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Apple Pay close to Brazil launch | Two years after rumours first circulated that ApplePay would launch in Brazil, it appears the platform will be available imminently, according to blog MacMagazine. It said Itaú Unibanco customers and iOS device users who tried to add their Visa Platinum Personnalité card to the ApplePay app encountered a terms of servi... | http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/12/12/bank-documentation-hints-at-brazilian-apple-pay-launch | 2017-12-18 10:36:47.643000 | If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy
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Documentation seen by Itau Unibanco customers on Monday suggest Apple is on the verge of launching Apple Pay in Brazil, which was first rumored to gain access to the mobile payments service nearly two years ago.
Accordin... |
Ethereum smart contracts to make banks MiFID II compliant | UBS is leading a pilot programme that uses Ethereum smart contracts to improve data quality ahead of MiFID II regulation. From January, MiFID II will require all institutions to have their own legal entity identifier (LEI). The UBS project – which is also supported by Credit Suisse, Barclays, Thomson Reuters, SIX and K... | https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/31465/banks-tap-ethereum-smart-contracts-for-mifid-ii-compliance | 2017-12-18 10:31:05.410000 | As MiFID II looms into view, Swiss bank UBS is leading a pilot that will use Ethereum smart contracts to improve the quality of counterparty reference data through anonymous reconciliation.
Barclays, Credit Suisse, KBC, SIX and Thomson Reuters are all onboard for the project, which was kickstarted by UBS in the innova... |
SalonPay encourages mobile payments at barber shops | Lincolnshire-based software firm iSalon has partnered with UK secure card payment services company Cardstream to launch SalonPay, a first-of-its-kind mobile payments solution aimed solely at the largely cash-based beauty and hair industry. As well as facilitating mobile payments, SalonPay also supports in-store and onl... | https://paymentweek.com/2017-12-15-alonpay-brings-mobile-payments-barbers-chair/ | 2017-12-18 10:25:34.403000 | SalonPay Brings Mobile Payments to the Barber’s Chair
December 15, 2017 By: Steven Anderson
It may come as a surprise afterthought to some—it definitely did to me—but salons and similar applications are kind of behind the curve in terms of mobile payments. Still often cash-heavy—sometimes cash-only—operations, beauty... |
Scientists convert Greek yoghurt waste into biofuel, animal feed | Leftover sugars and acids from Greek yoghurt production can be converted into feedstock additives and biofuel, according to scientists. Cornell University and University of Tübingen researchers used bacteria to turn waste whey into "green antimicrobials" caproic acid and caprylic acid. These can be given to livestock i... | https://phys.org/news/2017-12-microbes-greek-yogurt-fuel.html#jCp | 2017-12-18 10:23:41.613000 | Photograph of bio-oil, made of caproic acid and caprylic acid, phase separates out at mildly acidic conditions. Credit: Lars Angenent, University of Tübingen
Consumers across the world enjoy Greek yogurt for its taste, texture, and protein-packed punch. Reaching that perfect formula, however, generates large volumes o... |
Robot prints $64,000 house in eight hours | Ukraine and California-based start-up PassivDom is speeding up the home construction business with its 3D robot, which can print out the walls, roof and floor of a 410 sq ft building, its smallest model, in eight hours. The company, whose homes range in price from $64,000 to $97,000, said the design and production of i... | https://futurism.com/robot-print-64000-house-little-eight-hours/ | 2017-12-18 10:17:10.153000 | Building a house by hand can be both time-consuming and expensive. Some homebuilders have chosen to automate part of the construction instead.
A new Ukrainian homebuilding startup called PassivDom uses a 3D printing robot that can print parts for tiny houses. The machine can print the walls, roof, and floor of PassivD... |
Gene-editing breakthrough could release algae's biofuel potential | Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a gene-editing technique for algae that could pave the way for the production of cheap biofuels, medicines and foods. The team used Crispr molecular scissors to make specific and precise changes to algae DNA samples. Dr Attila Molnar, who led the study, said the ... | https://biofuels-news.com/display_news/13249/gene_editing_could_unleash_algae_biofuels_potential/ | 2017-12-18 10:11:39.833000 | An innovative gene editing technique could allow algae to produce ‘vast’ quantities of renewable fuels, new research claims.
The method, developed by scientists at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, could lead to cheap ways of producing fuels, medicine, and products to be used in the cosmetics, food and plastics... |
Project looks to ensure subsea pipes don't go for a 'walk' | The UK’s Industry Technology Facilitator and offshore consultancy Crondall Energy are partnering on Anchoring Pipeline Technology (APT), a joint industry project aimed at delivering a "less costly, more elegant design solution" to the problem of lateral buckling of undersea pipes, known as "pipe walking". One of severa... | http://www.upstreamonline.com/upstreamtechnology/1365119/anchor-issues | 2017-12-18 09:58:53.510000 | Long subsea pipelines, never laid in a perfectly straight line to begin with, tend to move over time. It’s a problem exacerbated by the high-temperature, high-pressure conditions in which pipelines are increasingly required to operate.
Lateral pipeline buckling occurs at locations where effective axial force created b... |
Iconomi adds five digital assets to crypto-fund platform | Iconomi has added five digital assets to its digital asset array (DAA) portfolio. Iconomi is a digital asset management platform that aims to make it easy for investors to invest in cryptocurrency portfolios. Since its public launch in August, Iconomi has signed up a number of top fund managers to run its portfolios an... | https://www.cryptoninjas.net/2017/12/18/iconomi-adds-5-new-digital-assets-crypto-managers/ | 2017-12-18 09:52:17.243000 | ICONOMI, the digital asset management application that makes it easy to invest in or get managed crypto portfolios announced 5 new digital assets which Digital Asset Array (DAA) managers can immediately take advantage of.
The platform launched live to the public in August of this year and has in past months signed up ... |
Flowrox enters IIoT market with flow control solution | Finnish flow control solutions provider Flowrox has launched industrial internet of things (IIoT) tool Flowrox Smart Expulse, a robust inline pulsation dampener that can reduce downtime by settling up to 90% of pressure peaks. The system uses a smart 3D interface, allowing operators to see, operate and control equipmen... | https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/product-news/15122017/flowrox-launches-flowrox-smart-expulse/ | 2017-12-18 09:41:43.180000 | Flowrox has entered the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) era by bringing to market a new generation of Smart Solutions™ that offer a new way to control, operate and visualise equipment and entire facilities by means of a 3D user interface. The newest innovation is Flowrox Smart Expulse™, a pulsation dampener with a... |
Daimler produces first EV trucks for German delivery firms | German vehicle manufacturer Daimler has begun the European roll-out of its lightweight Fuso eCanter all-electric truck, with delivery firm DHL adding six to its Berlin inner-city fleet. In addition, German logistics and transport firms DB Schenker, Rhenus and Dachser took delivery of eight vehicles between them. Daimle... | https://www.thelocal.de/20171215/daimler-delivers-its-first-all-electric-trucks-in-europe | 2017-12-18 09:30:56.007000 | Advertisement
Among the first customers for Daimler's Fuso eCanter light-weight truck was express delivery service DHL, which said it would use its six vehicles to navigate Berlin's innercity traffic.
The keys to eight other eCanter trucks were handed over to German logistics and transport firms DB Schenker, Rhenus a... |
Switzerland unveils world's steepest funicular railway line | More than four years after construction began, the world's steepest funicular rail line has opened to the public in Switzerland. Dubbed a triumph of modern design engineering, the €44.6m ($52.6m) Standseilbahn Schwyz-Stoos features an inclination adjustment system, enabling the four rotating cabins to remain horizontal... | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/15/world-steepest-funicular-rail-line-open-switzerland | 2017-12-18 08:45:06.413000 | Swiss engineering and technology have reached new heights with the opening of the world’s steepest funicular rail line.
The €44.6m Schwyz-Stoos funicular (Standseilbahn Schwyz-Stoos in German), which goes into public service on Sunday, has been hailed as a triumph of modern design engineering.
A level-adjusting fun... |
Bitwise brings passive investing to the cryptocurrency market | Bitwise Asset Management has begun accepting investors into an index fund it has developed offering exposure to cryptocurrencies. The firm claims the fund, called Hold 10, is the first index product giving investors access to digital currencies. The fund tracks the top 10 cryptocurrencies and is open to accredited inve... | https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/12/bitwise-hold-10-launches-crypto-index-fund-with-4-million-in-funding.html?utm_source=CB+Insights+Newsletter&utm_campaign=8aeae90dc0-TuesNL_11_28_2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9dc0513989-8aeae90dc0-87071009 | 2017-12-18 08:19:13.803000 | An application for Bitcoin in front of a window of the offices of the bank 'La Maison du Bitcoin' in Paris, France.
For people looking to get in on cryptocurrencies without having to bet on a single one, a new money management firm is trying to make crypto-investing as easy as buying the S&P 500.
Bitwise Asset Manage... |
US biodiesel production increases despite tax credits cut | Biodiesel production levels in the US rose in the first three-quarters of this year, despite the end of tax incentives. Production capacity from January to September was 2,348 million gallons, compared with 2,270 million gallons at the start of 2016. State and federal incentives such as the now-expired biodiesel blende... | http://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2017/12/eia-us-biodiesel-production-still-increasing-despite-expiration-of-tax-credit | 2017-12-18 08:04:59.570000 | EIA: US biodiesel production still increasing despite expiration of tax credit
Through the first nine months of 2017, US biodiesel production levels were slightly higher than 2016 levels, despite the expiration of a federal biodiesel blender's tax credit at the end of 2016. Domestic biodiesel production may continue t... |
US biodiesel production increases despite tax credits cut | Biodiesel production levels in the US rose in the first three-quarters of this year, despite the end of tax incentives. Production capacity from January to September was 2,348 million gallons, compared with 2,270 million gallons at the start of 2016. State and federal incentives such as the now-expired biodiesel blende... | https://www.ajot.com/news/u.s.-biodiesel-production-still-increasing-despite-expiration-of-tax-credit | 2017-12-18 08:04:59.570000 | By: AJOT | Dec 15 2017 at 09:35 AM | Intermodal
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Biodiesel Production Report
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Biodiesel Production Report, Petroleum Supply Monthly
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Biodiesel Productio... |
HSBC, AXA launch online insurance platform in Hong Kong | HSBC and AXA Hong Kong have partnered to launch an online platform offering packaged insurance for a range of local businesses, from start-ups to established offices and retailers. As well as including instant quotes, the platform includes automated risk identification.
| http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/news/categorized_news_detail_eng.php?newsid=ETE271218146&page=1&category=company | 2017-12-18 07:56:32.117000 | [ET Net News Agency, 18 December 2017] HSBC and AXA Hong Kong today jointly announced
the launch of an online packaged general insurance platform for business customers in Hong
Kong.
Through this platform, customers from a wide range of local companies are able to apply
for commercial packaged insurance with instan... |
American Family widens data analytics, AI with Networked purchase | American Family Insurance has acquired Networked Insights as it seeks to expand its use of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). The insurer has been a minority investor since 2013 in the Chicago-based data analytics firm, which uses AI and machine learning to help customers target audiences with content. Am... | https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2017/12/15/474431.htm | 2017-12-18 07:47:08.183000 | American Family Insurance said it intends to accelerate its use of data, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) with its purchase of Chicago-based data and analytics software company Networked Insights.
American Family is a Networked Insights client and has been a minority investor in the company since 20... |
Major brands fail to pay workers when factories shut | Fashion brands including Marks and Spencer, Next and Zara have refused to pay workers following factory closures, according to not-for-profit group Labour Behind the Label (LBL). The organisation said that customers in the UK and other countries have found notes inside garments reading, “I made the item you are about t... | http://labourbehindthelabel.org/despite-massive-profits-big-fashion-brands-refuse-to-pay-workers-after-factory-closures/ | 2017-12-18 00:00:00 | 16 December 2017
Despite massive profits, big fashion brands refuse to pay workers after factory closures
Garment workers and activists unite in global actions against wage theft
Unpaid garment workers demand justice: messages to shoppers found in clothes in Marks and Spencer, Next and Zara
Over the weekend, while ... |
Major brands fail to pay workers when factories shut | Fashion brands including Marks and Spencer, Next and Zara have refused to pay workers following factory closures, according to not-for-profit group Labour Behind the Label (LBL). The organisation said that customers in the UK and other countries have found notes inside garments reading, “I made the item you are about t... | https://www.ecotextile.com/2017121823152/social-compliance-csr-news/fashion-brands-refuse-to-pay-workers-after-factory-closures.html | 2017-12-18 00:00:00 | BRISTOL – Labour Behind the Label (LBL) has claimed that fashion brands Marks and Spencer, Next and Zara are refusing to pay their workers after factory closures. LBL has reported consumers finding messages in garments in the stores across the UK and other countries.
The messages reportedly read “I made the item you a... |
10 GW of natural gas peakers at risk from solar-plus-storage | Solar power plus energy storage is cheap enough to compete with natural gas peaker plants in some markets and about half of the 20 GW of peaking capacity that the US needs to build over the next decade may be replaced by batteries, said Shayle Kann, a senior adviser to GTM Research and Wood Mackenzie. In four years' ti... | https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/battery-storage-is-threatening-natural-gas-peaker-plants#gs.iU3lHNM | 2017-12-17 18:32:43.893000 | Natural-gas peaker plants may soon be under threat in a very real way.
“I can’t see a reason why we should ever build a gas peaker again in the U.S. after, say, 2025,” said Shayle Kann, a senior adviser to GTM Research and Wood Mackenzie, speaking at Greentech Media’s Energy Storage Summit. “If you think about how ene... |
Enel granted $2.1m for Massachusetts energy storage projects | Enel has been awarded $2.1m of grants for two distributed energy storage projects in Massachusetts as part of the Advancing Commonwealth Energy Storage initiative. The first project is a partnership between Enel Green Power North America and the University of Massachusetts Boston for a behind-the-meter micro-grid compr... | http://renews.biz/109492/massachusetts-puts-store-in-enel/ | 2017-12-17 18:17:02.480000 | Enel has won grants totalling $2.1m for two distributed energy storage projects in Massachusetts.
The money has been awarded as part of the Advancing Commonwealth Energy Storage initiative, which is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
The first project is a partnership between Enel Green Power No... |
Total Eren to build 70 MW Indonesian wind farm | Total Eren, the renewable-energy company in which French energy major Total recently took a stake, said it has signed a letter of intent with Indonesian government-owned power utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara for a 70 MW wind farm. The project will be located in Tanah Laut, on Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Bor... | https://renewablesnow.com/news/total-eren-sings-loi-for-70-mw-wind-farm-in-indonesia-594313/ | 2017-12-17 17:36:34.900000 | Renewables developer Total Eren today said it has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Indonesian government-owned power utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) for a 70-MW wind project.
The LoI calls for PLN to purchase electricity from the Tanah Laut project, which will be financed, built and operated by Total Er... |
Innogy raises capex as decision nears on 860 MW UK offshore project | Innogy, the renewable-energy business spun off by RWE, will increase capital spending in 2018 by more than a quarter to €3bn ($3.5bn) after warning that 2017 adjusted EBITDA and EBIT will be lower than previously expected. The 860 MW Triton Knoll offshore wind project in the UK, for which the final investment decision ... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/innogy-raises-2018-capex-to-eur-3bn-594439/ | 2017-12-17 17:32:56.827000 | Innogy SE (ETR:IGY) will step up capital spending in 2018, the German energy company said today as it warned that 2017 adjusted EBITDA and EBIT will be lower than previously expected.
The company plans a capex budget of more than EUR 3 billion (USD 3.5bn) for 2018, an increase of over 25% from this year's expected lev... |
ReNew Power Ventures buys 103 MW of Indian wind projects | India's largest independent power producer ReNew Power Ventures has acquired KCT Renewable Energy, owner of 103 MW of operational wind parks in Andhra Pradesh, from Karm Chand Thapar Group for INR10bn ($155m). The deal includes three wind parks that are selling their output at a tariff of INR4.80 per kWh under 25-year ... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/renew-power-buys-owner-of-103-mw-indian-wind-parks-report-594498/ | 2017-12-17 17:26:49.820000 | Indian independent power producer ReNew Power Ventures Pvt Ltd has acquired KCT Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd, the owner of 103 MW of operational wind parks in Andhra Pradesh.
The acquisition from Karm Chand Thapar (KCT) Group has been confirmed by a ReNew Power executive, consultancy Mercom Capital said on Wednesday. The ... |
US Geothermal buys out Goldman Sachs stake in Idaho plant | US Geothermal said it will buy the remaining interest in the Raft River geothermal power plant in southern Idaho from Goldman Sachs for $350,000. The facility, in operation since 2008, is a single, 18 MW module with a design output of 13 MW annual average. The project has a 25-year power purchase agreement, signed in 2... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/us-geothermal-to-become-100-owner-of-idaho-plant-594617/ | 2017-12-17 17:24:25.760000 | US Geothermal Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:HTM) on Wednesday said it will own 100% of the Raft River geothermal power plant in southern Idaho after agreeing to acquire Goldman Sachs' (NYSE:GS) remaining ownership interest.
The facility, in operation since 2008, is a single, 18-MW (gross) module with a design output of 13 MW (net... |
US solar module sales company ET Solar files for bankruptcy | The US module sales subsidiary of Chinese PV module maker and developer ET Solar has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming less than $50,000 in assets and $10-50m in debt. The parent company’s US project development and construction subsidiary ET Capital has not been affected. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/13/et-solar-inc-files-for-bankruptcy/ | 2017-12-17 17:19:18.633000 | It’s a strange time for a PV module sales company to be filing for bankruptcy, given that the price of solar panels has surged in recent months while developers buy up available supply in advance of a ruling by the Trump Administration on the Section 201 case.
Nevertheless, on December 4 ET Solar Inc., based in Pleasa... |
Phoenix Solar files for insolvency | German solar PV project developer Phoenix Solar filed for insolvency in Munich on 13 December. The previous week, it said it would start insolvency proceedings after its US subsidiary, Phoenix Solar Inc., received a payment request from an unidentified customer for $8m, exceeding available funds. In its Q3 2017 financi... | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/13/phoenix-solar-insolvency-official/ | 2017-12-17 17:09:15.347000 | The German solar PV project developer, Phoenix Solar AG has officially filed for insolvency today, December 13.
In a one sentence statement on its website, the company said, “The Executive Board of Phoenix Solar AG has submitted an insolvency filing to the relevant insolvency court in Munich, today.”
Last Friday, it ... |
Solar module cleaning robot raises $13m | Ecoppia, the Israeli-headquartered producer of water-free, robotic cleaning solutions for solar panels, has raised $13m to help fund expansion. Existing investors, including GlenRock, Gandyr and Swarth Group, led the round, and were joined by Harel Group Insurance and Finance, the largest insurer in Israel. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/14/dule-cleaning-firm-ecoppia-raises-13m-in-funding/ | 2017-12-17 17:04:08.810000 | Ecoppia's cleaning robot, which is cloud-connected and uses no water, has been recognized by Deloitte as one of 2017's leading tech innovations.
Ecoppia, the Israeli-headquartered producer of water-free, robotic cleaning solutions for solar panels, has this week completed a $13 million funding round that will help ste... |
Aquila Capital buys 170 MW of in-progress solar PV in Portugal | German investor Aquila Capital has acquired four solar PV projects in central and southern Portugal with a combined generation capacity of 170 MW. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. As part of the transaction, Aquila Capital has entered into a power purchase agreement with a third party for th... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/aquila-capital-acquires-170mw-pv-pipeline-in-portugal | 2017-12-17 16:56:39.127000 | German investment company Aquila Capital has acquired four PV projects in central and southern Portugal that will boast a combined generation capacity of 170MW.
Construction on the four installations is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Aquila Capital was intrigued by the four projects due to the low costs ... |
Economic 'fundamentals' underpin BP's Lightsource solar acquisition | BP bought solar developer Lightsource because of the strong “fundamentals” in the market. BP paid $200m for 43% of the UK solar developer – rebranded Lightsource BP – the energy major's first PV investment since it closed BP Solar in 2011. “Effectively what we are seeing are fundamentals that are really important", sai... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/solar-fundamentals-behind-bps-decision-to-reinvest | 2017-12-17 16:38:51.987000 | BP has said the promising “fundamentals” behind the current global solar market triggered it to re-enter and the petrol giant now has ambitious plans for worldwide growth.
Earlier today BP announced that it is to pay US$200 million for a 43% stake in prolific UK solar developer Lightsource to establish a new partnersh... |
Wirsol buys 16 MW of subsidy-free solar projects in the UK | Wirsol Energy has acquired the project rights for two subsidy-free solar parks in the UK, the 7-MW Outwood project in Essex and the 9-MW Trowse-Newton scheme in Norfolk. Construction will begin in January and the plants will be connected to the grid during the first half of 2018. The company, a unit of Germany's Wircon... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/wirsol-to-build-16-mwp-of-subsidy-free-solar-farms-in-uk-594563/ | 2017-12-17 16:34:11.637000 | Wirsol Energy Ltd on Wednesday said it has acquired the project rights for two subsidy-free solar parks in the UK, the 7-MWp Outwood project in Essex and the 9-MWp Trowse-Newton in Norfolk.
Construction will start in January and the plants will be connected to the grid during the first half of 2018. The company, which... |
Latin America's largest power transmission line begins operation | The largest DC transmission line in Latin America, a 2,092 km connector in Brazil, has started operations. It's the first time that ultra-high voltage 800 kV technology has been used in Brazil, allowing the transportation of energy with smaller losses. The 1st Bipolo de Belo Monte line crosses four states and takes ene... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/largest-transmission-line-in-laam-starts-operation-594679/ | 2017-12-17 16:27:44.297000 | The largest direct current (DC) transmission line in Latin America, of 2,092 km, became operational on Tuesday in Brazil, the Ministry of Mines and Energy announced.
The transmission line uses new technology for the country with an ultra-high voltage of 800 kV, allowing the transportation of energy with smaller losses... |
Vattenfall to bid in Netherlands subsidy-free wind auction | Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall will bid in the Netherlands’ subsidy-free offshore wind tender for phases I and II of the Hollandse Kust Zuid zone between 15 December and 21 December. The site has good wind conditions and provides significant synergies to Vattenfall's nearby wind farm Egmond aan Zee, the company... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/vattenfall-to-bid-in-dutch-subsidy-free-offshore-wind-tender-594759/ | 2017-12-17 16:20:35.560000 | Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall AB will bid in the Netherlands’ subsidy-free offshore wind tender for phases I and II of the Hollandse Kust Zuid zone.
The company said the site has good wind conditions and it sees significant synergies to its nearby wind farm Egmond aan Zee. The Ducth tender also "fits well wit... |
Projects face cancellation as solar panel prices rise: IHS | “Short supply and higher than anticipated module prices in the first half of 2018 will impede many markets outside China, due to worsening project economics,” said Edurne Zoco, research and analysis director at IHS Markit. “Projects in some regions might be delayed or even cancelled, because market prices are higher th... | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/14/ihs-markit-global-solar-installations-to-pass-100-gw-in-2018/ | 2017-12-17 16:16:37.903000 | IHS Markit is predicting another recording breaking year for solar in 2018, forecasting installations to hit 108 GW by the end of the year.
The analysts state that continued demand from China will be the key driver behind this growth, as the country has successfully diversified its market and achieved strong momentum ... |
Sunseap and Linyang to build 500 MW of rooftop and floating solar | Chinese clean energy firm Linyang Energy and Singapore-based solar developer Sunseap plan to jointly deliver 100 MW of distributed solar PV in Singapore by the end of next year and 500 MW by 2021. The companies plan to spend $500m by 2020 on energy efficiency in buildings; rooftop and floating solar plants, particularl... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/sunseap-and-linyang-energy-partner-for-500mw-rooftop-and-floating-solar-in | 2017-12-17 16:10:53.003000 | Chinese clean energy firm Linyang Energy has signed an MoU with Singapore-based solar developer Sunseap to work on distributed solar, floating solar, module supply and energy efficiency projects locally in Singapore.
Together the firms aim to install 100MW of distributed solar PV by the end of next year and 500MW by 2... |
Pakistan plans first solar energy auction | An auction for the development of 50 MW of solar PV in Sindh Province in Pakistan is being planned by the local government, with a formal procurement process set for 2018. The pilot auction, which is supported by the World Bank, is part of a larger nationwide public initiative aimed at increasing renewables activity an... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/pakistan-plans-first-tariff-based-solar-auction-for-50mw-in-sindh | 2017-12-17 16:05:26.023000 | The government of Sindh in Pakistan plans to launch an auction for the development of 50MW of solar PV in the Province, with support from the World Bank.
A formal procurement process is set for Q2 2018 and this will be followed by many subsequent renewable energy auctions in Sindh.
The National Electric Power Regulat... |
Nepal's largest solar-wind hybrid project begins operations | Nepal’s largest wind-solar hybrid power system, financed by the Asian Development Bank, has been switched on in the Hariharpurgadi village of Sindhuli district. The project features 20 kW of wind turbines and 15 kW of solar PV panels. The system generates 110 kWh of energy per day, exceeding the 83-household village’s... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/nepals-largest-wind-solar-hybrid-project-starts-operations | 2017-12-17 16:02:01.600000 | Nepal’s largest wind-solar hybrid power system has officially been switched on in the Hariharpurgadi village of Sindhuli district, having been financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Mukhtor Khamudkhanov, ADB’s country director for Nepal, said: “Access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy will help the vill... |
Record low Canadian prices set at Alberta wind-power auction | The successful bids at an Alberta wind-power auction have set a record for Canada's lowest wind energy prices. Three projects have been chosen to build 600 MW of capacity at an average cost of CAD37 per MWh, down from CAD85 per MWh in 2016. The winning bids came from Capital Power, EDP Renewables Canada and Enel Green ... | https://nawindpower.com/alberta-auction-results-600-mw-record-low-wind-power | 2017-12-17 15:42:03.993000 | Three companies have been chosen in the opening round of Alberta’s Renewable Electricity Program (REP), which will result in about C$1 billion of private-sector investment in wind generation in Alberta. Notably, the successful bids set a record for the lowest-ever renewable energy pricing in Canada, the Alberta governm... |
Crystalline silicon has 70% market share in utility-scale solar PV | Crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules were used in 70% of utility-scale solar PV projects in the US, while thin films has a 28% market share, according to the US Energy Information Administration. California has the most utility-scale solar PV in the SU with 5 GW of c-Si and 3.5 GW of thin films in 2016. In second place, ... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/crystalline-silicon-with-70-share-of-us-utility-scale-solar-market-594480/ | 2017-12-17 15:11:28.633000 | In the US 70% of the utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants installed by end-2016 used crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules, while the share of thin films was 28%.
According to a report by the US Energy Information Administration, over the five years between 2012 and 2016 thin-film solar capacity installations hav... |
River turbine to be tested in France from April 2018 | Irish company DesignPro has started building a 25 kW hydrokinetic river turbine that will be tested for a year at the Seeneoh test site on the Garonne river in Bordeaux, France, from April 2018. A 60 kW machine is scheduled to start testing in July 2018 at a yet-to-be-selected site. The turbine is based on technology l... | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/interview-irish-company-preps-to-test-25-kw-river-turbine-in-france-594626/ | 2017-12-17 15:00:15.047000 | Irish company DesignPro Ltd has started building a 25-kW hydrokinetic river turbine that will be tested for a year in France and sales head Roisin Mc Cormack tells Renewables Now that the market potential for such devices is significant and untapped.
The custom machine builder recently announced that it has selected t... |
Quantum process extracts current from solar cells more efficiently | A quantum-mechanical process developed by scientists at Japan’s RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science has been shown to extract current from solar cells more efficiently. Ferroelectric organic molecules have been used to solve the problem of the lack of "inversion" symmetry displayed by many semiconductor materials ... | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/12/japanese-scientists-use-organic-ferroelectric-to-extract-more-current-from-solar-cells/ | 2017-12-17 14:53:21.243000 | A group of scientists at Japan’s RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science is developing a new quantum-mechanical process to extract current from solar cells in a more efficient way.
The researchers have used ferroelectric organic molecules to solve the problem of the lack of ‘inversion’ symmetry of several semiconduct... |
Distributed solar could power 10% of UK rail network: Imperial | Solar PV could start directly powering the UK rail network from 2020, according to research from Imperial College and climate charity 10:10. The Renewable Traction Power project would plug solar panels into trackside substations, where trains can directly use the generated electricity. By using direct current rail syst... | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/12/solar-pv-powered-trains-gaining-traction/ | 2017-12-17 14:40:32.350000 | In the U.K., Imperial College and 10:10 have released a report detailing how British rail could be powered by solar PV by 2020, thus saving roughly £4.5 million (around US$6 million) annually. Community-owned models are an attractive option, they say.
With specially designed power electronics, the two explain how PV c... |
'Nano grass' increases transmission of light to solar cells | Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh have created a glass surface with an etched nano structure that scatters the light entering the glass, allowing for up to 95% light transmittance to the solar cell beneath. The nanostructure, which is described as looking "much like grass", scatters light, making the glass a... | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/15/researchers-develop-grass-like-light-scattering-nano-structure-for-solar-glass/ | 2017-12-17 14:08:39.487000 | Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School Engineering have been working on new types of glass to improve solar module’s light capturing ability. They developed a nanostructure, which is described as looking ‘much like grass’, which has the effect of scattering light as it falls on to a solar cell pla... |
World's largest floating solar farm begins operations in China | A 150 MW floating solar PV project in eastern China has been partially connected to the grid with the the reminder to be hooked up in May 2018, according to developer Three Gorges New Energy, a unit of Three Gorges Corporation, which owns the world's largest hydropower system. Construction of the CNY1bn ($151m) project... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/worlds-largest-floating-solar-plant-comes-partially-online-in-china | 2017-12-17 13:54:08.237000 | China-based firm Three Gorges New Energy, a subsidiary of Three Gorges Corporation, has partially connected a 150MW floating PV project to the grid in eastern China, with the remaining capacity to be connected in May 2018.
The CNY1 billion (US$151 million) project, located in Panji District, Huainan City, joins a host... |
Solar and wind have lowest lifecycle CO2 emissions | Solar and wind energy produce about 10 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh over the life of their operation, comapred with 100 grams for electricity produced using fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage, according to a study published in Nature Energy. The study was conducted by combining simulations based on integra... | https://www.pv-tech.org/news/new-study-transition-to-solar-energy-can-be-reached-with-low-indirect-green | 2017-12-17 13:46:09.260000 | A comprehensive new study conducted by an international team of scientists and published in the journal Nature Energy sheds light on the various low-carbon technologies and how they differ when it comes to indirect greenhouse gas emissions in their life cycle.
Despite what some critics have noted, the study revealed t... |
International ETFs more popular in US than domestic counterparts | US investors have shown a preference for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on international equities, despite the absence of any significant volatility or pullbacks in the US stock market. International equity ETFs have been the most popular product category this year, according to OppenheimerFunds, attracting $136.... | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/despite-wall-street-records-etf-investors-favor-foreign-funds-2017-12-15 | 2017-12-17 10:03:05.673000 | Exchange-traded funds saw record-breaking growth in 2017, but despite the dozens of records set by the U.S. stock market—along with a near-total absence of volatility or pullbacks—investors showed more interest in opportunities offered abroad.
According to OppenheimerFunds, which cited data from Morningstar, internati... |
Robo-adviser plans 'invest after reading' service | Belgium-based robo-adviser Swanest has entered into a partnership with media company Mediafin to enable customers to invest in firms they read about in some of Belgium's largest business publications, reported Damian Fantato in FT Adviser.
| https://www.ftadviser.com/your-industry/2017/12/14/robo-adviser-plans-invest-after-reading-tool/ | 2017-12-17 09:52:03.247000 | A robo-adviser has partnered with a media group to provide an online investment tool based on algorithms to readers of business media.
Swanest, which was started in Belgium in late 2014, is designed to help investors make better decisions when investing.
Aimed at readers of business and financial news, it has entered... |
Florida gas utility to help customers turn waste into renewables | Natural gas utility TECO Peoples Gas, based in Florida, aims to enable industrial customers to capture and sell waste biogas. The Emera subsidiary has won the full backing of Florida's Public Service Commission to clean or condition byproduct gases from customers, such as landfills. TECO will also allow that gas to be ... | https://renewablesnow.com/news/florida-gas-utility-to-help-customers-make-renewable-natural-gas-594469/ | 2017-12-15 16:53:53.677000 | Florida natural gas utility TECO Peoples Gas expects to launch a new service next year that will allow certain customers, such as landfills, to create renewable natural gas from waste.
The company, a subsidiary of Canada-based Emera Inc (TSE:EMA), on Tuesday secured unanimous approval for the new service from the Flor... |
GE Aviation begins testing alcohol-to-jet fuel from Gevo | Jet engines vendor GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, has initiated trials of a jet engine combustor component with US biofuels business Gevo's renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ). The trial is being carried out as part of the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) programme from the Federal A... | https://renewablesnow.com/news/ge-aviation-starts-testing-bio-based-jet-fuel-from-gevo-594154/ | 2017-12-15 16:46:35.197000 | Jet engines provider GE Aviation, part of General Electric Co (NYSE:GE), has started jet engine combustor component testing with Gevo's renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ), the US biofuels firm said today.
The jet fuel being tested is comprised 100% of Gevo's ATJ. The trial is part of a programme of the Federal Aviati... |
Facebook plans to promote videos more prominently in News Feed | Facebook will emphasise video content and optimise video ads within its News Feed feature as the social media giant looks to compete directly with YouTube. Users will see more video content tailored according to what other content they've engaged with. Other changes will see pre-roll advertising tested within Facebook'... | http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/facebook-updates-ad-policy-to-prioritise-video | 2017-12-15 15:27:48.760000 | Facebook has announced plans to promote videos more prominently inside its News Feed, using the central feature of its main app to build more interest in the original video content it has created and compete more directly with YouTube. As part of the plans, it will also change the kind of advertisements that run in vid... |
Business Insider to launch Spanish-language site before new year | Business Insider looks set to continue its overseas expansion with the opening of a new Spanish-language site. The site will hold 13 editorial staffers and 14 sales employees. Business Insider plans for one-third of the site's features to be original Spanish-language content, while the remainder will be translated from... | https://digiday.com/media/inside-business-insiders-new-spanish-operation/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171215 | 2017-12-15 15:04:48.800000 | While some publishers are slowing their global expansion pace, Business Insider remains bullish about its growth overseas. The publisher has moved aggressively into Europe in the last three years, launching seven local-language sites. Next up: Spain.
Business Insider will launch a Spanish-language site before the end ... |
Microsoft enhances Bing search engine with AI | Microsoft has made a number of enhancements to its search engine, Bing, by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) technology to provide more nuanced answers to search queries. The new features include displaying multiple viewpoints on issues, rather than giving them simple answers. The company has also announced a ... | https://www.rappler.com/technology/news/191374-microsoft-bing-search-ai-reddit | 2017-12-15 14:12:44.463000 | The new features aim to add more nuance to answers given on search queries
MANILA, Philippines – Microsoft announced Wednesday, December 13 (December 14, Manila time) it was adding some new features to its Bing search engine. These include incorporation of its artificial intelligence (AI) research to provide smarter a... |
Curisium wins funding to develop blockchain for medical payments | Following a $3.5m seed fund investment, blockchain start-up Curisium has announced plans to develop its blockchain platform for healthcare payments. Curisium's platform uses blockchain technology to enable payers, providers and life science companies to engage in value-based contracts for patients. The investors from t... | http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/blockchain-startup-curisium-raises-35-million-focus-healthcare | 2017-12-15 14:10:19.580000 | Curisium announced that it has raised $3.5 million in seed financing to advance its blockchain platform for healthcare.
With nearly one-third of the payments in the $2.7 trillion U.S. healthcare market already tied to some form of alternative payment model, the company said it will use the investment to advance its te... |
Minimum price would raise cost of 70% of alcoholic drinks: IFS | Minimum pricing per unit of alcohol would raise costs of most alcoholic drinks, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). A cost of 50p per unit, which is currently being considered by the Scottish government ahead of its introduction of a minimum price in May, would increase the price of 70% of ... | https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/10253 | 2017-12-15 12:56:09.280000 | Following a recent judgment, the UK Supreme Court confirmed that Scottish Government legislation for a minimum unit price for alcohol is lawful. The Scottish Government plans to introduce the measure on 1 May 2018. Meanwhile, the Welsh National Assembly is considering introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol. In th... |
Persimmon chairman resigns over £800m bonus scheme | The chairman of UK housebuilder Persimmon, Nicholas Wrigley, has resigned over his role in a bonus scheme believed to be the largest ever awarded in the UK. The scheme will begin paying over £800m ($1.1bn) to 150 senior staff on New Year’s Eve and will include a £128m bonus for company CEO Jeff Fairburn. Wrigley has ex... | https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/dec/15/persimmon-chair-resigns-chief-executive-obscene-bonus | 2017-12-15 12:30:58.767000 | The chair of housebuilding firm Persimmon has resigned over his role in orchestrating a £100m-plus bonus for the company’s chief executive, as critics accused the firm of benefiting from the taxpayer-backed help-to-buy scheme.
The huge share award worth around £110m was attacked by politicians, charities and corporate... |
Mutual funds will become 'legacy products', predicts ETF provider | White-label exchange-traded fund provider HANetf has argued mutual funds are likely to be considered "legacy products" within 15 years, as ETFs rise in popularity. HANetf CEO Hector McNeil describes ETFs as representing the "digitisation" of the mutual fund industry and, in the near future, "active managers will either... | https://www.etfstrategy.co.uk/etfs-will-relegate-mutual-funds-to-legacy-products-says-hanetfs-mcneil-40234/ | 2017-12-15 10:54:26.873000 | Factor Investing Strategy Briefing - Thursday 29th June 2023 - The Connaught, Mayfair. Please join us for our annual smart beta and factor investing event, featuring Goldman Sachs Asset Management, FlexShares, First Trust, MSCI and WisdomTree. Please register now if you would like to attend.
Mutual funds will become l... |
TIAA-owned robo-adviser launches middle-office automation tool | US business-to-business robo-adviser MyVest has introduced a service allowing clients to outsource middle-office functions, such as daily trade reconciliation, corporate actions processing and cash management. MyVest, which is owned by retirement-focused financial services provider TIAA, said the system will make repor... | http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20171213/FREE/171219959/tiaa-owned-robo-myvest-automates-middle-office-tasks | 2017-12-15 10:52:19.090000 | MyVest, the business-to-business robo-adviser owned by TIAA, has a new technology suite to digitize common middle-office tasks.
The update brings automated daily reconciliation to MyVest’s enterprise wealth management platform, Strategic Portfolio System (SPS). This is integrated with the same database that powers SPS... |
Oscar Health offers customers personalised concierge service | Health insurance start-up Oscar plans to give all its customers access to a "concierge" service advising them on their healthcare choices. Customers will be able to contact a team of one nurse and three clinicians that will have detailed knowledge of local healthcare networks, enabling them to offer advice and make ref... | http://uk.businessinsider.com/oscar-health-offers-concierge-care-to-members-2017-12 | 2017-12-15 10:21:25.037000 | Oscar Health, the $2.7 billion health insurance startup, wants to have all of its members using concierge medical care in 2018.
The plan to create 'Concierge for All' relies on teams of nurses and other healthcare professionals who work with Oscar to help you navigate everything from insurance benefits to questions ab... |
Canadian drivers are 'not fans' of telematics | Motor insurance brokers in Canada are telling underwriters that their customers don't like being monitored by telematics devices while driving, according to Carol Jardine, the chief strategy officer at Wawanesa Insurance, who said "our customers are not fans of telematics". She added that drivers were also concerned ab... | https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/insurance/lots-people-dont-like-telematics-insurer-reports-1004125142/ | 2017-12-15 10:19:28.247000 | Opportunities for “broker-driven” usage-based auto insurance are likely to be down the road, but brokers are telling a large Canadian mutual that their insurance customers don’t want their insurers monitoring how they use their vehicles.
“Our brokers are advising us that our customers are not fans of telematics,” Wawa... |
China's CITIC to take over New Zealand skincare firm Trilogy | Chinese conglomerate CITIC is to buy all shares in New Zealand skincare company Trilogy at NZD2.90 a share, valuing Trilogy at NZD250m ($175m). "CITIC Capital will bring added capability necessary to build our brands on a truly global scale, better serve our customers and consumers, and provide new career opportunities... | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11960238 | 2017-12-15 07:11:51.077000 | Angela Buglass, chief executive of Trilogy International. Photo / Supplied
China's biggest conglomerate, CITIC, said it planned to buy all the shares in NZX-listed skincare company Trilogy, at $2.90 a share, valuing the company at $250 million.
CITIC Capital China Partners, a buyout fund managed by the private equity... |
China subtly wooing next generation of African elites from home | In the past China sent emissaries to promote its brand of communism to Africa. In a change of tactics, it now invites thousands of political leaders, bureaucrats, students and businesspeople to China for training and exchanges. Beijing has hosted such events for decades but over the past 10 years has intensified the pr... | https://qz.com/1119447/china-is-training-africas-next-generation-of-leaders/?mc_cid=c46f568007&mc_eid=a37072368a | 2017-12-15 07:04:48.490000 | Juba, South Sudan
Anthony Kpandu took a delegation from his party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), to China last year to train with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Kpandu is in charge of special working groups at the general secretariat for the SPLM, the liberation movement turned government party th... |
BP's upgraded supercomputer is world's fastest commercial machine | BP has more than doubled the total computing power of its Center for High-Performance Computing (CHPC) in Houston, creating the most powerful supercomputer in the world for commercial research. The extra muscle will reduce the time needed to analyse large amounts of seismic data to support exploration, appraisal and de... | https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/digital-oilfield/14122017/bp-supercomputer-now-worlds-most-powerful-for-commercial-research/ | 2017-12-15 00:00:38.550000 | BP has announced that it has more than doubled the total computing power of its Center for High-Performance Computing (CHPC) in Houston, making it the most powerful supercomputer in the world for commercial research.
Increased computing power, speed and storage reduce the time needed to analyse large amounts of seismi... |
UK cardboard recycling could see serious impact from China ban | Cardboard recycling in the UK could be severely affected by new restrictions on waste imports shortly due to take effect in China. China will ban the importation of plastic and mixed paper waste and introduce stricter controls on imported cardboard waste from 1 January 2018. The new controls mean that contamination lev... | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/15/china-waste-clampdown-could-create-uk-cardboard-recycling-chaos-say-industry-experts | 2017-12-15 00:00:00 | Imminent restrictions by the Chinese on importing cardboard from the rest of the world are likely to cause chaos in the UK in the coming weeks, according to a leading recycling expert.
From 1 January, China will impose much stricter quality restrictions on imported cardboard as well as banning the importation of all p... |
Energy drinks should be banned for under-16s: Action on Sugar | Energy drinks should not be sold to young people under the age of 16, according to the UK campaign group Action on Sugar. The group conducted a study which found that the average sugar content of such drinks exceeded the entire recommended daily maximum for a UK adult. Chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver also called for a... | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/dec/15/ban-sale-of-energy-drinks-to-under-16s-say-experts | 2017-12-15 00:00:00 | Energy drinks should be banned from sale to young people under the age of 16, health experts have warned in light of a study showing they have unacceptably high levels of sugar and caffeine.
The study in the journal BMJ Open analyses the sugar, caffeine and carbohydrate content of energy drinks, which include brands s... |
Facebook launches new tools as it admits harming mental health | Facebook has admitted in a blog post that its social media platform can damage users’ mental health. Research for the social network suggested that “passively consuming information” can result in people “feeling worse”, but Facebook also suggested that more interaction on the platform could address this problem. The co... | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/dec/15/facebook-mental-health-psychology-social-media | 2017-12-15 00:00:00 | Facebook has acknowledged that social media use can be bad for users’ mental health, a sign the company is feeling pressure from a growing chorus of critics raising alarms about the platform’s effect on society.
Researchers for the social network admitted in a blogpost Friday that studies have found that spending time... |
ING's bond desk to adopt AI tool for faster pricing | ING's bond desk will deploy Katana, a proprietary artificial intelligence tool that provides traders with market analytics, thereby enabling faster pricing when quoting to clients. First testing results of Katana on the emerging markets desk recorded faster pricing for 90% of trades and a 25% reduction in trading costs... | https://www.thetradenews.com/Asset-Classes/Fixed-income/ING-deploys-AI-to-bond-trading-desk/ | 2017-12-14 17:35:23.453000 | ING is rolling out a new artificial intelligence (AI) powered bond trading tool which has already been used on the firm’s emerging markets desk.
Known as Katana, the tool aims to reduce decision-making time and provide traders with analytics to choose what price to quote when clients buy or sell bonds.
The first resu... |
PayPal sees cash as greatest competition in India | Paypal still views cash as its main rival in India, despite the influx of new digital payment companies, according to a spokesperson. With nearly 85% of transactions still being completed with cash, the company is increasing its efforts in the region to remain a strong contender in a digital payments industry that is p... | http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/12/13/us-the-real-competition-india-cash-says-paypal | 2017-12-14 17:16:46.950000 | Digital transactions have seen a dramatic increase in India in the past year due to push from both government and the private sectors. This has encouraged PayPal to intensify its operations in India.
According to Google-Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study, Indian digital payments industry will grow to $500 billion by ... |
ABB creates microgrid for offshore platform | ABB will install a battery storage system capable of remote management of operations and service on Woodside Petroleum's Goodwyn A platform located about 135 km northwest of Karratha in Western Australia. The 55,000 ton production facility sits in 131 metres of water and combines production, re-injection, utilities and... | https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/offshore-and-subsea/12122017/abb-pioneers-microgrid-solution-for-installation-on-offshore-platform/ | 2017-12-14 15:55:26.297000 | ABB Ability™ enabled microgrid to support Woodside’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and help optimise costs.
ABB will provide Woodside, Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, with a PowerStore™ Battery storage system that is capable of remote management of operations and service. The system will be i... |
Trusted Freshness launches Canadian vertical farming franchise | A vertical farming facility is opening in Canada as part of the Trusted Freshness franchise. The 37,000 sq ft site in Leduc, western Canada will provide a controlled environment for growing a variety of crops all year round. Local food companies are expected to benefit from the increased availability of produce rather ... | https://www.greenhousecanada.com/news/bumper-crops-via-new-vertical-farming-system-32258 | 2017-12-14 15:52:00.667000 | Dec. 13, 2017, Leduc, Alta. – Western Canada’s grocery and food service industries are eagerly waiting for the final commissioning of Trusted Freshness™ Ltd. Canada’s newest vertical farming enterprise. The 37,000 sq. ft. growing facility in Leduc is going through the final steps before launching its commercial operati... |
Brokers warned after Bluefin fined £4m over conflict of interest | Insurance brokers have been warned to check how they are managing potential conflicts of interest, following the £4m ($5.34m) fine issued to Bluefin. The Financial Conduct Authority issued the fine after it found Bluefin had misled customers by recommending policies from its parent company, AXA, without disclosing a fi... | https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/top-law-firm-gives-advice-to-brokers-amid-gamechanger-bluefin-fine-/1425816.article | 2017-12-14 15:48:34.300000 | Brokers should check their conflicts of interest risks approach in the wake of the Bluefin fine, a top law firm said today.
Pinsent Masons regulatory expert Jonathan Cavill said the Bluefin fine shows conflicts of interest remains a ‘priority area for the FCA’.
He said it is not just brokers owned by a parent who sho... |
Halliburton introduces drillbit optimised for shale formations | Halliburton released four new drillbits to improve cutting efficiency, including one designed for shale formations. The Geometrix 4D Shaped Cutters include the Chisel Plowed Scribe Cutter for brittle formations such as carbonates; the Chopper Plowed Cylinder Cutter for increased heat dissipation in high energy drilling... | https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/13122017/halliburton-introduces-new-family-of-shaped-cutter-drill-bits/ | 2017-12-14 15:48:29.070000 | Halliburton has announced the release of Geometrix™ 4D Shaped Cutters, a line of four distinct geometric profiles to help improve cutting efficiency and increase control to reduce drilling costs.
GeoMetrix cutters expand the capabilities of traditional polycrystalline diamond materials (PDC) by shaping the cutting str... |
Conversational AI company Kasisto secures $17m for expansion | Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) provider Kasisto has raised $17m and entered into a partnership with venture growth-equity fund Oak HC/FT. Kasisto's AI, called KAI, powers bots with financial expertise that allow banks to engage with customers across multiple platforms and promote offers. The company plans ... | https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/71970/conversational-ai-platform-developer-kasisto-raises-17m | 2017-12-14 15:35:06.700000 | Source: Kasisto
Kasisto, creators of KAI, the leading conversational AI platform for finance, today announced a $17 million Series B funding round led by Oak HC/FT with participation from existing investors Propel Venture Partners, Two Sigma Ventures, Commerce Ventures, Mastercard and Partnership Fund for New York Cit... |
Google looks to improve community health with Cityblock start-up | Urban design venture Sidewalk Labs, an Alphabet subsidiary, has launched Cityblock, an urban community health start-up. Cityblock aims to improve health outcomes in poorer urban communities. Co-founder and CEO of Cityblock Health, Iyah Romm, said: "There’s a problem in our cities: whole neighbourhoods are sick. Zip cod... | https://techstartups.com/2017/12/13/google-launches-cityblock-a-startup-that-focuses-on-improving-health-in-urban-communities/ | 2017-12-14 15:33:13.003000 | If you think startups are just for young entrepreneurs, then think again. Google’s Sidewalk, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is also getting a piece of the action in startups for urban health. Sidewalk is getting into community health with the launch of Cityblock, a startup focused on reinventing urban health. Cityblock want... |
Indian space agency develops small rockets for satellite launches | India is planning to launch small rockets to shuttle satellites of up to 500kg into space. India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation, aims to take advantage of the smaller communication satellites being developed by start-ups that can be launched at a lower cost. The prototype design is for a four-st... | http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-developing-small-rocket-to-cash-in-on-small-satellite-boom/story-rrOzdGMevR2abjbwU59cpO.html | 2017-12-14 15:25:35.967000 | With the size of earth observation satellites reducing and the future trend moving towards a constellation of small satellites rather than a large one, India’s space agency is developing a smaller rocket that can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg, a senior official said. The preliminary design for the proposed fou... |
Neste Singapore refinery to boost biofuels production by 1m tons | Neste will increase its production capacity for renewable diesel, renewable aviation fuel and raw materials for various biochemical uses at a refinery in Singapore with the aim of getting the new production line up and running by 2022. The facility will increase capacity by one million tons and will include an enhanced... | http://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2017/12/neste-picks-singapore-for-new-biofuel-refinery | 2017-12-14 15:02:46.077000 | Neste picks Singapore for new biofuel refinery
Neste's Board of Directors has decided that Neste's additional production capacity for renewable diesel, renewable aviation fuel and raw materials for various biochemical uses will be located in Singapore. The decision initiates technical design of the new production line... |
Daimler, JP Morgan, Samsung get access to IBM's 20-qubit computer | IBM has opened up its new 20 quantum bit (qubit) IBM Q quantum system to JPMorgan Chase, Samsung and Daimler as part of its IBM Q Network. The system will be used for industrial, commercial and scientific quantum computing initiatives. IBM has overtaken its tech giant rivals in quantum development thanks to its prototy... | http://www.zdnet.com/article/ibms-20-qubit-system-jpmorgan-daimler-samsung-test-quantum-computer/ | 2017-12-14 13:22:50.617000 | IBM is ready to open the doors to the first customers for its commercial quantum-computing services.
JPMorgan Chase, Daimler, and Samsung will be among the first group of businesses to gain access to IBM's new 20 quantum bit (qubit) IBM Q quantum system to help uncover commercial, industrial and scientific quantum com... |
Microsoft's Seeing AI app now reads handwriting for the blind | Microsoft has expanded the features on its Seeing AI app, aimed at helping the blind make sense of the world around them. Handwriting recognition is part of the app's updated skill set, alongside other features such as wider currency detection and voice customisation. The app has been downloaded about 100,000 times sin... | https://www.engadget.com/2017/12/14/microsoft-seeing-ai-app-update/ | 2017-12-14 13:17:09.597000 | Artificial intelligence took center stage at Microsoft's AI Summit in San Francisco on Wednesday. Aside from announcing AI smarts for a range of software -- from Bing to Office 365 -- the tech titan is also ramping up its Seeing AI app for iOS, which uses computer vision to audibly help blind and visually impaired peop... |
Toyota, Panasonic explore 'prismatic' batteries for EVs | Toyota and Panasonic are testing "prismatic" cells for use in electric cars rather than the standard cylindrical batteries. The cells are square, flat batteries that are usually found in mobile phones, but could be used in cars once issues of overheating and swelling are resolved. Toyota plans to release hybrid, hydrog... | https://www.engadget.com/2017/12/13/toyota-and-panasonic-ev-prismatic-batteries/ | 2017-12-14 13:12:05.753000 | Toyota and Panasonic are teaming up on batteries that Toyota itself and other automakers could use in future electric cars. Rather than building cylindrical batteries like the type that Tesla and other EV makers use, the two companies are exploring the development of "prismatic" cells. Those are square, flat batteries ... |
Amazon self-service ad platform is a hit with brands | Spend has been rising on Amazon's self-serve, pay-per-click division, Amazon Marketing Services, as the retailer expands what brands can do on the platform, with live support for Deal of the Day ads and Lightning Deals going self-serve earlier this year. Amazon Marketing Services also began integrating sponsored produc... | https://digiday.com/marketing/sign-whats-come-amazon-benefiting-holiday-ad-rush/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171214 | 2017-12-14 13:05:33.287000 | Consumers aren’t the only ones getting caught up in the Christmas rush on Amazon. Brands are also spending more on the site during the holidays.
Agencies Possible and Crealytics alongside technology platform Kenshoo have all seen a rise in media spend going to Amazon Marketing Services, the self-serve pay-per-click pe... |
Living close to fracking sites 'leads to underweight babies' | Babies born close to fracking sites are 25% more likely to weigh under a healthy amount, according to researchers analysing data from one million Pennsylvanian births between 2004 to 2013. The exact cause is still unknown, though environmental pollution may be to blame. Children living up to 1.8 miles from fracking sit... | https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/13/16771444/fracking-pregnancy-health-environment-pollution | 2017-12-14 12:56:52.013000 | Children born near fracking sites are 25 percent more likely to weigh less than what is healthy at birth, according to a new study. Why this is happening isn’t clear, but the researchers believe that it might have to do with environmental pollution, which may have negative health effects on mothers — and their babies.
... |
Publishers losing $1.27bn per year to video fraudsters: Google | Fraudsters are costing premium publishers $1.27bn each year, Google warned. Publishers faced daily losses of up to $3.5bn, based on a valuation of $5 video cost per thousand (CPM) impressions, from fraudsters spoofing their inventory on ad exchanges. A study by the tech giant found some fraudsters were found to carry o... | http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/12/12/google-study-warns-widespread-video-ad-fraud-encourages-wider-adstxt-takeup | 2017-12-14 12:51:06.297000 | Publishers are losing up to $1.27bn a year due to fraudsters impersonating their inventory on ad exchanges, with such bad actors conducting up to 700m false ad requests per day, according to a study published today (December 12) by Google.
Publishers are losing up to $1.27bn a year in lost ad revenue due to the activi... |
Robots used to scare homeless people off streets | Animal welfare group, San Francisco SPCA, is using an autonomous security robot to scare off homeless people outside its facilities. The K9 robot is built by Knightscope and features cameras, thermal sensors, lasers and GPS. The SF SPCA said its staff were unable to safely use the pavement outside its facility due to h... | https://futurism.com/dystopian-move-spca-using-robot-scare-off-homeless-people/ | 2017-12-14 12:46:57.867000 | A Dystopian Present
In a controversial move, the San Francisco SPCA, an animal advocacy and pet adoption group, is using an autonomous security robot outside of their facilities in an explicit attempt to keep homeless people off of the sidewalk.
The security robot, which the SF SPCA calls K9, is part of a fleet of se... |
Richest 0.1% increase wealth by as much as poorest 50% | The world’s wealthiest 0.1%, or 7 million people, have seen their combined wealth rise by as much as the poorest 50% of the global population since 1980, according to the World Inequality Report by economist Thomas Piketty. The study, published on Thursday, said that inequality had now reached “extreme levels” in some ... | https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/dec/14/world-richest-increased-wealth-same-amount-as-poorest-half | 2017-12-14 12:04:55.260000 | The richest 0.1% of the world’s population have increased their combined wealth by as much as the poorest 50% – or 3.8 billion people – since 1980, according to a report detailing the widening gap between the very rich and poor.
The World Inequality Report, published on Thursday by French economist Thomas Piketty, war... |
Redrow Outdoor living touted for new Sussex development | A new collection of three- and four-bedroom homes starting at £499,995 ($666,100) has gone on sale in Haywards Heath. Developer Redrow's Penlands Green development is positioned by Redrow as ideal for families and some selected homes are eligible for government financial assistance. "With the Weald, the South Downs and... | https://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/spacious-new-homes-up-for-grabs-in-haywards-heath-1-8290813 | 2017-12-14 10:36:48.493000 | A collection of three and four bedroom homes are now available through leading housebuilder Redrow at its Penlands Green development in Haywards Heath.
The collection of homes in Haywards Heath are now available
Starting from £499,995, the homes are spacious, light and airy, with generous room sizes and contemporary ... |
Regus Regus announces opening of first centre in Angola | Office-sharing company Regus is to open its first centre in Angola, in southern Africa. The facility will take over the entire sixth floor of a new office building in the business district of the capital city, Luanda. As well as flexible workspaces, it will include the option of virtual offices, allowing companies to r... | http://africanreview.com/manufacturing/industry/regus-looks-to-angola-as-country-seeks-to-diversify-economy | 2017-12-14 10:35:00.580000 | Regus looks to Angola as country seeks to diversify economy
Global workspace provider Regus has just announced the opening of its first centre in Angola
Regus will open its first centre in Angola. (Photo: Wikipedia)
The new centre to be built in Luanda means that Angola becomes the latest country worldwide to have a... |
Redrow Tax-cut lures first-time buyers to Yorkshire homes | Developer Redrow said government changes to home-purchase taxes have led to renewed interest from first-time buyers in a number of their lower-price developments in Yorkshire towns including Harrogate, Morley and York. The autumn budget abolished stamp duty on homes under £300,000 for those who have not owned a propert... | https://www.easier.com/137650-post-budget-boost-for-yorkshire-first-time-buyers.html | 2017-12-14 10:30:12.860000 | Post-budget boost for Yorkshire first time buyers
Yorkshire first time buyers have opportunities aplenty to benefit from a double helping of good news in the autumn budget if they choose a new home from Redrow.
With a good selection of Redrow homes below £300,000 – now exempt from stamp duty for first time home owner... |
App-based car rental insurance introduced by SURE | Personal insurance platform SURE has introduced a car-rental offering through its app, allowing customers to purchase policies in a matter of minutes. The app connects directly to car rental providers, and offers coverage for less than $10. Global insurer Chubb will underwrite the new initiative.
| http://www.autorentalnews.com/channel/fleet-insurance/news/story/2017/12/sure-launches-app-based-rental-car-insurance.aspx | 2017-12-14 10:15:41.490000 | Courtesy of SURE
SURE, a personal insurance distribution platform, has launched an app-based car rental insurance product for U.S. customers. The new car insurance option has connections to all car rental companies and costs $10 or less, and can be purchased in less than a minute, according to the company.
SURE’s ser... |
Metromile introduces automated insurance claim system | Car insurance start-up Metromile has introduced features to its app that allow customers to digitally process claims while arranging repairs. In addition, policyholders can rent a car through the app, which will also process payment for the service. By allowing customers to arrange these services through one app, claim... | http://www.autorentalnews.com/channel/fleet-insurance/news/story/2017/12/metromile-automates-insurance-claims-process-for-rental-cars.aspx | 2017-12-14 10:14:28.300000 | Courtesy of Metromile
Metromile, a car insurance startup, has added three new services to its portfolio to automate the insurance claims process involving rental cars.
Powered by AVA, the Direct Repair, Car Rental and Claim Payments Programs use an artificial intelligence (AI) claims system to allow qualifying custom... |
Advisers fear regulation more than robo-advice | Two-thirds of financial advisers surveyed by Canada Life Investments are more concerned with regulation than robo-advice, with only 4% describing the latter as a threat to their business, reported David Thorpe in the Financial Times.
| https://www.ftadviser.com/regulation/2017/12/12/advisers-fear-regulation-more-than-robo-advice/ | 2017-12-14 09:52:42.297000 | Two-thirds of advisers are concerned about increased regulation, and rank it of greater concern than the rise of robo-advice, according to data from Canada Life Investments.
The company spoke to 328 advisers. 67 per cent of whom said regulatory concerns are “keeping them up at night.”
In contrast, 4 per cent of advis... |
World Bank offers $4.5bn to protect cities from climate change | The World Bank has launched a $4.5bn City Resilience Programme to offer loans and technical support to urban centres seeking to protect themselves from the impact of climate change. The scheme aims to help 150 cities in the developing world to obtain private sector funding for infrastructure projects over the next thre... | http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/urbandevelopment/brief/resilient-cities-program | 2017-12-14 00:00:00 | With a greater concentration of people and assets in urban areas, cities need to address an increasingly complex range of shocks and stresses to safeguard development gains and accelerate poverty reduction.
Managing disaster risk and the impacts of climate change have long been an important focus of urban resilience. ... |
Denmark publishes new governance code | A new Danish Governance code will apply from 1 January 2018. The code calls for boards to contain only non-executive directors, and for retiring CEOs to be prevented from becoming chair or deputy chair as soon as they become board members. Yearly, internal performance evaluations must be conducted, with independent ext... | http://www.glasslewis.com/new-danish-governance-code-aims-promote-active-stewardship/ | 2017-12-14 00:00:00 | Nearly two years ago, the Danish Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs announced that it had tasked the Committee on Corporate Governance (“Committee”) with a review of the recommendations of the Danish Corporate Governance Code (“Code”). A draft was published in July 2017 and, following a consultation p... |
UK retail loses 65,000 jobs on Brexit, wage squeeze, online sales | The UK retail sector has lost 65,000 jobs since the Brexit referendum in June 2016, according to recent employment data. Food-price rises on the back of a Brexit-weakened pound, slow wage growth and increasing online sales have hit the industry hard, experts say. IHS data also revealed spending in "brick-and-mortar" sh... | http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/13/news/economy/retail-jobs-uk-brexit/index.html | 2017-12-13 23:00:00 | Britain has lost 65,000 retail jobs since it voted to leave the European Union, a decline fueled by increased online competition and a Brexit-induced wage squeeze.
Employment data published Wednesday show the number of jobs in the sector dipped below 5 million in September. Weak consumer spending suggests more pain to... |
Active funds find few takers despite performance uptick | US active managers have posted their best performance for years in 2017, according to Morningstar, though this hasn't stopped an increasing number of investors turning to passive alternatives. A drop in correlations between asset classes accounted for an upturn in active performance. Despite outflows from active equity... | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/active-fund-managers-performed-well-in-2017-but-found-few-takers-2017-12-12 | 2017-12-13 17:19:05.083000 | Passive investing won 2016. Not only did the vanilla style of investing broadly outperform its active counterparts last year, but it extended its domination as the strategy of choice, amassing billions of dollars in inflows while money flooded out of active funds.
This year, in contrast, the two are ending in somethin... |
Snapchat advertises for international strategy manager in China | Social media firm Snapchat is looking for an international strategy manager for its Shenzhen research and development office in China, which opened a year ago. While the Shenzhen office is mainly concerned with developing the Spectacles hardware product range, the international strategy manager will be expected to "bec... | https://digiday.com/marketing/snapchat-wants-more-chinese-companies-to-advertise-on-the-platform/ | 2017-12-13 17:17:29.127000 | U.S. tech companies and ad agencies are increasingly interested in the Chinese market, and Snapchat is no exception.
The camera company is looking for an international strategy manager based in Shenzhen, China, where Snapchat opened a research and development office last December, according to a job opening posted on ... |
GiveMeSport sees revenue after slashing underperforming ads | Sports publisher GiveMeSport has seen revenue grow after it began culling underperforming ads. The publisher has removed all ads from its homepage and vertical pages and cut four ads from its article pages, while retaining those on its NBA site. "We’re trying to show there’s a way to make higher yields with fewer impre... | https://digiday.com/media/sports-publisher-givemesport-growing-revenue-cutting-ads/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171213 | 2017-12-13 16:35:20.563000 | Sports publisher GiveMeSport has spent the last year culling underperforming ads from its site.
The digital native sports publisher has cut all six ads from its homepage, four ads from each article page, and all ads from its vertical pages, which include football, boxing, cricket and tennis. Its NBA vertical still fea... |
GQ and Universal test new podcast formats for easier sharing | Universal Music and British GQ magazine are experimenting with breaking down podcasts into smaller chapters, to encourage greater sharing on social media. Universal has reached number 3 on the iTunes chart with a podcast aimed at fans of the band The Vamps, and believes the chapter-based structure will make it more lik... | https://digiday.com/media/british-gq-universal-music-test-shareable-podcast-formats/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171213 | 2017-12-13 16:27:23.577000 | Universal Music and Condé Nast men’s magazine British GQ are testing podcast formats that can be broken down into chunks for sharing and include images and graphics to accompany each chapter, rather than full 30-minute or hourlong shows. The idea is for people to be able to listen to bite-size chapters of audio if they... |
MedyMatch to integrate AI trauma tool into GE's CT imaging system | MedyMatch Technology has teamed up with GE Healthcare to integrate its artificial intelligence (AI) trauma assessment tool with the US giant's CT imaging products. The Israeli start-up's AI software helps doctors quickly assess patients suspected of having head trauma or a stroke, where bleeding on the brain is suspect... | http://nocamels.com/2017/12/israeli-tech-help-doctors-assess-stroke/ | 2017-12-13 16:21:07.777000 | This article was first published by The Times of Israel and is re-posted with permission.
MedyMatch Technology, an Israeli startup that has developed an artificial intelligence based software to help clinicians assess head trauma or stroke, has entered a partnership with GE Healthcare to integrate its products with th... |
Washington Post to open branded content studio in London | The Washington Post will open a branded content studio in London by the end of 2018, aiming to have around 12 employees across Europe. The company's digital advertising revenue has increased 35% from 2016 and anticipates revenue from its digital advertising efforts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East will grow 50% ne... | https://digiday.com/media/washington-post-focused-selling-branded-content-internationally/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171212 | 2017-12-13 16:11:29.093000 | The Washington Post has taken more of a slow and steady approach to international expansion compared to some pure-play digital publishers, whose global growth ambitions seem to be tempered. For the next year, the publisher will focus on growing its branded-content capabilities internationally after hiring its first hea... |
California targets smarter almond production with $4.8m fund | Almond-growers in California are funding research to find innovative new farming methods. The Almond Board of California is investing $4.8m in up to 64 different research projects targeting three main areas of interest: protection of honey bees, new uses for almond shells, and water sustainability. The production of al... | https://www.fooddive.com/news/california-almond-industry-invests-48m-in-sustainable-farming-research/512713/ | 2017-12-13 15:59:24.183000 | Dive Brief:
The Almond Board of California (ABC) announced it is investing $4.8 million in 64 independent, third-party research projects experimenting with innovative farming techniques, according to Food Ingredients First. Three key areas of interest for almond farmers include water sustainability, protection of hone... |
L'Oréal moves to private marketplaces to avoid wasted impressions | In an attempt to avoid wasteful ad spend online, L'Oréal will be focusing heavily on private marketplaces rather than open exchanges in 2018. Explaining L'Oréal's shift in thinking, Western Europe CMO Stéphane Bérubé said: “I prefer to pay more sometimes to get the quality audiences rather than a cheap CPM.” L'Oréal wi... | https://digiday.com/marketing/loreal-europe-cmo-ill-pay-quality/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171213 | 2017-12-13 15:35:25.187000 | Reducing the money wasted on unprofitable media will be at the heart of L’Oréal’s advertising plans in 2018.
There is still “a lot of waste” in the media the advertiser buys, admitted Stéphane Bérubé, L’Oréal’s CMO for Western Europe. But unlike Procter & Gamble, Unilever and other big advertisers, L’Oréal has no inte... |
Creators struggling to understand AI decision processes: Quartz | The creators of artificial intelligence (AI) are struggling to understand the choices it makes. Because AI relies on a complex neural network that makes millions of mathematic computations, researchers can only fully comprehend the output, rather than each minute calculation. However, in order to assimilate machine lea... | https://qz.com/1146753/ai-is-now-so-complex-its-creators-cant-trust-why-it-makes-decisions/?mc_cid=04c03ec219&mc_eid=222ba8be72 | 2017-12-13 15:33:06.410000 | Artificial intelligence is seeping into every nook and cranny of modern life. AI might tag your friends in photos on Facebook or choose what you see on Instagram, but materials scientists and NASA researchers are also beginning to use the technology for scientific discovery and space exploration.
But there’s a core pr... |
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