electric vehicle

Offshore wind beats oil

by Bryan Walker May 13, 2010

As the US counts the cost of offshore oil drilling Janet Larsen of the Earth Policy Institute has sensibly respondedwith a reminder of the advantages of offshore wind energy. Offshore drilling has tempered the rapid decline in US oil production which peaked in the early 1970s. But only somewhat and with increasing difficulty and apparently [...]

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A sustainable energy future for NZ (without all the hot air)

by Phil Scadden November 30, 2009

This is a guest post by Phil Scadden, a regular commenter at Hot Topic (bio at the end of the post). Phil’s interested in energy issues, and has spent a considerable amount of his personal time developing an overview of New Zealand’s energy issues, inspired by the approach used by Cambridge physicist David MacKay in [...]

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Ten technologies to save the planet

by Bryan Walker December 10, 2008

As the news on climate change becomes increasingly serious it is all the more important to affirm that the problem has solutions provided the world applies them soon enough. Prominent UK environment writer Chris Goodall surveys some of those solutions in a well-researched fashion in his new book, Ten Technologies to Save the Planet.  In [...]

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Down on the farm

by Gareth October 19, 2008

An Italian olive grove and vineyard is on its way to becoming the world’s first carbon neutral farm (they claim). According to the BBC, the Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio estate in Umbria is converting to electric vehicles (and biofuelled mini-tractors) and has installed a “solar filling station” designed by Austrian company Cellstrom, based on an [...]

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Pleasant (Silicon) Valley Sunday

by Gareth October 8, 2008

I sometimes describe my self as a techno-optimist, something of an ecogeek. I like the idea that there are technologies which can help us to deal with climate change – new and interesting stuff that can make decarbonising the global economy a reality. To illustrate what I mean, there’s an excellent (and long) article by [...]

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Getz it on (bang a gong )

by Gareth September 26, 2008

Hyundai has announced that it will be the first manufacturer to sell an electric car in New Zealand – a Getz modified in NZ by engineer Ross Blades. The petrol engine will be removed and replaced by an electric drive unit and battery pack. Range will be 120 km, with a quick recharge able to [...]

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Whispering wind

by Gareth June 27, 2008

A bit more on wind, and some worthwhile weekend reading. The British government has announced that it is planning a huge expansion in the use of wind power, building up to 7,000 turbines at a cost of up to £10bn, and expects renewable energy to account for 15% of all energy use by 2020. The [...]

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The midweek omnibus: #37 (Putney to Peckham)

by Gareth January 30, 2008

There’s been some good news, and not too much bad news. Let’s start with some good NZ news. The Hillary Institute of International Leadership, launched in Antarctica a year ago with Sir Ed in attendance, has announced that “Leadership in….Climate Change Solutions will be the topic for the Institute’s first four year work-cycle, 2008-2012.” The [...]

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Home grown electrics

by Gareth October 1, 2007

Electric vehicles are becoming more newsworthy, following the government’s announcement that EVs are likely to be part of NZ’s answer to reducing vehicle emissions. The Dominion Post dealt with the subject over the weekend, but the online version is considerably shorter than the print version – at least the one that appeared in Saturday’s Press [...]

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The business of climate change

by Gareth September 27, 2007

New York-based merchant bank Lehman Brothers have produced an excellent overview of the business and economics of climate change (PDF). If you have any interest in the economics of dealing with climate change, and want an informed overview of the drivers of political and commercial change, this is a very good place to start. I [...]

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