There is much talk of the possibility of a future ‘hydrogen economy’, which will power all our vehicles and homes. It is important to remember that hydrogen is not an energy source; it is an energy carrier. To obtain hydrogen it must be split from either natural gas or water molecules. The former, most widely used, method not only requires energy but also gives off carbon dioxide (CO2) in the process. Hydrogen produced in this way requires more energy to make than will eventually be returned when it is used. It makes more sense from a climate perspective to burn the natural gas itself than to convert and re-convert it to hydrogen in this way.
The UK has been described as the ‘Saudi Arabia’ of wind, with some 50 TWh of onshore and at least 450 TWh of offshore power available every year, well in excess of our current electricity demand.
Every year, each square metre of the UK receives between 900 and 1200 kWh of solar radiation. Capturing just some of this energy could make a significant contribution to fulfilling our energy requirements.
The US government has given he go-ahead for a test plot of genetically modified (GM) eucalyptus trees in Alabama. For the first time, these trees will be allowed to flower and set seed, opening the door to potential widespread contamination of the American South.
The UK is now the second most attractive place in Europe in which to invest in renewable energy, and has attracted the attention of Californian power giant, Clipper Windpower.
The GM industry is lobbying against EU directive which would make polluters pay for damage caused to biodiversity and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a leading protester has revealed.
Research shows that however green we are in the home, most of us leave our eco-habits at the factory gate when we clock in for the nine to five. For those of you who can see what needs to be done in your office, but don't know how to go about doing it, here's an eight-point guide put together by the Low Carbon Innovation Network.
As awareness grows of the huge and swelling carbon footprint made by the world’s IT infrastructure, the government has launched a task-force to green our PCs.
