Solar energy has been embraced by the West as a clean alternative to standard electrical usage, but in emerging markets, solar energy addresses more than environmental concerns. It addresses the need to maintain health, communication and education systems in countries struggling to develop.
Synergy between public and private sectors will develop hydropower potential in India, says Shekhar Gupta. But the industry first needs to adopt a model which will enable fruitful partnerships between the sectors
Hydropower is the greatest weapon in the Chinese arsenal for creating a lower carbon power sector. However, it is an industry which provides critics with ammunition, says James Wheatcroft
While there are companies looking to break through the energy storage glass ceiling, technology needs to be developed that can put energy storage for renewables on a big scale, says Mia Henderson. Getting there is tough, but not impossible, she says
From the recent devastation of Hurricane Sandy in the US, to the blackouts in India which left more than 700m people without electricity in July, the smart grid has never seemed more important.
