Brazil Approves Huge Dam in the Amazon
The Brazilian government has given approval for the construction of a massive dam in the Amazon state of Para. This controversial project would devastate 500 sq km of the rainforest, and affect the livelihoods of over 12,000 indigenous people. The Belo Monte dam would be the third largest in the world at 11,000 MW, and provide electricity to 23 million homes to help meet Brazil’s growing energy demands. Reported by the BBC.

EU to Classify Palm Oil Plantations as Forests
Palm oil plantation expansion across Southeast Asia has led to massive amounts of rainforest destruction over the past few decades. Palm oil, an important cash crop for the region, is used as a cooking oil, in cosmetics products, and as a biofuel. According to a leaked document from the European Commission at Mongabay. the EU may allow the classification of palm oil plantations that were converted from rainforest as “forest”, thereby meeting their sustainability criteria. Should this be approved, it could lead to further destruction of the forests of the region – exacerbating climate change and destroying biodiversity.

New Wind Turbine Design Based on Jet Engines Could Boost Efficiency by 4X
Flodesign, a Massachusetts-based wind turbine company has just received over $35 million in venture capital and $8 million in grants from the DOE to bring their revolutionary design to market. Should its performance claims be true, it could reduce the cost of generating wind energy by half. Read more and watch a video of the design at Treehugger.