Exhausted global oil supplies make Arctic the new hydrocarbon frontier

The rich, cream-and-chocolate room furnishings, delicate finger foods and “speed networking” sessions at the five-star Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel in Knightsbridge, London, are just what you would expect from an oil industry get-together. But the faux leopard-skin chairs and radiators belting out heat feel at odds with the discussion about the ice and snow-bound Arctic, the latest hydrocarbon “frontier”. There is certainly a warm glow of excitement among investors in the room when oil explorer, Mike Watts, takes the podium at the event, billed as an ‘oil and gas outlook Arctic day’. The man in a trademark City white shirt and sober tie is the deputy chief executive of Cairn Energy, the Scottish company at the epicentre of the new oil rush.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/05/oil-supplies-arctic

Sulphur from Chinese power stations ‘masking’ climate change

The huge increase in coal-fired power stations in China has masked the impact of global warming in the last decade because of the cooling effect of their sulphur emissions, new research has revealed. But scientists warn that rapid warming is likely to resume when the short-lived sulphur pollution – which also causes acid rain – is cleaned up and the full heating effect of long-lived carbon dioxide is felt.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/04/sulphur-pollution-china-coal-climate

Thawing Arctic opens up new shipping routes on the ‘roof of the world’

Cold is the new hot in shipping circles as melting sea ice opens up prospects for trade between China and the west to move across the roof of the world. An increasing amount of seaborne traffic is beginning to move on the so-called Northern Sea Route which traverses the Siberian coast. There are also hopes of opening up more of the North West Passage above Canada. The attraction of the voyage is that it is one-third of the distance of more traditional routes through the Suez Canal. This means less carbon-dioxide (CO₂) emissions and less fuel. It also means less pirates.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/05/arctic-shipping-trade-routes?intcmp=122

Huge solar photovoltaic farm opens in France – big picture

A new photovoltaic park has opened in Les Mées, in the southern department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Spread across 36 acres, the park, built by Belgian firm Enfinity, joins several other plants built on the vast Puimichel plateau. By the end of 2011, solar panels will cover 200 hectares and produce around 100MW, making it the biggest solar array in France.  Enfinity’s €70m investment has included work to preserve the landscape with space for grazing and a system without a concrete foundation

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/picture/2011/may/26/solar-photovoltaic-france?intcmp=122

Alberta’s tar sands are a source of ‘ethical oil’, claims conservative activist

Crude from Alberta’s tar sands is destroying the planet. But at least Canadians are nice

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/28/tar-sands-ethical-oil-conservative

Salmond claims 100% green electricity in Scotland ‘achievable’ by 2025

First minister Alex Salmond at the Scottish Low Carbon Investment conference says that Scotland could theoretically generate all its electricity from renewable sources by 2025

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/28/salmond-green-electricity-scotland

Cairn confirms Greenland oil find

• Cairn says well has found gas and oil-bearing sands in Arctic
• Greenpeace ship already in area protesting against drilling

Are we running out of oil? The world in energy statistics

The amount of proven oil reserves awaiting to be exploited fell last year for the first time in a decade, according to new figures released today. The amount of crude left in the ground was 1.258trn barrels – 3bn less than this time last year. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/jun/10/oil

Malawi windmill boy with big fans

The extraordinary true story of a Malawian teenager who transformed his village by building electric windmills out of junk is the subject of a new book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

Self-taught William Kamkwamba has been feted by climate change campaigners like Al Gore and business leaders the world over.

His against-all-odds achievements are all the more remarkable considering he was forced to quit school aged 14 because his family could no longer afford the $80-a-year (£50) fees.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8257153.stm

Islay to be entirely powered by tides

Exclusive: ScottishPower is to build turbines in the Sound of Islay that will generate enough electricity for the island’s 3,500 inhabitants – and its famous distilleries

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/aug/25/scottish-power-islay-tidal