The solar industry is beginning to experience whiplash due to a recent flurry of regulatory changes, according to the law firm Sheppard Mullin, rendering solar tariffs among the most intricate in the history of U.S. imports. Homeowners are wondering about the extent of the tariffs' cost impact. Surprisingly, the cost may be minimal. Published by Solar Washington at https://www.solarwa.org/understanding_solar_tariffs

While Singapore may be viewed as a nation of large multinationals and small low-tech businesses, it’s also a global hub for start-ups. The country has more than 4,500 start-ups as well as more than 200 incubators and accelerators that help these fledgling firms grow their businesses. Singapore also has the highest investment in start-ups per capita in the world, according to Crunchbase, exceeding even the US. (Published by Living in Singapore at https://issuu.com/singaporeamerican/docs/lis_sept-oct_24)

Innovative financing empowering smallholder farmers for sustainable growth Even though Indonesia is the third largest rice producer in the world, it imported 3.5 million tons of rice in 2023 and expects to import at least 3 million tons this year. Eratani is working to boost smallholder farmers’ productivity and incomes to help increase rice production and resolve the shortage, according to co-CEO Bambang Cahyo Susilo. Published by Impact Entrepreneur: https://impactentrepreneur.com/eratanis-tech-solutions-tackle-indonesias-rice-crisis/

Do the investments you make actually impact the climate or affect carbon emissions? It turns out that they do. Here’s why your investments matter and what you can do to align your investing with your climate values.

Solar energy cuts costs for homeowners and reduces carbon emissions tremendously, yet many individuals see it as unaffordable. In reality, it is quite affordable for many people, as a multitude of companies offer legitimate financing that makes solar energy practical for individuals. This article was originally published by the ASES (American Solar Energy Society) at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NxDMqugrKPgxSkbx47sy6U6-Y4vZcHlo/view

Does the credit card you choose and use really impact carbon emissions and the climate at all? It turns out that it does, in a multitude of ways. Here’s why, and what you can do.

Can the bank you choose for your savings account really affect climate change? Surprisingly, the answer is “yes.” Choose wisely to reduce your climate impact

With climate change causing storms and floods as well as droughts, Indonesian farmers need solutions so they can still grow their crops. Mertani provides locally developed devices and algorithms to help farmers and the government prepare for whatever happens.

While we hear plenty about bees and butterflies pollinating fruits and vegetables, those insects don’t pollinate crops in vertical farms or greenhouses. Polybee has a solution, using tiny drones to pollinate crops so farmers can get fruits and vegetables to market.

When homeowners and businesses think about installing solar energy, they often focus on the solar panels. More than just solar panels may be necessary, though, as homes and buildings need the right electrical panel and more. Here’s how to go beyond the solar panel.

Although American and European enterprises frequently dominate the spotlight for their use of geospatial analytics in climate change mitigation and adaptation, Southeast Asian start-ups are emerging as significant players in this arena. Published by Impact Entrepreneur at https://impactentrepreneur.com/geospatial-vanguard/

The heart of Southeast Asia’s economy beats to the rhythm of agriculture, as Asia Fund Manager’s Namrata Sen Chanda puts it, contributing 10 percent of the region’s GDP and more than 30 percent of jobs in some countries. Those benefits are, however, threatened by climate change. And, equally alarming, agriculture is one of the top causes of carbon and methane emissions that cause climate change in the first place. Agtech start-ups are leveraging IoT, sensors, drones and more to create solutions to reduce emissions and help farmers adapt.

While high-quality at-scale production of biochar is new in Southeast Asia, there is massive potential in uses ranging from agriculture to – surprisingly – water treatment. Thai Carbon is looking to become a leader in biochar in Thailand and around the world.

While inverters clearly do not get the attention solar panels do, and they’re often almost unknown to solar energy users, they are critical to system performance and even grid reliability. New technologies are enabling far better performance.

In visits to the countryside after she moved from Vietnam to Myanmar in 2015, Village Link CEO Quyen McGrath was surprised to see rice plant heights and crop yields varying tremendously. After seeing a rapid increase in mobile phone users in the country, she and her collaborators developed an app and extra services to support farmers, increase their agricultural yields and help newly arrived investors.

More than 90 percent of the population in Singapore is not vegetarian or vegan, so expecting a mass shift to vegan lifestyles is unrealistic. By making small changes to eat less meat, though, people who do eat meat can improve their health and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Published first in Living in Singapore at https://issuu.com/singaporeamerican/docs/lis_mar-apr_24, starting on page 40.

When he was looking for his next role in 2021, WasteX CEO Pawel Kuznicki said, “I wanted to make an impact.” And that led him to set up WasteX, to turn agricultural waste into biochar. Biochar is the residue remaining after the pyrolysis - burning - of biomass such as agricultural waste. Biochar is a solution for both climate mitigation and climate adaptation, Pawel noted. “For mitigation, you remove carbon. For adaptation, you're making agriculture much more resilient, improving soil health, increasing yields, and reducing fertiliser usage. Given the climate crisis and how agriculture is affected by it, and how fertiliser prices affect farmers, we are creating mind-blowing value for them.” Farmers get higher yields and more income, and rice, corn or sawmill operators turn waste into cash.

The agriculture industry is responsible for nearly 25 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, so its impact on climate change is huge. At the same time, though, farmers are experiencing devastating impacts from climate change. A multitude of start-ups in Southeast Asia are helping them produce more efficiently, reduce emissions and overcome effects of climate change.

A key reason why buildings are so important for decarbonization is that, according to the Washington Department of Commerce, “buildings represent approximately one-fifth of Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions. Washington is consistently among the top states for energy efficiency policies and programs that save energy, advance equity, and produce environmental and economic benefits.