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So reduction in standby power is likely to lower the peak.

UK managed hosting provider Ultraspeed has announced the roll-out of a unique combination of technology designed to deliver a next generation hosting service with dramatically enhanced reliability and a reduction in power consumption estimated at 40%. To achieve this, the company is using an innovative blend of measures which includes the adoption of DC power, a 'diskless' server environment and the latest Intel Xeon 5300 low-voltage quad core processors.

A small team of engineers based in Cornwall, England, have made a breakthrough with the development of a turbine that they claim could solve the commercial viability of tidal power. Known as the Osprey turbine, the technology can be used to create electricity offshore at sea -- or in tidal rivers and inland waterways. The Osprey turbine is a vertical axis free flow device which produces power independently or as part of a larger system. Power output is expected to be from 1 kW up to 5 MW in a multiple system.

A week after a slew of popular Web sites were knocked offline temporarily by a power outage in San Francisco, the data center for the Web sites has finally disclosed what went wrong. Basically, backup generators made by a Dutch company called Hitec failed to work, according to an update posted to the Web site of data center 365 Main. Here's what happened: transformer breakers at a San Francisco Pacific Gas & Electric power station unexpectedly opened, causing a power surge that cut off electricity to a portion of the city. (PG&E does not know why the breakers opened.) Three out of 10 of 365 Main's 2.1-megawatt backup generators failed to start up, cutting power to equipment of more than 40 percent of the data center's customers for up to 45 minutes.

Geothermal energy has a lot of potential worldwide. As it is not dependent on many factors, geothermal energy could be the cleanest power source of near future. Two scientists from University of Oviedo, Spain, have concluded that geothermal energy could be provided by mine shafts.

A collaboration in Germany is about to explore whether a sizable distributed generation project can supplant centralized power plants. For this project - called SchwarmStrom - 100,000 mini gas-fired generators will provide heat and power in German homes and businesses, with a combined output of 2000 MW!

Learn about Renewable Energy with our alternative energy webinars and educational videos about solar power, solar thermal, wind power and energy efficiency!

Power and automation technology group ABB has won two major contracts to improve power transmissions and distribution in Saudi Arabia and the UK. The $60 million contract with the Saudi Electricity Company will see ABB undertake the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of technologies to improve the power efficiency of 28 distribution substations.

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.

Although the use of solar power is gaining a more diverse following among U.S. electric utilities, the utilities that installed the most solar power in the past continue to lead the nation in installing new solar power capacity.

The report demonstrates that the utility segment is making a major investment to increase the amount of solar energy in power portfolios, with many utilities doubling the amount of solar power in their portfolio in just one year. The installed solar capacity of the top ten ranked utilities rose 25 percent in a tough economy, from 711 megawatts to 882 megawatts.

Until November it was virtually impossible for a private developer of renewable energy power plants to become an independent power producer (IPP) in Mexico. Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution precluded private investment stating that electricity generation for public use is an activity to be undertaken exclusively by the Government. Mexico's enactment of a new law for the use of Renewable Energy and the Financing of the Energy Transition ( Ley para el Aprovechamiento de Energías Renovables y el Financiamiento de la Transición Energética ) substantially improves the legal framework for private investment in renewable energy projects. The law regulates renewable energy electricity generation for purposes other than providing public electricity services. The law states that the use of renewable energy for electricity generation is possible for private use and any excess energy can be sold, but only based on regulations and approvals by Mexico's energy regulatory body, CRE .