Three young inventors from New Delhi, India have developed Chakr Shield; a technology that traps over 90 percent of pollutant suspended particulate matter (SPM) emissions from exhaust pipes of diesel generators. The SPM in form of soot (black carbon) is then recycled to make inks and paints.  

Moving to a cleaner, more sustainable world brings with it enormous potential for the creation of new jobs and economies. This situation is made abundantly clear in research indicating that the transition to sustainable lighting systems in the form of off-grid solar LEDs in developing regions may create some two million new jobs. 

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organization that helps countries move to more sustainable energy options. The Agency also provides a focal point for governments from around the world to work together and share information on clean tech best practice. IRENA recently released a policy brief Solar Pumping for Irrigation: Improving livelihoods and sustainability, this brief forms part of a broader agenda focused on renewable energy opportunities in the agriculture and water sector. 

WWF International recently launched a report Crossing the Divide: How to Close the Emissions Abyss to coincide with discussions by UN climate negotiators, focusing on emissions reductions in the pre-2020 period. The report highlights the ‘gigatonne gap’ of emissions reductions needed to meet 2020 commitments. In the report, national contacts in various developed and developing countries provide an analysis of the current situation on energy and climate change, and then provide ways their governments could do more to close the emissions gap

Huge increases in energy demand and the quest to find low-emission energy to avoid damaging the climate has changed everything.  It’s taken a while but it looks like a global transformation in energy is fully underway in the form of a roll out of solar energy.  20 years ago the problem for solar was whether the technology would work at all.  10 years ago it looked like the cost might be insurmountable.   For the solar singularity to happen there are really only two major issues and they are being resolved now.    

Windstream Technologies is the American manufacturer of a new type of hybrid renewable energy source.  Called the "SolarMill", the device combines PV panels with savonius-type (helix) wind turbines and a built-in inverter.  The result is a compact source of energy that is able to make the best of both sunlight and prevailing wind currents.   

This report is important reading for anyone that wants to understand some of the key aspects of the solar revolution that India is trying to undertake.  Its a big challenge but its the kind of transformation we’ve seen India rise up to deliver in the information technology sector.