Tomorrow’s Manufacturing: China or the US?

The US has steadily been bleeding manufacturing jobs to China for 15 years. China builds toys and electronics bound for American shelves. Now China is poised to expand its manufacturing dominance into new areas such as renewable energy and large-scale infrastructure projects like bridges and rail. But some American companies and business analysts are saying: Not so fast.

The Trouble With Renewables for Post-Nuclear Germany

Germany has laid out an ambitious timetable to get nearly all of its power from “renewables” within 40 years.

First Large-Scale Solar Field Could be a Model for Israel-Palestinian Partnership

Israel’s first solar field has some hoping the project can be a model for Israel-Palestinian cooperation.

First Solar-Powered International Flight

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with The World’s Clark Boyd in Brussels, who’s on hand to witness the completion of the first international flight of a solar-powered aircraft. The plane took off from Switzlerand earlier today. Download MP3

Technology podcast: Solar Powered Plane Takes Flight

Solar Powered Plane Takes Flight

A special podcast with André Borschberg, pilot of the world’s first completely solar-powered airplane. We caught up with Borschberg about 12,000 feet up as he was making his way from Switzerland to Brussels.

Zero emissions race

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You need a pretty big battery to drive an electric car for hundreds of miles a day. That’s what participants in the ‘Zero Emissions Race’ did. The race began last August and ended today in a Swiss city that we want you to name… Download MP3

China stuck with coal for now

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In the final part of her series on China’s coal habit, The World’s Mary Kay Magistad reports on why China is likely to remain dependent on dirty coal for decades to come, despite the billions it’s pouring into alternatives. Download MP3
Reporter’s notebook: the air in China
China’s coal habit series page

Reporter’s notebook: the air in China

The air in many Chinese cities can be fairly aggressive on the lungs on a regular basis. Mary Kay Magistad explains how people in China deal with the smog and the air pollution.

China looks to renewables to soften coal growth

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In part three of her series on China’s coal habit, The World’s Mary Kay Magistad reports on the country’s efforts to slowly wean itself off coal with big investments in renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Download MP3
China’s coal habit series page

Tech Podcast: Non-stick chewing gum…finally

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Chewing gum – an international scourge so terrible that Singapore doesn’t even allow people to partake. But now, some British chemists have developed Rev 7, a “removable confectionary chewing gum” made from polymers that supposedly allow for easy removal. We’ll have that vital tech story, and a whole lot more, on this week’s Tech Podcast!

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Bringing solar power to Tanzania

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Most of us take electric light for granted. For the most part, we flick a switch and the light comes on. That’s not the case in much of the world. The World’s Jeb Sharp reports on the promise and challenge of bringing solar power to rural Tanzania where most people still don’t have access to electricity. Download MP3

• Slideshow: See photos from Jeb Sharp’s reporting in Tanzania
• Renewables find niche in Pakistan
• Renewables Fill the Power Gap

Ontario’s green energy plan prompts back wind

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Earlier this year, Ontario adopted a sweeping green energy plan that could make it a world leader in phasing out polluting sources of electricity. The plan paves the way for what supporters hope will be a massive expansion of solar, geothermal and wind power. But the province’s headlong rush toward renewables is roiling some rural communities, which fear massive wind farms will harm their economies and possibly their health. Anita Elash reports. Download MP3 (Photo: flickr.com/photos/canadagood)

• Listen to Anita’s Elash’s report: “Ontario’s green energy plan”
• Environment coverage on The World

The Economics of Renewable Energy

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Policymakers are working towards their self-imposed deadline to come up with a successor climate treaty to the Kyoto Protocol. Their mission is to set target reductions for atmospheric carbon levels by the conclusion of United Nations’ sponsored climate talks this December in Copenhagen. A deal is looking unlikely for December. But assuming a climate deal does eventually get done, this will no doubt be a boon for the renewable energy industry. That could mean big business for solar panels, wind turbines, biofuels, and nuclear energy.

Geo Quiz and Answer

On Wednesday, millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century. For today’s Geo Quiz we asked you where the eclipse will appear first and last. It will first be visible at dawn in India’s Gulf of Khambhat, just north of Mumbai and last from Nikumaroro Island in the South Pacific nation of Kiribati.
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Geo Quiz archive

Total eclipse

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We’re chasing the sun in the Geo Quiz: on Wednesday, millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century. We want you to name two places: one is the country that will be the first to see the full eclipse and the other will be the last place where the full eclipse will be visible from land.