Just say no
Just say no
County council has asked the McGuinty government to put a moratorium on wind energy development in Prince Edward County on Monday night. In doing so, they join many other Ontario municipalities in rebuking the Ontario government’s attempts to override local authority over the development of wind energy projects in their jurisdiction.
Posted in 
Cool things that are green about Europe
IN THE AIR…
The hills are alive in Austria…with not only the Sound of Music, but with the sights of 500-foot tall, giant wind turbines scattered among the land. While I found them intriguing, most of my fellow travelers thought they were unattractive and went so far as to say they ruined the scenic views. I was thrilled seeing them, they represented power, wind power, something I get very excited about. These giants really did bring the hills to life, they constantly turn! Parts of Europe have used wind power for over 40 years with much success. According to Wikipedia, there are 12,000 wind turbines in Europe already! My thoughts: Make wind generators more attractive and place them in less conspicuous areas, far from the scenic highways. Camouflage might be nice! Heck, let’s just get them and we’ll worry about the look later!
How Is Wind Energy Used? – How Is Wind Energy Used Today
How Is Wind Energy Used?
Our earth is surrounded with air, which forms an envelope. This wind energy can be utilized as a major source of renewable energy, which can solve the grave problem of energy crisis, which the world today is facing.
Wind is a natural element which is generated by the process of unequal heating of the earth’s surface. Because of this phenomenon the winds which can be slow or strong winds can be generated. The speed of these winds can thus be utilized to not only generate electricity but also at the same time it produces cleaner source of energy, which is pollution free.
Over infrastructure investments
The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab estimated it would cost at least $43 billion to upgrade the nation’s electric system to move to 20 percent wind by 2030. Photo: Travel Aficionado, Flickr
By now, the Obama administration has made clear it wants to ramp up the use of renewable energy, calling it a key to the nation’s leadership in the 21st century. And some in Congress are hoping to pass a federal renewable energy standard, requiring the production of more wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy.
Bill Gates Goes Totally Nuclear In New Startup Investment
Hunting down viable, eco-friendly energy options that don’t rely on fossil fuel deposits is perhaps one of the greatest challenges that man has faced in recent memory. This quest is made all the more pressing by palpable signs that global warming may indeed be more legitimate than we’d like to acknowledge. Proponents of nuclear power are metaphorically jumping up and down these days, waving their hands in the air and saying, “Pick me! Pick me!!” because in theory, power generated from atomic energy releases minimal CO2 (as opposed to coal and natural gas power plants) at far less fiscal cost than conventional sources — but what about the environmental cost? Everyone remembers what happened at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl…
Research and Sciences
The theme of Science Year 2010 is “The Future of Energy”. Ferdi Schüth, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr and Vice President of the German Research Foundation, explains where Germany leads in energy research and what the energy supply of tomorrow could look like.
Prof. Schüth, what fields are covered by energy research? And what is their key question?
The spectrum of energy research ranges from the supplying of energy and its efficient utilization and transformation to its storage. The key question is how to get away from fossil fuel energy sources. Their reserves are finite, and the burning of coal, gas and oil is harmful to the climate.
Global Warming Will Not Lower Wind Energy Potential
Myths About Climate ChangeNovember 9, 2010 | Jackson School of Geosciences The Jackson School of Geosciences is addressing eight myths about climate change…
Be Careful How You Pitch Climate ChangeDecember 8, 2010 | UC Berkeley “Dire or emotionally charged warnings about the consequences of global warming can…
Heat Islands in Climate Change ModelsSeptember 17, 2010 | University Corporation for Atmospheric Research “A team of scientists led by NCAR’s Keith Oleson has incorporated urban…
FuturePundit: Dow Brings Out Line Of Photovoltaic Solar Shingles
Dow Brings Out Line Of Photovoltaic Solar Shingles
Using thin film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) coated onto roof tiles Dow is going into the business of selling solar photovoltaic tiles for roofs.
The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) today unveiled its line of DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle, revolutionary photovoltaic solar panels in the form of solar shingles that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials. The solar shingle systems are expected to be available in limited quantities by mid-2010 and projected to be more widely available in 2011, putting the power of solar electricity generation directly and conveniently in the hands of homeowners.
Sweeping Down the Plain |
Driving west on Route 66 in western Oklahoma, our car’s instrument reads 58 miles per gallon. We’re riding in a 2000 Honda Insight, one of the most fuel-efficient hybrid cars, even a decade after its introduction.
Over a rise, we suddenly see them – dozens of wind turbines gracefully turning in the breeze around Weatherford. Our green car has met a green energy source.
Weatherford Wind Energy Center
FPL Energy built most of this wind farm, the Weatherford Wind Energy Center, in 2005. The total number of turbines will be 98 when it’s through. Each turbine stands more than 300 feet tall and generates 1.5 megawatts. During a typically breezy day, the wind farm will produce enough electricity for 44,000 homes.
Micro Wind Turbines
Micro (or personal) wind turbines are sprouting on the rooftops of many UK homes in an effort to defeat our addiction to fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Laudable goals, but most of these ‘off-the-shelf’ roof-mounted wind turbines struggle to generate enough electricity to power a single light bulb.