For the best part of four decades, economists have assured us that “the market” will find the best solution to climate change.  As our environment shifted, humans would simply tailor their activities accordingly.  If southern Europe becomes afflicted by drought, that is not a problem – we will simply locate …

Having already engaged in a bonfire of green energy subsidies, the UK government is to turn its fire on anaerobic digesters. There are about 300 anaerobic digesters in the UK; 200 of them on farms, where they use animal and plant waste to produce methane and fertiliser.  The methane is …

There have been signs that the US economy has been slowing for the best part of a year.  Poor retail sales in the run up to Christmas did not translate into improved sales in the New Year.  Although inventories remained high, sales were sluggish.  Manufacturing has been anaemic.  Most worryingly, …

Germany is the world’s fourth largest economy.  It is also the third largest exporter; and the powerhouse behind what little growth there has been in the Eurozone economy.  But according to Business Insider there are signs that the Germany is slowing to a halt… with potentially catastrophic results for the …

Chile has been generating so much solar electricity that it has to give it away free.  And while this looks good for both consumers and the environment, it spells trouble ahead for Chile’s infrastructure. As Vanessa Dezem and  Javiera Quiroga at Bloomberg report: “Spot prices reached zero in parts of …

According to the mainstream media, UK fracking is back in business.  The decision by North Yorkshire Council to approve an application for further testing of the KM8 well that was drilled in 2013 was reported as the first UK approval for fracking since 2011.  From the coverage, you would be …

One reason why Third Energy may have suddenly wanted to begin fracking in rural North Yorkshire is that the breakeven price – the point at which shale oil and gas becomes profitable – has been falling in recent months.  Pro-fracking publicists like to pretend that the reason for the fall …

Taking the stairs instead of the lift could cut more than a third of the carbon/energy footprint of most UK buildings according to a new report by carried out by StepJockey and specialist lift consultants SVM Associates . The study looked at the real world performance of lifts rather than …