blog
Climate Solver Cortus Takes the Stage!
Direct from the horse’s mouth – Cortus AB and Nordkalk AB have signed a twelve year contract for the supply of biogas to the Nordkalk factory in Köping, Sweden. It is estimated that their innovative gasification technology Woodroll will greatly reduce energy costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions from the Nordkalk operations. The Biogas from Cortus reduces Nordkalk’s consumption of coal as an energy source for the benefit of renewable energy.
The deal initially involves the construction of a 5 MW demonstration plant, with deliveryscheduled to begin during the second half of 2011. The plan is to expand the facility to 25 MW after two years thus becoming the dominant energy source for the Köping factory. According to Cortus they will supply biogas to Nordkalk corresponding to a reduction in carbon emissions by 70 000 tons annually at full capacity. The transaction is subject to Cortus financing the construction of the plant in Köping.
“The agreement with Nordkalk means that we take the step into a commercial supply of biogas on a large scale and confirms the strength of our new patented gasification technology WoodRoll for process industries,” says Rolf Ljunggren CEO and founder of Cortus AB.
Yay Cortus!!!
US Climate Bill Bites the Dust
Democrats in the US Senate have now given up their attempts to pass an energy bill that would put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions due to overwhelming Republican resistance and scaremongering. So rather than a comprehensive and effective energy bill advocating a tax on carbon, the likely result will be a more limited bill with a focus on the Gulf oil spill and energy efficiency measures. Yet another lost opportunity to curb global warming while supporting the advancement of clean technologies and the creation of millions of green jobs.
This may not come as a total surprise after the indications we’ve had the last few weeks, but it is very disappointing nevertheless. Especially given that recent polls (Wall Street Journal-NBC Poll ) found that Americans strongly support a comprehensive climate bill. Unfortunately their elected officials are obviously still under the influence of big oil, and have once again failed to represent their true interests and concerns
Obama, what happened to all that can-do spirit? You really need to get it back – and fast!
Climate Solvers Rework the World
I’ve just returned from an unusually inspiring conference (isn’t that an oxymoron nowadays) in a picturesque Dalarna, just 2 hours north of Stockholm. Rework the World gathered 1,700 decision makers and social entrepreneurs from 120 countries for 4 days of workshops and discussions on youth, employment, and sustainability built around 5 central themes: energy, water, land, cities and people.
During the conference WWF hosted a workshop to highlight the need for innovative financing models that support the development and dissemination of sustainable solutions. It is clear that conventional financing models are insufficient for meeting the needs of both entrepreneurs and their customers in developing countries. Brief presentations by Bright Green Energy Foundation, Corporación Inversor in Colombia,UNEPs Seed Capital Assitance Facility and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) were followed by a lively discussion. Several entrepreneurs took the stage to share their methods and models as well as their challenges. We had the opportunity to hear of both new methods of financing as well as old methods being used in new ways.
From the workshop it was clear that many entrepreneurs have difficulty attaining adequate financing and often don’t know where to turn. They see the need for affordable financing as opposed to traditional venture capital, and the benefit of public funding as a means of attracting further investments by private actors. As far as policy issues are concerned, there is a great need for proactive and harmonized strategies to support social entrepreneurs. It was a plea for more grants and government funding to be allocated for these pursuits.
This was a good first step and we’ll take these outcomes further as we continue to expand Climate Solver in different countries and regions of the world (next up China, India, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana), and in our interactions with policy makers, business leaders and the financial sector.
Oh, and just one final note…I left Rework with over 70 business cards from people with whom I spoke during my four days in Dalarana. Some were older, well-known figures from respected and established institutions. Others were young, bright and passionate - busy making things happen on the ground at a truly impressive rate. Kudos to Tällberg Foundations and YES for bringing these magnificent people together – it was a great idea and initiative. Something we all need to consider is a more deliberate integration of the two groups. Youth must be a more integral part of the dialogue and process if we are to succeed in tackling the huge challenges facing our globe.
It tickles to imagine what could be achieved by marrying the wealth of knowledge and experience of one generation with the energy, creativity and passion of the next!
Cleantech – Bright Spark in Financial Crisis
Cleantech companies appear to be a bright spark in the current financial crisis.Despite the panic on global stock markets, interest for sustainable investments remains steady.
Climate Solver Rehact announced a public offering in order to finance a planned expansion of the company last week. The announcement led to over 1500 downloads of their information memorandum in just a few days. “Our interpretation is that more people are looking for investments with high potential in the medium term, given that the turbulence of the stock market is expected to last,” says Svante Bengtsson, CEO of Rehact AB.
The fact that nearly 40% of all currently produced energy is used for buildings is leading more and more countries to focus on energy efficiency measures. Energy efficiency is generally much more cost effective than investing in new sources of energy.
One important reason for the increasing interest in the cleantech industry is the huge potential in rapidly developing China and India. “Since they basically build from scratch- two billion square meters per year in China alone – people in these markets are much more open to new thinking and the so-called technological leap than in Western Europe. We have already had visits from China, and been invited to India to present Rehact Energy Systems,” says Svante Bengtsson.
Keeping our fingers crossed that many wise investors will find their way to Rehact and other sustainable solutions!
Sweden’s first major vertical-axis wind turbine operational
The new design includes a number of innovatative features.
One unique advantage is that the wind turbine is electrical controlled, unlike other wind farms in the country, which are controlled mechanically.
Pages
Latest posts
- Amazing Nordic entrepreneurship at display in Malmö
- Sneak peek at the 12 Nordic entrepreneurs that will be honoured in Malmö on Wednesday
- WWF urges Nordics to be a global hub for taking climate innovations to growing global markets
- China's young entrepreneurs is a force of change we should all take seriously
- Chinese Low-carbon Innovation Drives post-Paris Era
- Hot climate for innovation in India
- Reaching China: key success factors for the Nordic Cleantech sector (podcast)
- WWF-India recognizes innovative solutions through Climate Solver Awards
- Innovating the future: 100 sustainable solutions
- Why we need innovative co-operation to tackle climate change
Related blogs
Categories
Archive
- June 2012
- February 2012
- November 2011
- October 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- September 2010
- October 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- October 2008
- September 2008
- July 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- November 2012
- December 2012
- January 2013
- February 2013
- March 2013
- April 2013
- June 2013
- July 2013
- September 2013
- October 2013
- November 2013
- January 2014
- March 2014
- June 2014
- August 2014
- January 2015
- February 2015
- April 2015
- May 2015
- June 2015
- September 2015
- May 2016
- June 2016
- September 2016
- April 2017
- May 2017
- June 2017
- April 2018
- May 2018
- October 2018
- February 2019