Group Sustainable Energy's feed | Diigo - Groups

Solar Lamps Transform an Indian Village

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:04:41 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Actually a modified solar lamp has changed their lives. This solar lamp has a tiny plug point at the base for recharging mobiles.

Tags: solar

by: Colin Bennett

New European alliance seeks sustainable energy innovations

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:02:54 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

The “European Sustainable Energy Innovation Alliance” (ESEIA) aims to create innovations for sustainable technologies, establish an interdisciplinary panel of experts, and strengthen measures for further

Tags: sustainable, energy

by: Colin Bennett

World's Top Polluter Emerges as Green-Technology Leader - WSJ.com

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:40:31 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Xu Shisen put down the phone and smiled. That was Canada calling, explained the chief engineer at a coal-fired power plant set among knockoff antique and art shops in a Beijing suburb. A Canadian company is interested in Mr. Xu's advances in bringing down the cost of stripping out greenhouse-gas emissions from burning coal.

Tags: china, cop15, green, technology, trade, export, industrial policy, carbon, renewables, solar, sustainability

by: Hans De Keulenaer

HoweStreet.com -A Hot Future for Geothermal

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:53:47 -0000

Capturing energy from the earth’s heat is pretty easy pickin’s for geologically-active areas of the world like Iceland, Indonesia, and Chile. In some locations, hot fluids are so near the earth’s surface that heat from naturally-occurring hot fluids can be directly circulated through buildings for heating. Iceland, in particular, takes advantage of this low-hanging energy fruit.

However, in most areas of the world where geothermal energy is captured, the heat is used to generate electricity.

Conventional Geothermal Energy

Unlike some of the more common alternative energies — hydro, solar, and wind — geothermal is impervious to weather conditions. This independence means it provides excellent base load electricity.

Currently all commercial geothermal electricity is generated by so-called conventional systems, whereby naturally- occurring hot water or steam is accessed at comparatively shallow depths in areas of very high geothermal gradient. Wells are commonly drilled to depths on the order of 2 km. The water or steam they produce is used to spin turbines that in turn generate electricity.

Comments:

Capturing energy from the earth’s heat is pretty easy pickin’s for geologically-active areas of the world like Iceland, Indonesia, and Chile. In some locations, hot fluids are so near the earth’s surface that heat from naturally-occurring hot fluids can be directly circulated through buildings for heating. Iceland, in particular, takes advantage of this low-hanging energy fruit.

However, in most areas of the world where geothermal energy is captured, the heat is used to generate electricity.

Conventional Geothermal Energy

Unlike some of the more common alternative energies — hydro, solar, and wind — geothermal is impervious to weather conditions. This independence means it provides excellent base load electricity.

Currently all commercial geothermal electricity is generated by so-called conventional systems, whereby naturally- occurring hot water or steam is accessed at comparatively shallow depths in areas of very high geothermal gradient. Wells are commonly drilled to depths on the order of 2 km. The water or steam they produce is used to spin turbines that in turn generate electricity. - Energy Net
Capturing energy from the earth’s heat is pretty easy pickin’s for geologically-active areas of the world like Iceland, Indonesia, and Chile. In some locations, hot fluids are so near the earth’s surface that heat from naturally-occurring hot fluids can be directly circulated through buildings for heating. Iceland, in particular, takes advantage of this low-hanging energy fruit.

However, in most areas of the world where geothermal energy is captured, the heat is used to generate electricity.

Conventional Geothermal Energy

Unlike some of the more common alternative energies — hydro, solar, and wind — geothermal is impervious to weather conditions. This independence means it provides excellent base load electricity.

Currently all commercial geothermal electricity is generated by so-called conventional systems, whereby naturally- occurring hot water or steam is accessed at comparatively shallow depths in areas of very high geothermal gradient. Wells are commonly drilled to depths on the order of 2 km. The water or steam they produce is used to spin turbines that in turn generate electricity. - Energy Net

Tags: energy, energy.news, geothermal, renewables

by: Energy Net

1st World Ranking of Clean Energy Technology (CET) Sales

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:50:37 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

The current rankings put the US 18th according to GDP (2nd in absolute terms) and the UK is 19th. Australia “squandered an early technical lead in solar energy” and is 28th.

Spain is 4th relative to GDP, Finland is 5th and China 6th.

In absolute terms, the top ten countries are: 1. Germany, 2. the US, 3. Japan, 4. China, 5. Denmark, 6. Brazil, 7. Spain, 8. France, 9. the UK, 10. Korea.

Tags: clean, tech

by: Colin Bennett

ITS has secured 6 EUR Million in funding to finance production ramp up : Innotech Solar

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:28:34 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Innotech Solar AS has today completed a funding round of 6 EUR Million with the investors Sustainable Technologies Funds and Northzone Ventures.

Tags: recycling, photovoltaics, action

by: Hans De Keulenaer

Growing Demand for Clean Energy and Green Building Jobs

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:07:34 -0000

Comments:

California is gearing up for green job training and certification programs in renewable energy and net zero building technologies. - Carolyn Allen

Tags: no_tag

by: Carolyn Allen

CLIMATE CHANGE: Brazil Defends Biofuels - IPS ipsnews.net

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:41:24 -0000

Tags: energy, renewables, efficiency, green, sustainability, carbon, biofuels, biomass

by: Arabica Robusta

Enercities

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:52:21 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Project Enercities offers a serious gaming - learning platform for young people (typical target group: 15-20 years) to experience energy-related implications. The goal is to create and expand virtual cities dealing with pollution, energy shortages, renewable energy etc.

Tags: action, games, simulation

by: Hans De Keulenaer

Building a sustainable energy future

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:13:54 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

As global climate talks get underway in Copenhagen, questions of a sustainable energy future will come to the fore as participants discuss the challenges from rising demand, affordability, and energy security. Should we focus on energy efficiency solutions? Where should we place our innovation bets? How can we align public policy to match our energy goals? In this video, three CEOs—Tom Albanese of mining giant Rio Tinto, Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake Energy, and Bill Timmerman of the energy company Scana—offer their perspectives on the practical issues stifling energy independence, where to prioritize short- and long-term goals, and alternatives that can improve our energy future. George McLendon, dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University, and Scott Nyquist, a director in McKinsey’s Houston office, also participated in the panel.

Tags: energy

by: Colin Bennett

Energy and Environment Monitor: Summary of EPRI Prism/MERGE 2009 Analyses Report: EPRI Presents One Roadmap to 2050 for Reduced-Carbon Electricity Generation

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:20:34 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

In 2007, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) released its first “Prism” model and Model for Estimating the Regional and Global Effects of Greenhouse Gas Reductions (MERGE).

EPRI updated both analyses in 2009 to reflect economic and technological changes that have the potential to affect projected emissions and the technologies to address them.

The Prism analysis projects that by 2030, 60% of the total U.S. generation mix would consist of low- or non-CO2 emitting generation

Tags: usa, low.carbon, electricity, action, epri

by: Hans De Keulenaer

Household appliances not living up to efficiency standard, says research

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:57:10 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Household appliances like washer-driers, ovens and light bulbs are not all living up to their energy efficiency labels, according to tests carried out by UK Government department Defra.

Tags: energy, efficiency

by: Colin Bennett

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

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:30:29 -0000

Comments:

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. - davidchapman

Tags: storage, usa, networks, smartgrids

by: davidchapman

Alternative Energy eMagazine - | AltEnergyMag

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:13:00 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

A robust transmission system is the cornerstone for large-scale integration of wind power in the United States. Therefore, perhaps the greatest barrier to achieving this goal is building new transmission to connect the large amounts of location-constrained wind resources to the load centers. Another goal-limiting factor is the lack of appropriate market rules across the various interconnections in the US. Furthermore any reversal of policy decisions made at Federal and State levels (e.g. Renewable Portfolio Standards) in support of renewable energy could send the wrong signal to the industry causing uncertainty in the markets, potentially stalling the investments in new wind plants. The reality is that there are five election cycles between now and 2030 so it is important that wind energy related policies are sustained during this period.

Other potential barriers to achieving this 20-by-2030 goal include: a surge in the global demand for wind energy which could limit the supply of turbines in the US; another financial crisis during the next two decades which affects the credit and investment markets; and lastly the lack of skilled work force to operate power systems with high penetration of variable generation.

Tags: wind, usa, barriers, areva, altenergymag, electricity, renewables

by: Hans De Keulenaer

New US water heater efficiency standards not enough, says ACEEE

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:22:25 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

New energy efficiency standards for home water heaters being proposed by the US Administration do not go far enough, says the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

The new standards will cover the nine million residential water heaters sold every year that account for an estimated 20% of a typical homes’ energy consumption. Savings on the order of 2.6 quads of energy over 30 years will result, says the Department of Energy (DOE), reducing customers bills by around $15.6 billion and emissions by 154 million metric tons.

Tags: energy, efficiency, heating

by: Colin Bennett

Wind turbines have no meaningful impact on property values

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:19:46 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Wind turbines have no meaningful impact on property values: DOE-funded study

Tags: wind

by: Colin Bennett

High Temperature Superconducting Magnets Just Got 45% More Power

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:19:09 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Engineers at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at the Florida State University are closer than ever to launching a new generation of high-field magnet, being 3,000 times stronger than an ordinary refrigerator magnet and will be able to generate a field about 45% more powerful than the strongest superconducting magnet currently available.

The new high tech magnet will be made of a high-temperature superconductor that is far less expensive to operate than its conventional counterparts and more energy efficient. According to the researchers, it could mark the beginning of a new generation of super powerful magnets that help lower both the carbon footprint and cost of scientific research.

Tags: energy efficiency, superconductors

by: Colin Bennett

Utilities planning to upgrade nuclear plants | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/29/2009

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:41:17 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Construction crews last week prepared a concrete slab to serve as a staging area for the replacement of Limerick's six huge transformers, a $90 million job that will take about two years to complete.

The improvements to the transformers, which convert electricity for transmission on big power lines, are only one component of a complicated effort to "uprate" the plant's output, adding 170 megawatts of generating capacity to each unit. Along with earlier upgrades, the improvements will expand Limerick's total capacity to 2,600 megawatts - 23 percent more power than it produced when the two units were completed in 1989.

Tags: nuclear, generation, transformers, upgrade, utilities

by: Hans De Keulenaer

Interview of Brad Edwards - Space Elevator Expert by Sander Olson

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:53:07 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Here is the Brad Edwards interview. Dr. Edwards received his PhD in physics in 1990, and worked at Los Alamos National Lab for 11 years. After leaving Los Alamos, Dr. Edwards has dedicated his career to researching and developing the space elevator concept. All of his research indicates that the space elevator concept is valid and feasible. He currently heads a company called Black Line Ascension, which is actively promoting the space elevator concept. He has published several books on the space elevator, including The Space Elevator: A Revolutionary Earth-to-Space Transport System, and Leaving the Planet by Space Elevator.

Tags: harebrained, space, interview

by: Hans De Keulenaer

Monash University of Australia Innovation for Tripling Energy Conversion in Solar Cells

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:46:08 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Scientists at Monash University, in collaboration with colleagues from the universities of Wollongong and Ulm in Germany, have produced tandem dye-sensitised solar cells with a three-fold increase in energy conversion efficiency compared with previously reported tandem dye-sensitised solar cells.

Tags: photovoltaics, australia, innovation, costs

by: Hans De Keulenaer