To Warren Sarauer putting a solar electric system on his roof was a no-brainer but when some innovative electricity retailers in Alberta decided to offer almost double the going rate for his exported solar energy he was ecstatic. Sarauer is a big solar energy supporter - through his company Evergreen and Gold Renewable Energy he puts renewable energy systems into people's homes. But last year he tackled a project that would set an example for his clients, he built a net-zero office.
Kampala has many advantages driving growth. It is resource rich. From a tourism perspective, the country is beautiful and, in comparison to Nairobi or Cape Town, it's quite safe. In some ways the country is well suited to lead Africa in economic development. Like being in the dark, literally. Unreliable electricity goes beyond being a mere hindrance; it can be life threatening.
Leaders in the Canadian hydropower industry believe North America can dam its way to a cooler climate, but some experts say that continual increases in energy supply -- whatever the source -- are not the optimal response to the climate crunch. The answer is not more energy, but much more efficient use of it.