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Perhaps it's the onset of the northern winter, but energy, especially the sustainable sort, seems to be flavour of the month.
Global investment in renewable energy hit $30 billion in 2004, according to a report from the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21). Wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and small hydro now provide 160 gigawatts of electricity generating capacity, four percent of the world total, the report says.
Clearly, now that the US Senate has given the green light to pump oil from the Arctic nature reserves, oil will be with us for a while yet.
Anyway, DuPont, the US chemicals company that pretty much depends on oil as a feedstock, is putting its money where its mouth is. It is to use solar power at its photovoltaic lab in Wilmington, Delaware. It has contracted WorldWater & Power to install the 40kW AC power station, but curiously, the firm won't use DuPont's conductive inks-yet.
"DuPont will continue to apply scientific and technological expertise to deliver an expanding portfolio of films, resins, encapsulants and conductive inks that are at the essence of increasingly longer lasting, and more cost effective PV modules," says Tom Earnest, global venture manager, DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions.
Energy, especially fuel, is also taking mindshare among Britain's farmers, following the release of the latest
Deloitte survey on UK agriculture. Based on the financial results of Deloitte's farming clients, food production is a loss-leader for most farmers.
"The business of producing food operates at a loss of £35/acre; profit from diversification rises further to £31/acre; while the EU Single Payment of £66/acre (net of estimated 'cross-compliance'-land management obligations) contributes to the overall profit," Deloitte said.
Deloitte said given the present trends in farm prices, farms will either have to increase in size to drive costs down (hard to do when fuel and fertiliser costs keep rising at way above the rate of inflation), or to specialise in rich niche markets. (See innovations story
here.) One other option it suggests would be to stop planting cereals in favour of biofuels.
But there may be yet another. Scientists have shown that eating more fresh fruit and vegetables helps to cut the risk of cancer, but new research suggest that rubbing the skin with an extract of Brassicas such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. They contain glucosinolates that chewing or cutting break down into sulphoraphane.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins found recently that rubbing it onto the skins of mice that had been exposed to ultraviolet light
halved the number of skin cancers. The lead researcher said the findings suggested a "promising strategy" for adults who grew up before sunscreens were widely available.
It's certainly a new argument against resistance to broccoli.
Until next time.
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Ian Grant
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