This Week’s 9 Biggest Climate Innovation Stories: 16 March

Posts 16 Mar 2017

Catch up on the latest developments in the transition to the zero carbon economy with our Press Review, 16 March 2017

1. Dutch Solar Bike Path SolaRoad Successful and Expanding

After a successful pilot in 2014, a consortium of companies and research labs called SolaRoad will be further developing and expanding their solar bike path project, reports CleanTechnica. SolaRoad use specially developed solar modules to replace tarmac bike paths and generate solar electricity.

Dutch Solar Bike Path SolaRoad Successful & Expanding https://t.co/xNe9a7pZUk pic.twitter.com/cuRBD5Rwkk

— CleanTechnica (@cleantechnica) March 12, 2017

2. European Commission pledges €300 million to develop cleantech projects in Africa

The European Union is significantly ramping up investment to support the development of new renewable energy in Africa. The majority of investment will focus on solar, hydro and geothermal energy and when fully developed, the projects are expected to add 1.8 gigawatts of renewable power generation to the continent.

When fully developed the projects are expected to add 1.8 gigawatts of renewable power generation to the continent https://t.co/Rg4U2QWmBz

— EIT Climate-KIC (@ClimateKIC) March 16, 2017

3. Barcelona bans old cars from the city’s streets

Many cities around Europe have taken to banning old, dirty vehicles their urban centers. However, Fastcoexist reports Barcelona have taken it a step further and, as of January 2019, cars older registered before 1999 will be banned from both the center and the surrounding municipalities.

To cut emissions by 30% over the next 15 years, Barcelona is banning old cars from its streets https://t.co/ai7gbRpMTH pic.twitter.com/SXjnHDCUE3

— Fast Co. Impact (@FastCoImpact) March 9, 2017

4. Ex-Tesla manager seeks $4 billion for Europe’s biggest battery plant

Swedish start-up Northvolt, headed by an ex-Tesla manager, has revealed plans to build the largest battery factory in Europe. Reuters reports that the start-up is trying to raise at least $4 billion to build the Gigafactory in Sweden to meet an expected surge in demand as the region switches to electric vehicles.

Ex-Tesla manager seeks $4 billion for Europe's biggest battery plant https://t.co/iLc1c0buyv

— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) March 7, 2017

5. Wales launches €7.5m circular economy fund

The Welsh Government has announced a new £6.5m (€7.5m) fund to help the country move towards a circular economy and meet ambitious recycling targets.

https://twitter.com/eaSustDev/status/841280499255521280

6. Sainsbury’s drops its ambitions to halve consumer food waste

The target has been abandoned by the supermarket after a year on grounds that “it was more difficult than expected to achieve behavioural change”.

Sainsbury's drops bid to halve household food waste https://t.co/VFuBC5c043

— Guardian Environment (@guardianeco) March 8, 2017

7. European Commission backs €75 million loan for energy-efficiency in Swedish buildings

The Investment Plan for Europe backed the loan agreement with real estate company Castellum to finance the construction of new energy-efficient office buildings.

Juncker Plan | Sweden: €75 million in a loan agreement for construction of energy efficient buildings https://t.co/kDsW8ze4Ee #investEU @EIB pic.twitter.com/q4mw8k7O0S

— European Commission (@EU_Commission) March 11, 2017

8. Exclusive: Norway’s wealth fund may blacklist firms over emissions, corruption risk

Reuters reports this week that the ethics watchdog for Norway’s $900-billion sovereign wealth fund will be recommending that the fund put several firms in the oil, cement and steel industries on a watch list for emitting too much greenhouse gas.

Exclusive: Norway's wealth fund may blacklist firms over emissions, corruption risk https://t.co/yOHJIddjbZ pic.twitter.com/NUhvkGtfKB

— Reuters Science News (@ReutersScience) March 9, 2017

9. World Bank debuts first bonds linked to Sustainable Development Goals

The €163m bond issue is linked to the Solactive Sustainable Development Goals World Index, an index of 50 companies identified as making significant contribution to the advancement of the UN’s sustainable development agenda.

https://twitter.com/BusinessGreen/status/840001585182826507

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