This week in clean energy news, both Google and Paris committed to big renewable energy milestones. Google is going to reach 100% renewable energy in 2017 and the city of Paris will eliminate non-electric cars by 2030. A new study shows that there is enough wind power in the North Atlantic to power the entire world. While this isn’t feasible in the near future, it is a major vote of confidence in favor of the wind industry.

In news near and dear to our hearts, Boston was declared the #1 city for startups in America. We are so happy to be located right in the center of this amazing ecosystem so that we can support our startups the best that we can. Two new innovations are making headlines this week as well! The first comes out of MIT, a new battery that claims it is 100 percent cheaper and can store twice as much energy as regular batteries. The second is a seaweed based biofuel, already seeing investments from the Department of Energy.

What news have you been reading this week? Share with us @GreentownLabs!

 

The Washington Post- There’s enough wind energy over the oceans to power human civilization, scientists say

• New research published on Monday finds there is so much wind energy potential over oceans that it could theoretically be used to generate “civilization scale power”

“On an annual mean basis, the wind power available in the North Atlantic could be sufficient to power the world.”

 

Renewable Energy Magazine– Google to Reach 100% Renewable Energy in 2017

• Google will reach 100% renewable energy for its global operations—including both data centers and offices, according to its latest 2017 environmental report.

“This shift in our energy strategy didn’t just significantly reduce our environmental impact. By pioneering new energy purchasing models that others can follow, we’ve helped drive widescale global adoption of clean energy.”

 

Futurism– The Energy of Tomorrow May Not Be Solar, but Seaweed

• The US Department of Energy has invested nearly $1.5 million in projects that will help establish large-scale seaweed farms for the purpose of making biofuel. The renewable energy sector is rapidly increasing in the diversity of clean energy sources.

“Of the two latest projects funded, $995,978 went to Makai Ocean Engineering of Honolulu to help build an ocean simulating model that the will aid researchers in designing offshore seaweed farms.”

 

Boston Business Journal– Boston is No. 1 in the country for startups (again), says U.S. Chamber

• For the second year in a row, Boston was named the top place in the country for startups by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in a new report.

“A constant inflow of capital has fueled the rapid growth of the city’s startup ecosystem, while having some of America’s top universities (including Harvard University, Boston University and MIT) in its backyard produces a steady stream of new tech talent.”

 

NPR- Paris Mayor Plans To Eliminate All Non-Electric Cars By 2030

• If the mayor of Paris holds sway, gas-powered cars will be gone from her city by 2030. Instead, citizens will get around via public transport, bicycles, and electric cars — and Paris will be on its way to carbon neutrality by 2050.

“In order to achieve the goal of an end to the thermal engines in 2030, the City has decided to invest in the development of alternatives and in the reinforcement of financial aids that allow individuals and professionals to buy clean vehicles.”

 

Courthouse News– Low-Cost Battery Could Solve Green Energy Storage Problem

• Powered by sulfur, salt, air and water, this new battery prototype is nearly 100 times cheaper than options currently on the market and can store twice as much energy as current lead-acid batteries.

“It has become increasingly clear that in order for renewable energy to become the main part, if not all, of our electricity generation system, it needs to match the output of the demand that we have as a society.”