It seems that unlike their beloved president, the Department of Energy (DOE) does indeed practice what it preaches. The body that is supposed to monitor the energy needs of the nation and encourage people to turn towards clean energy is also turning into the eco-friendly corner just about now. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman led the inauguration of a large solar power system at the top of the DOE?s Forrestal Building today.

This is interpreted as a gesture that both symbolically and practically shows the DOE?s commitment to solar power. They could use a few wind turbines as well though. The photovoltaic (PV) system will generate 200 MWh of electricity?enough to provide eight percent of the building?s energy during peak hours. The system will also save up to $26,000 in energy costs during its first year of operation.

The DOE?s new PV system, which was developed by the SunPower Corporation, is 40-50 times larger than a residential system, and is integrated into the Forrestal building?s current roof. While the step is indeed positive, you expect the DOE to do a lot better than just 8% and probably encourage other government buildings to go green as well in some capacity. How about the White House?

Via: Cleantechnica

Solar energy is available in plenty and the only problem with using it to the fullest is our inability to tap it completely. A large part of this problem is because of the angle of the rays of the sun and how that keeps changing through the day. One needs the sun?s rays to be perfectly perpendicular to the surface of the photovoltaic plate to generate the optimum power. But, by using a flat solar panel that would not always be possible. Solaroad Technologies Group LLC believes that they have found the solution to the problem in a simple yet effective fashion.

ElectraWall is a photovoltaic system featuring a cylindrical design. It could supposedly harness energy from the sun no matter its angle of incidence due to its form factor. It can be placed on a variety of locations including “rooftops, highway infrastructures, light poles, decks and fences” as long as there’s a surface to mount its track on upon which solar cells are clipped on place. Aside from the ability to harness energy, the device itself incorporates recycled materials.

While the solution sounds great in theory, there is still one major problem with it. When building a cylindrical surface only a fraction of the area would be always perpendicular to the rays of the sun. This pretty much makes for not much of a gain in net energy production. A better solution would be to have a flat surface change its direction along with the sun- much like a field of Sunflower plants! Nature always has the best solutions.

Via: Goodcleantech

This is the perfect conundrum that the world has to solve before we really move forward and look for new sources of energy and how we wish to develop them further. Nuclear Energy is without doubt a source that has immense potential. In fact, there could be a day when we could truly power up the city of New York for months with nothing but a glass of water (As so eloquently stated in ‘Chain Reaction’). But with what consequences? That is a question that we need to look at closely before we move any further.

Exelon, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States has filed a license application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US-NRC) to build two new nuclear power plants near Victoria, Texas. When operating, the plants will produce zero units of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, sulfur oxides, and fly ash. The Boiling Water Reactors will each produce approximately 1,500 MW of electric power.
It is worth noting that a 3,000 MW power station operating at an average capacity factor of 90% - which is typical for a US nuclear power plant - can produce more than 23 million MW-hours of electricity each year.

If you factor in the current costs of power in Texas then this turns out to be a gold mine waiting to be dug up even in terms of the economy of it all. Of Course, it will also mean that the local economy will thrive with more jobs as well. But what about the nuclear waste? I guess for now we will have to like with it and it could be far easier to dispose of it rather than deal with more CO2 at present. All in all, it is thumbs up for the new giant project.

Via Cleantechnica

There are not many LEED Platinum certified green homes across the US and while the number is growing, it probably needs to spread more rapidly in order to really help the planet cool down. While US is still trying to switch to green, California seems to the leader in renewable energy and green architecture in the country. The 4600 sq ft Margarido House is by no means a small home, but with the addition of a plethora of green building features it will become the first LEED-H Platinum certified home in Northern California.

The Margarido House will feature almost every green strategy you can imagine and will be 55% more efficient than California’s Title 24 energy standards. The loads of green features inside make your head go on a dizzy ride. Its construction incorporates a variety of sustainable and fire resistant materials, and all of its poured concrete contains 25% fly ash. The interiors feature LED lighting, smart house automation, locally sourced products, and recycled concrete and glass countertops.

A planted roof garden and deck top off the project, and the house is site-sensitve, featuring permeable paving, rain and ground water reclamation, and drought tolerant landscaping and plants. While the owners of the house believe that ‘Green can be beautiful and sexy’, the rest of the world might find it hard to argue with after taking a look at this green masterpiece that defines new conventions and defies the old!

Via Jetsongreen

There are quite a few projects across the world that are trying to turn the desert in to farming space both because the remaining planet is struggling to find new land for agriculture and the number of mouths the world needs to feed is growing at a blurring rate. This has forced engineers and designers to turn to deserts to try and eek out anything that is possible. One of the theoretically simple solutions has always been to desalinate the water from the oceans and to make use of the newly available fresh water. But it is one thing to write that day and a whole different ballgame in execution.

The Sahara Forest project would marry huge greenhouses with concentrated solar power (CSP), which uses mirrors to focus the sun’s rays and generate heat and electricity. The installations would try and turn deserts into lush patches of vegetation. The greenhouses work by using the solar farm to power seawater evaporators and then pump the damp, cool air through the greenhouse. This reduces the temperature by about 15C compared to that outside. At the other end of the greenhouse from the evaporators, the water vapor is condensed.

Some of this fresh water is used to water the crops, while the rest can be used for the essential task of cleaning the solar mirrors. The greenhouse produces more than five times the fresh water needed to water the plants inside so, in addition to producing water to clean the CSP mirrors, some of it can be released into the local environment and that would be a very sensible thing to do. I guess before thinking about if we can make Mars inhabitable or Venus human-friendly, I guess we must look at the vast stretches of land right here on earth that could use a facelift. Sahara Forest Project is a brave venture in that difficult direction and we wish nothing but the best for the ingenious men at the heart of it all.

Via Guardian

Geothermal Energy is almost like the step-child of renewable resources and the Solar and Wind Energy departments get the treatment of being the perfect brand ambassadors for green energy. This is due to a couple of factors. One is that people do not quite comprehend how valuable and immense the potential of geothermal energy is and secondly those who know about its worth are still unable to find ways to properly harness it. But that seems to be changing fast off late as people seem to have rediscovered its magic.

Google, which has an interest in affordable power to run its growing numbers of server farms, is heavily investing (through Google.org) in research into the development of geothermal power. In the US, Google is the largest funding source for geothermal research. While traditionally the US and North European nations have been considered Geothermal Energy hubs, there seems to be a new leader in the race as well.

The Australian government is investing nearly four times as much as Google to develop geothermal power for Australia. The Australian group estimates that just 1 percent of the country’s geothermal capacity could provide 26,000 years worth of clean electricity. With more countries like Australia and firms like Google investing both money and time in Geothermal Energy, the future indeed looks ‘steaming hot’ for the energy that lays hidden in the heart of the planet.

Via Ecogeek

‘Green is in’ and it seems to be growing ‘in’ to a way of life that is becoming a part of our homes more and more with each passing day. There was a time when people perceived green gadgets as ungainly stuff that would appear out of place in their sophisticated and stylish homes. But today perception has been radically altered by modern designers who are capable of weaving magic via their production of revolutionary gadgets. Eco-friendly gadgets and alternate sources of energy are now more popular than ever before thanks to their innovative designs.

Photosynthesis is a device by designer Vivien Muller, which is a solar-cell bonsai lookalike, tree charger. You can charge your cell, your Mp3 player or a number of other electronic gadgets by plugging in to the tree. With its’ 57 photovoltaic panels, the sun can power your tree during the day. Obviously you need to place it close to a window with plenty of sunshine and it will just go about doing its job quietly.

While the entire concept looks great and the ‘Metallic’ look is really futuristic, it would have been nice if it had little dots of LED that would be powered up at night to create a more spectacular visual display. Since LEDs consume little power, it would still be ideal for charging up your gadgets. Irrespective of all that, Photosynthesis lives up to its name for sure.

Via Yankodesign

It seems that whenever we talk about alternate sources of energy, the only two sources that come to our mind are Solar and Wind Energy. That is indeed not all too surprising as most of the world is pretty capable of harnessing these two forms of energy and they are more extensively available that ‘Geothermal Energy’. That is apparently what we used to believe until recently, but as always researchers have altered our notions by showing us that over 120,000 MW of untapped low-temperature geothermal energy lies in the US alone!

Raser Technologies and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson broke ground on New Mexico’s first geothermal power plant. Situated at Lightning Dock near Animas, the new plant will incorporate an innovative binary liquid technology that allows it to make use of the site’s low levels of geothermal energy. The project will be one of the first geothermal plants in the nation to incorporate the new breed of low-temperature technology featured in Raser’s proprietary modular power plants.

Each individual generation unit is manufactured off-site, delivered to the location, and rapidly installed to create, in essence, a geothermal farm with multiple 450 kW units. Raser Technologies anticipates the first 10 MW of power generation will be online by early next year (2009). Phase II of the project will add another 15 MW of power, for a total of 25 MW, which is enough to power nearly fifteen thousand homes. This technology holds exciting prospects, as recently the US Geological Survey identified over 120,000 MW of untapped low temperature geothermal resources in the US.

Via: Inhabitat

This is the irony of the eco-world portrayed at its very best as we use the red hot sun to make ice as and when we need it. This is probably why we call the Sun as the ultimate source of energy. It pretty much can do everything- from melting huge glaciers to now creating ice with its heat energy. Of course, it is not without a little helping hand from science and the creative brilliance of some folk at San Jose State University, but that is something we would gladly take any day.

This zero-emission solar powered icemaker is not just a revolution because of the touch of irony that it brings in but it paves way for future technology that could provide emission-free cooling solutions. In simple terms, all refrigerators and even air conditioners could very well be solar powered very soon and at an affordable price. Considering how the air conditioning part of home devices consumes tons of energy across the planet, this is indeed a welcome change.

It works like this: the solar icemaker uses a refrigerant liquid that evaporates when exposed to the sun. The vapor travels through pipes that come into contact an absorbent material, which cools when the sun goes down. Once the slow-cooling absorbent hits 104°F, the refrigerant turns back into a liquid and its temperature drops like a rock to below freezing because of pressure differences. Now water exposed to these vapors turns instantly to ice. The icemaker makes about 14 pounds of ice per day and that should be pretty much enough for you to have pet Penguins!

Via: Dvice

Wind Energy is one alternative source of power that has been under-utilized and especially since Solar Power has really taken off in the last decade. But harnessing the power of the wind could be essential in our effort to cut down our dependence on conventional sources of energy. If we wish to go green with our energy production and consumption in a grand fashion then we need to try and cap every possible source of energy. California Edison seems to be doing exactly that with its new project that taps in to the energy of the wind.

Southern California Edison (SCE) signed a 20-year contract with DCE, an affiliate of Caithness Energy, which will provide up to 909 megawatts of wind power. The project, called Caithness Shepherd’s Flat, involves the installation of 303 wind turbines across 30 square miles in Gilliam and Morrow Counties in North-Central Oregon between 2011 and 2012. Shepherd’s Flat is expected to generate 2 billion kilowatt-hours per year of renewable energy, which is more than one-tenth of SCE’s overall renewable portfolio. Looking at the numbers though one wonders if SCE is a bit superstitious about figures- 909 megawatts of power from 303 windmills spread across 30 square miles!

The project though, will benefit SCE customers because it requires no additional or upgraded transmission lines, which significantly lessens the time it takes for a power plant of this magnitude to come on line. Developers say that once completed, the Caithness project will be one of the world’s largest fully permitted wind farms. It is indeed nice to see such new avenues being explored considering the increasing pressure on conventional resources and growing crude oil prices.

Via: Nextenergynews