October 24, 2013 - New York City’s Rockaway Peninsula took the brunt of Hurricane Sandy when the storm blew ashore a year ago, leaving the Rockaways in Queens devastated from flooding and 34,000 without electricity for weeks.
In the ensuing 12 months, the city has suggested many ways to make itself more able to withstand such storms. As part of New York City’s climate change response plan, “ A Stronger, More Resilient New York,” issued earlier this year, one of the city’s suggestions to help the Rockaways survive the next hurricane is for the peninsula to become the site of a microgrid pilot project that will help keep the lights on at hospitals, schools and other critical infrastructure during and after a storm. read more>>>
October 25, 2013 - A year after Superstorm Sandy ravaged and devastated the Mid-Atlantic, utilities like Con Edison and PPL Electric Utilities are making improvements to the reliability of critical infrastructure and protect customers from major storms.
With damaging weather becoming more frequent, Con Edison is toughening its system as part of a $1 billion plan to fortify critical infrastructure and has already completed several improvements. Con Edison has built more than a mile of concrete flood walls around stations and critical equipment, and installed more than 180 watertight flood doors and barriers, as well as installing 800 special float-check valves to protect gas services from floods. read more>>>
October 25, 2013 - The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) first-of-its-kind international energy storage database has surpassed 420 documented energy storage projects from around the world. The database provides free, up-to-date information on grid-connected energy storage projects and relevant state and federal policies. It is funded through DOE's Sandia National Laboratories, and has been operating since January 2012.
"This database shows the impressive diversity of energy storage projects across the globe, as well as the broad services they provide," said Dr. Imre Gyuk, DOE's energy storage program manager. read more>>>
Oct. 25, 2013 — Did you know that crystals form the basis for the penetrating icy blue glare of car headlights and could be fundamental to the future in solar energy technology?
Crystals are at the heart of diodes. Not the kind you might find in quartz, formed naturally, but manufactured to form alloys, such as indium gallium nitride or InGaN. This alloy forms the light emitting region of LEDs, for illumination in the visible range, and of laser diodes (LDs) in the blue-UV range.
Research into making better crystals, with high crystalline quality, light emission efficiency and luminosity, is also at the heart of studies being done at Arizona State University by Research Scientist Alec Fischer and Doctoral Candidate Yong Wei in Professor Fernando Ponce's group in the Department of Physics. read more>>>
Oct. 25, 2013 — An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Universities of York and St Andrews, has developed a new method to increase the efficiency of solar cells.
The new approach achieves highly efficient broad-band light trapping in thin films, with more light captured in the film in order to maximise absorption and electricity generation.
The research, which is reported in Nature Communications, also involved scientists from Sun Yat-sen University and the GuangDong Polytechnic Normal University, China, and IMEC (Interuniversity MicroElectronics Center), Leuven, Belgium. read more>>>
Microinverter flexibility renders 125-building distributed solar project feasible
PETALUMA, Calif.--October 22, 201-- Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) announced today the successful completion of a 125-building distributed solar project developed by Main Street Power Company, Inc. using Enphase® Microinverters. The flexibility of Enphase technology in commercial solar allowed the project to be spread across 29 schools and two facilities buildings throughout the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD), with individual system designs varying in size and orientation.
"Enphase is proud to have our trusted technology associated with a project dedicated to educating children about alternative energy. Not only will the students learn about their school's rooftop solar in the classroom, but the school district will benefit from reduced energy costs over the long term," said Bill Rossi, CMO of Enphase Energy. read more>>>
October 27, 2013 - The protection of the population from hazards, and the preservation of the environment from further degradation so that it can be transformed into a “green economy” is what A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is calling for.
This they posit is achievable through a national environmental strategy that the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic should implement.
Opposition Leader David Granger in a press briefing held recently at his office in Hadfield Street, said that “APNU is convinced that Guyana’s favorable geographical location, rich mineral and natural resources should be conducive to developing a ‘green economy’ – one that generates growth and human happiness in ways that are consistent with economic exploitation of those resources.” read more>>>
October 28, 2013 - Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States have decreased by 4.5 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to newly released research from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The decline was mostly related to a decrease in total report emissions from power plants, which decreased by 6.3 percent over the same timeframe due to switching from coal to natural gas for electricity generation, as well as a slight decrease in electricity production.
The number of facilities reporting in 2012 went up by 2.7 percent but only about 10 percent of the facilities emitted 76 percent of the total 3.1 billion metric tons of emissions reported in 2012. In 2012, the 770 highest-emitting facilities accounted for almost 2.4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, including power plants and petroleum refineries. read more>>>
October 29, 2013 - The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) estimates that the annual energy cost savings of intelligent efficiency for the commercial and manufacturing sectors could reach more than $50 billion by 2020 and that system optimization will bring non-energy benefits including better services and quality control, and lower operating costs which free up capital for additional investments in productivity and capacity.
Over the near term, the best opportunities for intelligent efficiency appear to be in the commercial and industrial sectors, according to the research, which embrace automation more readily than other sectors due to the need for sharply controlled operating costs in competitive environments.
Intelligent efficiency not only achieves energy savings at the device level but at the system level and above, utilizing ICT-based enabling technologies. Intelligent efficiency manifests itself through the emergence of the "Internet of Things," whereby all of the components of a manufacturing system can inform other parts of the system to react to incoming information from them. read more>>>
Oct. 1, 2013 - Proven Investment Vehicles May Spur New Renewable Energy Grow
Harnessing two types of investment vehicles for renewable energy investing; Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), would speed adoption rates for renewable energy, level the playing field with fossil fuel investments and attract billions in new investment.
REITs and MLPs are publically traded entities and each has special tax considerations which make them attractive investment options. REITs invest in real estate through directly owning property and collecting rents or through holding mortgages and collecting interest, but have also invested in oil and gas infrastructure. read more>>>
18 October 2013 - Initial scale modelling tests are focusing on the impact of steep and breaking waves on wind turbine pile structure
10/29/2013 - The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Advanced Power Technology Office (APTO) identified state-of-the-art small wind turbines capable in extreme arctic conditions for a winter demonstration.
Oct. 23, 2013 — Researchers report that wood-biochar supercapacitors can produce as much power as today's activated-carbon supercapacitors at a fraction of the cost -- and with environmentally friendly byproducts.
10/23/13 - You might not expect it, but lighthouses are leading the way to more powerful solar panels in outer space and here on earth. The key is Fresnel lenses, which enabled 19th century lighthouses to focus a beam of light for many miles. Fast forward to the modern era and you’ll find NASA engineers using these lighter, thinner lenses to improve space-borne solar power – and scientists recently used Fresnel lenses to create a miniature photovoltaic system called the SolarVolt that can concentrate the sun’s rays 20 times.
October 24, 2013 - In the year since Superstorm Sandy inundated Solar One and Stuyvesant Cove Park, a lot of work has been done and much has been learned. While Sandy may have been an unusual once-in-a-hundred-years storm, it’s difficult to say how soon or how often storms like that may hit the NYC Metropolitan area in the future, and as an environmental organization located right at the edge of the East River, Solar One has a strong incentive to make sure we and our community are ready for the next time. In the Park, we’re planting thousands of new plants, including more shrubs, grasses and hardier salt-tolerant plants. Some species were all but wiped out last year, while others have come back stronger than ever. Among the new natives are seaside goldenrod, blue mist flower, bitter panic grass, smooth and aromatic sumac, purple love grass and bush honeysuckle. Park staff and volunteers have been working hard throughout October to get them all in the ground before the first frost. 
October 18, 2013 - We are leaving a lot on the plate of future generations, especially in terms of environmental issues, yet a lack of environmental education is no way to start them on the right track.
October 22, 2013 - As we round the corner of our third year of our magazine, Sustainable Construction, I continue to see trends emerging in the ever-evolving sustainable construction market. Two of these “shades” of green include product certification programs and building for durability.
October 23, 2013 - Pertinent to green rating systems or codes in marketplace, ASTM Standards for Sustainability in Building provides instant access to 202 ASTM standards that address sustainability or aspects of sustainability relative to buildings and construction. Subscription-based, online collection includes LEED system and ASHRAE 189.1. Also, collection includes all ASTM standards referenced by latest editions or versions of Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers, IgCC, and Green Globes®.
HBCU students gathered at Powershift 2013 to talk solutions to climate change.
2012 turned out to be a huge year for small wind in the United Kingdom, as the industry nearly doubled in size to pass £105 million in total value.