Japanese breakthrough will make wind power cheaper than nuclear [and coal?]

"A surprising aerodynamic innovation in wind turbine design called the 'wind lens' could triple the output of a typical wind turbine, making it less costly than nuclear power." Source: Mother Nature Network - by Karl Burkart. 

This article tells all about this new invention and gives a summary on the wind energy potential in the US. Well worth the read!

Can Japan's Anti-Nuclear Protesters Keep the Reactors Shut Down?

"For months after a devastating earthquake and tsunami crippled Japan's Fukushima power plant, sparking fears of a possible nuclear meltdown, the country's anti-nuclear groups struggled to be heard. A few small rallies were held, but they failed to generate much media coverage. As debates raged from Germany to China about the safety of nuclear reactors, commentary in Japan, of all places, was strangely absent. Protests are just that unusual in this conservative country.

But this is starting to change. As Fukushima continues to spew more radioactivity into the air and trust in the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. plunges, the mood in Japan is slowly shifting away from nuclear power. On Sept. 19, the mounting anger and fear culminated in a rally of some 60,000 anti-nuclear protesters in Tokyo — the largest such gathering since the March 11 quake and tsunami."

Source and More here on - Time

Massive increase in Green Star rated buildings in SA

"The green movement in the built environment is spreading like wildfire and in the month of September alone the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) certified three new green buildings in SA under the Green Star SA rating system."

Source and More here on - SA Commercial Prop News 

Transforming South Africa’s Energy Sector Through Renewable Energy

"In this article Davin Chown argues that South Africa should take advantage of the opportunities presented by renewable energies and stop relying on coal-fired power stations which emit carbon emissions and pollute the environment."

"South Africa has long relied on coal to produce cheap electricity - or what we were led to believe was cheap electricity. This cheap, but dirty fossil fuel has driven our country’s economy for many decades, and has, alongside this development, created many thousands of jobs both in the mining and energy sector.

...

For everyone involved, the change to a new renewable energy system will be sometimes slow and frustrating, but it is clear that South Africa cannot go on with its polluting ways and continue to face the impacts of climate change on its agricultural systems and in general its eco-system which are the glue and foundation that keep the economic system going. We are in a once-off transition to sustainability and South Africa is in a position to learn from the mistakes made by others, and not to repeat these very costly mistakes."

Source and More here on - NGO Pulse.

NEWS SNIPPETS

WIND POWER
Danish wind turbine part maker mulls SA plant - Engineering News

DST to offer assistance packages to spur localisation in wind sector - Engineering News

Big wind power roll-out to bring transport headaches - Engineering News

MANUFACTURING
Proudly SA’s new CEO to place spotlight on govt procurement policies - Engineering News

GREEN TECHNOLOGY
Entrepreneurs, SMEs urged to participate in clean tech competition - Engineering News

RENEWABLE ENERGY
UNDP adviser highlights renewable energy tender approach drawbacks - Engineering News

AfDB loan concludes 100-MW Eskom wind farm funding phase - Engineering News

CLIMATE CONFERENCE
SA’s latest climate study to reveal severe weather risks - Engineering News

AUTO INDUSTRY
DTI to mull over draft electric vehicle strategy before it goes to Cabinet - Engineering News

GM, SAIC sign electric vehicle development agreement - Engineering News

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
SA hosts deforestation emissions reduction workshop ahead of COP 17 - Engineering News

We Up the Pressure on Govt to Stop Nuclear - Greenpeace

West African Fisheries Decline Steeply as Government Fails to Act - Greenpeace
GREEN ECONOMY
Carbon-neutral Green Cab helps to shrink carbon footprint - Engineering News

GREEN BUILDING
Three more office developments certified under Green Star SA - Engineering News

Green Building Council to launch pilot public and education rating tool - Engineering News

Planting Day

23 September was Planting Day, according to the Planting Season team. 

"One look at the international stock market tells you that now is the perfect time to get that vegetable garden growing." - Planting Season team

For more information here on - Planting Season

Seeds for Growth: Financing smallholder farming in southern Africa

The Book, "Seeds for Growth: Financing smallholder farming in southern Africa" explores how governance and political decision-making about the allocation of resources could transform the smallholder agricultural landscape in southern Africa. It affirms the role smallholder agriculture can play in a national and regional political system in the pursuit of social and economic justice."

Source and More here on - Idasa

Eskom signs two loan agreements for wind project

"Eskom signed two loan agreements totalling $365 million with the African Development Bank on Sunday, which will enable it to implement a renewable wind and solar generator, the electricity parastatal said.

"These are exciting times for Eskom," CEO Brian Dames said in a statement.

"We are committed to a cleaner energy future and we now have the capability to implement our large-scale wind and solar generation projects. We appreciate the roles the African Development Bank and the South African government have played in making this possible," he said."

Source and More here on - Times Live

NEWS SNIPPET - GREEN BUILDING

"Amendments were recently introduced to the Regulations to the Building Standards Act in Government Gazette 34586, Notice 711, dated 9 September 2011.


These aim to set down certain requirements for energy usage in buildings and will become effective two months after publication in the Gazette, i.e. on 10 November 2011. Developers, architects and builders can have a look at the regulations here ."

Source: STBB|Smith Tabata Buchanan Boyes Attorneys

24 Sept 2011 - Global Protest to Move Away from Fossil Fuels

A global initiative by organisations and individuals called "Moving Planet" headed by the organisation called 350 took place yesterday 24 September 2011, with 2000 events taking place in over 175 countries across the planet. The aim is to show world leaders that "a movement is rising to move our planet forward to a clean energy future". View a slideshow of images from all corners of the globe here on the Moving Planet website. In Cape Town, South Africa a "Tread Lightly" procession of people marched through the city centre carrying messages promoting renewable energy, greening, recycling, eating and buying local, and protests against fracking, nuclear and fossil fuels. Below are some pictures of the Cape Town event taken by Free Life on Earth.

NEWS SNIPPETS

GREEN BUILDING
The case for green retrofitting is clear, says CIDB’s Milford

NUCLEAR PROTEST
Greenpeace calls on SA to abandon nuclear energy plans

ELECTRICITY
5 000 MW solar park study to be finalised by end 2012

CARBON FINANCING
SA could lose out on carbon financing if EU moves ahead with LDC plan

RENEWABLE ENERGY
ABB to build two solar PV plants for Eskom

CLIMATE CHANGE
Businesses urged to get involved in climate negotiating process

AGRICULTURE
G20 to draft plan on agriculture, infrastructure

NUCLEAR
Nuclear plans to go before Cabinet soon, bidding to start in 2012

ENERGY
African Ministers to compile list of priority energy projects

COAL SUPPLY
Eskom to source another 5Mt of coal to boost stockpile

COGENERATION
SACC to build 8 MW cogen plant in Newcastle

Simplified tender for small-scale renewables by November

"Simplified tender documentation for small-scale renewable energy independent power producer (IPP) projects of between 1 MW and 5 MW were currently being prepared and should be released by November, the South African government reported on Wednesday.

Speaking at a media briefing held on the sidelines of a renewable energy bidders conference being hosted to canvass responses to the Department of Energy’s (DoE’s) request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement of 3 725 MW of renewables capacity from IPPs capable of delivering projects by 2016, the National Treasury’s Karen Breytenbach said work was currently under way on the documentation.

The tender should be available for release by the time the first bid window closed for the current RFP on November 4, 2011, and she promised that it would be “much simpler” and would “lower the barriers to entry”."

Source and More here on Engineering News.

NEWS SNIPPETS

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewables bidders conference reflects high levels of interest in SA roll-out
Lack of solar preparedness could see capacity reallocated to wind

Aveng confirms plans to take equity in wind, solar projects

CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
COP 17 key for decision on carbon capture’s inclusion under CDM

SOLAR POWER
R1.6m solar PV system installed at new Valpré spring water plant

ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE
Sanbi accredited as UN Adaptation Fund implementing entity

CLIMATE CHANGE
Concerns grow over common position for Africa at climate negotiations
Infrastructure needed to help farmers cope with climate change  

EU wants firm decisions on legally binding climate agreement

Level of ambition in climate talks a ‘serious concern’ − Zuma

Funding shortfall will not impact COP 17 quality – Minister

POWER GENERATION
SA still attractive to IPP investors despite current poor growth

GREEN BUILDING
Green building council sharpens its focus on training

UNCONVENTIONAL GAS
More technical work needed to define SA’s shale gas framework

GREEN TECHNOLOGY
Climate technology mechanism team concludes first meeting

GREENING JOBURG
196 trees to be planted along Empire BRT route in Joburg

A renewed focus on green energy

This Mail&Guardian online article gives a good overview of the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme.

NEWS SNIPPETS

RENEWABLE ENERGY

SA reports big interest in DoE's renewables tender - Engineering News

Eskom gets new loan for wind project - Engineering News

SOLAR POWER
Solar geyser programme roll-out to be accelerated - Engineering News

GREEN TECHNOLOGY
Climate technology committee kicks off first meeting in Germany - Engineering News

CONSERVATION
Agreement signed to preserve integrity of Mapungubwe - Engineering News

UNCONVENTIONAL GAS
Shell could spend $200m on SA shale gas search - Engineering News

ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
Minister invites comments on environmental legislation changes - Engineering News

ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT
Nedbank commits R9m to WWF water programme - Engineering News

CLIMATE CHANGE

UN climate boss says Durban talks can deliver - Engineering News

Innovative climate funding key to low-emission development − UNDP - Engineering News

Nkoana-Mashabane urges labour to support govt’s ambitions for COP 17 - Engineering News

CLIMATE FINANCE
SA to benefit should climate funding target be met, Manuel says - Engineering News

AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR

Greener vehicle manufacturing could prove challenging for SA - Engineering News

SA should step up its biofuels efforts – Toyota - Engineering News

Barrels of radioactive uranium (yellow cake) discovered near Swakop beach

"Unguarded barrels of radioactive uranium (yellow cake) have been discovered on Swakopmund beach. Near the sewerage works at Tamariskia investigators found 4 barrels." See more on Namibian News Forum

Solar Boat's progress in circumnavigating the globe

The Tûranor PlanetSolar vessel recently docked in Hong Kong. "....Designed in New Zealand, built in Germany and flying a Swiss flag, the 102-foot boat has completed about two-thirds of a voyage that began in Monaco last September. So far it has sailed nearly 24,000 miles."

Read more here.

Why GM foods won't solve hunger in Africa

Read more here on Greenpeace.