X-Men star is water ambassador

X-Men star Famke Janssen is taking on a new role – not in a Hollywood film but as a Water Ambassador for an NGO, the Green Cross International. The Dutch-born actress, who has previously served as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, will help promote awareness about water conservation around the world. Ms Janssen said: “Water […]

Gorbachev: share water resources to avoid crisis

Countries across the world must agree rules to share water resources or risk political and humanitarian crises, according to ex-Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate said at the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille, France that governments must ratify the 1997 United Nations Watercourses Convention. It is the only global legal framework […]

EU-style emissions rule could affect Brazilian bus sales

Daimler’s diesel bus sales in Brazil last year were boosted by a rush to get them before EU-style emissions rules kicked in at the beginning of 2012. The German car maker’s Buses division posted its annual results yesterday, hitting its second-highest sales result ever in 2011. It said in a statement: “Sales also buoyed by […]

Formula One science helps Morrisons trucks save fuel

Engineers are using a technique from Formula One racing cars to help Morrisons trucks save fuel. Experts at Sheffield Hallam University claim they helped a Barnsley-based tanker manufacturer potentially reduce the major supermarket’s fuel use by up to 10%. The team at Hallam Energy used drag analysis to examine the aerodynamic performance of the tanker […]

EU air chiefs call for delay to carbon scheme

Nine European air firms are calling on EU leaders to delay the Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to stop an impending trade war with China. The heads of Airbus, Air Berlin, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, MTU Aero Engines, Safran and Virgin Atlantic have sent joint letters to Prime Minister David Cameron and his […]

Green energy ‘flaw’ costing buyers

The “flaw” with buying green energy is that it doesn’t count under UK carbon cutting tax schemes. That’s according to Mark Dickinson, Chief Executive of a leading broker M&C Energy. Speaking on ELN’s Energy Clinic webcast, he told ELN Editor Sumit Bose: “The flaw in green energy when it’s being sold by a supplier is […]

China ‘won’t buy Airbus planes’ over EU emissions law

China’s government allegedly won’t let its airlines buy planes from a European manufacturer “in retaliation” for EU emissions law. The chief executive of EADS, the parent company of Airbus made the claim at a news conference when he presented the company’s annual results. Louis Gallois said:”The Chinese government refuses to approve airlines’ orders for long-haul […]

Heat is the ‘sleeping giant’ of UK energy use

Heat is the ‘sleeping giant’ of our energy use, according to a heat energy group. The Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) claims in a new report out today that we must cut emissions from heat to hit the UK’s low carbon targets. The report comes ahead of the Government’s Heat Strategy which is due […]

BP agrees $7.8bn Deepwater Horizon settlement

BP has agreed to pay $7.8 billion (£4.9bn) to 110,000 businesses and individuals affected by the Gulf of Mexico disaster in April 2010. Despite this the US Department of Justice is expected to press ahead with its own $18 billion lawsuit against the British oil giant. BP reached the settlement for financial and and medical […]

Reporter’s Blog

Why Justin Bieber could save the electric car I never thought I’d find myself writing about nauseatingly perma-grinned ‘tween’ heartthrob Justin Bieber. But the online pop sensation (his YouTube videos have got more than one billion hits) has done something to flash up on my energy radar rather like an unwelcome nuclear submarine. For his […]