Sunday, March 2, 2014

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 2 March 2014

A Climate Change Reality Check
Feb. 6, 2014 - The world spent $50 billion dollars per year on weather-related disasters in the 1980s, according to the World Bank. Today, we spend roughly $200 billion annually. Twenty-five extreme weather and climate events in 2011 and 2012 caused more than $188 billion of damages in the United States alone. And yet—despite these escalating costs and risks—the world continues to emit dangerous amounts of greenhouse gases.

It’s time for a climate change reality check. read more>>>

Smart Grid Deployment Critical for Clean Energy Future
Feb. 3, 2014 - A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) says the widespread deployment of “smart grids” – networks that monitor and manage the transport of electricity from all generation sources to meet the varying electricity demands of end users – is crucial to achieving a more secure and sustainable energy future.

With current trends in the supply and use of energy becoming increasingly untenable – economically, environmentally and socially – the IEA believes smart grids can play a significant role in enabling nearly all clean energy technologies, including renewables, electric vehicles and energy efficiency. read more>>>

Wind and Weather

UK in urgent need of a green economic strategy, report warns
24 Feb 2014 - The UK urgently needs a green economic strategy to move towards low-carbon prosperity, resource security and environmental quality, says a new report published today by UCL's Green Economy Policy Commission.

The Commission – drawn from a range of academic disciplines across UCL – argues that the UK's current situation of climate instability and increasing resource constraints mean that decisive action is urgently needed by the UK government to green the economy. read more>>>

Tanzania Keen On Finding Sustainable Energy
25 February 2014 - A DEPUTY Minister of State in the Vice-President's Office (Environment), Ms Ummy Mwalimu, has said that so long as sustainable energy is a priority, Tanzania will opt for a power source that is accessible and affordable to the majority of Tanzania.

Giving the country overview during the African high level conference on green economy at the Convention Centre here, she told the participants that due the fact that most people in rural communities do not have access to electricity Tanzania is working hard in a quest to find alternative power sources. read more>>>

Download Standards from ANSI

DC power enabling renewables integration
February 23, 2014 - Public electric utilities deliver alternating current (AC) power exclusively, while electronics, LED lighting, and certain other common devices operate on direct current (DC) power. These devices must convert power from AC to DC and step down voltage to needed levels. Unfortunately, the conversion from AC to DC is often inefficient and results in a loss of power. When using renewable wind or PV energy, additional AC/DC transformations are needed, causing more loss. Added together over many AC/DC conversions and voltage changes, total power losses can surpass 20 percent in some systems, according to Navigant Research.

DC power supply equipment, deployed in commercial buildings and campus microgrids, reduce the number of required conversions between AC and DC power, increasing overall building energy efficiency. read more>>>

Industry, nonprofits face limits in solar power generation
Feb. 22, 2014 - Sunlight gleams off a long rectangular array of solar panels anchored to the gravel roof of Furman University’s physical activities building.

On a lower part of the roof, a pair of square panels fills the roof line. Nearby, on the same rooftop, 60 4-by-10-feet panels provide heat to the university’s indoor pool.

Dressed in a lightweight green jacket in the early February sunshine, Jeff Redderson, Furman’s head of facilities services, climbs a dizzying circular ladder and pops onto the roof.

“I haven’t been up here in years,” he said. And that’s just it; the panels go mostly unnoticed on their rooftop perch. read more>>>

New ‘green’ construction company hires veterans
Feb 23, 2014 - EcoGrunt Home Improvements is a new “green” construction and remodeling company dedicated to hiring skilled veterans.

The company was the brainchild of Sgt. Alec Haggerty, serving with the 1st Cavalry Division. When he saw a line of soldiers standing outside an armed forces staffing agency, Haggerty decided to start a business doing what he loves — construction — as a way to employ veterans.

“I know I can’t help everyone, but maybe if I do this it will start a chain reaction,” Haggerty said. read more>>>

Maryland 2nd in the nation in leed green building activity
2/22/2014 - Maryland shoots up the rankings from 6th place

Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that Maryland placed second in its ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED.

The list highlights the regions around the country leading the movement for sustainable building design, construction and operation. Utilizing less energy and water, LEED-certified spaces save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce carbon emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. read more>>>

e cig

New, inexpensive production materials boost promise of hydrogen fuel
February 21, 2014 - Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Summary:

Generating electricity is not the only way to turn sunlight into energy we can use on demand. The sun can also drive reactions to create chemical fuels, such as hydrogen, that can in turn power cars, trucks and trains. Scientists have now combined cheap, oxide-based materials to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases using solar energy with a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 1.7 percent, the highest reported for any oxide-based photoelectrode system. read more>>>

Dubai summit to discuss ‘green’ future
22 February 2014 - Top officials from Dubai government will join the green economy practitioners, educators and researchers from around the globe at a series of summits organised by the Centre of Excellence for Green Development this week.

The International Conclave on Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, Action Research and Cases in Power and Energy takes place from February 24 to 26 at the Canadian University of Dubai.

This inaugural conference will be attended on the first day by Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum. read more>>>


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.