Contents contributed and discussions participated by davidchapman - Sustainable Energy

Utility energy storage no longer just giant batteries | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10405069-54.html

storage usa networks smartgrids

shared by davidchapman on 04 Dec 09 - Snapshot

Hans De Keulenaer liked it

davidchapman on 04 Dec 09

The Department of Energy on Tuesday announced that $620 million in stimulus funding is going to 32 smart-grid programs, which will be coupled with another $1 billion in private money. A total of $770 million from government and industry sources in the next few years will go to energy storage, giving a number of storage technologies a dose of real-world experience.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">The Department of Energy on Tuesday announced that $620 million in stimulus funding is going to 32 smart-grid programs, which will be coupled with another $1 billion in private money. A total of $770 million from government and industry sources in the next few years will go to energy storage, giving a number of storage technologies a dose of real-world experience.</div>

...

Cancel

Wave energy generator pumps power to Scotland | Green Tech - CNET News - 2 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10404209-54.html

marine wave offshore renewables

shared by davidchapman on 25 Nov 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 25 Nov 09

Wave energy got a boost with the connection of the Oyster hydro-electric device to the electricity grid in Scotland last Friday.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Wave energy got a boost with the connection of the Oyster hydro-electric device to the electricity grid in Scotland last Friday. </div>

...

Cancel

Dead battery? Just refill it | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews - 2 views

reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10394416-48.html

vehicles batteries flow

shared by davidchapman on 11 Nov 09 - Snapshot

Hans De Keulenaer liked it

davidchapman on 11 Nov 09

The Fraunhofer Institute is using a redox flow battery, a type of cell that uses two electrolytic fluids exchanging protons through a membrane. This process generates electricity. Although this type of battery isn't new, the Fraunhofer Institute improved the energy density, making it equivalent to that of a lithium ion battery.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">The Fraunhofer Institute is using a redox flow battery, a type of cell that uses two electrolytic fluids exchanging protons through a membrane. This process generates electricity. Although this type of battery isn't new, the Fraunhofer Institute improved the energy density, making it equivalent to that of a lithium ion battery. </div>

...

Cancel

Toyota: Electric cars 'too expensive' for mainstream | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10353116-54.html

shared by davidchapman on 15 Sep 09 - Snapshot

Hans De Keulenaer liked it

davidchapman on 15 Sep 09

Toyota, the leader in hybrid cars, thinks that the high cost of the lithium ion batteries will keep electric cars from penetrating the mass market for another decade.

Over the past three years, Toyota secretly tested lithium ion batteries as a potential replacement for the nickel metal hydride batteries now used in the Prius, according to a Bloomberg report

In its tests, Toyota concluded that lithium-ion batteries were safe and reliable, but the higher cost doesn't justify a complete shift over for Toyota's hybrids, executives said. As a result, the company will remain with nickel-based batteries for most of its hybrid cars, according to the report.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Toyota, the leader in hybrid cars, thinks that the high cost of the lithium ion batteries will keep electric cars from penetrating the mass market for another decade. <br /> <br /> Over the past three years, Toyota secretly tested lithium ion batteries as a potential replacement for the nickel metal hydride batteries now used in the Prius, according to a Bloomberg report <br /> <br /> In its tests, Toyota concluded that lithium-ion batteries were safe and reliable, but the higher cost doesn't justify a complete shift over for Toyota's hybrids, executives said. As a result, the company will remain with nickel-based batteries for most of its hybrid cars, according to the report. </div>

...

Cancel

Panasonic: New LED bulbs shine for 19 years | Crave - CNET - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10350053-1.html

Lighting led

shared by davidchapman on 14 Sep 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 14 Sep 09

$40, 80 lm/watt

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">$40, 80 lm/watt</div>

...

Cancel
davidchapman on 14 Sep 09

Panasonic has launched a new household LED lightbulb in Japan that it says lasts 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Panasonic has launched a new household LED lightbulb in Japan that it says lasts 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs. </div>

...

Cancel

TG Daily - Broadband over power lines gets first industry standard draft - 0 views

www.tgdaily.com/...103

BPL

shared by davidchapman on 11 Aug 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 11 Aug 09

This standard is intended to serve as the communications protocol for smart grids as well as providing WAN facilities to end users.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">This standard is intended to serve as the communications protocol for smart grids as well as providing WAN facilities to end users.</div>

...

Cancel
davidchapman on 11 Aug 09

Chicago (IL) - Broadband over power lines is marching closer to actual availability. The P1901 Working Group today announced the release of the first draft defining medium access control and physical layer specifications for IEEE's Standard P1901.

The draft was approved with more than 82% majority vote during a meeting held in Tokyo from July 21 - 24, the IEEE announced today. The initial version is based on technologies using FTT and Wavelet OFDM modulation schemes.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Chicago (IL) - Broadband over power lines is marching closer to actual availability. The P1901 Working Group today announced the release of the first draft defining medium access control and physical layer specifications for IEEE's Standard P1901. <br /> <br /> The draft was approved with more than 82% majority vote during a meeting held in Tokyo from July 21 - 24, the IEEE announced today. The initial version is based on technologies using FTT and Wavelet OFDM modulation schemes.</div>

...

Cancel

Solar filling station opened in Bozen - DETAIL.de - Green - sustainable planning and constr... - 0 views

www.detail.de/-charging-station_24082_En.htm

electric vehicles

shared by davidchapman on 11 Aug 09 - No snapshot

davidchapman on 11 Aug 09

1.7 kWp, 2000kWh per year. How many cars per annum can you charge at, say, 5KWh each? Better stick to bicycles and phones!

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">1.7 kWp, 2000kWh per year. How many cars per annum can you charge at, say, 5KWh each? Better stick to bicycles and phones!</div>

...

Cancel
davidchapman on 11 Aug 09

South Tyrol gets serious about solar mobility: The "E-Move Charging Station", a pilot project of the Bozen entrepreneur Valentin Runggaldier, is to supply electrically operated bicycles, scooters, cars and even mobile phones with the necessary "fuel" from the sun. The solar charging stations were designed by Michael Scherer from Brixen

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">South Tyrol gets serious about solar mobility: The "E-Move Charging Station", a pilot project of the Bozen entrepreneur Valentin Runggaldier, is to supply electrically operated bicycles, scooters, cars and even mobile phones with the necessary "fuel" from the sun. The solar charging stations were designed by Michael Scherer from Brixen</div>

...

Cancel

LinkedIn | Wire & Cable Industry Group News - 0 views

www.linkedin.com/news

shared by davidchapman on 05 Aug 09 - No snapshot

davidchapman on 05 Aug 09

Allied Wire & Cable's line of Wind Turbine Cable consists of our WTTC rated GreenLINX™ Wind Power Cable. Wind turbine cable requires high quality, durability and high performance to withstand the rigors of wind power environments. Wind turbine cables can be exposed to several different forces, including Mother Nature. Oil, solvent, chemical and fuel resistant, GreenLINX ™ wind turbine cable can withstand these forces and more.

Allied carries five different types of wind turbine cable, all part of the GreenLINX™ line of wind power cable. All five types are WTTC, 1000 volt rated, constructed of bare copper conductors.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Allied Wire & Cable's line of Wind Turbine Cable consists of our WTTC rated GreenLINX™ Wind Power Cable. Wind turbine cable requires high quality, durability and high performance to withstand the rigors of wind power environments. Wind turbine cables can be exposed to several different forces, including Mother Nature. Oil, solvent, chemical and fuel resistant, GreenLINX ™ wind turbine cable can withstand these forces and more. <br /> <br /> Allied carries five different types of wind turbine cable, all part of the GreenLINX™ line of wind power cable. All five types are WTTC, 1000 volt rated, constructed of bare copper conductors. </div>

...

Cancel

Southampton scientists outline UK's best locations for domestic wind turbines :: University... - 0 views

www.soton.ac.uk/...09_107.shtml

small-wind

shared by davidchapman on 23 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 23 Jul 09

Report available at: http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/b?cg=corporatedocs&ci=energyst&tu=http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/content/download/554381/1961689/version/3/file/location

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Report available at: <a href="http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/b?cg=corporatedocs&ci=energyst&tu=http" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/b?cg=corporatedocs&ci=energyst&tu=http</a>://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/content/download/554381/1961689/version/3/file/location</div>

...

Cancel
davidchapman on 23 Jul 09

"The results show that no urban or suburban sites with a building-mounted turbine generated more than 200kWh (or £26 of electricity) per annum, but the best performing building-mounted turbine, located in a rural area of Scotland, generated nearly 1,000kWh (or £127 of electricity) per annum. Larger free-standing pole-mounted turbines, sited in rural locations, could generate in excess of 18,000 kWh (or £2,300) per annum."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"The results show that no urban or suburban sites with a building-mounted turbine generated more than 200kWh (or £26 of electricity) per annum, but the best performing building-mounted turbine, located in a rural area of Scotland, generated nearly 1,000kWh (or £127 of electricity) per annum. Larger free-standing pole-mounted turbines, sited in rural locations, could generate in excess of 18,000 kWh (or £2,300) per annum."</div>

...

Cancel

BBC NEWS | Business | Nissan to create hundreds of jobs - 0 views

news.bbc.co.uk/...8158420.stm

batteries vehicles

shared by davidchapman on 20 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 20 Jul 09

Nissan is to announce that its Wearside factory will start producing batteries for electric cars, which is expected to create 200 new jobs.

The £380m project will be supported by the European Investment Bank and aided in part by government grants.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Nissan is to announce that its Wearside factory will start producing batteries for electric cars, which is expected to create 200 new jobs. <br /> <br /> The £380m project will be supported by the European Investment Bank and aided in part by government grants. </div>

...

Cancel

GE: Smart grid yields net-zero energy home | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10286278-54.html

dsm smart-appliances

shared by davidchapman on 15 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 15 Jul 09

GE appliances have been converted to have electronic controls and will have a small module in the back that will allow it to communicate with a home's smart meter. With that communication link in place, consumers can find out how much electricity individual appliances use and program them to take advantage of off-peak rates.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">GE appliances have been converted to have electronic controls and will have a small module in the back that will allow it to communicate with a home's smart meter. With that communication link in place, consumers can find out how much electricity individual appliances use and program them to take advantage of off-peak rates. </div>

...

Cancel

Superconductors: Cure for grid transmission woes? | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10285552-54.html

superconductivity

shared by davidchapman on 15 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 15 Jul 09

"The big barrier here, as with any new technology, is that electric utilities are very conservative...Now we're overcoming that obstacle with initial installations, which are relatively short runs but this superconductor pipeline is much grander in scale," he said.

In practice, the cables would be placed underground, as gas pipelines are, and have nitrogen cooling stations every seven or eight miles. Fredette said the technology is feasible but would likely need some sort of loan guarantee from U.S. government to test the system in the field.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"The big barrier here, as with any new technology, is that electric utilities are very conservative...Now we're overcoming that obstacle with initial installations, which are relatively short runs but this superconductor pipeline is much grander in scale," he said. <br /> <br /> In practice, the cables would be placed underground, as gas pipelines are, and have nitrogen cooling stations every seven or eight miles. Fredette said the technology is feasible but would likely need some sort of loan guarantee from U.S. government to test the system in the field. </div>

...

Cancel

Israel Electric Road: Scientists Turn Traffic Into Power At Haifa's Technion Institute Of T... - 0 views

news.sky.com/...200907215336129

scavenging

shared by davidchapman on 13 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 13 Jul 09

Scientists in Israel say they have invented a way of turning traffic into electricity.

Where does the 'energy' really come from?

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Scientists in Israel say they have invented a way of turning traffic into electricity. <br /> <br /> Where does the 'energy' really come from?</div>

...

Cancel

Google revs up smart charging for plug-ins | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10267908-54.html

PHEV

shared by davidchapman on 06 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 06 Jul 09

There is some concern that millions of plug-in electric vehicles charging at the peak times, such as around 5:30 p.m. when people return from work, could cause power disruptions or require construction of new power plants.

To address this, Google has written software with "vehicle dispatch algorithms" that can decide how to best charge cars, Reicher said. In addition to smoothing out the load on the grid, smart charging makes it easier to take advantage of solar and wind power, which are variable sources of electricity.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">There is some concern that millions of plug-in electric vehicles charging at the peak times, such as around 5:30 p.m. when people return from work, could cause power disruptions or require construction of new power plants. <br /> <br /> To address this, Google has written software with "vehicle dispatch algorithms" that can decide how to best charge cars, Reicher said. In addition to smoothing out the load on the grid, smart charging makes it easier to take advantage of solar and wind power, which are variable sources of electricity.</div>

...

Cancel

An LED breakthrough in Korea? | Planetary Gear - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-17912_3-10268966-72.html

led

shared by davidchapman on 06 Jul 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 06 Jul 09

Researchers from Korea claim to have produced the world's first purely white LED (light-emitting diode).

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Researchers from Korea claim to have produced the world's first purely white LED (light-emitting diode).</div>

...

Cancel

Falling 10GbE Prices Spell Doom for Fibre Channel - 0 views

www.enterprisestorageforum.com/...3825806

network

shared by davidchapman on 19 Jun 09 - No snapshot

davidchapman on 19 Jun 09

This article suggests that 10Gb ethernet (copper) is about to take over the (optical) fibre channel for storage area networks. Caution: these networks are usually physically small and dense so cable lengths are short. The added value is high enough to justify the costs (Cost per switsch port still ~100 times higher than 1Gb, tricky cable installation).The comments at the end of the article that imply that 10Gb will be common are unconvincing.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">This article suggests that 10Gb ethernet (copper) is about to take over the (optical) fibre channel for storage area networks. Caution: these networks are usually physically small and dense so cable lengths are short. The added value is high enough to justify the costs (Cost per switsch port still ~100 times higher than 1Gb, tricky cable installation).The comments at the end of the article that imply that 10Gb will be common are unconvincing.</div>

...

Cancel

GE, Idaho Labs turn waste heat into electricity | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10262023-54.html

CHP Rankine

shared by davidchapman on 17 Jun 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 17 Jun 09

Rather than use a working fluid to capture and transfer the waste heat, GE has developed a new evaporator to transfer it. The new design means that ORCs can be used to convert relatively low-temperature heat (under 500 degrees Celsius) into electricity on a wide range of power sources, including the equipment in coal power plants and small gas turbines, said Thomas Fry, a researcher in GE's Munich offices.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Rather than use a working fluid to capture and transfer the waste heat, GE has developed a new evaporator to transfer it. The new design means that ORCs can be used to convert relatively low-temperature heat (under 500 degrees Celsius) into electricity on a wide range of power sources, including the equipment in coal power plants and small gas turbines, said Thomas Fry, a researcher in GE's Munich offices. </div>

...

Cancel

Small wind turbine works at low wind speeds | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10258176-54.html

wind

shared by davidchapman on 10 Jun 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 10 Jun 09

Homeowners this fall will be able to buy a wind turbine at hardware stores that tackles the small wind industry's bete noire: slow wind.

WindTronics has developed a wind turbine sized for individual homes that it says can operate at speeds as low as 2 miles an hour.

It will be sold for $4,500 as the Honeywell Wind Turbine... ... generate 2,000 kilowatt-hours in a year for a home with a very good--called Class 4--wind resource, according to the company. That's between 15 and 20 percent of the annual electricity consumption for the average U.S. home.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Homeowners this fall will be able to buy a wind turbine at hardware stores that tackles the small wind industry's bete noire: slow wind. <br /> <br /> WindTronics has developed a wind turbine sized for individual homes that it says can operate at speeds as low as 2 miles an hour. <br /> <br /> It will be sold for $4,500 as the Honeywell Wind Turbine... ... generate 2,000 kilowatt-hours in a year for a home with a very good--called Class 4--wind resource, according to the company. That's between 15 and 20 percent of the annual electricity consumption for the average U.S. home. </div>

...

Cancel

Is community wind power full of hot air? | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10254733-54.html

wind

shared by davidchapman on 10 Jun 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 10 Jun 09

Some companies are trying to stake out a middle ground in wind power by making mid-size turbines big enough for a school or big-box retailer to use, but not so big that they require a convoy of trucks to be delivered.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Some companies are trying to stake out a middle ground in wind power by making mid-size turbines big enough for a school or big-box retailer to use, but not so big that they require a convoy of trucks to be delivered. </div>

...

Cancel

Nobel laureate: Wind is not the future | Green Tech - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10254009-54.html

wind CSP Sahara

shared by davidchapman on 10 Jun 09 - Snapshot

davidchapman on 10 Jun 09

Wind power is not the answer

Steinberger now wants funding for a big pilot project.

The idea is to link solar thermal power from Northern Africa to Europe via high-voltage undersea cables. The proposed 3- to 3.5-gigawatt power plant would cost an estimated $32 billion to build. Steinberger believes that 80 percent of Europe's energy needs could be met by solar thermal power plants in the Sahara by 2050.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Wind power is not the answer <br /> <br /> Steinberger now wants funding for a big pilot project. <br /> <br /> The idea is to link solar thermal power from Northern Africa to Europe via high-voltage undersea cables. The proposed 3- to 3.5-gigawatt power plant would cost an estimated $32 billion to build. Steinberger believes that 80 percent of Europe's energy needs could be met by solar thermal power plants in the Sahara by 2050. </div>

...

Cancel