clean energy

Everybody wants to have a cleaner Earth, but few of them take any actions. One of those people is Doug Selsam, who designed high-power wind turbines that can generate enough energy to power a home. The wind turbines measure about 14-18 inches in diameter and they can generate an impressive amount of 200 watts for a 20 mph wind, but the wind turbines could do better if the winds are stronger.

“Two administrative law judges recommended today that power lines should not be built across west-central Minnesota from the proposed coal-fired plant on the South Dakota side of Big Stone Lake. The decision is a major victory in the fight to combat climate change.”

5 cents per kWh is claimed by a new company that combines extreme solar concentrators with hardy solar panels. To market next year!

If the U.S. moved aggressively to start harnessing the solar power it receives daily, it could generate enough clean energy to meet the country’s needs many times over, according to a new report from Environment Florida.

The European Parliament has set a target of having 25% of their energy come from renewable energy by 2020. Of that 25%, half is planned to come from wind energy.

Europe is already well on their way to making this happen as well, with 5 countries (Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Germany) having more than 5% of their energy provided by wind farms. Currently there exists 80 GW of installed wind capacity in the EU, though only 3.5 GW of that is derived from wind farms built off-shore.

Study from McKinsey explores methods to reduce emissions. Findings: some countries can reduce 2030 emissions by up to 70% of projected levels with little or no cost. Some opportunities (eg increasing energy efficiency) are even profitable. Study claims these haven't been implemented so far because of market imperfections and lack of awareness.

southwest looks like Saudi Ariabia of solar power

rapid growth of U.S. wind power depicted in maps

Beautiful graphic from the Department of Energy that depicts conversion of biomass into cellulose.

Bahrain builds world's largest building-integrated wind-turbines and they sure are gorgeous.

A short history of the most ambitious government research project you've never heard about.

The Department of Energy is using synthetic biology to create new sources of clean energy.

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) speaks at a press conference supporting tax credits aimed at incentivizing investment in renewable energy projects, touting the growing number of bipartisan cosponsors.

The four-day ROTHBURY music and camping festival is being promoted as a “cultural assembly; one where music fans, artists and progressive thinkers gather to celebrate much more than music.” It is Rothbury’s goal to harness the unique energy of the live music community into a durable social movement toward an important cause: Climate Change and Clean Energy Alternatives.

A wonderful blog by Kelly Fuller, an activist fighting SDG&E's destructive Sunrise Powerlink, which is being greenwashed as bringing renewable energy from the desert to San Diego. Kelly walked most of the length of this powerline through the desert in order to raise awareness about it.