Business Green: Clean Energy 'Creates More Jobs Than Fossil Fuels,' Report Claims
More job opportunities can be created through investment in clean energies than through fossil fuels, according to a new report.
Research by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Global Green Growth Institute outlines how a commitment of 1.5 percent of GDP per year to renewable energy and energy efficiency investment will deliver economic growth, a sufficient supply of energy resources, and a new source of job opportunities.
USA Today: SolarCity Reaches Out to Rival Utilities
Since its founding in 2006, SolarCity has become the number-one installer of solar panels on residential roofs, and a villain in the eyes of some utility executives who see SolarCity and its competitors potentially cutting deeply into their electricity sales.
So it may come as a surprise that SolarCity is reaching out to utility companies and grid operators to form partnerships.
"I'm very interested in finding a utility that we can work with that wants to solve problems, not prevent change," SolarCity's co-founder and CEO, Lyndon Rive, said in an interview. "It would be learning for both of us."
China Times: BYD Gets Complaints About Electric-Car Battery Life
Chinese automaker and rechargeable battery manufacturer BYD Company has recently received consumer complaints about insufficient endurance of batteries for one of its electric vehicle models, according to a report from the Beijing-based Legal Weekly.
The problematic batteries are from its BYD Qin model, a second-generation dual-mode, plug-in hybrid compact electric sedan with an all-electric range of 70 kilometers and a hybrid electric powertrain that is said to be able to extend the car's total range to a distance similar to that of a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle, the report said.
Silicon Valley Business Journal: Will Tesla's Deal With Canadian Battery Expert Drive Down Costs?
Tesla has made another important step toward cheaper and more powerful batteries. The Palo Alto-based electric car company entered into an exclusive partnership last week with Jeff Dahn, a leading battery researcher known for his work with lithium-ion batteries.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but CEO Elon Musk’s company will sponsor Dahn’s research efforts in return for his help solving Tesla’s battery issues.
Tech Crunch: Nest Cam Embodies Stale Innovation in 'Connected-Home' Space
After years of hype and unfulfilled promises, the concept of the smart home looks to be losing the attention of consumers. This is due in no small part to the lackluster innovation emerging from major device makers like Nest, which has prioritized the safe and repetitive over the revolutionary.
A report released Wednesday by Argus Insights details that consumer interest in “connected-home” devices fell 15 percent in the past year.