Some Damn Good CleanTech links

Can I even say “damn?”

I’m working on a project right now and trying to get some information about the current state of CleanTech; as you might suspect finding great resources that are quotable is tough!

I’ve added a couple good links to the Links Page today, but please use the contact form to introduce us to some more.

Here are some great “fresh” resources I’ve come across today in my research:

Water Issues

Vulnerability Assessment of Freshwater Resources to Environmental Change (Focus South Asia)

by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)

Key findings:

– Over-exploitation, climate change and inadequate cooperation among countries threaten some of the world’s greatest river basins, which sustain around 750 million people.

– Climate change is likely to lead to severe water shortages in all of the basins in the long term, as about 67 per cent of Himalayan glaciers are reported to be receding, reducing the glacial runoff which feeds these rivers.

– Water resources in the Indus and Helmand river basins are highly vulnerable – this is mainly due to ecological insecurity illustrated by decreasing vegetation cover and declining water quality.

– The Indus Basin is the most resource stressed, based on water availability per person and variation in precipitation, and at the same time, most exploited among the three river basins.

– Groundwater levels are declining at a rate of two to four meters per year in many parts of the Indus basins due to intense pumping, which threatens soil and water quality and results in saltwater intrusion into groundwater aquifers.

Wind Energy

The Global Wind Energy Council’s 2008 report

Whatever you are looking for, it is in there – if it isn’t go to their site: www.windpowerworks.net

Renewable Energy

Good Stuff on India’s and China’s clean energy space from the US Department of Commerce.

A bit less “fresh” but still good, and should be updated soon

REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report

You should always check out New Energy Finance, they are a subscription based service, but their freebie information is a great starting point.

If you aren’t paying for it, you might also want to consider the mother-lode, the International Energy Agency’s 2008 World Report.

Please use the links to get smarter and please submit great links to make the rest of us smarter; the site will only get more helpful for your fellow CleanTechies through your collaboration!