Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 19 June 2014

Robotic Tracking System by QBotix

11.06.2014 - At Intersolar Europe in Munich, robotics company QBotix presented their new Robotic Tracking System or RTS. The system uses two small robots, which run along a rail to turn tracker modules according to the sun’s path.

The advantages of the new system are less maintenance-intensive trackers, since these do not have motors and there is no need for extensive land grading or trenching before installation. You can see the robots in action in QBotix’s video: read more w/video>>>

Solar-Powered Bang Bang Tents Charges Your Gadgets While You Rock Out in Style

06/10/14 - Bang Bang Tents offer a flashy alternative to boring camping gear - complete with brightly colored exteriors and integrated solar panels! Former MTV festival presenter Rob Bertucci was tired of losing his way in a sea of tents at festivals and wanted a way to stand out. His battery was also always dying and he needed a good home base to recharge both his phone and his body. So he started Bang Bang Tents, which generate enough electricity to power computers, phones, cameras and speakers to keep rockers rocking through festivals.

Bang Bang Tents are four person tents that come in six different styles. Users have the choice between nature-inspired prints, including grass, chopped wood or butterflies, or more psychedelic patterns including jelly beans, mandalas or geometric shapes. read more>>>

Green economies offer small islands new economic and ecological opportunities

June 10, 2014 - The green energy sector is booming in the U.S. and there’s much discussion of African nations like Kenya leapfrogging fossil fuels. Clean technologies hold great potential for smaller developing nations too, although their path to a greener economy may have different goals.

This year’s World Environment Day sought to draw attention to the issues facing small island developing nations. Throughout the events honoring World Environment Day, an important reoccurring topic of discussion was the need to develop an economy that’s both economically and ecologically sustainable. read more>>>

Winners of the Intersolar AWARD 2014 announced

04 June 2014 - Intersolar Europe, the world's largest exhibition for the solar industry and its partners, has paid tribute to the solar industry's innovative strength for the seventh time. The ten most innovative companies were honored during an official ceremony that took place today at Intersolar Europe's Innovation Exchange.

The Intersolar AWARD was presented to groundbreaking solutions in the categories of Photovoltaics (PV) and Solar Projects in Europe. For the first time, the electrical energy storage (ees) AWARD recognizes innovations in battery and energy storage technology. read more>>>

Small Wind Turbine Generator for Clean Energy Power Production

Major solar energy facility to be constructed in Rwanda

02 June 2014 - The Government of Rwanda (GoR) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with energy consortium Goldsol II to construct a 10MW solar power plant, the largest in East Africa, in Kayonza, Eastern Province.

The consortium consists of TMM Renewables (South Africa), Gesto Energy Africa (registered in Malta) and 3E Power Solar (Rwanda). The agreement will provide a framework to carry out a feasibility study that will assess the potential power generation of the project. This will then progress into a long term agreement between the Government of Rwanda and a company to be established by Goldsol II in Rwanda to generate, manage and distribute power all over the country. The project is expected to be operational by 2016. read more>>>

Honeywell Awarded Microgrid Project To Bolster Energy Reliability And Security At Fort Bragg

June 10, 2014 - Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced a $3.4-million project to help improve energy security and surety at Fort Bragg, N.C. The company will build a microgrid that uses advance controls to network new and existing backup generators on the U.S. Army post, the first application of this technology for a federal agency. The electricity these assets produce will then be available across multiple buildings, helping maintain power for vital operations.

The Department of Defense (DOD) will finance the project through its Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), which identifies and demonstrates innovative, cost-effective technologies that address the department's energy and environmental requirements. Along with the microgrid grant, DOD selected Honeywell for a second ESTCP-funded project, work that help trim expenses tied to the post's central heating and cooling plant. read more>>>

Wind Power For Dummies

New class of nanoparticle brings cheaper, lighter solar cells outdoors

June 9, 2014 - Think those flat, glassy solar panels on your neighbor's roof are the pinnacle of solar technology? Think again.

Researchers in the University of Toronto's Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering have designed and tested a new class of solar-sensitive nanoparticle that outshines the current state of the art employing this new class of technology.

This new form of solid, stable light-sensitive nanoparticles, called colloidal quantum dots, could lead to cheaper and more flexible solar cells, as well as better gas sensors, infrared lasers, infrared light emitting diodes and more. The work, led by post-doctoral researcher Zhijun Ning and Professor Ted Sargent, was published this week in Nature Materials. read more>>>

New York wants shared solar

June 5, 2014 - The New York Assembly Energy Committee has passed a "Shared Clean Energy Bill" (A9931), which would establish a new way for renters, schools and businesses to go solar. The bill, sponsored by New York State Assemblymember, Energy Committee Chair Amy Paulin, is being applauded for its visionary goal of enabling more New Yorkers to participate in and benefit from the state's growing solar economy.

Solar has created thousands of jobs in New York and infused hundreds of millions of dollars into the state's economy while building a more resilient energy supply; however, a majority of residents and businesses cannot capitalize on the solar marketplace because they do not own rooftops that are suitable for solar. A9931 would make solar an option for millions of other New Yorkers for the first time, by allowing energy customers to subscribe to a local renewable energy project in their community and receive a utility bill credit for their portion of the energy produced. read more>>>

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

Should Hydropower Truly Be Described as Renewable?

Jun. 2, 2014 - Hydroelectric dams are the quintessential expression of human control of nature. As well as power, they create reservoirs of clean water, which to some are both pleasing to the eye and a place for tranquil recreation. They promise control of flooding, provide a steady supply of water for irrigation and, with time, a source of fresh fish. They are an economist’s as well as an engineer’s dream, and, coupled with dynamic images of the cranes, bulldozers and swarms of men in hard hats associated with their construction, they are an instant marketing opportunity for politicians eager to demonstrate their commitment to progress.

Some argue that hydroelectric power has green credentials because it makes use of water — a free abundant and inherently benign medium. read more>>>

EU Reports Lowest Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Record

Jun. 4, 2014 - The European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions continued to fall in 2012, as a 1.3 % decrease cut emissions to 19.2 % below 1990 levels, according to official data from the European Environment Agency (EEA). This puts the EU within reach of its 20 % reduction target, with eight years to go until the 2020 deadline.

The findings come from final EU greenhouse gas emissions for 2012, reported to the United Nations. Emissions have decreased by 1 082 Mt in the EU since 1990, which is more than the combined 2012 emissions of Italy and the United Kingdom. As a result, the EU was already very close to reaching its 2020 Climate and Energy Package target through domestic measures alone. read more>>>