Climate crisis | Peter Schulte

India’s Cochin International becomes world’s first fully solar-powered airport

Peter Schulte / May 19, 2015

Cochin International, in the state of Kerala, transformed a patch of land previously reserved for cargo handling into a 12-megawatt solar plant. This energy source – now featuring more than 46,000 solar panels – provides all the power the airport needs and even generates surplus for the state. Costing less than $10 million USD, the project likely recouped all development costs within the first five years of operation.

France says new roofs must be covered in plants or solar panels

Peter Schulte / March 20, 2015

According to a new French law approved on Thursday, rooftops on new buildings in commercial zones across France must either be partially covered in plants or solar panels.

Norway will pay Liberia $150 million to stop deforestation

Peter Schulte / September 23, 2014

Liberia is a global diversity hotspot, home to the last remaining viable populations of species including western chimpanzees, forest elephants and leopards.

San Francisco bans sale of plastic water bottles on city property

Peter Schulte / March 13, 2013

Americans use 50 billion plastic water bottles a year, according to an anti-plastic bottle campaign Ban the Bottle, and just 23% of those are recycled. Ban violators found selling plastic water bottles 21 oz or below on city grounds after October 2014 would be subject to a fine up to $1000, according to the San Fransisco Examiner.

India completes its first solar park

Peter Schulte / April 17, 2012

Inaugurated in 2012 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi, it was home to about 250 MW capacity initially. In April 2012, a total of 214 megawatts had been commissioned. It also became the world’s third largest photovoltaic power station. 345 MW had been installed by March 2016. So far, the park has witnessed investments of Rs 5,365 crore and generated 3,441 million units till date.

Brazilian government launches $1.2 billion Amazon Fund to protect country’s rainforests

Peter Schulte / March 1, 2009

The Amazon Fund, made by possible from financial support from Norway and Germany, supports projects aimed at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of the Brazilian Amazon.

Chinese developers unveiled the world’s first permanent Maglev wind turbine in Beijing

Peter Schulte / June 28, 2006

Regarded as a key breakthrough in the evolution of global wind power technology, the generator was jointly developed by Guangzhou Energy Research Institute and Guangzhou Zhongke Hengyuan Energy Science & Technology Co., Ltd.

Egypt commissions its first large-scale wind farm

Peter Schulte / April 29, 2000

The state-owned Zafarana wind farm is located in Suez and was built in eight phases between 2000 and 2010. The farm is 120km2 in size and boasts 700 turbines with a combined capacity of 545 MW. The €110 million wind farm was supported by soft loans from Denmark, Spain, Japan, and Germany.

Denmark completes world’s first ever offshore wind farm

Peter Schulte / July 21, 1991

Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm was the first offshore wind farm in the world, erected in 1991 off the coast of the town of Vindeby on the Danish island of Lolland. It was decommissioned for cost reasons in 2017 after 25 years of useful life.

Finland enacts world’s first-ever carbon tax

Peter Schulte / January 30, 1990

The tax was based on the carbon content of the fossil fuels and charged at €1.12 per tonne of CO2 when it was first started. The carbon tax was reformed in 1997 and 2011. Now, it has evolved into a combined tax of carbon and energy tax charging €18.05 per tonne of CO2 and €66.2 per tonne of carbon.