Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TAVANIR for 400 MW photovoltaic signed! 

While almost daily international business delegations are open in the future market of Iran and report on medium and long term good prospects - the years ago started private initiative of Solar & Benefit together with the state network operator and energy provider TAVANIR already can offer fully hedged and confirmed rights for the construction of photovoltaic solar parks with a total capacity of 400 MW – with 4 existing sub stations and the corresponding land. Not only these rights are guaranteed by the state, but also granted reimbursement over 20 years of 15.2 euro cents. 

 The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society cordially invite you to join us for the release of “Climate Change: Evidence & Causes,” a new publication produced jointly by the two institutions.

Written by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists and reviewed by climate scientists and others, the publication is intended as a brief, readable reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and other individuals seeking authoritative information on the some of the questions that continue to be asked.

Germany's power grids are not yet well prepared for the current consequences of our Energiewende, wide fluctuations in the supply of electricity from renewable sources, which conflict with patterns of demand.

Smart grids that manage electricity demand at the local – microgrid – level may help to reduce the transmission of electricity over long distances to balance regional over- and undersupply. In the GreenCom project, international partners from industry and research develop and evaluate such a "Smart Energy Management System". It will be demonstrated at CeBIT, March 10 – 14, 2014 in Hannover. Visit us in Hall 9, Booth E40.

Two recent studies by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI and Vienna University of Technology show that a climate target on its own would fail to trigger enough additional energy savings and a continuous evolution of renewable energies. The EU would thus neglect an important opportunity to curb energy wastage and excessive spending on energy imports. Binding EU energy efficiency and renewable energy targets for 2030 should therefore accompany a possible European 2030 climate target. This is necessary to ensure ambitious greenhouse gas reduction while at the same time taking into account cost effectiveness and European competitiveness.

Continuing high temperatures globally and many climate extremes worldwide. The year 2013 is currently on course to be among the top ten warmest years since modern records began in 1850, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The first nine months, January to September, tied with 2003 as the seventh warmest such period on record, with a global land and ocean surface temperature of about 0.48°C (0.86°F) above the 1961–1990 average.

  Greenhouse Gas Concentrations in Atmosphere Reach New Record

The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2012, continuing an upward and accelerating trend which is driving climate change and will shape the future of our planet for hundreds and thousands of years. The World Meteorological Organization’s annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin shows that between 1990 and 2012 there was a 32% increase in radiative forcing – the warming effect on our climate – because of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other heat-trapping long-lived gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.

Research company’s figures show contrast this year between strong growth in photovoltaic installations and sharp fall in new wind capacity added.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that 33.8GW of new onshore wind farms, plus 1.7GW of offshore wind, will be added globally in 2013. This compares with its median forecast of 36.7GW of new photovoltaic, or PV, capacity.

This year is set to be the first in which PV has added more megawatts than wind. In 2012, wind – onshore and offshore – added 46.6GW, while PV added 30.5GW, record figures in both cases. But in 2013, a slowdown in the world’s two largest wind markets, China and the US, is opening the way for the rapidly growing PV market to overtake wind.

 PRAGUE--The Czech Republic is a presidential-signature away from eliminating subsidies for decentralized, clean renewable energy production following the Senate Friday approving a bill that instead directs support to centralized power production at plants burning fossil fuels.

The Czech upper house of parliament, or Senate, voted 56 in favor with only one opposing a bill to eliminate subsidies for new photovoltaic power plants while quickly winding down support for other types of renewable power production.

Millions of people around the world switch off their lights for Earth Hour at 8.30pm (20:30) in their local times on the last Saturday of March each year. In 2013, Earth Hour occurs one week earlier, on March 23.

Make Earth Hour an event to share with your friends and family!