This week’s ten biggest climate innovation stories — 4 May
German scheme looks to store renewable power in domestic PV batteries | Business calls on the EU to scale up retrofitting of old buildings | New CO2 scrubbing prototype |
This, and more, in the week’s ten biggest climate innovation stories.
1.
‘High ambition’ nations band together to push for shipping climate deal
Ministers from Germany, France and Denmark, met with the Pacific Island nations at the end of April, and agreed to work together to ensure the delivery of a shipping emissions agreement that is aligned with the Paris Agreement goals.
'High ambition' nations band together to push for shipping climate deal https://t.co/XaKgnmvdLY
— BusinessGreen (@BusinessGreen) May 2, 2017
2.
300 sustainable solutions to turn global challenges into business opportunities
Danish consultancy and thinktank Sustainia, together with energy consultancy DNV GL and the UN Global Compact have launched The ‘Global Opportunity Explorer’, a matchmaking website that categorises solutions, start-ups and ideas for sustainability in different sectors by which Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) they relate to.
#GOexplorer is a "risk-to-opportunity platform," says @FastCompany. Find out what it can mean for your business: https://t.co/rGf3IF4MzU pic.twitter.com/ZCEjg2zVbW
— UN Global Compact (@globalcompact) May 2, 2017
3.
Hydrogen gas grid for Leeds moves a step closer
Switching from natural gas to hydrogen is the biggest single thing the UK could do to decarbonise. Company ‘Northern Gas Networks’ has opened an office in Leeds with the aim of doing just that in the city.
Thanks to Leeds City Council for supporting our launch of a dedicated Hydrogen project office. More:https://t.co/MFphePCczX @LeedsCC_News
— NorthernGasNetworks (@NGNgas) April 30, 2017
4.
German project looks to home photovoltaic systems to help grid
Grid operator Tennet and solar battery maker Sonnen GmbH have launched a pilot project in Germany that will store energy in home solar photovoltaic batteries to help balance the country’s power supply.
TenneT links up with Sonnen, Vandebron and IBM on two pilot projects to help maintain grid supply https://t.co/LMWWPIWyrH pic.twitter.com/LpQul1PgKm
— reNEWS (@reNEWS_) May 2, 2017
5.
The New Economy and Social Innovation Forum closes its doors with 94 proposals to build fairer institutions
The first New Economy and Social Innovation (NESI) Global Forum in Malaga has come up with 94 proposals to promote ethical banking, sustainability, organisations and education. Ideas included the promotion of circular economy through education.
The New Economy Social Innovation Forum ends w/94 proposals for fairer, ethical economic system… https://t.co/TbPRywuAte via @triplepundit
— Center for the Blue Economy (@CBE_MIIS) May 2, 2017
6.
EU clears tighter controls on power plant air pollution
New stricter rules have been agreed by the EU to reduce pollution from power plants. The measures could save 20,000 lives a year.
EU clears tighter controls on power plant air pollution https://t.co/7hEHDPBCyc via @edie
— Euractiv (@Euractiv) May 2, 2017
7.
Artificial plants could turn carbon dioxide into fuel helping to reduce global warming
Professor Fernando Uribe-Romo of Central Florida University, together with a team of students, has built a device using titanium, some organic molecules and a blue LED photoreactor – a glowing cylinder that looks like a bit like a tanning bed — that turns carbon dioxide into a sugar. The inventor thinks the concept can be used to scrub the emissions from coal fired power plants.
#UCF Chemistry Professor Dr. Fernando Uribe-Romo has found how to trigger photosynthesis in a synthetic material. https://t.co/2Wv1fJPw3C pic.twitter.com/O6EhlTdafq
— UCF College of Sciences (@UCFSciences) April 25, 2017
8.
Will the third industrial revolution create an economic boom that saves the planet?
Can a new documentary that explores the challenges of climate change persuade business leaders to buy into a third industrial revolution?
Watch an exclusive clip from The Third Industrial Revolution via @FastCompany https://t.co/PdyZfPjAw0
— VICE Docs (@vicedocs) April 26, 2017
9.
Crowd-funded firm aims to scale up African solar
TRINE, a Swedish company that raised funds for EcoZoom, is crowdfunding solar farms in Africa. The company has a community of about 1,000 young investors in northern Europe willing to each give a minimum of €25 to solar firms to empower the world’s poorest.
Crowd-funded firm aims to scale up African solar https://t.co/ow1YJEVDa2 pic.twitter.com/Q2ER38zII1
— The Christian Science Monitor (@csmonitor) May 3, 2017
10.
Businesses push for renewed European focus on building renovations
A group of 300 companies and organisations, including E.ON, Philips and Triodos Bank, has called for the EU to lead in retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient, to cut emissions and meet the Paris Agreement goals.
https://twitter.com/SusNatIrl/status/859365644806094848