alternative energy Archives – The Green Optimistic

World’s Top Oil Exporters Investing in Alternative Energy

Guest Contributor — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 21:30:44 +0000

With oil prices trading at all time lows on the global market top oil exporting countries are investing more resources into alternative energy. Solar and wind power are growing at above average rates in many Middle Eastern countries. At the fourth Abu Dahabi Sustainability Week 2016 where representatives from 170 countries met to put the Paris […]

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5 Things Green Energy Can Learn from Shale Fracking

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 19:05:29 +0000

Renewable energy is becoming more mainstream by the day, but the industry still faces great challenges when it comes to actually integrating newer, cleaner technologies. In the United States, the shale fracking industry has long loomed large as a primary source of energy for the last decade or more, in part thanks to assistance from […]

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7 Strange Alternative Sources of Energy

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 19:20:38 +0000

Solar, wind and hydropower are in the news everyday now. What seemed unusual in the past is mainstream today, and the following forms of energy may reach the same level of ubiquity in society one day. However, to the modern ear, the following list of energy sources will sound very strange indeed. Here are the […]

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Chevron and BP Ditch Alternative Energy

Leigh Hutchens — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 01:57:49 +0000

Despite their fancy and expensive commercials about their dedication to renewable energy, Chevron and BP have decided to pull the plug on solar and wind energy. During one of its We Agree ads, Chevron famously stated, “Renewable energy is vital to our planet. At Chevron, we’re investing millions in solar and biofuel technologies.” To put […]

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Wind and Solar Power Overtaking Fossil Fuels in US

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 17:58:30 +0000

Purchase agreements for wind farms and solar projects in the United States continue to grow at the cost for wind energy and solar power decreases. 25% of all contracts for wind power are in Texas and they are regularly below $30/MWh, with some are as low at $25/MWh. Advances in equipment is lifting capacity factors […]

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2012 Saw Less Energy Consumption and Less Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the U.S.

Adele Hall — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 17:53:36 +0000

The United States emitted less carbon dioxide in energy consumption in 2012. Though this doesn’t mean the U.S. is in the clear, it is a sign that there are improvements on the way. The Energy Information Administration released a report that showed as we use energy, the carbon dioxide we emit dropped 3.8 percent in […]

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

Benji Jerew — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:24:49 +0000

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 […]

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Renewable Energy and the Mafia: an Intertwined History

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:20:28 +0000

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 […]

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Renewable Sources Could Provide 50% of UK Electricity

Mila Luleva — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:41:59 +0000

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 […]

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Use of Renewable Energy Leading to Savings by 2030, Study Finds

Mila Luleva — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:18:39 +0000

A study published in the Journal of Power Sources claims that a large electric grid could be powered by renewable sources 99.9% of time and at a comparable to today’s electricity price by year 2030. The research jointly conducted by scientists at the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical Community College reveals that the demands […]

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Germany’s Alternative Energy Efforts Have a Long Way to Go

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 05:37:55 +0000

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), an advocacy organization for alternative energy, conducted a comprehensive study to determine how German households and businesses bankrolled energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts. The billionaire hedge fund manager, George Sorros, financed the study. In 2010, Germany spent 1.5% of their gross domestic product on alternative energy subsidies, amounting to […]

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China’s Energy Revolution Officially Announced by President Hu Jintao

Benji Jerew — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:55:46 +0000

When most countries hit their industrial revolutions, there are usually no second thoughts about pollution, including greenhouse gases [GHG]. China, the second-biggest economy on the in the world and largest GHG emitter, was no different, and now, as manufacturing is taking off and its market is picking up, regulators are planning to clamp down on […]

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US Military Turning to Renewable Energy Sources

Mila Luleva — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:22:38 +0000

Switching to green energy is becoming even more popular, as the Department of Defence announced their plans to fulfil 25% of the energy needs of the Pentagon using renewable sources by year 2025. This decision was made as the need for oil to supply convoys is threatened by the depleting natural resources. There is no doubt that the plans […]

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Paper Assesses Energy Development’s Impact on Wildlife

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 07:58:23 +0000

Scientists from Colorado State University’s Warner College of Natural Resources, George Wittemyer and Joseph Northrup, have published a paper assessing the impact of booming energy development on wildlife and proposing mitigation strategies and a more collaborative research to achieve a thorough understanding between the energy technology and wildlife. In their research paper entitled, “Characterizing the […]

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Denmark and Scotland Hailed as Europe’s Greatest Alternative Energy Producers

Guest Contributor — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:33:11 +0000

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently marked its 40th anniversary in this year’s World Environment Day. The theme in the celebrations was ‘The Green Economy’ which in itself leads to a scrutiny of how well the world has adapted or at least embraced green technology. For instance, you might want to look into Europe, […]

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UK and Denmark to Throw Cables at Each Other for Transferring Wind Power

Guest Contributor — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:41:25 +0000

UK and Denmark are contemplating and studying options to construct a connector power cable between them to facilitate the import and export of the renewable wind energy that they both generate so as to increase market competition. This is according to a Monday report given by the countries’ grid operators. An initial interconnector study will […]

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Solar Power Doesn’t Get Subsidized More Than Coal, Study Reports

Guest Contributor — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:36:37 +0000

Complaints that renewable solar energy has received special incentives advanced by the U.S. government different from its support for traditional energy sources may be unfounded, reports Reuters. The said report was derived from a solar-industry backed report. This was a published assessment by researching scientists from the University of Tennessee’s Baker Center for Public Policy […]

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“Oil, not Alternative Energy, is the Future…”

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:33:34 +0000

Usually I look for and read stuff related to alternative energy, electric cars, things that aren’t that obtrusive to the environment and that don’t harm our children and our planet’s future health. I have never thought for one second that in the 21st century someone can say: “Oil, not Alternative Energy, is the Future” For […]

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Gravel Energy Storage System Funded by Bill Gates

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:07:37 +0000

The inventor, Aaron Fyke, says his gravel-energy storage system is more efficient and 40% cheaper than pumped hydro, and can be installed virtually anywhere there’s a hill and can be scaled up to virtually any size. With the ascent of renewable energy sources, electric cars and a generally higher energy demand from consumers, energy utilities […]

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Greece Seeks Economic Comeback In Huge Solar Power Project

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:58:48 +0000

Once an empire, Greece is now confronted with maybe the country’s most harsh economic crisis since its birth in ancient times. However, solar power seems to represent part of Greece’s salvation, just like Archimedes’ solar rays once saved them from the enemy. Gioros Papaconstantinou, Greece’s Environment Minister, recently unveiled a $28 billion plan for building […]

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Arab Oil Prince Fears Rising Gas Prices, GE Forecasts Dawn of Solar Power

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:21:28 +0000

If you haven't been watching the news for the past few years, there's a war going on in the world of energy. While Arab Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the 19th richest person in the world and one of the ones who make a huge profit from oil, said to CNN he's worried about the prices of oil going up, Mark M. Little from GE tells Bloomberg that in 3 to 5 years we'll be able to produce electricity from solar panels for as little as 15 cents/kW, far less than by using oil.

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NYU Professor Points Out Why Alternative Energy Production Doesn't Grow As Expected

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:36:49 +0000

There are scientists who are optimistic about the chances we have to heal the planet and reduce its warming, scientists who are definitely rejecting anything related to global warming, saying it doesn't exist, and scientists who are butt-kickers and telling the world what works and what doesn't. Martin Hoffert, from the University of New York, is one of the third kind, in my opinion.

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Powering The Future: Discovery Channel's Newest Show on Alternative Energy Premiering June 17

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:01:45 +0000

The 4 hour show is going to be hosted by a specialist in alternative energy: Dr. M. Sanjayan, lead scientist at The Nature Conservancy. Its purpose is to identify how humanity could tap "a clean, limitless, secure energy supply and addressing how it could possibly be delivered."

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EU Planning on Building An European Renewable Energy "Supergrid"

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:45:52 +0000

The first electricity grid dedicated to renewable power becomes a political reality this month, because nine European countries draw up plans to link their clean energy projects around the North Sea.

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Charge Your Gadgets With Regen ReNu Solar Charger

Cristi — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:23:17 +0000

Regen ReNu is a good alternative solution to power you gadgets free of charge. The ReNu charging device has a solar panel design which could fit very well into a modern environment. The ReNu can be used to charge a variety of electronic gadgets like the iPhone, iPod or other USB devices.

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How to use solar energy at night or during rainy days

Cristi — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 11:23:38 +0000

In Granada- Spain, German scientists of Solar Millennium AG, have developed a solar-thermal power plant called Andasol 1. The most interesting thing about this power plant is that it can produce energy even when the sun is not shining: at night, on clouding or even rainy days.

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GEM Machine Produces Energy and Heat from Garbage

Cristi — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:13:48 +0000

The company IST Energy has developed a shipping container called Green Energy Machine (GEM) which can turn trash into electricity and heat. The machine is very useful for office parks, universities, hospitals and town municipality which could get their electricity from their own garbage disposal. A major factor is reduced costs from garbage disposal and as well reduced CO2 emissions from combustion. The machine does pollute as it's using a process called gasification but not as much as combustion.

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Everything We do Emits Heat – Bad in the Long Run, or Not?

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:06:05 +0000

I don't know what to believe anymore, sometimes. We seem to run of global warming, we reduce pollution and try to "green" ourselves through electric cars, solar cells and wind mills, yet scientists (as if all this global warming mess is all on their football field) say there will still be global warming due to the heat our machines, as a whole, emit in the ecosystem.

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Volvo puts its mind towards alternative energy

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:36:24 +0000

On climate, on energy security, time is not on our side. Researchers at NOAA, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, say that the record heat of 2006 was, in large part, caused by us. Researchers at NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, conclude in a article in Earth Observatory – “Greenland’s Ice Island […]

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