Reuters is reporting that methane could be the solutions for storage of extra electricity produce by wind and solar power. Scientists have discovered a microbe, Methanobacterium palustre, that can convert electricity directly into methane as long as you add a little hydrogen to the mix. The problem is that methane is also a greenhouse gas […]
Continue ReadingThe New York Power Authority has reversed an earlier decision regarding a potential Yahoo data center considered for the western part of the state. One of the points of contention has been Yahoo’s desire to acquire low cost hydropower from Niagara Falls for its new facility. The new Yahoo data center could start building as […]
Continue ReadingOnce the cost of solar energy reaches the same price as electricity from the grid, then the state of “grid parity” will exist. California is close to grid parity now as it is one of the sunniest states with some of the highest utility bills. At this point consumers may see the value of installing […]
Continue ReadingPresident Obama this week toughened the CAFE standards for cars and light trucks beginning in 2016 giving automakers the 7 years they need to develop a whole new line of fuel efficient vehicles. The present CAFE standards are 27.5 MPG for cars and 24 MPG for light trucks. The light truck standards will increase to […]
Continue ReadingThe last time I talked about the Fisker plug-in hybrid car was December 2007. At that point it was a month shy of making its worldwide debut at the Detroit Auto Show. Now, the Fisker Karma has made it long awaited debut in San Jose, California. The Fisker Karma combines gas-sipping plug-in hybrid green technology […]
Continue ReadingAccording to Dutch researchers chlorosomes filled with chlorophyll in green bacteria may hold the secrets to more efficient solar technology. In plants, small antenna can hold up to 250,000 chlorophyll molecules that absorb sunlight. The sunlight is then converted into chemical energy. The Dutch scientists are using concentric nanotubes to replicate the structure of plants […]
Continue ReadingWell, a few years ago General Motors and the other major automakers killed the electric car. This week, President Obama decided to give the EV’s mouth to mouth resuscitation while stabbing a knife in the heart of hydrogen cars. The Obama Administration and DOE have just decided to cut the hydrogen car budget by 60-percent. […]
Continue ReadingForget the large utility scale three bladed wind turbines, or even the two bladed bird Cuisinarts, there is a uniquely designed wind generator that is now turning heads. Optiwind has come out with its Optiwind 150 & 300 Compact Wind Accelerating Turbines. The six small five-bladed turbines parallel each other (three on a side) around […]
Continue ReadingOne of the issues with a massive rollout of electric vehicle has been the question of how much this will tax the aging electrical grid. One possible solution that may help take the burden off during peak hours is smart charging. The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a smart charger controller that […]
Continue ReadingA geological rupture at a geothermal plant in Australia has caused a setback for an alternative energy company called Geodynamics Ltd. There was an explosion recently at the remote Cooper Basin that caused the plant to shut down. Nobody was injured and nothing toxic escaped. In fact the only thing currently spewing into the air […]
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