Energy
The World’s Largest Solar Plant
Recently, the world’s largest solar power plant has opened in the town of Desert Center, California. Known as Desert Sunlight, the project can produce up to 550 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 160,000 average California homes.
A Floating Wind Turbine
Wind technology generally faces two challenging facts: the wind is much more powerful higher up in the air and good locations for wind turbines are often far away from where electricity is needed.
Deep Green
Strangford Lough, a large inlet on the coast of Northern Ireland is close to the location where Game of Thrones is filmed. It is also the site of a tidal and ocean current power plant called Deep Green.
Dynamic Tidal Power
A consortium of Dutch hydraulic experts and the global consulting firm ARCADIS has been funded by the Dutch and Chinese governments to assess the viability of building a tidal power facility along the east coast of China using a technology known as Dynamic Tidal Power.
Manure To Energy
Dairy cows are very industrious. On average, they produce about 70 pounds of milk a day. Unfortunately, they also produce about 150 pounds a day of manure. Basically, it is an inevitable byproduct of the production of milk.
Wave Power
Wave power is produced by the use of electricity generators placed on the surface of the ocean. Energy output is determined by wave height, wave speed, wavelength, and water density. This technology is a fledgling state: there are only a handful of experimental wave generator plants in operation around the world.
Floating Solar Panels
Japan is an island country with over 125 million people and doesn’t have much land to spare. The country is largely mountainous and has no room for large-scale solar plants. It has long embraced solar power, but has to be creative about where to put the solar panels.
Wind Power In Denmark
Denmark has been a world leader in wind power for a long time. Its wind energy policy had its origins in the 1970s oil crises. The country first embraced nuclear power, but abandoned it in the 80s based on public opposition.
Algal Biofuel
At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and at dozens of other labs nationwide, scientists are trying to develop biofuels made from algae. Right now, a gallon of fuel made from algae costs four times as much as a gallon of conventional diesel, but researchers believe that the costs will come down dramatically over time.
Cleaning Up Carbon Pollution And Improving Air Quality
States have a chance to safeguard more than the climate when they adopt the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan. That’s because many of the strategies used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions have the added benefit of improving air quality.
[Read more…] about Cleaning Up Carbon Pollution And Improving Air Quality
Keeping The Air Clean While Getting Warm
Fireplaces and stoves are coveted features in many homes, providing warmth and ambiance. But managed improperly, these heat sources can be inefficient and unhealthy.
Massachusetts and Solar Power
Massachusetts is not known for its sunny climate and can’t compete with California where huge solar-power farms in the desert can produce hundreds of megawatts of electricity. Nevertheless, the state is enthusiastically embracing solar energy wherever it can.
Flying On Green Energy
If you’ve ever used an online carbon footprint calculator, you may have been surprised by how much of your energy usage comes from air travel. A few flights a year and you’ve produced as much carbon as you have from driving your car all year.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Geothermal electricity is a clean, around-the-clock source of power, but has been limited to those few sites where the earth’s heat has created sources of hot water under the ground. Enhanced Geothermal Systems or EGS generate geothermal electricity without the need for natural hot springs or similar hydrothermal resources.
Microgrids And Energy Resilience
Power outages as a result of extreme weather, excess demand and accidents of various types are on the rise. For many customers, losing electricity is simply not an option. Hospitals, biotechnology research centers that have to maintain cold samples, fire and emergency service centers, and military bases are all examples of facilities that need uninterrupted power. But the conventional power grid simply cannot deliver always-on power.
Let’s Get The Lead Out!
Lead has long been recognized as a potent neurotoxin associated with cognitive problems. Children who are exposed to lead often have lower IQ scores and behavioral troubles.
A Waste-Fueled Bus
The Bath Bus Company in Great Britain recently introduced into its fleet a bus powered by human and food waste. The 40-seater Bio-Bus runs on gas generated through the treatment of sewage and food waste. This fuel is both renewable and sustainable and the new bus helps to improve urban air quality because it produces fewer emissions than traditional diesel engines.
A Solar Bike Path
Solar panels are an increasingly common sight on rooftops and also in standalone ground arrays. But people are starting to embrace the idea of incorporating solar power into other elements of existing infrastructure.
Nanoscale Batteries
