Solar has been making steady progress over the past few years. In some countries its costs are coming close to parity with those of energy produced from conventional sources. But until now the breakthrough that would propel it from a miniscule share of the world’s energy generation to a big player has proved elusive. Could… Continue reading
24 hour pedigree of an overlooked French city
Le Mans is synonymous with the annual motorsport marathon, the Le Mans 24 Hours, the “Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency”. But the city is more than a long weekend destination for petrolheads. Le Mans is now an easy short break trip by train from London St Pancras. In 2010 I spent a day in one… Continue reading →
First film in the UK of a genuinely Co2-free drive?
I try hard not to look at YouTube, and other video content on the web to the course of a working day. It’s distracting, and I find it a slow way to gather information. But just occasionally I see something quite compelling, that informs me in a way that written material cannot. I followed a… Continue reading →
Sunny outlook for grassroots African football
Young men in Africa who take part in football must, by and large, do it during the day, when the sun is very hot and the light is harsh. And that’s how it’s always been. Never since the introduction of the game on the continent have they had the option of playing when it’s more… Continue reading →
Could Tesla sweep up the Leaf and electrify the auto world?
So Californian electric car manufacturer Tesla is suing the BBC over a Top Gear programme in which one of the company’s $100,000 Roadsters is said to have run out of charge during a race with a petrol driven vehicle. The BBC denies the allegation. It’s the company’s second run in with the BBC. Earlier this… Continue reading →
Glory of the South Downs goes national
Britain’s newest national park, the South Downs, came into full operation on April 1st, 2011. The uplifting stretch of high rolling hills, its short chalk downland turf a mass of wild flowers and fluttering butterflies, runs 70 miles from Winchester to the western edge of Eastbourne. Its new status sets it apart as a treasured… Continue reading →