Energy
Renewables in the South Pacific
Small Pacific island nations and territories generally have small populations and rather tiny energy demands. Despite this fact, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that these places are expected to account for 17% of the world’s new renewable energy installed over the next 5 years. [Read more…] about Renewables in the South Pacific
New ideas from old barns
Driving around the Hudson Valley, I see a lot of old barns that were built into hillsides. This isn’t the result of poor planning but of really smart planning. [Read more…] about New ideas from old barns
A little black box with a voracious appetite
When you’re ready to buy a new computer, cell phone, TV, or tablet, you have many choices. You probably do a lot of research and choose a model with the features that you need the most. [Read more…] about A little black box with a voracious appetite
Doing the math on renewable energy
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the transition to 100% renewable energy sources. There has also been quite a bit of backlash from people saying that sources such as wind and solar power can’t possibly provide all the energy required. [Read more…] about Doing the math on renewable energy
Let’s get aggressive about passive
A philosophy of green building that is gaining traction in the U.S. is the Passive House standard. [Read more…] about Let’s get aggressive about passive
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Getting energy from the ocean seems like a good idea. Oceans cover nearly ¾ of the planet, so they represent a gigantic energy resource. Most schemes for extracting energy from oceans center around moving water: either waves or tides. But there is another energy source in the sea that is starting to get some serious attention: ocean thermal energy conversion or “OTEC.” [Read more…] about Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Americans want cleaner energy
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The Gallup organization recently conducted a poll of Americans asking whether we should put more emphasis on domestic energy. [Read more…] about Americans want cleaner energy
Fuel from reeds
Almost any kind of plant material can be used as a feedstock to make ethanol. To date, most ethanol comes from sugar- and starch-based feedstocks because processing is relatively cheap and easy. Unfortunately, it also means producing fuel from crops that are ordinarily used for food, such as corn. [Read more…] about Fuel from reeds
Tidal power
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The energy we use in the modern world comes from many sources. Virtually all of it turns out to originate from the sun, including fossil fuels, solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, and wave power, or from radioactivity, including both nuclear power and geothermal energy. [Read more…] about Tidal power
Fukushima impacts two years later
When the tsunami triggered the explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, we all worried about the release of radioactivity to the environment. Indeed, just a few days later, increased levels of radioactive cesium were measured in rainfall along the west coast of the United States. Public Health officials assured us that, while measurable, this radioactive fallout did not pose a human health hazard. [Read more…] about Fukushima impacts two years later
Can we capture the carbon?
When I speak to public audiences about climate change, people often ask: Isn’t there a way to capture and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? [Read more…] about Can we capture the carbon?
Why flare it?
Natural gas is often found with oil. The high pressure of natural gas is often what causes oil to gush from the ground in oil fields. If it occurs near a market, natural gas is often captured and used as a fossil fuel itself. But, when natural gas is produced distant from markets, or the price of natural gas is low, it is vented to the atmosphere and burned. [Read more…] about Why flare it?
Give carpooling a chance
We all want to reduce the amount of gasoline we use and we all want to have less traffic congestion. There are various strategies to address these issues but one of the simplest and most effective is carpooling. [Read more…] about Give carpooling a chance
A green start to 2013
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues a quarterly report on the installation of new electrical generating capacity in the US. The report for the first quarter of 2013 is notable in that 82% of new generating capacity came from renewable energy sources. The remainder came from natural gas. [Read more…] about A green start to 2013
Concentrating solar power
Photovoltaic panels convert sunlight directly into electricity. But they aren’t the only way to get electricity from the sun. Concentrating solar power, known as CSP technologies, use arrays of mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the energy and convert it to heat. The heat then produces electricity using a steam turbine or heat engine to run a generator. [Read more…] about Concentrating solar power
Wastewater from hydrofracking
In New York State, no issue is more controversial than using hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation. Here a well is drilled vertically, then horizontally into the layers of gas-rich shale. High pressure injection of water and fracking fluid fragments the shale, releasing the natural gas, which then flows back to the surface along with some water, known as flowback water. [Read more…] about Wastewater from hydrofracking
Is natural gas really a cleaner fuel?
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The discovery of abundant natural gas in shale formations has been hailed as a potential game changer for greenhouse gas mitigation. For the same amount of energy, carbon dioxide emissions from burning natural gas are only half of those produced by coal. [Read more…] about Is natural gas really a cleaner fuel?
Energy storage: The next big thing
Electricity is a major commodity that is produced on demand, not stockpiled in advance. Generally, there is no choice in the matter. We simply don’t have very many ways to store large amounts of electricity. [Read more…] about Energy storage: The next big thing
An embarrassment of green riches
