Un grano de arena, en una playa inmensa

Energy from the windy heights

2013-06-15T15:51:00.001+02:00

The electricity from our sockets could soon come from a high-tech device flying in the sky. The innovative research project to generate wind energy with the aid of a kite won over the "Venture Kick" jury; it is providing CHF 10,000 of support for the Empa spin-off "TwingTec". A kite, a reel and a console. These are the components of a pioneering new method for generating energy. The research and development project being carried out by Empa, the University of Applied Sciences Northwest Switzerland, the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) and the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), combines the basic concept of a kite with innovative technology.

The aim: to make electricity from the wind. That in itself is nothing new; electricity is already being produced by wind turbines, yet these only reach heights of around 100 metres. With the "Twing" from Empa, stronger and more regular wind currents at up to three hundred metres are "tapped". A key component of this is the Tensairity structure, which is being studied and developed by Empa's "Center for Synergetic Structures".

Swiss Kite Power

Electricidad a partir de una cometa

2013-06-15T15:23:00.001+02:00

Wubbo Ockels as an astronaut. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Un grupo de trabajo de la Universidad de Delft esta generando electricidad a partir de una cometa. Lo han estado probando es la isla de Texel. En el video se puede ver como lanzan la cometa diferentes veces una vez desde tierra y dos ayudados por un dirigible. Las pruebas son parte del proyecto Laddermill de Wubbo Ockels, que proyecta producir electricidad de mánera más eficiente que con los tradicionales molinos de viento.

A workgroup of the university of Delft is creating electricity with a kite. They were testing on the Dutch island Texel. You see several launches of the kite, one from the ground and two with the help of a blimp. The tests are part of the 'Laddermill' project by Wubbo Ockels, which aims to create energy from wind more efficiently than windmills.
Enlaces relacionados

El autoconsumo eléctrico en las islas es posible -

2013-06-13T21:06:00.001+02:00

El autoconsumo eléctrico en las islas es posible - Canal Energía - Canarias Ahora - El primer periódico digital de Canarias

Además de suponer un revulsivo para la generación de energías limpias y un enorme ahorro en hogares y empresas, creará empleo directo e indirecto. El Gobierno canario ha autorizado la implantación de instalaciones de autoconsumo eléctrico en hogares y empresas, según ha anunciado su consejera de Empleo e Industria, Francisca Luengo, quien ha subrayado el importante ahorro que generará en la factura de luz y en emisiones de CO2.

Cloud Computing Saves Energy

2013-06-13T15:41:00.001+02:00

Cloud Computing Saves Energy: Scientific American

When it comes to computing, the "cloud" may rain efficiency benefits. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Northwestern University unveiled a modeling tool yesterday that estimates the energy savings of moving your digital life -- your photos, videos, emails and documents -- off your phones and desktops and into the server farms that make up the cloud. The tool, available to the public online, is called the Cloud Energy and Emissions Research Model (CLEER). It aims to give scientists a better understanding of how energy use changes as the world moves away from storing and processing information in individual phones, laptops and workstations and moves toward outsourcing these tasks to centralized facilities.

California Breaks Record for Solar Energy

2013-06-13T15:36:00.001+02:00

California Breaks Record for Solar Energy | The Energy Collective

Late last Friday, grid operator California ISO (Cal-ISO) announced the state set an all-time solar record just before 1:00 pm when it registered 2,071 megawatts (MW) worth of solar electricity system-wide.

This record equaled 5% of Friday’s peak demand of 36,000 MW, was enough to power 1.5 million average California households, and is just under the 2,250MW of nuclear power removed from the state grid when the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station was retired. Even more remarkable, Friday’s output doubled the record set in September 2012 when solar peaked at 1,000 MW total generation.

Renewable Energy Investments Shift to Developing Nations

2013-06-13T15:31:00.001+02:00

Renewable Energy Investments Shift to Developing Nations - Businessweek

Renewable energy investments are shifting to developing nations as countries from Morocco to Chile pursue power sources that wean them off fossil fuel imports, two studies promoted by the United Nations said. China’s $67 billion of investment in wind, solar and other renewable projects led developing nations to $112 billion of spending in 2012, according to an e-mailed statement today from the UN and other groups involved in the studies. That compares with $132 billion of expenditure in the industrialized world.

The gap on renewables spending between richer and developing countries shrank to 18 percent last year from 250 percent in 2007, marking a “dramatic change” in investment patterns, the statement said. Two-thirds of the 138 nations that now have clean-energy targets are in the developing world.

KLD Energy Technologies Announces All-New oneDRIVE(TM) Electric Propulsion System

2013-06-13T14:58:00.001+02:00

United States Marine Corps Memorial (Photo credit: Adelaide Archivist)

KLD Energy Technologies Announces All-New oneDRIVE(TM) Electric Propulsion System - WSJ.com

KLD Energy Technologies, an emerging leader in electric drive system development, today officially announced the arrival of oneDRIVE(TM). Designed for use in a variety of applications, oneDRIVE is a scalable, yet turnkey solution for companies in need of a complete propulsion system. oneDRIVE was exclusively engineered with the goal of creating the most advanced electric propulsion system optimized for peak performance and overall efficiency. The system is engineered in the United States, and sold to the global market.

The oneDRIVE system components are all designed to work in sync, making this one of the most unique systems in the electric marketplace and superior to any 'pieced together' system available.

Tidal Energy Could Be Next Big Wave

2013-06-13T14:49:00.001+02:00

SeaGen - world's first commercial tidal generator in Strangford Lough Northern Ireland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tidal Energy Could Be Next Big Wave - Forbes

The U.S. Department of Energy has just unveiled a floating off-shore wind platform that it thinks could make a big splash.

But it has already been working hard to commercialize “tidal energy” that uses underwater turbines to create electricity, which must then be wired into the grid.

Wave and tidal facilities are being tested. One such “wave” project has begun off the shores of Oregon, where underwater turbines using 10 buoys will generate 1.5 megawatts of power. Impediments to further growth are wide ranging and cover such issues as the preservation of aquatic resources, water quality and the maintenance of marine life. In the end, regulators — who are trying to diversify the nation’s energy mix with green fuels — have concluded that energy from the ocean is a valued part of the plan and that it is more predictable than wind or solar.

Solar energy is the energy of the future

2013-06-12T23:01:00.001+02:00

The largest photovoltaic solar power plant in the United States is becoming a reality at Nellis Air Force Base. When completed in December, the solar arrays will produce 15 megawatts of power (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Solar energy is the energy of the future - DAWN.COM

According to the Center for Science and Environment in Delhi, solar energy has finally “arrived” – it is now causing trade wars between the US, Europe and China, which tells you that this sector is growing and is lucrative (hence all the competitiveness). Today, solar energy is positioned to become a new source of power to lead the world to a low-carbon future and hopefully, away from a global climate catastrophe (caused by rising emissions from burning fossil fuels). For solar energy to become so cheap that it can compete with coal and oil, its deployments needs to be greatly scaled up.

Viviendo desconectado de la red eléctrica

2013-06-11T13:24:00.002+02:00

Una familia que ha acondicionado su hogar y su forma de vivir para no necesitar consumir tanta energía y no tener que estar conectado a la red eléctrica nacional

Oslo Burns So Much Trash for Energy They’re Importing Rubbish

2013-06-11T11:26:00.001+02:00

Oslo Central Station (Photo credit: Bernt Rostad)

Oslo Burns So Much Trash for Energy They’re Importing Rubbish | Singularity Hub

The US throws out 250 million tons of garbage a year. Roughly a third is recycled, and the rest is landfill. You might think that’s a problem. But one man’s trash is another’s treasure. Oslo, Norway burns rubbish to power and heat homes, and they’ve run out. The city imports trash from Sweden, Ireland, England—and they wouldn’t mind taking on a few tons from the US. And it’s not just Oslo. Northern Europe’s trash burning capacity outstrips its trash producing capacity by 550 million tons. Neighboring Sweden imports 800,000 tons of trash annually to make energy. Norway, Austria, and Germany are also getting in on the game. In total, 40 countries worldwide burn trash for energy.

China Has Invested Billions Of Dollars In Renewable Energy Projects In US, Europe

2013-06-11T11:23:00.001+02:00

China Has Invested Billions Of Dollars In Renewable Energy Projects In US, Europe | CleanTechnica

The Chinese government and Chinese companies have made investments of at least $40 billion in renewable energy projects across the world over the last ten years. According to the analysis done by the World Resources Institute (WRI), China made at least 124 investments in solar and wind energy projects in 33 countries.

Indonesia apuesta por la sostenibilidad energética y las fuentes renovables

2013-06-07T19:02:00.001+02:00

ICEX Noticias Indonesia apuesta por la sostenibilidad energética y las fuentes renovables

Tras el anuncio de la ONU del nuevo récord alcanzado en cuanto a nivel de dióxido de carbono en la atmósfera, resulta evidente la urgente necesidad de un viraje en el perfil energético existente hacia uno capaz de hacer frente al cambio climático y a asegurar un futuro más sostenible. En el caso concreto de Indonesia, con un 80% de emisiones con origen en la deforestación y el uso de la tierra, la transición se debe dirigir hacia un esquema basado en las energías renovables. El Gobierno indonesio ha mostrado su buena voluntad y predisposición para incentivar un uso energético más equilibrado en el país. En primer lugar, el presidente, Susilo Bambang, emitió la 'Regulación Presidencial 5/2006', que tiene como meta acelerar el uso de las energías 'limpias'. En septiembre de 2011 se anunció un plan de acción nacional para la reducción de las emisiones de gas (RAN-GRK), marco para integrar la mitigación del cambio climático en el desarrollo del país asiático. Además, se han adoptado medidas dirigidas a la atracción de inversores privados, a través de las cuales se establecerá un sistema de primas para la electricidad producida por las plantas solares en áreas remotas del territorio nacional. El pasado año se introdujo una disposición similar en el ámbito de la energía geotérmica. Por último, el documento 'Vision 2025' diseñado por el Ministerio de Energía y Recursos Minerales anticipa un uso de las fuentes renovables del 25% del mix energético nacinal en el horizonte de dicho año. Considerando que durante el ejercicio de 2012 el uso de las energías renovables supuso, aproximadamente, un 5% del total energético, el Consejo Nacional de Energía de Indonesia ha manifestado su "incertidumbre ante el pronóstico realizado". Sin embargo, a pesar de los avances mostrados, todavía queda un largo camino por recorrer en la transición energética de Indonesia. Entre los aspectos que deben tenerse en cuenta se encuentran la mejora en la eficiencia, tanto en materia de generación como en el ámbito de la distribución y la transmisión; la drástica reducción o eliminación de los subsidios estatales al combustible; y una clara comunicación por parte del Gobierno en referencia a la necesidad del uso de las energías renovables.

PowerOptions enters solar energy market

2013-05-29T16:58:00.001+02:00

PowerOptions enters solar energy market - Business - The Boston Globe

The state’s largest power-buying consortium is entering the solar energy market, starting with four local colleges and schools that will add solar arrays to their properties. PowerOptions of Boston, which uses the buying power of the consortium to negotiate electricity and natural gas prices for nonprofit and public organizations, will partner with SunEdison, a Missouri-based solar services company. SunEdison, which will build the solar arrays over the summer, will own and maintain the installations and sell the power to the schools and colleges.

Omán diseña la puesta en marcha de seis proyectos de energías renovables

2013-05-11T14:38:00.001+02:00

ICEX Noticias Omán diseña la puesta en marcha de seis proyectos de energías renovables

Omán estudia la posibilidad de hacer uso de la energía renovable para satisfacer parte de su creciente demanda de electricidad. El país considera las fuentes solar y eólica como "especialmente adecuadas" para satisfacer las necesidades energéticas de las regiones más remotas y rurales del país. Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAECO) contempla el desarrollo de seis proyectos de energía renovable (cuatro iniciativas relacionadas con la energía solar y dos eólicas) como parte de su plan quinquenal 2013-2017.

El director ejecutivo de RAECO, Hamed bin Salim al Magdheri, ha declarado que la compañía está trabajando en otros dos proyectos con aerogeneradores en Masirah y Thamrait, con una capacidad de producción de entre 200 y 300 kW.

La entidad ultima el inicio de la puesta en marcha de un proyecto eólico de 750 kW en Al Mazyuona, así como otra acción similar en el ámbito de la energía solar (de 350 kW) en Masirah. En la actualidad, las 48 plantas operativas producen 700 MW de energía para los 26.000 clientes en las regiones del interior del país. Según el Instituto Internacional de Estudios Científicos, la ubicación de Omán es ideal para la producción de energía solar. En opinión de Al Magdheri, "es más factible la creación de proyectos de energía solar que seguir dependiendo de aquella proveniente del diésel". La electricidad en Omán cuenta con un subsidio del 70%.

A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob *

2013-05-09T10:24:00.000+02:00

English: Building a straw-bale house Français : Construction d'une maison en paille (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But the bulk of the book is hands-on: the nuts-and-bolts of siting; foundations; flooring; living (plant-covered) roofs; and cob, cordwood, straw-bale and modified stick frame walls—although the book's minimal treatment of electricity and plumbing, and how to integrate them with unfamiliar materials like cob or straw-bale, disappoints. Snell's tendency to decry the sins of modern architectural practice can become exasperating, but doesn't diminish the value of his extensive experience-derived knowledge; and the grace and beauty of the authors' building project, featuring Callahan's fine finish work, is inspiring.

The abundance of color photos detailing the construction process, supplemented by examples from indigenous buildings around the world, is particularly helpful. (Jan.)

About the Author
Clarke Snell is an expert in the field of green building and self-sufficiency. Author of The Good House Book (Lark, 2004), he lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with his wife in a partially-bermed, passive-solar house in a small intentional community they helped create.

Tim Callahan is a practicing general contractor. An experienced timber-frame builder, Tim is currently focused on residential projects of unique character.

First Full-Scale Tidal Energy Generator Receives Funding

2013-05-09T10:11:00.001+02:00

Wales' First Full-Scale Tidal Energy Generator Receives Funding | CleanTechnica

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones announced last week at the Renewable UK Cymru conference in Cardiff that Wales’ first full-scale tidal energy generator has been awarded a £1.6 million EU grant to find its deployment in Ramsey Sound, Pembrokeshire.

The funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund has been provided to Cardiff-based Tidal Energy Ltd for its DeltaStream tidal energy device. The company is backed by Welsh renewable energy company Eco2 Ltd.

Invented by Pembrokeshire engineer Richard Ayre – the DeltaStream device, which sits on the seabed under its own gravity – comprises of three independent 400 kW turbines mounted on a triangular frame.

Harbour trials for the device will take place later this year in Milford Haven before full deployment in 2014 in Ramsey Sound. What follows will be a 12 month demonstration period in which it will generate electricity for the residents of St Davids.

2013-05-08T22:42:00.000+02:00

Passive solar heating and passive cooling—approaches known as natural conditioning—provide comfort throughout the year by reducing, or eliminating, the need for fossil fuel. Yet while heat from sunlight and ventilation from breezes is free for the taking, few modern architects or builders really understand the principles involved. Now Dan Chiras, author of the popular book “The Natural House,” brings those principles up to date for a new generation of solar enthusiasts. The techniques required to heat and cool a building passively have been used for thousands of years. Early societies such as the Native American Anasazis and the ancient Greeks perfected designs that effectively exploited these natural processes. The Greeks considered anyone who didn't use passive solar to heat a home to be a barbarian! In the United States, passive solar architecture experienced a major resurgence of interest in the 1970s in response to crippling oil embargoes. With grand enthusiasm but with scant knowledge (and sometimes little common sense), architects and builders created a wide variety of solar homes. Some worked pretty well, but looked more like laboratories than houses. Others performed poorly, overheating in the summer because of excessive or misplaced windows and skylights, and growing chilly in the colder months because of insufficient thermal mass and insulation and poor siting. In “The Solar House,” Dan Chiras sets the record straight on the vast potential for passive heating and cooling. Acknowledging the good intentions of misguided solar designers in the past, he highlights certain egregious—and entirely avoidable—errors. More importantly, Chiras explains in methodical detail how today's home builders can succeed with solar designs. Now that energy efficiency measures including higher levels of insulation and multi-layered glazing have become standard, it is easier than ever before to create a comfortable and affordable passive solar house that will provide year-round comfort in any climate. Moreover, since modern building materials and airtight construction methods sometimes result in air-quality and even toxicity problems, Chiras explains state-of-the-art ventilation and filtering techniques that complement the ancient solar strategies of thermal mass and daylighting. Chiras also explains the new diagnostic aids available in printed worksheet or software formats, allowing readers to generate their own design schemes.

Cordwood Building: The State of the Art (Natural Building Series)

2013-05-08T22:32:00.001+02:00

Cordwood masonry is an ancient building technique whereby walls are constructed from "log ends" laid transversely in the wall. It is easy, economical, aesthetically striking, energy-efficient, and environmentally sound. Cordwood Building collects the wisdom of more than 25 of the world’s best practitioners, detailing the long history of the method, and demonstrating how to build a cordwood home using the latest and most up-to-date techniques, with a special focus on building code issues. Author/editor Rob Roy has been building, researching, and teaching about cordwood masonry for 25 years and, with his wife, started Earthwood Building School in 1981. He has written 10 books on alternative building, presented four videos—including two about cordwood masonry—and has taught cordwood masonry all over the world.

Como ahuyentar las hormigas de nuestro entorno

2013-04-19T08:25:00.001+02:00

La manera de alejar las hormigas de nuestro hogar de forma natural. Las hormigas tienen un potente olfato y hay olores que no les gusta como canela, ajo, menta

Colocar trozos de canela en las ventanas y orificios por los que habitualmente entran en nuestro hogar.
Lo mismo con trozos de diente de ajo pelados (reemplazando los mismos cada tres días hasta conseguir que las hormigas busquen otro hogar donde husmear)
Plantar menta alrededor de la casa

Otra cosa que se puede hacer, debido a que las hormigas dejan un rastro para orientarse unas a otras, es fregar los sitios en que se mueven con agua y vinagre destilado de esta manera pierden sus rastros y se despistan.
Stepintomygreenworld
(2) Carlos Codina

Destrucción en un caso le llamamos vandalismo en otro progreso

2013-01-20T22:20:00.001+01:00

könnt ich sein ;-)

I don't understand why when we destroy something created by man we call it vandalism, but when we destroy something created by nature we call it progress Ed Begley Jr.

Ed Begley, Jr. at the 81st Academy Awards (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yo no entiendo porqué cuando nostros destruimos algo que el hombre ha creado, le llamamos al acto, vandalismo y en cambio cuando destruimos algo que ha creado Dios, le llamamos progreso.

La Junta y REE dan luz verde al 'boom' termosolar del eje Sevilla-Cádiz

2012-12-21T16:03:00.001+01:00

Guadalquivir River in Coria del Río, Seville (navigable) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

La Junta y REE dan luz verde al 'boom' termosolar del eje Sevilla-Cádiz

La tecnología termosolar, que está llamada a sumarse a la eólica como la renovable de mayor auge en el corto y medio plazo en España, recibió ayer un fuerte espaldarazo a su despliegue en el eje Sevilla-Cádiz, zona muy atractiva para los promotores por su alta radiación solar, por la existencia de agua del río Guadalquivir y por la abundancia de grandes extensiones de terreno llanas.

REE recibe un aluvión de peticiones para instalar parques fotovoltaicos sin prima

2012-12-19T23:03:00.001+01:00

Sun powered (Photo credit: Rayparňova)

Vozpópuli - REE recibe un aluvión de peticiones para instalar parques fotovoltaicos sin prima

Un dato indica que, en el caso de las nuevas plantas fotovoltaicas, la denominada paridad de red (la capacidad de competir en el mercado, sin recibir primas) ya es una realidad en España, uno de los países europeos con mejores condiciones de insolación para esta fuente. Red Eléctrica de España (REE), la empresa responsable del transporte y operación del sistema, tiene registradas a diciembre peticiones por casi 38 gigavatios (GW) para instalar parques fotovoltaicos en régimen ordinario, esto es, sin derecho a cobrar prima.

En concreto, y según un boletín interno de la Unión Española Fotovoltaica (Unef), durante la última reunión semestral de seguimiento de la planificación de la red de transporte, REE reveló que tiene solicitudes de acceso de proyectos que suman un total de 37.894 megavatios (MW) “que quieren producir para vender su energía en el mercado eléctrico, sin prima alguna”.

La lampara que funciona gracias a la gravedad

2012-12-18T14:45:00.000+01:00

Una lampara colgada del techo, una polea y un peso atado que puede ser un saco de arena, una piedra,.. se deja caer el peso y al caer este genera la energía necesaria para que la lampara funcione durante una hora y media.
La lampara esta preparada para poder cargar otros aparatos o baterías de paso. La lámpara cuesta menos de 10$ y no tiene costes de mantenimiento. Con tres meses de funcionamiento la lampara esta amortizada.
Se calcula que en el mundo hay más de 1.500 millones de personas que viven sin electricidad. Una solución hasta ahora para estas personas son las lamparas de keroseno que consumen keroseno y producen unos gases nada saludables para las personas que se ven obligadas a utilizarlas.
Otra solución mucho más costosa, son las placas solares que por ejemplo ayudan a instalar en Bangladés la gente de Grameen Shakti

Como la energía solar triunfa en Bangladés

En Indiegogo recogen dinero para el proyecto, cuando escribimos este post ya han alcanzado y superado la cifra que se habían propuesto para iniciar la producción.

Invernaderos en un desierto

2012-12-18T13:18:00.005+01:00

English: Location of South Avustralia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

La empresa Sundrop Farms ha montado un invernadero en el desierto del sur de Australia y allí con la energía solar y agua del mar produce: agua de riego, sal, calor y energía eléctrica con la que mantiene el invernadero a la temperatura adecuada para cultivar tomates, libres de pesticidas .... y otros productos.

Lista de vídeos de Sundrop Farms

Un grano de arena, en una playa inmensa

Energy from the windy heights

Electricidad a partir de una cometa

El autoconsumo eléctrico en las islas es posible -

Cloud Computing Saves Energy

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