News you might have missed: 15 May 2009

Can’t keep up with the ever-growing outpouring of cleantech- and climate-related news stories? You can skim the recent headlines here:

• An article in The Irish Times this week reported that attempts to make buildings more energy-efficient by installing expensive green technologies have resulted in the rise of costly “eco-bling” that doesn’t pay off over time;
• A waste pickup truck that runs on electricity has been launched in Cardiff, making Wales the first part of the UK to offer such a vehicle;
• Massive tracts of land in Africa, Russia and Ukraine are being bought up or leased by richer countries to ensure access to food and for production of biofuels — a development that could result in unrest as locals begin to lose access over their territory;
• OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has developed the smallest RGB Multi ChipLED especially for high-resolution full-color video screens with large diagonals and small viewing distances;
• All new homes will feature inbuilt protection from hot water scalding in baths and will use water more efficiently, under measures announced by Housing Minister Iain Wright this week;
• A symposium at Trinity College Dublin this week examined the topic, “Low-Carbon Society: Waste Not Want Not”;
• UTEC Survey Limited, a marine survey contractor registered in Scotland, went bust this week, Business Weekly reports;
• The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is investing up to €80 million equity to help raise the quality of water supply and waste water operations across eastern Europe;
• Germany’s P21 this week received $13.6 million in financing for its plan to use fuel cell technology to help power cell towers;
• Citing the economy, GreenFuel Technologies, the Harvard-MIT algae company, is ending operations, CleanTechBrief reports.