HELIO International and REN21

HELIO recently became a member of REN21, a global network that connects a wide range of key actors from government, international organisations, industry associations, science and academia, and civil society. The goal of the network is to facilitate knowledge exchange, policy development and joint action towards a rapid global transition to renewable energy. REN21 promotes renewable energy to meet the needs of both industrialized and developing countries that are driven by climate change, energy security, development, and poverty alleviation.

The Micro(grid) Solution to the Macro Challenge of Climate Change

Rocky Mountain Institute researchers animate a blog that invigorates the discussion of renewable energy deployment to achieve the energy transition to a low carbon economy. Learn about the concept of ‘islanding’ for increased security of the grid and the inherent emergence of mitigation and adaptation capabilities.

Renewable energy trade information

The Practitioner Network has recently updated their Import Tariff and Barriers to Entry Database to include data on all current Sustainable Energy for All opt-in countries, as well as others of particular interest to our members, such as India. The database is now searchable by renewable energy product as well as by country.

Participatory governance for German citizens to build infrastructure

In July, the German government published a strategic document that opens the possibility of citizen-funding for the electricity network, allowing citizens to participate directly in the energy transition process. The desired result is an increase in the acceptability of new electricity infrastructure when citizens have a vested financial and are included in the decision-making framework. 

Years of Living Dangerously

Watch the trailer for a documentary   event series exploring the human impact of climate change. The docu-series will be made up of eight one-hour segments and is to air in 2014.

French energy transition strategy: not ready yet after the national debate

On July 18th, the debate on the French energy transition closed without a real consensus. Energy transitions tend to be a complex and controversial subject, and it seems that eight months of discussion is not sufficient to find a solution that satisfies all the parties involved. This is especially the case in France where the current energy mix is quite different from other countries. Full Article.

Electrifying Alrica—But at What Cost 

Power Africa and the Electrify Africa Act are US initiatives intended to provide widespread access to electricity throughout Africa. These approaches however seem likely to lead to centralised, climate-polluting projects rather than efficient, clean, renewable energy projects for Africa’s rural families. With less than 0.3 % of the budget going to clean energy projects, these initiatives focus predominately on oil and gas. The author of the article highlights, ironically, the impacts of doing away with this policy – more greenhouse gas emissions and fewer renewable projects focused on access – would only come back to hit communities in Africa even harder as climate change intensifies. 

EU Fuel Quality Directive  and  Documentary “Tar sands: to the ends of the earth” 

Twenty-one Nobel laureates have written a letter to European Union leaders urging them to implement a law that would label oil from tar sands as dirtier than other crude oil products, also known as the EU Fuel Quality Directive. The letter emphasises that this law is necessary because extraction from tar sands is having, and will continue to have, devastating impacts on climate change. The letter was sent this week to European commission president, José Manuel Barroso, and EU heads of state.

A documentary was filmed to educate people in new areas of the world where oil sands reserves have been discovered, specifically Madagascar in this context.

Energy-in-Demand News

What does sustainable energy mean to you? Have a look at EID’s Neighbourhood Watch and ponder the subject. EID also looks at Germany’s energy transition, the drop in consumption in Irish homes, a trial label in the UK that shows lifetime electricity costs, an action plan for a competitive and sustainable European steel industry, and much more…

Fukushima radiation levels soar to record high in aftermath of typhoon

As reported by Zee News on October 18th, Tepco, “has detected the highest level of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances.” After heavy rain, only 300 meters from the ocean in a drainage ditch, 1400 becquerels per liter of radioactive substances were recorded and potentially had washed into the sea.
For more information and news articles about the situation:
http://tinyurl.com/p7ywlpl 
http://rt.com/news/fukushima-high-radioactivity-well-335/
 http://tinyurl.com/p7ywlpl 

Manipulate the climate; manipulate life – reason and unreason of new technologies

In the 21^st century, the advancements in science have enabled humans to develop new and previously unimaginable technologies. Synthetic biology and Geo-engineering are two examples that are both controversial. Read the full article that summarizes key points of the conference and debate held at Cité des Sciences in Paris.