Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 18 June 2014

India to implement code for energy saving, green buildings construction by 2017

Jun 8, 2014 - It will be mandatory for all state governments to implement by 2017 the minimum requirements for energy efficient design and construction set by the central government to meet the challenges of depleting resources, increased urbanisation and rapid construction, according to a top official.

Shifting its focus to building energy-saving structures, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) of the power ministry has made mandatory the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) which acts like a "cross-check for building designs and specifications" to reduce the energy consumption through design and choice of material and equipment.

Under its ambit are components like building envelopes (wall, roofs, windows), lighting, heat ventilation and air conditioning and electrical systems. read more>>>

World environment and new pledge for green economies

6 June 2014 - In April this year, two world records were broken or equaled with little fanfare: The global concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the main driver of climate change, was above 400 parts per million (ppm) for an entire month for the first time in recorded history, and it was the joint hottest April on record, tying with 2010. These milestones provide further evidence that human-induced climate change is happening and accelerating.

The March report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change noted that global warming will hit Asia the hardest, with flooding, famine and rising sea levels putting hundreds of millions at risk. With Asia accounting for a growing share of greenhouse gas emissions, it is clear that the global battle against climate change may be won or lost in the region. This is why the region’s leaders need to act fast. read more>>>

Solar Electricity Handbook - 2014 Edition: A Simple Practical Guide to Solar Energy - Designing and Installing Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems

Microgrids lend a shine to solar

Jun 7, 2014 - Amidst scores of un-electrified villages in Uttar Pradesh, Ram Sahu, a farmer in Thigra village, relishes his dinner beside a solar powered electric fan and LED lamp. Miles away in a village near Agra lit up only by kerosene lamps, another farmer enjoys benefits from solar appliances which source power through a microgrid- a small standalone system connected to solar panels which can supply power to about 100 households.

And by the looks of it, every village in India will soon be electrified, thanks to a solar microgrid revolution heating up.

In this model, a customer registers with the microgrid owner with a monthly subscription, and the service provider provides him solar power for two lights, a fan and cell phone charging socket. read more>>>

US Governor Calls for Partnership to Fight Climate Change at IRENA Council

04 June 2014 - Governor Deval Patrick of the US state of Massachusetts opened the 7th meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency's Council in Abu Dhabi by stressing the important role renewable energy plays in his state’s economy and offering IRENA’s members a partnership in addressing climate change.

“Because we share IRENA’s vision, I look forward to exploring how we can partner with the Council at large and any of its members in particular,” Governor Patrick said.

“Challenges as large as climate change demand collaboration and the sharing of lessons learned. When the stakes are this high, and the opportunities are this great, going it alone is not the wisest option,” he added. read more>>>

Green Homes Show Growth in a Recovering Market, According to New McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket Report

June 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Residential construction is a key engine behind economic growth in the United States. According to McGraw Hill Construction's Dodge Construction Market Forecast, single and multifamily housing projects account for about 45% of the value of all construction projects started in the United States in 2014. With that market forecasted to grow rapidly in coming years, the green activity and drivers in the market are critical. The new SmartMarket Report of the single and multifamily builder and remodeler community released today by McGraw Hill Construction (http://www.construction.com) contains this critical intelligence.

The report, "Green Multifamily & Single Family Homes: Growth in a Recovering Market," surveys builder and remodeler members of the National Association of Home Builders and reveals the evolution of green building for single family homes from boom to bust to recovery through comparisons with previous studies from 2006 to 2011, and includes new data on multifamily housing to provide a comprehensive review of the sector.

According to the latest study: read more>>>

Small-scale ocean turbines could expand U.S. renewable energy portfolio

June 6, 2014 - Thanks to a recently-signed five-year lease agreement between Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), researchers at FAU's Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) will soon embark upon installation of the world's first offshore test berth for small-scale ocean current turbines -- a goal FAU has been working to achieve since 2007.

"This project is a potentially paradigm-shifting development in the global quest for clean energy sources," FAU President John Kelly said. "It also demonstrates the multidisciplinary nature of marine renewable's research, [and] a successful public, private partnership." read more>>>

DIY Solar Projects: How to Put the Sun to Work in Your Home

Energy-efficient technology to drive down Asia-Pacific's coal reliance

June 6, 2014 - In Asia-Pacific's building sector, the most dynamic in the world, commercial buildings are high-energy consumers and the region's buildings sector is expanding at rates unmatched globally, according to Navigant Research.

As energy prices rise and restrictions on energy use and carbon emissions tighten, construction firms, building owners and managers, and government bodies are devoting more and more attention to the potential savings that can be achieved with new technologies to monitor and control energy use in buildings. National governments across the region are driving the energy efficiency market with green building design guidelines, the introduction of new energy efficiency technologies, and funding schemes to assist retrofit projects in commercial buildings, according to Navigant.As energy prices rise and restrictions on energy use and carbon emissions tighten, construction firms, building owners and managers, and government bodies are devoting more and more attention to the potential savings that can be achieved with new technologies to monitor and control energy use in buildings. National governments across the region are driving the energy efficiency market with green building design guidelines, the introduction of new energy efficiency technologies, and funding schemes to assist retrofit projects in commercial buildings, according to Navigant. read more>>>

Green energy act helps First Nation

June 6, 2014 - Since time immemorial the home of the Dokis People has been on the shores of the French River. Today, along with private partner Hydromega, the Dokis Nation is tapping into the hydroelectricity potential of the French River to power the local economy and drive job creation

It's a win-win sustainable development story for the greater Sudbury region.

The French River is a sacred place. The waterway is the home to the Fish Eagle, the Migisi in our language, Ojibwe. In the early 1900s three dams, the Chaudiere, the Little Chaudiere and the Portage were built to control water flow down the French and maintain water levels on Lake Nipissing. read more>>>

Project spotlight: Solar Impulse 2 – An Exploration To Change The World

June 5th, 2014 - Solar Impulse 2 is a long-range solar-powered aircraft project. The project eventually hopes to achieve the first circumnavigation of the Earth by a piloted fixed-wing aircraft using only solar power. The project is led by Swiss aeronaut Bertrand Piccard, who co-piloted the first balloon to circle the world non-stop, and Swiss businessman André Borschberg. Solar Impulse 2 is the result of ten years of intense work, calculations, simulations and tests by a team of about 80 people and 100 partners and advisors. In April, an upgraded version - Solar Impulse 2 was announced and GrabCAD talked to the founders to find out what's new.

What did you improve in the Solar Impulse 2? read more>>>

GREEN BUILDING 101: Eco-Power and Energy Efficiency

06/05/14 - Most of us underestimate or ignore our incredible dependence on electricity, but there’s nothing like a blackout caused by overzealous summertime air conditioner use to remind us of the importance of responsible, efficient usage. Just as we can cause a major outage through the accumulation of our personal actions, we can as easily facilitate the reverse effect through simple, smart choices about what kind of energy we use, and how we use it. Today’s Green Building 101 talks about how to retrofit your home to be more energy-efficient, as well as how to convert to more clean, green and efficient sources of energy. From simply turning off lights to installing photovoltaics, we’ve got you covered.

At home, you now have more choices than ever for becoming energy efficient and environmentally friendly. If you are building or renovating your house, you can get LEED-H points for everything from buying Energy Star appliances and lighting fixtures, to installing a renewable electricity generation system such as solar panels or wind turbines. read more>>>