energy
China And Renewable Energy
When it comes to carbon dioxide, three countries are responsible for half of the world’s emissions into the atmosphere: China, the US, and India. On a per capita basis, we are far worse than China, but its population is so huge that that it produces twice as much CO2 as the United States and nearly one-third of the world’s emissions.
Is Natural Gas Cleaner Than Coal?
The widespread use of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) as well as improved drilling techniques have created a major boom in natural gas production. This unquestionably has positive economic impacts for many. One of the important consequences of this is that natural gas is increasingly taking the place of coal for powering electrical generating plants.
Businesses Going Solar
The fourth annual Solar Means Business Report is out. It identifies major commercial solar projects and ranks America’s top solar users. Just since the first report came out, the amount of solar power installed by America’s top companies has tripled.
Born On Frozen Lakes
The National Hockey League seems like an unlikely environmental ally. But a sport born on frozen lakes stands to lose a lot in a warming world. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is committed to keeping “the air clean and the ponds frozen for future generations.”
Solar Power As A Crop
The historic, relentless drought in California has caused a number of the state’s farmers to start planting photovoltaic panels instead of crops. Because of the drought, Federal water deliveries to farmers in the Central Valley and elsewhere have been dwindling. As a result of the water shortage, more than 500,000 acres will lie fallow this year.
Storing Energy As Ice
One of the challenges of operating the electricity grid is that there are times when everybody wants more electricity than usual – like during a hot afternoon in August – and the system struggles to keep up with the increased demand.
Carbon Capture Update
The global community is increasingly making commitments to reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere. More and more carbon-free renewable energy sources are being used all the time. But despite the tremendous growth in solar and wind power, fossil fuels still provide about 80% of the world’s energy. Coal still provides about 40% of worldwide electricity. Realistically, these numbers can only go down at a relatively gradual pace.
Ocean Energy Report Card
Most of the world’s activity in renewable energy is focused on solar and wind power. The use of both is expanding rapidly.
Solar Powered Water Purification
Solar energy has made a difference in the lives of refugees from natural disasters and political unrest as well as people in remote corners of the world who don’t have access to modern technology. There are various solar-powered lamps, chargers, and cookers that have been provided to countless thousands of people around the world.
Cheap Oil From Algae
We have had all too many scary stories about algae and the threats it is posing to health and safety. This time, for once, we have some good news about algae.
Local Food In A Global World
In the Northeast, many are enjoying the last of autumn’s bounty. When we grow fruits and vegetables, we can choose to forgo pesticides, GMOs, or industrial fertilizer. When we shop at farmer’s markets, we support family farms and help maintain open space that we all enjoy.
Solar Power At Night
One of the largest solar power plants in the world is the Andasol plant situated on a barren, high-altitude site in the Andalucia region of Spain. The plant provides electricity for up to 500,000 people in the region.
Coal Subsidies
Coal is the most important energy source for the Chinese economy and in a number of other places around the world. It is still the largest source of electricity in the US. It is also one of the main reasons that greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase despite worldwide technological progress and the expansion of renewable energy. New coal plants are still planned in many places and such plants will emit carbon dioxide for decades.
New Places For Solar Power
The modern face of solar energy is hundreds of thousands of rooftops covered with arrays of solar panels. It is also amazing expanses of solar panels and mirrors covering acres of desert land. Solar power capacity is expanding rapidly and is expected to at least triple over the next 10 years.
OTEC In Hawaii
The state of Hawaii has a bold energy agenda: it plans to get 100% of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2045. In order to get there, Hawaii is embracing a diversified mix of renewable energy generation sources. Of course, Hawaii’s famous sunshine has allowed the state to have the highest per-capital base of installed solar power in the nation. But it will take more than just solar power for Hawaii to get all of its energy from green sources.
Outsourcing Our Emissions
The average American is responsible for one of the largest carbon footprints in the world. Some 37% of our carbon emissions is associated with electricity generation; 33% stems from transportation – largely personal automobiles. The remaining 30% is attributed to industry, residential use, and agriculture.
The Wind Boom Continues
Wind power continues to increase its contribution to the US power grid. The second quarter of this year saw almost 1.7 GW of new turbines come on line and there are almost 14 GW under construction.
Female Thermal Demand
If you work in an office, you know the following scenes are not unusual: a coworker wearing a woolly sweater at her desk on a 90-degree day; a woman vigorously rubbing her hands together for warmth in the conference room; or two colleagues engaged in a passive aggressive battle over the thermostat.
Wind To Hydrogen
