Slicing Silicon Thinner to Cut the Price of Solar Cells, NY Times, Mar 13
The cost of silicon has been an important barrier to expanding the penetration of solar photovoltaic power. New manufacturing techniques using less silicon could help dramatically reduce the price of producing solar cells, potentially helping expand the industry and bringing down the cost of solar generation.
ADB advises governments to plan for increased migration as a result of climate change, SF Chronicle, Mar 13
A new report from the Asian Development Bank looks at potential impact of climate change on migration patterns in the populous, low-lying countries of Asia, and recommends policy approaches to reduce these risks.
Solar, wind and biofuel markets grew substantially in 2011, Business Green, Mar 13
According to a report from CleanEdge, a clean technology research and advisory firm, the total revenue generated by companies in solar PV, wind energy and biofuels industries grew 31% in 2011, reaching $250 billion.
New publication pinpoints vulnerability to sea level rise in the US, NY Times Mar 13
The study found that 3.7 million people in the US live in areas that would be inundated if sea level rises by 1 m (3 ft) as many models predict will happen by 2100. Areas that are home to an additional 19.2 million people are threatened by more frequent flooding due to higher tides.
Leading US economists back EU carbon plan, Brisbane Times, Mar 14
In a letter to President Obama, 26 US economists urged him to support the EU’s recently enacted cap on the CO2 emissions by the aviation sector. The Obama administration is actively opposing the policy.
William Nordhaus Responds to Climate Skeptics, New York Review of Books, Mar 22
A January op-ed in the Wall Street Journal cited the work of Nordhaus, a Yale economist who has conducted groundbreaking modeling on the economics of climate change, in support of its argument that action on climate change can safely be delayed by many decades. Nordhaus responds in this month’s New York Review of Books.
