The most recent articles from BusinessGreen

Voluntary carbon offset market triples in value

Sarah Griffiths — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:08:00 GMT

Sarah Griffiths, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 17:08:00

Report claims global voluntary carbon offset market worth $331m last year

The global market for voluntary carbon offset credits trebled in value last year to $331m, according to a new report from analyst firm New Carbon Finance and transactional services company...

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Cisco slashes cost of videoconferencing kit

James Murray — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:08:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 15:08:00

New TelePresence technology almost a tenth of the cost of first-generation kit

Those predicting a fall in the cost of high-definition videoconferencing systems were vindicated this week after networking giant Cisco unveiled a new version of its TelePresence technology with a price...

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Cisco slashes cost of video conferencing kit

James Murray — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:08:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 15:08:00

New TelePresence technology almost a tenth of the cost of first-generation kit

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US and Europe go head-to-head with solar efficiency records

James Murray and Robert Jacques — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:56:00 GMT

James Murray and Robert Jacques, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 13:56:00

Two separate research teams claim world record solar efficiency rates of over 23 per cent

Two teams of researchers on opposite sides of the Atlantic have this week staked claims for solar cell efficiency world records, each boasting they have recorded conversion efficiencies of over...

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Investors take shine to BrightSource with $115m funding round

BusinessGreen.com Staff — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:14:00 GMT

BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 12:14:00

Solar thermal specialist secures backing from raft of investors, including Google and BP

Californian solar thermal start up BrightSource Energy yesterday announced it has secured $115m in funding from a group of blue chip investors, including Google, BP Alternative Energy and StatoilHydro Venture....

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Analysts downplay fears over cleantech slump

James Murray — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:35:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 11:35:00

European venture capital investment in cleantech firms fell during the first quarter, but analysts insist outlook remains upbeat

Venture capital investment in European cleantech firms slumped by more than half in the first quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2007, according to new research...

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IBM's "liquid metal" promises concentrated PV breakthrough

James Murray — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:18:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 10:18:00

Computer chip cooling technology could allow solar cells to operate at temperatures of over 1,600 degrees Celsius, drastically improving efficiency and cutting costs

For years, the solar energy industry has debated the relative merits of concentrated solar thermal and photovoltaic cell technologies, but now IT giant IBM reckons it has found a highly...

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US firm targets carbon to toothpaste technology within two years

James Murray — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:17:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Thursday 15 May 2008 at 09:17:00

Carbon Sciences working on pilot plant designed to turn captured CO2 into calcium carbonates, useful in the manufacture of everything from paper to toothpaste

A Californian company has proposed a scheme to turn waste carbon dioxide into a chemical compound that could be used in everything from drywall and fertiliser, through to yoghurt and...

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Nissan plans 2010 launch for electric car

James Murray — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:49:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 17:49:00

Company aiming to become first major car manufacturer to deliver electric car to US market

The race to develop the first mass production electric car stepped up a notch this week after Nissan announced it would sell an electric car in the US and Japan...

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Boffins warn over biomass power risks

James Murray — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:52:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 15:52:00

Research claims small scale biomass power pants may not be as effective as alternative renewable energy technologies

Despite growing calls for the wider adoption of community scale biomass power plants, new research released yesterday suggests that the environmental benefits of smaller scale facilities may have been overstated....

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Obama and Clinton signal support for clean coal

BusinessGreen.com Staff — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:10:00 GMT

BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 12:10:00

Democratic candidates seek to woo voters in coal rich states with support for carbon capture and storage

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama may be proposing cap-and-trade schemes designed to cut emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, but that has not stopped the two Democratic presidential...

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Friends of the Earth throws down green gauntlet to Boris

James Murray — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:48:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 11:48:00

Lobby group claims Tories entering "critical few months" for green credentials

Friends of the Earth has issued a challenge to London's newly-elected Mayor, Boris Johnson, to outline how he plans to live up to his commitment to make London the "greenest...

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Vendor video Q&A: How green are your blades?

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:43:00 GMT

BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 11:43:00

BusinessGreen.com talks to IBM about how the next generation of blade server technologies are helping to cut firm's soaring energy bills

In this video, commissioned by IBM, BusinessGreen.com editor James Murray talks to Luke Shutler, business development manager in IBM's Systems & Technology Group, about the pros and cons of the...

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US could generate a fifth of electricity from wind by 2030

James Murray — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:56:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 10:56:00

DOE report claims massive scaling up of wind capacity is both technically and economically feasible

The US could generate up to a fifth of its electricity from wind power by 2030, according to a major new report released this week by the Department of Energy...

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Duke Energy outlines solar grid ambitions

Danny Bradbury — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:40:00 GMT

Danny Bradbury, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 09:40:00

US energy giant reveals plans to expand smart grid project to deploy solar panels on customers' buildings capable of feeding power back into the grid

US power giant Duke Energy is planning to ask permission for a network of residential solar panels, installed on customers' roofs....

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On The Need for Green MBAs

Vanessa Crossgrove Fry — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:25:00 GMT

Vanessa Crossgrove Fry, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 09:25:00

Green business courses are springing up think and fast, but as Vanessa Crossgrove Fry warns it could still be several years before we see Green MBAs take their place in the largest firms

Two years ago the Worldwatch Institute indicated there were only four business schools in the US that focused on sustainability....

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Eco-Entrepreneur introduction

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:06:00 GMT

BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 16:06:00

A brief introduction to the BusinessGreen Eco-Entrepreneur podcast series

James Murray, editor of BusinessGreen.com, introduces the Eco-Entrepreneur podcast series. Each programme will focus on a particular company in the green space, to focus on innovative business approaches and lessons...

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Government to co-ordinate green car R&D

James Murray — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:26:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 15:26:00

New initiative aims to limit duplication between different low carbon vehicle R&D projects

The government has unveiled an initiative designed to encourage car manufacturers to better collaborate on green technology projects and ensure their research and development projects do not overlap....

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How to deliver the zero carbon built environment?

Sarah Griffiths — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:14:00 GMT

Sarah Griffiths, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 15:14:00

BusinessGreen.com reports from the Think 08 conference where the great and the good of the construction industry reveal their plans for the zero carbon buildings of the future

With the government having set a target for all new homes to be "zero carbon " by 2016 and all new buildings to be "zero carbon" by 2019 the clock...

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Green grants database to tackle funding scheme confusion

James Murray — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:39:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 13:39:00

The new Green Grants Machine website aims to make it easier for firms to find the environmental funding schemes that could work for them

Firms seeking to navigate the numerous green grant schemes currently on offer to them can now access a new service after funding information publishing house j4b this month launched a...

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Mayor Boris confirms plans to scrap £25 congestion charge

James Murray — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:12:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 13:12:00

New Mayor unveils tree planting scheme as office confirms higher congestion charge for gas guzzlers will be axed

The newly elected Mayor of London has this week unveiled his first environmental policies in the face of fresh criticism over his decision to scrap the £25 a day congestion...

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Mayor Boris confirms plans to scrap £25 a day congestion charge

James Murray — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:12:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 13:12:00

New Mayor unveils tree planting scheme as office confirms higher congestion charge for gas guzzlers will be axed

The newly elected Mayor of London has this week unveiled his first environmental policies in the face of fresh criticism over his decision to scrap the £25 a day congestion...

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Fuel cell buses in fast lane to maturity

James Murray — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:57:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 12:57:00

UTC Power boss predicts hydrogen fuel cell buses will soon be more cost effective than incumbent diesel buses

Fuel cell-powered buses will soon prove more cost effective than their diesel counterparts as manufacturing costs continue to fall, reliability improves and the price of diesel continues to climb....

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McCain outlines climate change plan

James Murray — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:36:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 10:36:00

US cap-and-trade scheme all but inevitable as all three runners in presidential race endorse trading mechanism

The likelihood of the US adopting binding emission targets and a nationwide cap-and-trade scheme took a major step forward yesterday after presidential nominee John McCain outlined a comprehensive plan for...

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Transport chiefs find go slow means go green

Danny Bradbury — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:38:00 GMT

Danny Bradbury, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 09:38:00

US trucking industry calls for slower speed limits to help cut fuel costs and curb carbon emissions

The American Trucking Association (ATA) has launched a raft of proposals designed to cut the industry's carbon footprint by 900m tonnes over 10 years and combat rising fuel prices, which...

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