Renewable Energy

200 mph solar-powered flying turtle

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:29:00 GMT

Filed under: Solar, Transportation Alternatives

When imagining the future of carbon-free air travel it seems strange that so many of us overlook the obvious; super speedy solar-powered flying turtles. No, not like that famous flying turtle from Japanese cinema (Gamera doesn't sport solar panels, silly), but rather an airship with a rigid hull that derives power from the sun by day and burns biodiesel by night. Think this is just some flight of fancy? Maybe so, but Darrell Campbell, the man behind the concept, says the Turtle Airships company is building a prototype right now and may soon be flying in a sky near you. In fact, he says it will make an "around-the-world flight" sometime next year.

Mr. Campbell has an ambitious list of duties he believes his airship is well suited for. In addition to carrying travelers to and fro, he envisions a flying hospital version that travels to where its needed. It could also be used as a military troop carrier, and, of course, an effective means of combating the scourge of "pirates in the waters off of Somalia, Indonesia, and Nigeria." Sounds nifty to us. You can keep up with the advancement of the flying turtle by bookmarking their blog. Read the entire press release after the break.

[Source: Turtle Airships via Environmental Graffiti]

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Playing devil's advocate on wind vs. nuclear

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:46:00 GMT

I know wind energy on its own really shouldn't be pitted against nuclear, but ultimately any article touting the benefits of wind technology and the need to embrace even more wind -- including offshore -- sparks response from anti-wind or pro-nuke folks (or both) who immediately shoot down the usefulness and cost of wind. I get a lot of such e-mails, so I figured I'd play devil's advocate here and post a few of the most common points that poke holes in the wind-energy movement. Many of them are valid questions that need honest responses. I'm posting them here to spark some friendly discussion, since readers of this blog tend to be much more informed on these issues than yours truly. Please keep responses to economics and effectiveness. Moral hangups about nuclear, including proliferation and waste management issues (i.e. what we do with all that toxic waste), don't equate to a defense of wind. Likewise, the impact of wind turbines on birds and bats and community resistance to wind turbines because of possible noise or aesthetics don't equate to a defense of nuclear.

Here goes:

1) Wind farms are only designed to last 20 to 25 years, while nuclear plants are designed to last up to 60 years. This means when calculating the cost of wind per installed megawatt the true cost, when comparing to nuclear, should be doubled or tripled. True? Not true? Explain.

2) Estimates of load factor for proposed wind farms, both onshore and offshore, too often fail to match reality. This makes wind even less economical compared to nuclear. True? Not true? Explain.

3) While Germany and Denmark are often cited as success stories for wind in terms of job and industry creation, these countries have had difficulty integrating wind into their grid mix. True? Not true? Explain.

4) Wind variability also affects useability of power -- i.e. the power produced can't be accepted into the grid, forcing curtailment by operators. So even if the wind is blowing we don't necessarily use the energy. True? Not true? Explain.

5) The cost of wind is higher if you include need for shadow generation to cover times when the wind isn't blowing. Should this cost be included? Or, depending on the market/jurisdiction, can existing generation manage the intermittency? For example: Ontario wants to get off coal so needs to build natural gas plants anyway. Wouldn't adding wind mean these plants (and whatever coal we still have) operate less frequently?

6) Natural gas plants that can shadow wind output are generally less efficient because of their need to be highly flexible. This inefficiency offsets any gains (i.e. in terms of greenhouse gas reductions) made by adding wind generation into the mix. True? Not true? Explain.

7) Denmark and Germany tout the benefits of wind only to support growth of their wind industries and technology export to foreign markets, not because it's a superior form of power generation. True? Not true? Explain.

8) Cost increases faced by the nuclear industry are affecting all industries, including wind. True? Not true? Explain.

9) Even excluding nuclear, there are better and more economic alternatives out there than wind -- i.e. conservation, efficiency -- and this is where our money should be going. True? Not true? Explain.

So there you go. Let the debate begin! One thing I will say: Many of the shortfalls of wind have much to do with grid design and our inability to store wind energy so we can smooth out output. We end up shoe-horning wind projects into an inflexible electricity system built over a 100 years to serve massive centralized plants. This might not be the case 10, 20 years from now. So do we want to lock ourselves, and our financial resources, into a 60-year nuclear plant that takes up to 10 years to build, or invest in grid technologies that allow us to more easily accommodate wind and benefit from its potential?

Also -- and I think this will always been an issue -- nuclear is forever one major accident away from being a non-option. In a way it's like playing Russian Roulette with our energy system.

Okay, enough from me. Over to you.

Logan Airport Has Saved a Ton Of Emissions By 20 Wind Turbines

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Logan International Airport from Boston has saved approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide since it installed in March, 20 wind turbines on the roofs of its offices. Officials declare that the turbines are expected to generate 100,000 of kilowatts hour per year, or about 2% of the energy consumption of the building.

Wind turbines will lead to a financial economy, the airport paying with 13,000 dollars less each year for energy.The company which hold the airport, Massport has plan to install and other wind turbines in the airport, but also in maritime facilities which it owns, as well as in other airports from Bedford and Worcester.

?Do not do this just for profit. Do for the environment and energy that they will produce,? said Sleiman Saturday, the Massport director.

In the context of the third annual summit of aviation and the environment from Geneva, airlines, airports and aircraft manufacturers have promised for the first time, to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.

Combined Sales of Toyota, Honda Hybrids in Japan up 21% in 1H2008

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Nikkei. Combined sales of Toyota and Honda hybrid-electric vehicles in Japan rose to 51,758 units in the first half of 2008?a 21.5% increase compared to the same period last year.

Study: Net-Zero or Low-Cost Technologies in Transportation Could Bring Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions Below 1990 Levels

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:58:00 GMT

Combining cost-effective vehicle efficiency technologies with in-use practice and lower-carbon fuel could result in GHG emissions from light-duty vehicles below the level emitted in 1990. Click to enlarge. Source: Lutsey (2008) A new report published by the Institute of Transportation...

Financing Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Introduced in Congress

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:40:00 GMT

Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) has introduced legislation to establish a feed-in tariff (FIT) for renewable energy. Feed-in tariffs have made Germany a solar powerhouse that employs 40,000 people in the solar industry alone, and an estimated 140,000 jobs in renewable energy. FITs have not been a topic of discussion in this country, but now that is sure to change, as the conversation shifts to ways to finance the growth of renewable energy. Renewable Energy World reports that:

“Inslee’s legislation would require utilities ? at the request of any new renewable energy facility owner ? to enter into a 20-year fixed-rate power purchase agreement. Uniform national “renewable energy payment” rates would be set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at levels that would provide a 10% internal rate of return on investment for available commercialized technologies in regions constituting the top 30^th percentile of renewable energy resource potential in the U.S..”

In plain English, this means that if you install solar PV panels on your home, the utility has to buy the electricity you generate at a higher rate than retail, guaranteeing you a return on your investment. Extending this power purchase agreement for 20 years gives everyone — especially those who want to invest in renewables or start a small business installing solar panels — assurance of return on their investment.

In Germany this has motivated citizens and businesses to put up solar panels wherever they can, allowing Germany to get 14.2 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Though Inslee’s legislation has little hope of getting through this Congress (they are still stalling on renewing the existing solar energy tax credits), FITs will surely be in the news more as the election season heats up.

Related Posts:

40,000 Solar Jobs in a Cloudy Country

Atlantic City Convention Center Plans Largest Solar Roof in U.S.

Image Credit: Carol Gulyas

Ferrari Targeting 40% Reduction in CO2 by 2012; Looking to Use F1 KERS System

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:31:00 GMT

In an interview published in Welt am Sonntag Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said the company is targeting a 40% reduction in CO2 in its sports cars by 2012.

Four China Oil Companies to Bid for Oil and Gas Exploration in Iraq

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:51:00 GMT

Xinhua. China National Petroleum Corp., China Petrochemical Corp., China National Offshore Oil Corp and Sinochem Corp are assessing fields in Iraq in preparation to bid for exploration rights. The Iraqi government is allowing 41 companies globally to bid.

Haynesville Shale.

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:43:00 GMT

shreveporttimes.com: CEO: Haynesville Shale is fourth largest in the world.

Quotes:

The Haynesville Shale is likely to become America's largest natural gas field and perhaps the fourth largest in the world, Chesapeake Energy Chairman and CEO Aubrey McClendon disclosed Wednesday in a conference call with its newest partner, Plains Exploration and Production Co.

Jaguar Land Rover behind flywheel hybrid tech in UK

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:32:00 GMT

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid

When the Technology Strategy Board received funding in May for various eco-projects, one of the items on the TSB's list was a flywheel-based hybrid drive system. Connected automakers Jaguar, Land Rover and Ford are part of this project (along with Flybrid Systems, Ford Motor Company, Prodrive, Ricardo UK Ltd, Torotrak plc, and Xtrac Ltd.) and the Technology Strategy Board announced this week that the flywheel technology is proceeding as planned. We have a lot of hope for flywheel tech, and it made our list of most promising green technologies.

Expected to take two years, the program will install the purely mechanical kinetic energy storage system (developed for Formula One race cars) into a demonstration vehicle and will, the TSB hopes, prove to be cheaper and more efficient than standard battery-powered hybrid systems. More information after the jump and at some of our older posts.

[Source: Technology Strategy Board]

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Nuclear Energy Investing

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:42:00 GMT

Note: Parts of this article originally appeared in Wealth Daily. We felt it was important to share this nuclear energy article with you. It's from Wealth Advisory's Steve Christ. Enjoy.

In the U.S., no new nuclear power plants have been built in 30 years. But that could all change under a McCain presidency (I'm not backing either candidate in this article. I'm simply presenting what has been said for this article's purposes.).

McCain has already called for the construction of 45 nuclear plants by 2030, and said that his goal was 100 new nuclear plants.

And if it's not nuclear energy dependency, we desperately need a new source, as electricity demand in the U.S. alone is expected to grow 40% by 2030. We already know too well the "pocketbook" pains of $4 oil, $13 natural gas and exploding electric bills.

Here's more from Wealth Advisory's Steve Christ.

"Whether you agree with him or not, you have to admit that John McCain is the best friend that the U.S. nuclear power industry has these days.

In fact, the entire industry had to have been practically bowled over with glee recently when he called for a crash program to build 45 new reactors by 2030 along with a long-term goal of building 100 such plants.

It was enough to make the "no-nukes" crowd wince. Meanwhile, holders of nuclear energy stocks applauded.

But McCain's love of nuclear power isn't just some newfound crush in the wake of $4 a gallon gasoline. McCain has always been aglow about nuclear power.

Maybe it was all of that time he spent in the Navy aboard ships that never had to be refueled. Or maybe it is just because he recognizes that there is no realistic solution to our energy problem that doesn't include nuclear power - especially when you factor in the possibility that cap and trade could become reality.

Either way, McCain has put the U.S. nuclear industry back on the front page again. And this time, the public seems to agree with him.

The Nuclear Revival: Paving the Way for Nuclear Energy Stocks

In fact, according to a recent poll by Zogby, about 67 percent of Americans support building more nuclear power plants to expand the nation's energy portfolio.

Those figures represent a stunning reversal of fate for an industry that was dead and buried only a few years ago.

Even Barack Obama has joined in, saying that while nuclear power was "not a panacea", it is worth investigating its further development.

So in true campaign style, he's all for nuclear power, except of course when he's against it. Go figure.

Now before any of you political junkie types decide to send me some nasty email about what I have said so far, don't even bother. I don't have a horse in this race. My political idealism was crushed a long time ago under a mountain of broken promises.

To me government is nothing but a giant and corrupt black hole. In it, light doesn't stand a chance.

Even still, putting your political viewpoint aside, it would be hard to argue that nuclear power doesn't have a certain amount of inertia going for it these days.

The shadow of those cooling towers has definitely dimmed and thirty years later nuclear power in the U.S. is back. And in the wake of Three Mile Island, the U.S. is now playing catch up with the rest of the world where nuclear power never left.

Of course, that is something of a larger theme here lately. While the rest of the world has been doing everything in their power to find and develop more energy sources, we have done nothing but twiddle our thumbs.

So here we sit, in an economy pushed to the brink by high energy prices and inaction. And if you want to know why I'm so cynical about politicians that's part of it-they do absolutely nothing until there is a crisis.

As a result, no nuclear power plants have been built in America in more than 30 years, and few U.S. companies have invested in the technology to build new plants. That's true even though the U.S. draws about 20% of its electricity from 104 working commercial reactors.

High Energy Prices Add Up to More Nuclear Power

Now I admit part of the reason for this has been economic. Twenty years of cheap oil and natural gas has certainly played a role. But those days are over now, leaving only the fear of nuclear power to conquer to complete the comeback.

Now consider this the next time you open up your power bill...

The US Department of Energy reports nuclear power costs 1.72 cents per kilowatt-hour (including operations and maintenance costs). Now compare that to:

Coal at 2.37 cents per kilowatt-hour;
Natural gas at 6.75 cents per kilowatt-hour; and
Oil at 9.63 cents per kilowatt-hour

That's part of the economic math that has seventeen companies preparing license applications for as many as 31 new reactors. That's in addition to the 15 construction and operating permits already under review by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

In fact, four to eight new nuclear plants are on track to be in operation by 2016-17.

Of course that doesn't exactly match the 112 new nuclear reactors that were built between 1957 and 1990, but it is a start. Moreover, it is a far cry from the 124 reactors that were cancelled partially as a result of Three Mile Island.

So clearly the tide on this issue is turning.

2 Ways to Win with the Nuclear Energy Stocks

For investors that means a following a growth trend that is already firmly in place in the rest of the developing world. All told, about over 30 new reactors are under construction in 12 countries with over 100 new plants currently being pursued.

Here are two easy ways to play the trend by buying shares of these two exchange traded funds:

Market Vectors-Nuclear Energy ETF (AMEX:NLR)-This fund is down off of its uranium based highs in 2007. But with uranium prices now projected to go as high as $90 a pound this heavily materials weighted EFT is rising.

PowerShares Global Nuclear Energy (NYSE:PKN) - A relative new fund, PKN allocates 47% to industrials, 24% utilities, 15% to mining along with an almost 10% weight to technology. That makes this less susceptible to uranium prices than NLR, which devotes 33% of its holdings to mining.

But no matter how you decide to invest in this trend, I think its pretty obvious that the nuclear renaissance has begun-no matter who wins the election."

For more information on Steve Christ and the Wealth Advisory, click here.

Good Investing,

Ian L. Cooper
http://www.energyandcapital.com

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In case you missed our other investment opportunity highlights, here's what we covered in Wealth Daily, Gold World, Energy and Capital, and your free blogs for the week of June 30, 2008.

BIS: Global Economy Near a "Tipping Point": The Unsustainable has Run its Course
According to a report released today by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) the global economy has reached a "tipping point". The result says the group may be a far deeper crisis than is expected and a bout of deflation in the world's biggest economies.

Dear President Obama: Signed, William H. Gross, Ordinary Citizen
"You have inherited a mess. Your predecessor, fixated on emulating a former Republican icon from a far different economic era, chose to emphasize tax cuts for the rich and excessive consumption for all Americans."

Oil Speculators Are Not to Blame: But a "dearth" of new supplies are...
For weeks, oil speculators have been blamed for skyrocketing oil prices... but it's not their fault. It's a supply and demand issue.

Caution: High Risk Trade
Modifications suggest included further optimizing the social project in the area, mitigating the impact of open vein deposit in the affected areas of the Imataca, and improving the remediation plans at the end of the mine life as well as remediate the existing environmental damage caused by illegal miners.

The 2008 Oil Forecast
The stock was recently upgraded from "speculative buy" to "buy" with a $10 near-term price target on news that the company successfully drilled its Costayaco-4 well in the Costayaco discovery in southern Colombia.

Uranium Mining Stock: Buy and Hold American Uranium
In just two decades the world's demand for electricity is projected to nearly double! To meet this rising demand, the worldwide power sector will need to add an estimated 4,800 gigawatts of new electrical capacity to the global grid. To put that into perspective, a city the size of San Francisco requires about 1 gigawatt of electricity to function.

Investing in Algae Biofuel: The Only Biofuel that Can Take on Oil
When the price of oil rises just one dollar, the Pentagon's fuel expenses climb an astounding $130 million. So the $50 rise in oil prices over the past six months has taken over a half billion dollar toll on the U.S. government. And that's on your dime.

ANWR Drilling: Will ANWR Oil Production Come Too Late?
There's a new game being played in the media. From what I understand, the rules are easy. Simply pick somebody (other than yourself, of course) to blame for oil prices. Then, you can watch as the blame is bounced around. Unfortunately, there's no way to win the game since the blame goes back and forth repeatedly.

Investing in China: Warren Buffett's New Friend in China
The stock markets in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and even the technically-foreign Hong Kong exchange are hurting since global credit worries yanked down buoyant investor confidence last fall.

Turtle Airship Powered By Solar Panels

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:59:00 GMT

In my opinion any crazy any idea needs encouragement because it can working. Spending my time on the Internet i found an very interesting article about a turtle shaped craft, powered by solar panels by day and biodiesel at night.

This amazing ship can land on open field or any large body of water and that make it very interesting. This airship plans and a tentative test flight in 2009. The investment cost approximately $ 200 million but it is amazing what solar power can do.

The Future Of Renewable Charging Stations For Electric Vehicles

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:45:00 GMT

Japanese showed once again that they are the best by creating for electric vehicles renewable charging stations. Developed by the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Mitsubishi Corp , this one?s a catch indeed as it reduces the usage of atomic and thermal power.

Will be come into existence a dish generator in the form of a solar thermal power generator. This will mean that will be nothing but a power receiving system for electricity generated by a power control system, wind power and a charging post and will be tested using Mitsubishi?s i-MiEV vehicle.This will be installed in the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Tokyo Institute of Technology and Mitsubishi creates a system that transmits data on the quantity of electricity created through wind power which leads to charging electricity only during the availability of wind power. They made this system because the amount of electricity generated by wind power cannot be controlled .

This project have already begun in July 1, 2008 and will continue to March 31, 2010 and i think that this will be a success.

A Giant Rubber Snake Could Be The Future Of Renewable Energy

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:46:00 GMT

Across the planet wave energy is something that is constantly and vastly available. In the industry of renewable energy, solar energy has emerged as the indisputable leader because has broken away from the rest of the industry. Tidal energy and wave energy are being explored and lots of new interesting gadgets are powered from these wonderful sources of energy.

The answer to utilizing wave energy to the fullest stay in this amazing giant rubber snake. This ?snake? could be the future of wave energy and why not of renewable energy. The giant rubber snake produces electricity as it is squeezed by passing waves. The developers who create this ?snake? say that would be cheaper to maintain and produce more energy than existing wave-energy devices.

It doesn?t behave like a boat either and it's not a solid structure like an oil platform. This device should produce 1 megawatt of energy but it is still in testing because they want to see if it can withstand to the oceans conditions. I think that this amazing ?snake? will pass the test and in short time will be in the oceans .

GM Moving New Equipment to Michigan Needed to Build the Chevy Volt

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:03:00 GMT

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Earth2Tech Week In Review

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:19:00 GMT

Tesla to Build the ?Model S? Electric Sedan Back in California: Tesla named its ?WhiteStar? electric sedan ?Model S? and is planning to manufacture the car back in Cali near its headquarters.

Where?s the Solar Stock Rally?: Wading into the solar sector is like dating a manic-depressive. Day-to-day events matter less than the prevailing, protean mood. And these days the mood among solar investors is dark, indeed.

Thin-Film Solar to Grab 28 Percent Solar Market by 2012: Lux Research says thin-film solar technology will make up 28 percent of the solar market by 2012, but because there's over 100 companies betting on the tech, Lux says there will be a lot of losers.

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly of $7 Gas: Back when gas was $2 a gallon, we didn?t sweat it. At $3 a gallon, we started to grouse. At $4, we can all agree, it hurts. So imagine what it would be like at $7 a gallon, or three and a half times the price at the beginning of last year. CIBC World Markets has the low-down.

5 Questions for Altairnano?s New CEO Terry Copeland: Battery-maker Altairnano's new CEO, Terry Copeland, answers these 5 questions shortly after he takes the helm.

Oil need not be a non-renewable resource.

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:56:00 GMT

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Contrary to common opinion, rising prices, politicians vying for votes, and the fact that it seems that we may be running out of it right now, oil and gas are not necessarily non-renewable resources. In fact, even though fossil fuels are organic compounds which are created by slow but repeatable processes, a lot of new research seems to imply that it may be possible to not only grow your own gasoline for your car with things like biodiesels, but also that it may be possible to engineer bacteria or yeast to create oil for you.

Here's a selection of some of the most exciting technologies being developed to create oil for you.

A company in California is working on engineering organisms to produce a byproduct which essentially acts like diesel. They have already produced small amounts of this product by engineering e-coli. In theory, while the company will likely guard any species they engineer with all force possible. If the technique becomes known or the organisms become more freely available, it could easily provide an almost endless supply of oil as anyone could throw their organic waste into a vat of these bugs and get at least some useful fuel of of it. For example, farmers could theoretically grow their own fuel from the non-food aspects of their crops. A pretty exciting way to be off the grid without relying on solar or wind power and still remain carbon-neutral.

If the delay of growing food and then converting it to oil doesn't excite you, a company called Green Star is already starting to produce biofuels using special algae which they have grown. Algae grow rapidly with exposure to solar light and CO2 and off-the-grid'ers could easily just have a few vats of this stuff in their back lot growing all of the fuel they need to run the shop. Imagine clear green vats next to every garage so people can refuel for free and not have to worry about their emissions.

In Australia, they are looking at trees that seem to grow their own oil. Personally, I'd rather apple orchards than oil orchards, but the possibility of farming oil would definitely shake things up.

It's already possible to create your own biodiesels, and as more people do it, the techniques are getting more and more refined and efficient.

So what does this all mean for the average off the grid junkie? Well, even though wind and solar can provide a significant portion of the power base needed to be off the grid, the need/desire for fuel to power cars and tractors keeps a leash of sorts back to the grid. As these technologies mature, that leash will become weaker and weaker until each and every one of us can not only produce all the energy we need to survive more than comfortably, but can also produce all the fuel we need to travel and work. Energy and fuel become renewable, and thus almost endlessly available.

A pretty exciting possibility.

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More Biodiesel - More Expensive Food

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:29:00 GMT

So-called organic fuels have caused an increase of food prices by 75%, according to an unpublished report of the World Bank (WB).The publication pointed out that the report was completed in April, but was not published to avoid to put in a delicate situation the U.S. government, which claimed that biofuels led to an increase of food prices with only 3%.

Acquired from cereals, oil and sugar plants, biofuels can help to reduce dependence against fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions. The report author considered, contrary to the declarations of U.S. President George W. Bush, as demand increasing from India and China did not advance the cause of food costs.

Also, no droughts from Australia did have not a significant impact, according to World Bank(WB). Europe's incentive and the United States for use on large-scale of biofuels claimed most food prices advance.

European Union (EU) discussed about to use biofuels for 10% of the total fuel from the transport sector until 2020, as part of the renewable energy increasing. Next week G8 leaders will discuss about biofuels and increasing food price.

Comments on the California Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:10:00 GMT

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has just released its Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan in accord with its responsibilities for implementing AB32 - the Global Warming Solutions Act. Its objective is to lay the foundation for an enforceable approach to reduce California's anticipated greenhouse gas emissions for the year 2020 by 30% (estimated to be equivalent to California's GHG levels

Confidential World Bank report blames biofuels for high food prices

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:16:00 GMT

Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75 percent -- far more than previously estimated -- ac ...

Louis Dreyfus Brazil signs deal to export ethanol

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:14:00 GMT

The Brazilian subsidiary of French group Louis Dreyfus said on Friday it has signed a deal with Swed ...

Petrobras, Conoco in ethanol cooperation deal

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:14:00 GMT

Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA: Quote, Profile, Research)(PBR.N: Quote, Profile, ...

Railpower gets thumbs up from California operators

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:04:00 GMT

Like the little engine that could, Quebec-based Railpower Corp. continues to build back momentum after past setbacks. The company announced this week that its RP20BD locomotive, a multi-purpose hybrid used for road and yard switching, got top grades from five California shortline operators after several months of demonstrations.

"With a 3-to-2 replacement ratio, the RP20BD units can perform almost twice the work of a conventional locomotive, depending on application and horsepower requirements, all the while reducing fuel consumption by up to 45 per cent," Railpower said in a statement.

Modesto & Empire Traction Company said the Railpower locomotive "easily performed the work of three of our GE 600 horsepower locomotives" and offered average fuel savings of over 40 per cent compared to their existing GE fleet. Central California Traction Company saw 47 per cent fuel savings compared to the combined operation of two older diesel locomotives (SW1500) built by General Motors. Fuel savings of 56 per cent were achieved when compared to another General Motors locomotive (GP18). In general, NOx and particulate matter are reduced by more than 80 per cent.

Railpower said shortline operators, which have rapidly aging fleets and limited budgets, can see big savings by replacing those older locomotives with its hybrid model. This is particularly true as the price of oil inches toward $150 a barrel. Now, all Railpower needs are some orders (See previous post on plans to build manufacturing facility near Montreal).

Maxwell will supply ultracaps for Milan's electric buses

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:24:00 GMT

Filed under: Diesel, Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid

About a year ago, Maxwell Technologies told the world about the Chinese government using its ultracapacitors in various official vehicles. Another July brings another announcement, and so we learn that the city of Milan, Italy will soon be using Maxwell's ultracap modules in its hybrid and electric buses. The 125-volt BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor modules will store energy from the bus' brakes and then spit it back out for torque assist when the driver steps on the accelerator. Overhead electric lines or a diesel generator will supply the rest of the energy needed to move the public transit vehicles. Milan has ordered 70 buses from Vossloh Kiepe and Van Hool and will soon take deliver of the first 15. More details after the break.

[Source: Maxwell Technologies Inc.]

Continue reading Maxwell will supply ultracaps for Milan's electric buses

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Did You Know??

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:17:00 GMT

Well, let us go and learn more about solar power with some solar power trivia. These are probably some of the most important trivia that we would have to know.

The per capita electricity use in the US in 1998 was 13388 kWhr (kilowatt hours). In China it was 871 kWhr.

Over 80% of grid connected installations in 2003 took place in California.

The US solar market grew 27% in 2004.

Around 50% of solar cell production worldwide was from Japan in 2003. The United States only produced 12%.

The four biggest solar cell producers, Sharp, Kyocera, BP Solar, and Shell Solar, account for over 50% of worldwide production.

Germany was the fastest growing major PV (photovoltaic) market in the world in 2003.

I surely didn?t know that much and it was interesting to know about these six new facts about solar power and everything that it encompasses. More trivia possibly in my next post.

Starting Investment of Solar Panels for Home Use

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:16:00 GMT

Residential solar panel systems admittedly have beginning costs that are much higher than when power for everyday use originates from the local utilities or gas. This seemingly less expense brought about by the latter makes most home owners and builders decide on siding on the conventional power source.

Still, it should be clearly explained that the solar panels for home use of today are not competitive with regards to costs and expenses. Right now, most solar power proponents not only fight for the home solar panels because of their environmental benefits, but it can likewise be an economical reason.

As years go by, conventional fuel as well as electricity is becoming more expensive; this makes solar panel systems more advantageous. And not only the solar panels for home use are cost-effective but solar water heaters likewise offer great savings for the users. It is shown that the water heaters? expenses and costs are at least 50 percent lower than the electric heaters.

Besides the possible savings, there are likewise local and state financial incentives as well as tax credits which will sharply decrease the cost in the end. Solar panel systems indeed are the best alternative when comes to finding ways to replace the conventional power source.

David Hamel Magnet Motor

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:45:00 GMT

Supposedly, the 3-cone device gives forth the principle of what Hamel alleges to be "perpetual motion...the usage of duality/magnetism and of vibration. Chaos physics induced through 3-body physics." Working prototypes are held by hand. (PESWiki)

Sopogy Concentrated Solar

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:45:00 GMT

Recently named the "Venture Capital Deal of the Year," Sopogy specializes in MicroCSP solar technologies that bring the economics of large solar energy systems to the industrial, commercial and utility sectors in a smaller, robust and more cost effective package. (PESWiki; July 2, 2008)

Interview with Broadstar Wind Systems

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:45:00 GMT

Like a wind surfer, the horizontal blades of the Broadstar turbine change their angle of attack as they go around the perimeter, so that they are generating torque in nearly every position. It is much easier to ship and assemble these units because the largest components can be fit in 20-foot shipping containers. (FreeEnergyNow; June 30, 2008)

Turbine Truck Engines, LLC

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:45:00 GMT

Owns an exclusive license for the manufacturing and marketing of a highly innovative, environmentally-friendly 300 to 1,000 horsepower turbine-based truck engine. Known as the Detonation Cycle Gas Turbine engine, its patented cyclical detonation technology is poised to revolutionize the heavy-duty truck engine market. (PESWiki; June 25, 2008)