Carbon Tax in Canada Will Encourage Energy-Efficiency and Renewable Energy

In October 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that provinces must develop a plan to reduce carbon emissions by 2018 or face a C$10 tax per ton of emissions. This figure would increase by C$10 per ton each year until 2022, when emissions would be priced at C$50 per ton. This tax will only be imposed if provincial leaders fail to come up with a plan to limit emissions of their own.

The new carbon pricing scheme is part of the government’s effort to comply with the Paris agreement. Signed earlier this year, the agreement aims to limit the global temperature increase this century to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. While further reductions will be needed for Canada to fully comply with its international commitment, the proposed carbon pricing scheme is seen as an important first step.

Topics: Energy & Resources Industry Insights The Freedonia Group

Salt – Not Just for Food

While food is historically known as one of the major uses for salt, the advent of chlorine and synthetic soda ash manufacture in the late nineteenth century and the use of salt for road deicing in the mid-twentieth century changed the importance of the food processing market.

Chemical manufacturing now is by far the largest outlet for salt, accounting for three-fifths of 2015 global consumption. Road deicing is the second largest share of world salt demand, followed by the food processing and livestock segments. Among other applications, water treatment and pharmaceutical manufacturing account for significant shares of salt consumption. 

Topics: Energy & Resources Heavy Industry

Demand for Battery Materials to Reach $46.8 Billion in 2019

The global demand for battery materials is projected to increase 8.3 percent per year to reach $46.8 billion in 2019, according to a new report by the Freedonia Group. A variety of factors are contributing to the growing demand, including the proliferation of mobile phones and tablets, the rising use of motor vehicles in developing countries, and the increasing production of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Batteries are manufactured using a broad range of materials. The major types are metals, chemicals, polymers, carbon and graphite, silicas, glass fibers, paper, rubber, and ceramics. Globally, metals accounted for 66 percent of materials demand in 2014, due to the large volumes of lead, zinc, steel, and nickel used in the battery industry. Read on to learn more about the market for battery materials and what changes analysts expect to see in the coming years.

Topics: Energy & Resources Industry Insights Heavy Industry The Freedonia Group

Consumer Attitudes Toward Green Brands Reach All-Time High

When it comes to marketing, attempting to sell your audience on an idea or concept can sometimes be more challenging than simply selling a finite product. Historically, marketing sustainability has certainly faced its obstacles, particularly in the United States. Numerous approaches have been taken – some appeal to our higher purpose, or our environmental responsibility, while others believe it is more about focusing on the "me" factor, or the direct value to the consumer. Despite these challenges, recent studies are showing that U.S. consumer attitudes toward sustainability are trending optimistically, reaching an all-time high. With this in mind, marketing an environmentally-conscious brand story and business model may have an impact on more than just the environment; it may be as important as ever to your brand image and even your bottom-line.

Topics: Energy & Resources Demographics Marketing

The Future of the UK Lighting Market in 2015 & Beyond

The UK Lighting market was estimated to be worth over £1.7 billion in 2014, with a positive outlook in 2015 for good growth of around 8-9%. Key drivers of this growth include the following:

  • Returning confidence in the new housebuilding market
  • Growth in consumer confidence for the repair and maintenance sector
  • Recovery within the private commercial construction sector
  • Growth of the LED lighting sector
Topics: House & Home Manufacturing & Construction Energy & Resources

Market Research Publisher Spotlight: GlobalData

MarketResearch.com partners with more than 700 publishers to offer customers the most comprehensive collection of diverse business intelligence. Each publisher has its own story and offers unique and insightful perspective into the industries they cover.

This week, MarketResearch.com is spotlighting global healthcare and energy research firm GlobalData. Read on to learn more about GlobalData and their products.

Topics: Energy & Resources Healthcare Industry Insights

Living in a Smart World | Smart Electronics, Smart Homes, Smart Grid

Nowadays, technology makes life easier for us. We are surrounded by so many “smart” devices that do many of our daily tasks for us. There’s an abundance of this newer technology from smart wearables, to smart homes and smart grids. As technology advances it will only become more ingrained into all aspects of our lives. A study last year by IBM predicted the upcoming five smart technology trends for the next five years will include smarter classrooms, stores, medicine, privacy and protection, and cities. The evolution of technology isn’t stopping anytime soon.

Topics: House & Home Apparel Energy & Resources Consumer Electronics Telecommunications & Wireless

Energy Trends Point Toward Smart Grid Innovation

Since the world first started integrating electricity into everyday life, electricity and power has been based around “the grid.” The grid is the system that creates, transforms, delivers and even stores all of the electricity and power that we use, while also transferring power from suppliers to consumers.  Including wires, switches, transformers, substations, meters, gages and more, the grid’s infrastructure is vast and broad (the size of the entire continent), yet also intricate and detailed (each individual consumer is connected). It powers everything in our society, from power plants to homes, and everything in-between. The grid is our national engine and keeps our society running at all times.

Topics: Energy & Resources

Market Research Publisher Spotlight: MarketsandMarkets

MarketResearch.com partners with over 700 publishers to offer customers the most comprehensive collection of diverse business intelligence. Each publisher has its own story and offers unique and insightful perspective into the industries they cover. This week, MarketResearch.com is spotlighting global, multi-industry information provider MarketsandMarkets. Read on to learn more about MarketsandMarkets and their products.

Topics: Food & Beverage Materials & Chemicals E-commerce & IT Outsourcing Biotechnology Manufacturing & Construction Energy & Resources Pharmaceuticals Consumer Electronics Telecommunications & Wireless Healthcare Medical Devices

Gas Gen-Sets Becoming Viable Energy Source in Face of Steep Power Demand

Although the world is shifting away from oil-based fuels towards more sustainable energy sources, several reasons deem renewables, like wind, solar and hydro-electric systems, impractical for quite a few sections of society and industry: not enough wind, too many cloudy days, and insufficient watercourse.

In the wake of acute power shortages, this leaves us with very few alternatives, one of which is using a generator. Gas-fired generators are gradually becoming the choice for both standby and prime power.

Topics: Energy & Resources