their cities into models of sustainability must look beyond city limits and include in their calculation the global flow of goods and materials into their realm, argue researchers in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences journal Ambio.
Experts Call for Wildlife Conservation Network
“To date, state programs have been inconsistently and incompletely integrated into regional and national networks,” they write. “In this era of reduced financing and increased threats, better, more consistent coordination of state-based efforts is increasingly necessary to maximize the effectiveness of limited conservation funds.”
IKEA Plugs-In Georgia’s Largest Private Solar Rooftop Array on Savannah Distribution Center
“Installing solar panels atop this facility demonstrates that the company’s sustainable commitment extends beyond our stores into all facets of the retail operations,” said William Jackson, Savannah Distribution Center Manager. “This solar array will reduce significantly the carbon footprint and electricity costs of this facility. We appreciate the continued support of the Chatham County, Georgia Power, and Gehrlicher Solar, our partners in this project.”
New Low-Cost Material Offers ‘Green’ Carbon-Capture
Professor Martin Schröder, Dean of the Faculty of Science at The University of Nottingham, led the research. He said: “Our novel material has potential for applications in carbon capture technologies to reduce CO2 emissions and therefore contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”
Cooling Coal Emissions Has Massive Potential For Clean Air
Perhaps the largest concern on the part of the public is the potential cost of cooling coal emissions. But proponents of this technology say costs would be offset by a decline in health problems associated with coal production. Scientists estimate that poor air quality derived from burning coal costs the health care system somewhere between $330 billion and $500 billion every year. And that’s only taking the financial cost into account.
Destroyed Coastal Habitats Produce Significant Greenhouse Gas
Destruction of coastal habitats may release as much as 1 billion tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere each year, 10 times higher than previously reported, according to a new Duke led study.
Methane is No Longer Just a Gas but Proved to be Fish Food
New studies were conducted by Angela Sanseverino who studied a combination of two biomarkers which now shows that methane is a crucial part of life systems found in lakes and which can be returned to the food chain.
Are Deep Sea Methane Hydrates Melting?
If record-setting temperatures, drought, and food shortages aren’t enough in troubling news, we hope this German research effort to find if methane hydrate deep in the ocean is melting due to rising water temperatures – potentially emitting massive quantities of methane into the atmosphere – returns with negative findings and reports that deep sea ice formations have remained stable. This press release came in today:
Mapping the Future of Climate Change in Africa
Using detailed regional climate models and geographic information systems, researchers with the Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS) program developed an online mapping tool that analyzes how climate and other forces interact to threaten the security of African communities.