2nd December 2024

Robots Solve Problems for Farmers in Southeast Asia

Farmers have long resisted agtech solutions, preferring instead to rely on tried and tested practices that they have used for decades, even when those traditional methods may not optimise yield or revenue. Gradually, however, changing climates and improved technology are leading to the acceptance of robots for agriculture in Southeast Asia.

14th November 2024

Advancing Energy Equity and Justice

One of the most engaging panels at the 2024 Solar Summit in early October was about energy equity and energy justice. Solar Washington board member Charlee Thomson, who moderated the panel, said “these two topics, equity and justice, are integral to the clean energy transition and the advancement of solar energy. While we are reaching beyond the typical scope of what folks generally think of as solar energy, we wanted to put solar in the broader context of the clean energy transition.”

Solar Washington • 21st October 2024

Electrify Everything to Save Costs and Decarbonize

“The decarbonization picture is that electricity is more efficient than fossil fuels in many applications, vehicles or cars as well as heating systems,” Solar Washington board member Charlee Thompson said as she kicked off the panel on “Decarbonization and Electrification” at the Solar Summit. Clean Energy Transition Institute Research Analyst Ruby Moore-Bloom, McKinstry senior consultant Scott Foreman-Murray and Rewiring America volunteer Wendy Ferry provided insights on how to make electrification happen and how to achieve Washington’s decarbonization goals.

17th September 2024

Start-ups Battle Bugs to help Farmers in Southeast Asia

As climate change intensifies, the number of insect pests that devour crops has increased too. In times past, farmers scouted through fields nearly every day, looking for pests. Now, start-ups are delivering solutions that automate scouting while reducing costs and pesticides.

12th September 2024

Understanding Solar Tariffs

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

2nd September 2024

Innovative Start-ups Abound in Singapore

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)

8th August 2024

Eratani’s Tech Solutions Tackle Indonesia’s Rice Crisis

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/

9th July 2024

Your Investments Actually Can Reduce or Increase Climate Change

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.

21st June 2024

Tech to Reduce Agricultural Loss Mitigates Climate Change & Boosts Farmers’ Incomes

Food that spoils in farmers’ fields or on the way to market wastes nutritional resources and exacerbates climate change with massive amounts of methane. A slew of start-ups in Southeast Asia are developing solutions to reduce that food loss.

18th June 2024

Financing Solutions Make Solar Affordable for Homeowners

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

5th June 2024

Using Credit Cards Can Impact Climate Change, So Choose the Right One

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.

28th May 2024

The Bank you Choose may Increase your Carbon Footprint

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

22nd May 2024

Sensors and Software Give Farmers a Huge Boost in Adapting to Climate Change

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.

12th May 2024

Drones Really Can Pollinate your Tomatoes and Strawberries

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.

10th May 2024

Going Beyond Solar Panels – The Electrical System is Critical Too

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.

1st May 2024

Geospatial Vanguard - Southeast Asian start-ups innovate on climate solutions

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/

11th April 2024

Drones, Sensors and AI enable Farmers to Produce More and Adapt to Climate Change

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.

19th March 2024

High-Quality Biochar boosts Agriculture, Cannabis and even Water Treatment

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.

7th March 2024

How Inverters Enhance Small-Scale Solar Results and Drive Grid Reliability

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.

6th March 2024

Myanmar High-Tech Agtech Gives Farmers’ Incomes a Big Boost

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.