Posts Tagged renewable energy

Wind Turbines + Batteries = Stable Power Supplies

Posted by Leigh Kim in Wind Power on May 9, 2013

By pairing a hybrid wind turbine’s battery with a wind-forecasting algorithm, wind farm operators might be able to guarantee a specified amount of power output for nearly an hour. If this pairing is possible, then integrating intermittent renewable energy might become much easier and lower the cost of wind power. It’s difficult to determine the [...]

New Simpler Flow Battery for Grid Storage Developed at Stanford University

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy Storage on April 25, 2013

The development of grid storage solutions is critical if the power grid is to switch to entirely renewable energy sources. The problem is that renewable energy is largely weather-dependent, so we need backup power sources to take up the slack when demand outstrips the supply of renewable energy. This often means that conventional fossil fuel [...]

Zinc-Iron Redox Flow Battery for Grid Energy Storage Almost Ready for Market

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy Storage on April 24, 2013

Working under the radar for years, Zinc-Air Inc. is probably a battery company that you’ve never heard of, but now that they’re maybe six months away from marketing a new grid energy storage battery, they’re coming out of hiding. Who can blame them? Startup battery companies have often overhyped, not only their technology, but also [...]

Senator Wyden Calls For Equal Tax Treatment of Renewable Energy and Fossil Fuels

Posted by Benji Jerew in Green Policy on April 16, 2013

There’s no doubt about it, development of renewable energy is time consuming and expensive, which is probably why it isn’t nearly as advanced as fossil fuel energy sources. Tax incentives and federal funding have done much to bring renewable energy out of the lab and into the real world. Solar installations, electric vehicles and biofuels [...]

New Jersey Expanding Renewable Energy and Grid Storage

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy Storage, Green Policy on April 13, 2013

By 2020, New Jersey has a goal of having 22.5% of renewable energy generation and could be funding storage solutions in the near future. Big goals are fine, and New Jersey is actually just 3rd in the nation, behind California and Arizona, in the number of solar installations. It may seem counterintuitive to cut funding [...]

Renewable Energy Industry Expanding Rapidly and Attracting Investors

Posted by Mila Luleva in Energy news on March 14, 2013

According to a report released earlier this week by the renewable energy research firm Clean Edge, renewable sources supplied much greater amounts of energy in 2012, but the high costs of solar photovoltaic panels prevented the industry from increasing the revenue by more than 1%. In addition, new installations of solar panels bring down the [...]

German Automakers Install Renewable Energy Systems, a Win, Win, Win Situation

Posted by Benji Jerew in Car industry, Green Policy on March 5, 2013

In Germany, industrial businesses pay a premium on renewable energy, a tax which seems to be funding the development and and installation of further renewable energy plants and the decommissioning of fossil fuel and nuclear plants. For German automakers, though, whose sales are suffering, how can they pay renewable energy taxes and develop and manufacture [...]

Renewable Energy and the Mafia: an Intertwined History

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Energy news on March 2, 2013

There seems to be some sort of link between renewable energy and the mafia. The Italian Police have recently uncovered another tie linking Cosa Nostra (Our Thing) to legitimate businesses, including those in renewable energy. More than $2 billion have been confiscated from the mafia by the police. The law enforcement agency also seized 30 [...]

Renewable Power Generation in U.S. Cheaper Than Coal, Gas

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy news, Solar Power, Wind Power on February 25, 2013

The renewable power generation added to the U.S. grid in January 2013 has been found to be less expensive than fossil fuels. The demand for electricity is generally and consistently on the rise, and there are three ways to combat it. First, changing the way we use electricity has a big impact, not only on [...]

Alaska Champions Geothermal Power, Plans Leasing Rights Public Offering

Posted by Leigh Kim in Geothermal Power on February 12, 2013

In Alaska’s Lower Cook Inlet, home of the active Augustine Volcano, the Division of Oil and Gas plans to offer the public the chance to bid for leasing rights on the entirety of Augustine Island, its tidelands, and surrounding waters. This amounts to close to 66,000 acres of state-owned land. On May 8, the lease [...]

Electric Vehicles’ Impact on Environment Depending on Location: Study

Posted by Benji Jerew in Climate Change, Electric Vehicles on February 8, 2013

Electric vehicles are touted as “zero-emissions” vehicles in all of their advertising. In the case of the vehicle itself, this is absolutely true, since there is no fuel being burned in the vehicle, and therefore no emissions of any kind. Once you get outside the vehicle, though, and consider the charging station and what part [...]

Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels, Report Says

Posted by Benji Jerew in Green Policy, Wind Power on February 8, 2013

For many proponents of keeping the status quo, that is, sticking with fossil fuels for our energy needs, a common claim will be, “Fossil fuels are cheaper than renewable energy.” This may have been true twenty years ago, or even five years ago, but according to a recent report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance [BNEF], [...]

Germany and France On The Right Way to Renewable Energy Transition

Posted by Mila Luleva in Energy news on January 19, 2013

Despite numerous efforts of critics and opponents of renewable energy to undermine the importance of solar and wind, and to stimulate burning of fossil fuels as an energy source, they cannot keep up with current technological advances and sustainable development policies. Various green energy projects demonstrate that the key to ‘cleaner’ future is to create [...]

World’s First Global Atlas of Renewable Energy Sources Created by IRENA

Posted by Leigh Kim in Energy news on January 16, 2013

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has created the Global Atlas of Renewable Energy Sources reference guide in order to help countries determine their renewable energy generating potential. The atlas is a compilation of data and maps from the world’s leading technical institutions and private companies. The atlas meticulously tracks wind and solar resources. This atlas sets [...]

Renewable Sources Could Provide 50% of UK Electricity

Posted by Mila Luleva in Energy news on December 12, 2012

The British government is exploring various sources for electricity purchases. Cabinet office minister, Francis Maude is first to make a statement, claiming that ‘Energy for Growth’ will make use of the fact that the government is the biggest energy customer and will shape the market for the benefit of everyone. The UK takes part in [...]