Nov 22, 2009 (2 hours ago)
Through its Texas subsidiary Horizon Wind Energy , the giant Portuguese company EDP Renewables ; the third largest wind company in the US, and the second in the world, intends to almost triple its US projects to $4 billion worth of new wind energy projects in the United States through 2012. This year alone Horizon Wind Energy installed $1.5 billion worth of wind power, adding 800 megawatts of clean energy to the grid to bring its US total to more than 2,500 MW in 21 states. The CEO attributes the expansion to our new renewable energy incentives. Read more of this story »
Nov 22, 2009 (7 hours ago)
Transit use boomed from 2006-2008, but not in traditionally transit-friendly areas. This shows hope for more transit use in traditionally car-oriented places in the US in the future. An analysis of the most recent transit use data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that transit use grew by up to 47% in major metropolitan areas in the U.S. from 2006-2008, with several metro regions in the South and West growing by more than 10%. The South and West, being more dominated by automobile-oriented development and auto use, have historically struggled to get significant transit ridership. However, the top ten cities with the highest recent increase in ridership include several metro areas in the South and West, including Charlotte, NC (47%), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (26.7%), Pheonix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (23.6%), San Antonio, TX (15.1%) and others. This seems to shine a light of hope on increased transit use in the southern and western U.S. in the future. First, however, why are we seeing a boom in these places? Read more of this story »
Nov 22, 2009 (10 hours ago)
Back home now, just trying to catch up on the energy news of note. Four stories that I want to highlight. First was POET\'s announcement on their progress on cellulosic ethanol: Poet hits \'long shot,\' cuts cellulosic ethanol costs WASHINGTON - The head of the world\'s largest ethanol producer, Sioux Falls-based Poet, said Wednesday that his company has drastically cut its cellulosic ethanol production costs. It is a breakthrough that will allow cellulosic ethanol to compete with gasoline within two years. Jeff Broin, Poet chief executive, told reporters during a roundtable discussion that the company has reduced its cellulosic ethanol production cost during the past year from $4.13 a gallon to $2.35 a gallon. Andrew Leonard of Salon asked me for some comments, which he included in a story on the news: Who cares about peak oil when you have corn cobs? In addition to what made it into the story (and those comments were specifically about the kinds of risk factors POET faces), I said that I thought the guys at POET had done a nice job on this (that comment did make it into the follow-up story at Salon ). One thing that isn\'t clear to me is whether the production cost includes any capita..
Nov 22, 2009 (16 hours ago)
Sometimes slight modifications in existing machines do wonders for fuel saving. A simple attachment of a tapering protrusion at the back of a truck can save up to 7.5% in fuel consumption. This is a significant amount of fuel saving with a simple alteration. This fuel saving is possible due to dramatically-improved aerodynamics. It [...] Posted in: Industry , Inventions , Transportation
Nov 22, 2009 (22 hours ago)
The US paper industry is one of the three non-fossil-energy industries that will be affected under the Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act ; the climate bill being attempted in the Senate; to regulate the industries that emit over 25,000 tons/yr of carbon dioxide. Cement-making and steel production are the other two. So it would be instructive to see how the European paper industry has fared under the Kyoto-triggered EU Emissions Trading System ; providing a real world test-case. If faced with the same carbon constraints as European counterparts; how might our paper industry in the US adapt and evolve ? If the European experience is anything to go by; they\'ll do fine, it seems. Read more of this story »
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
Binod Kumar, a research engineer and leader of UDRI’s electrochemical power group said that the university is looking for partners that could license the “breakthrough” technology for manufacturing the batteries.
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
The oceans seem like a great potential source for clean energy. The force of the waves, the constancy, the size of the oceans — it all seems like something that could produce energy for humans without much harm. (I still have some concerns, though it seems like one of the best options these days). Some of the major problems with utilizing the force of the oceans, however, have been how to survive storms, the need to be anchored to the see floor, and efficiency. Researchers from the US Air Force Academy have a new, outside-the-box idea for dealing with these problems — use an aerospace approach . This is yet to be developed to full-scale and tested in that form, but early computer and model-scale tests are showing higher efficiencies than wind turbines , according to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Read more of this story »
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
The National Science Foundation has just awarded researchers at UC San Diego a $1million grant to develop small robotic devices that will drift with the ocean currents to study the mechanisms that support plankton and other tiny marine creatures. Swarms of the autonomous underwater explorers (AUE\'s) could provide a window into the underlying factors that drive broader ocean processes, by more precisely focusing on localized data on currents, temperature, salinity, pressure, and other properties. The robots could also some day patrol and monitor protected marine areas, provide early warnings of potential hazards such as algae blooms and oil spills , and even scout out plane crashes and other ocean-going emergencies. Depending on how the devices are powered, the robot swarms could also provide a more sustainable means of accomplishing oceanic research compared to the use of ships and other fossil fuel-powered equipment. Read more of this story »
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
A new U.S. plant is expected to open next month that uses technology out of MIT to produce bioplastics from corn that degrade in seawater or soil.
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
Danish maker of stone wool insulation reports surprise growth areas despite 3Q09 report showing 21 percent decline in YTD sales.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
A Green Jobs for Blue Waters initiative is working to make the U.S. state a North American leader in water technology, attracting interest from EPC and Emefcy.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
From an article by Joseph Room on Center for American Progress: A new study puts the generation costs for power from new nuclear plants at 25 to 30 cents per kilowatt-hour—triple current U.S. electricity rates! This staggering price is far higher than the cost of a variety of carbon-free renewable power sources available today—and 10 times the cost of energy efficiency (see “ Is 450 ppm possible? Part 5: Old coal’s out, can’t wait for new nukes, so what do we do NOW ?” The new study, “Business Risks and Costs of New Nuclear Power,” is one of the most detailed cost analyses publically available on the current generation of nuclear power plants being considered in this country. It is by a leading expert in power plant costs, Craig A. Severance. A practicing CPA, Severance is co-author of The Economics of Nuclear and Coal Power (Praeger 1976), and former assistant to the chairman and to commerce counsel, Iowa State Commerce Commission. This important new analysis is being published by Climate Progress because it fills a critical gap in the current debate over nuclear power—transparency. Severance explains: All assumptions, and methods of calculation are clearly stated. The piece is a..
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
An effective smart grid will give the United States a competitive advantage in the international marketplace, the former U.S. vice president says.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
Storage is needed to harvest the full yield available from intermittent sources of energy like wind and solar. One of the options is compressed-air storage; till now only possible in underground caverns. But SustainX Energy Solutions; a Dartmouth College start-up that got $4 million in VC funding from Polaris Venture Partners and Rockport Capital this year is working on compressing and storing air in cheap off-the-shelf shipping containers. Over the next two years SustainX will try and develop a way to cram 4 megawatt-hours worth of stored energy into each 40-foot long container and to reduce the energy that it currently takes to compress and release air by about 70%. The goal? A renewable energy storage system with the portability and scalability of a battery and the economy and capacity of a cave. Make that a portable cave. Read more of this story »
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
At yesterday\'s Sustainable Industries Economic Forum, keynote presenter Paul Hawken was asked, “What is the best counterargument to the argument that carbon caps will raise energy costs and hurt our economy?” In typical Hawken style, his earlier speech was well done, inspiring and insightful. In typical Hawken style, his off-the-cuff answers to audience questions was where he really shone. And this answer was perhaps his shining moment of the day. Read more of this story »
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
New partnership between Linde, Algenol Biofuels looks to develop technologies that work with Algenol’s algae and photobioreactors.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
During yesterday\'s Sustainable Industries Economic Forum, keynote speaker Paul Hawken suggested that it will take a somewhat monumental effort to get back to 350 ppm in our atmosphere ( we\'re at 387 right now). His list was daunting. We\'d need one new olympic sized pool of bioalgae fuel production every second for 25 years, for example. He said that while being a ‘doomer\' has a negative connotation, the facts are the facts, and that there is a role for this kind of startling statistic. An audience member asked the question that was on all our minds: “It seems untenable. Do you have hope that this can actually happen?” Read more of this story »
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
A group of students at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur have developed a bio cell(battery) that can be used to treat sewage water and generate electric energy, being a perfect solution to combat the water and energy crisis.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
I have just received a comment on one of my articles this afternoon from a certain mr. Ryszard Dzikowski, who presents his innovation I call \"solar sandwich\", consisting of two Gratzel organic cells, faced one another, and covered by reflective layers on the sides, except for one, which is used to feed the aggregate with light.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
Researchers at the University of San Diego have discovered that carbon nanotubes don\'t have to be perfect to do a better job. The team of UCSD Professor Prabhakar Bandaru and grad student Mark Hoefer found that defective carbon nanotubes actually store energy more effectively than their unflawed counterparts. The effect, which was originally studied at UCSD by grad student Jeff Nichols, rests in the creation of just the right amount of defects - enough to create additional charge sites on the nanotube, but not enough to break down its electrical conductivity. Though it\'s a long way from commercialization, the breakthrough brings us one step closer to the Holy Grail of the electric car, and to the entire battery operated sustainable infrastructure of the future: a genuine quick-charging, long lasting battery . Read more of this story »
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
POINT ROBERTS, WA and DELTA, BC - November 20, 2009 - www.RenewableEnergyStocks.com, a leading global investor and industry portal for the renewable energy sector within www.Investorideas.com announces the renewable energy and green energy stocks directory has recently added new wind stocks in addition to creating a new sub- sector for smart grid stocks due to the growing number of entrants to the space.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
TORONTO, ONTARIO and SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - November 20, 2009 - Etrion Corporation (TSX:ETX), a Canadian energy company, and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ:SPWRA)(NASDAQ:SPWRB), a US-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, today announced an agreement to build four solar power plants
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
Asia is investing hundreds of billions of dollars more than the US in clean technology, according to a new report by two research institutions. In the future, the US may be importing trillions of dollars of needed clean technology (and losing countless jobs to Asia) as a result. In total, the report showed that China, Japan, and South Korea will invest about $509 billion in clean tech over the next 5 years, whereas the US (with our greenest President in decades, maybe ever) is only expected to invest $172 billion (about 3 times less) — this is assuming the climate and energy legislation in Congress passes. If the US were to invest the same percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as South Korea, it would invest almost $140 billion per year ($700 billion over this five year period)! Compared to China, the anticipated per-GDP investment ratio is 1:4 (US to China). In 2008, Japan almost matched US R&D spending on energy and achieved almost the same number of international clean energy patents despite having dramatically lower GDP. The financial investment is not the only thing giving these countries a major advantage in this field, though. Read more of this story ..
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
Prabhakar Bandaru, a professor in the UCSD Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, along with graduate student Mark Hoefer, have discovered that artificially introducing defects in carbon nanotubes would increase their energy storage capacity.
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
Now the prestigious and successful business units are competing to become green in their operations. FedEx Express which is a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation expressed its commitment to purchase 51 extra gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles from Azure Dynamics Corporation. Scott Harrison, CEO of Azure Dynamics says, “We applaud FedEx for its continuous effort to [...] Posted in: Hybrid Cars , Industry , Transportation
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
11/20/2009 - Enbridge Inc...
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
11/20/2009 - Beacon Power Corporation was recently joined by state and local officials at a formal groundbreaking event in Stephentown, New York, signaling the start of construction for the nation\'s first full-scale 20 MW flywheel frequency regulation plant...
Nov 20, 2009 (3 days ago)
California utility is addressing backfire from smart meters, defending its relationship with BrightSource and exploring new forms of renewables.
Nov 19, 2009 (3 days ago)
After working tirelessly to push federal politicians to be accountable to the will of the people through Powershift regional summits, 350.org’s day of action, local events and direct actions, you’d think exhaustion would be setting in on the ranks of the US youth climate movement. Especially after the demoralizing blow that was delivered last weekend with the Obama administration’s official declaration that there will be no binding agreement at COP15. On the contrary, these young visionaries are just getting started! With the chips stacked against meaningful action by the Senate and our administration, there is something contagiously spreading from campus to campus and community to community. Something political movements of the past that faced less dismal realities have lacked- unwavering hope. Not the kind of hope a charismatic politician espouses during campaign season to generate warm fuzzy feelings, or the kind that surges in the dark hours of prayer for a divine force to alter your circumstances. This hope is wedded to action and commitment. A hope that if we push hard enough, continue to innovate, and remain fiercely inclusive and creative we will succeed. A hope that stand..
Nov 19, 2009 (3 days ago)
From an article by Jim Massey in The Country Today : RIDGEWAY — Penny Koerner said she thinks it\'s ironic when people pull into her driveway in a $40,000 sport utility vehicle and ask what the payback is on the solar systems they have installed on their farm. “The first question is always, ‘What\'s the payback?\'” Penny said. “You don\'t drive that SUV out of the (car dealership) lot and ask what the payback is. We\'re paying ahead for the kids, we\'re not paying back.” Penny and Jerry Koerner operate Sun Harvest Farm near Ridgeway in Iowa County. In the past five years they have installed two solar photovoltaic systems, a solar hot water system, improved the efficiency of their 100-year-old farmhouse and built and installed a hot air collector to provide heat in their barn workshop. Sun Harvest Farm was the last of four stops on a Nov. 13 southwestern Wisconsin Homegrown Renewable Energy Bus Tour. Other stops were the Montfort Wind Farm, where wind energy and the low-carbon fuel standard were the topics of conversation; Meister Cheese in Muscoda, where the plant burns 27 tons of locally sourced wood chips a day to heat and power its plant; and Cardinal Gl..