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France, Solar energy, Energy
Overcoming borders to crowdfund green energy
Overcoming borders to crowdfund green energy
Solar parks proliferate in Europe and boost development of renewables, but the issue of land use is often raised. A new trend is to produce energy and cultivate crops at the same time , in other words use agrivoltaic systems.
‘Fintech’ helps power the green energy revolution
‘Fintech’ helps power the green energy revolution
Can “cryptocurrencies” encourage green-tech? Nowadays virtual means of payment are in use as an alternative to our existing currencies.
Creating Europe’s new backbone for efficient power distribution
Creating Europe’s new backbone for efficient power distribution
Over the last few decades the energy landscape has been changing drastically in Europe. An increasing amount of electricity is now generated from renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy.
Green energy and politics: crowdfunding to the rescue?
Green energy and politics: crowdfunding to the rescue?
The  Paris climate change pact , which  entered into force  last year, was announced with a huge fanfare. The deal aims to limit the rise in average global temperatures to “well below” two degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
Crossing borders to crowdfund renewables
Crossing borders to crowdfund renewables
Renewable energy crowdfunding involves three different parties: the fundraising platform, the investors  who generally expect a return, and project developers needing money. They may come from different nations .
Crowdfunding a renewable future
Crowdfunding a renewable future
Part of the issue with small-scale, home-based renewable energy systems is that initial setup costs can be high. This puts such installations out of reach for some sectors of society, even if they could benefit financial in the long run with lower household bills.
New superconductive material for long-distance energy transmission
New superconductive material for long-distance energy transmission
The energy landscape in Europe is changing rapidly and the percentage of renewables is steadily increasing. For example, in Germany solar and wind power provided an average of 33% of the total electricity production in 2015.
Social, green, but primarily as an investment: all the features of energy crowdfunding
Social, green, but primarily as an investment: all the features of energy crowdfunding
There are three ways a crowdfunding project can be financed. Lending: the entrepreneurs borrow money and pay interest; equity: investors in the project become its shareholders; donations: no reward is to be expected (there is a fourth way, a mix of equity and lending called “hybrid”).
Energy crowdfunding: the new way to boost renewables
Energy crowdfunding: the new way to boost renewables
It's a brand new sector: the first steps date back to 2012. Today energy crowdfunding is a way of financing solar panel or wind turbine projects.
Power of the Sun. Dirt cheap
Power of the Sun. Dirt cheap
In the late 1980s, the German-born chemist Michael Grätzel literally tied his name to an invention that is hailed as a  revolution in renewable energy .
Smart grid: A grid suitable for renewable energy
Smart grid: A grid suitable for renewable energy
Traditionally our electricity grids were designed to move power from large nuclear and fossil fuel power plants to consumers, but renewable energy will see changes to allow smaller power generation from wind and solar to be hooked up to the grid.
Christel Jimenez - MeeFS aims for a retrofitting solution as universal as possible
Christel Jimenez - MeeFS aims for a retrofitting solution as universal as possible
Retroffiting older buildings has become an industry in its own right in Europe. To compete, various players need to innovate.
Forecasting desert storms to empower solar panels
Forecasting desert storms to empower solar panels
To prevent energy loss and improve the management of solar power plants scientists of the European research project MACC II in France are now developing a 5-day forecast to predict the movements of desert dust and thus will be able to inform power plant managers beforehand.
A multi-nano tool can introduce something new under the sun
A multi-nano tool can introduce something new under the sun
In the European funded project FIBLYS (or FIB anaLYSis) three industry and four research partners from Czech Republic, France, Germany and Switzerland have created a multi-nano tool named FIBLYS .
Harnessing Solar Energy
Harnessing Solar Energy
One good way of helping the environment is to put what we call ‘solar panels’ onto the roofs of buildings. When the sun is shining these panels trap the rays and turn it into electricity and heat.