Recycling is a green mantra, but is being given a new twist. Rather than build a solar farm on virgin, scenic, or agricultural land, why not site it on polluted land? It’s being done in California’s San Juaquin Valley. Transmission is nearby, there’s little wildlife impact, and few objections.
Archive for the ‘Renewable Energy’ Category
Recycling land for green energy ideas
Friday, August 13th, 2010A solar bulb may light the way
Monday, June 28th, 2010About two billion people have no steady supply of electric light. For light, they burn something, mostly kerosene, a dirty fuel. Now Nokero, a Hong Kong company, is set to market a solar light bulb that provides four hours of light. Single units are costly, but bulk orders would be discounted.
Solar cells: Coming to a window near you?
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010This CNN article reports that the Finnish Technology Academy has awarded its $960,000 Millennium Technology Prize to Swiss professor Michael Gratzel for his low-cost solar cells that mimic photosynthesis and can be incorporated into windows to produce energy. Although still in an early stage of development, the Gratzel cells are already cheaper than standard silicon-based photovoltaic cells. A YouTube clip gives more information.
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Obama says he will push clean energy bill
Friday, June 4th, 2010President Obama signalled at a speech Wednesday that he would push for passage of the Clean Energy Bill this year. As the Gulf spill has focussed attention on the costs of the nation’s dependency on oil, many have urged the President to advocate a clean energy future. Now he has begun to do so.
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A battery that stores wind juice
Monday, May 24th, 2010Anyone for a wind battery? Several companies are working on it. The idea is to store wind energy during the night when electricity demand and rates are low, then discharge it when rates are high. Costs are still too expensive, but new battery technologies now being tested are promising.
Who will build the first offshore wind farm in North America?
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010In a way, this New York Times headline is a trick question. It really doesn’t matter who builds the first North American offshore wind farm. What matters is that the U.S. develops an offshore wind industry to provide some of its energy needs and to compete with Europe, China, and Japan, who are far ahead.
Cape wind and Mr. Salazar
Monday, April 26th, 2010In an editorial today, the New York Times endorses the Cape Wind plan to build an offshore wind farm off Massachusetts. Arguing that the “enormous promise” outweighs the objections, the Times urges Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to approve the project, compensating the Indians and doing more test borings.
Solar power to the people, with a lot of public help
Monday, April 26th, 2010Last Thursday was Earth Day. Students at a school near San Francisco visited a solar power installation, on the school grounds. The developer owns and operates the system, and sells the power to the school. Such government incentives are both common and effective, generating many start-ups and local jobs.
Room for debate: California’s solar scorecard
Monday, April 26th, 2010The New York Times asks five solar experts for the lessons learned from California’s goal of one million homes with solar roofs by 2018. Today only about 60,000 homes have solar panels, partly due to apathy. Costs are declining, but are still too high, so the state should invest in technology, not subsidies.
Europe urged to share power across continent
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010A European Climate Foundation report says that to reduce greenhouse gases Europe should share renewable energy. It recommends linking solar farms in Spain by cable with energy-needy countries like Poland. Little power now crosses national boundaries, so reaching clean energy goals will be hard.