- Clean energy investments are on the retreat. Worldwide investments in clean energy totaled $42.4 billion in the third quarter of 2016, down 31% from the second quarter and down a striking 43% from the equivalent three-month period of 2015. The summer quarter is typically sluggish, but the main reason is because investments in China and Japan have slowed considerably.

 - Featured resource:  After three years, Comcast has finalized its plan to reduce energy use and CO2 and achieve sustainability. AES Members have access to Comcast's strategic plan.

- New questions have been raised about the climate impact of biofuels. Some scientists, including the US DoE, have argued that using biofuels to replace gasoline significantly reduced CO2 emissions. On the other hand, new research suggests that once all the emissions associated with growing feedstock crops and manufacturing biofuel are factored in, biofuels actually increase CO2 emissions.

- The departments of both Energy and Interior just released the National Offshore Wind Strategy report, the federal government's playbook to build 22 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 86 GW by 2050. 

- In an effort to cut costs and reduce carbon emissions, a popular Paris public swimming pool is heating its water by recovering the warmth generated by local sewers.

- In the five boroughs of New York City there are 5,300 solar installations, up from 186 in 2011; an additional 1,900 are in the pipeline. 

- Percent of electricity generated from wind in 2015 for European countries: Denmark (50%); Ireland (23%); Portugal (22%); Spain (18%); Germany (13%)

- Bill Gates has invested again in biomass, this time with Renmatix, a company that converts plant waste and biomass into sugars that can be converted into biofuels.

For more information on ORTECH's Renewable Energy Services, see below:

• Solar Services
• Wind Services
• Management Consulting Services
• Due Diligence Services