Archive for the ‘Renewable energy’ Category
Is a $165 billion Smart Grid too Expensive for American taxpayers?
Upgrading America’s electricity grid hit a snag last week as the thorny issue was raised of exactly how much improvements would cost, and more importantly who would foot the bill.
Bringing the country’s national grid into the 21st century with an interactive online management system that can monitor and regulate consumer use of power is an [...]
Scientists Create Synthetic Genes to Fight Global Warming
Scientists at UCLA have created synthetic “genes” that may soon be able to gobble up the damaging carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and threaten life on earth as we know it. The three-dimensional, synthetic DNA-like crystals, composed of organic and inorganic components, code information in a DNA-like manner.
UCLA chemistry and biochemistry professors [...]
Renewable Energy Made Easy: Free Energy from Solar, Wind, Hydropower, and Other Alternative Energy Sources
Review
“Renewable Energy Made Easy is a great read for people of all knowledge levels when it comes to going green. David Craddock does an amazing job at laying out the history, facts, pros, and cons of a variety of renewable energy sources, and then gives the reader a step-by-step DIY guide to all sorts of [...]
Coal Ash Containment and the EPA
Ever since a coal ash containment pond broke in December of 2008, spewing coal ash into a nearby river and over 300 acres of farm and woodland,the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) has been rethinking its coal ash policy.
The event, which took place in one of the facilities run by the TVA was possibly the [...]
Geothermal Energy Gets Cash Infusion
Vulcan Power Company, a leader in geothermal energy project development in the western United States, announced this week that it received $108 million from a Boston-based private equity firm. The new cash infusion is the second recent equity investment from the affiliate of Denham Capital in Vulcan, for a total of $166 million. Bank of [...]
Sundowning Oregon’s Only Coal Plant 20 Years Early
Exciting news in the renewable energy field. Oregon’s largest utility, Portland General Electric announced this week that it is shutting down the state’s only coal plant 20 years ahead of schedule. By 2020, the lights will officially go off at the PGE Boardman, Oregon plant.
The original plan for the coal plant was to invest $500,000,000 [...]
How to Bring a Community Wind Project to Your Hometown
The idea of wind energy typically brings to mind sprawling acres of hundreds of massive wind turbines. Yet, a new, smaller scale movement is “in the air,” among wind farm developers. Community wind projects do not require as much land, but still make an impressive renewable energy contribution to the local grid.
Ranging from 5-80 megawatts [...]
Smart Thermostat Includes a Mini-Computer
For years, experts have advised that if you are interested in saving energy, you should install a programmable thermostat in your home.
When you are away and overnight, lower the temperature to 64 degrees Fahrenheit during winter months (70 degrees in the summer); then, when you are in the building, program it to return to a [...]
Much Ado About the CRU
Over the past several weeks, there has been much ado about the CRU. Otherwise known as the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, the CRU came under fire in the days leading up to the Copenhagen Climate Summit.
Claims of falsifying data have hounded the organization, which have since been [...]
World’s Largest Wind Farm to be Constructed in Oregon
This week, General Electric (GE) announced a huge renewable energy deal right here in my home state of Oregon. $1.4 billion will go to supply over 300 wind turbines for the largest wind farm in the world – the Shepards Flat Wind Farm – which will be owned and operated by Caithness Energy.
In just a [...]
Renewable Energy that’s Worth its Salt
Pass the salt, please! Before long, you may be hearing this request not only at the dinner table, but perhaps from your local utility.
That’s right… renewable energy that’s worth its salt can be captured from the intersection between freshwater rivers and the oceans into which they flow. Two new power plants in Europe will use [...]
Branching Out: Tree Power
Quick – how many renewable energy sources can you name? Solar, wind, and geothermal easily come to mind. But what about tree power? No, I’m not talking about biomass (and even if I was, there is not consensus that its “renewable”). Now, scientists are finding ways to directly tap into electrical current in trees.
Last year, [...]
Oregon Business Energy Tax Credit: Less Credit and Tightened Rules?
Oregon government is caught in a quandary over its Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC, also known as “Betsey). On one hand is the consideration that offering generous credits for renewable energy development will encourage more of the same. On the other hand, taxes raise money for the state and its programs.
Cut down on revenue, and [...]
Tilting the Windmills
A new small wind turbine has been designed and is currently being tested at Idaho National Laboratory’s Center for Advanced Energy Studies. Lest you think that efficient residential wind turbines are but figments of the imagination, tilting the windmills may change your mind.
Quite literally, the Blackhawk Project involves tilting windmills from a horizontal to a [...]
Speed Bumps to Generate Energy
A few days ago, I read about the use of speed bumps (also known as “rumble strips”) that can be used to generate renewable energy.
I know, I know! It sounds preposterous. Perhaps so crazy that its ingenious?
While the rumble strips power generation idea may not quite be ready for prime time, the idea sounds workable, [...]
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Passive Solar to Stay Cool This Summer
July 30, 2010 05:07 -
Oregon Considers Plastic Bag Ban
July 29, 2010 10:07 -
Grow an Easy Herb Garden Using Soda Bottles
July 28, 2010 05:07 -
Eco-Friendly Charging of Electric Vehicles
July 27, 2010 05:07 -
Set a Good Green Example for Your Kids
July 26, 2010 05:07
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Thomas:
I hope you're enjoying all the additional exposure to nasty bacteria that the "r -
Thom:
I love my reusable canvas grocery bags. Not only am I not contributing to the l -
Veaotch:
@Lou What like trolling comment sections? -
Freebies:
Yes! All Plastic Bags should be banned in the U.S. I re-use them at my house, bu -
Jo Dean:
LOL, dont they have anything better to do?? Lou www.anonymous-surfing.es.tc
- Improve Your Garden with Solar LightsLast weekend, we replaced our old grill on the patio. That led to planting some containers of flowers, which made me want to string lights along the back deck for extra ambiance. Its so easy to improve your garden with solar lights! Whether you want to light up your patio (like we did), illuminate a [...] […]
- Solar Power Generation in TenerifeNo matter where you are in the world, solar power can be harnessed for clean, fossil-fuel free energy. On the island of Tenerife (the largest of the Canary Islands), a utility scale solar facility draws on the sunshine from this area known as “Eternal Spring,” off the western coast of Africa. Even though its a [...] […]
