We're cleaning up our seas and skies through innovative alternative energy technology fueled by algae, waste and the sun.

From the world’s first algae and waste-powered planes, to the world’s largest solar-powered boat, new conservation technology is cleaning up transit by sea and air. Just yesterday we got our first look at the world’s largest solar-powered boat. Also this month, we got wind of U.S. and British plans to fly planes using two new alternative energy technologies — algae-fueled jets for the U.S. military and waste-powered planes for British Airways.

BY SEA

Thirty-one meters long and 15 meters wide, the new PlanetSolar is now the world’s largest solar-powered boat, equipped with 500 square meters of photovoltaic solar panels. Though it can currently travel at an average speed of 9 mph, that rate is expected to double – hopefully in time for PlanetSolar’s scheduled 2011 voyage around the world.

Equipped with what are considered the highest efficiency solar cells on the market today, it is no surprise that the world’s largest solar-powered boat comes with a hefty pricetag — $24.4 million.

BY AIR

Algae-Based Jet Fuel

Under the Obama administration, there is a commitment of $80 million toward the research and development of a new generation of algae and biomass fuels. To that end, the Pentagon says they are just months away from making algae fuel for military jet planes cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels.

Here’s how it works. When algae grows it absorbs carbon dioxide. When algae is burned in the form of jet fuel, it releases the previously absorbed carbon dioxide. So in theory, algae produces a zero-carbon fuel .

Aside from helping the military achieve its goal of getting half of its energy from renewable fuels by 2016, algae-based jet fuel could improve the logistics of delivering fuel for jets in the field as it can be produced on site.

Waste-Based Jet Fuel

On the commercial end of alternative jet fuels, British Airways is ahead of the curve. To meet its own goal of generating 10 percent of its fuel from renewable resources by 2014, the airline is investing in the development of waste-based jet fuel. This goal is part of a broader mission of cutting British Airways greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050.

British Airways is building a plant that will convert waste into fuel – specifically, 500,000 tons of organic waste into 16 millions gallons of jet fuel, annually. The process is one in which trash is turned into a biosynthetic gas that is then converted into liquid fuel.

Certainly we’re a long way off from algae, waste or solar providing an affordable, practical means for fueling boats and planes on a mass scale. However, what is on the horizon, especially by way of jet fuel, is a promising migration toward a real revolution led by those best-equipped to inspire large-scale change — the military and business enterprise.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy algae, boat, Conservation, jet fuel, photovoltaic cells, PlanetSolar, Solar, U.S. military, waste

South Dakota schools and non-profits awarded $2.8 million for renewable energy projects.

Add another $2.8 million awarded under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). South Dakota schools and non-profits are the recipients of a zero-interest long-term federal stimulus loan for clean energy projects – like wind and solar – in K through 12 school districts, state technical schools and non-profits.

The EECBG is a grant program funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. There is $2.7 billion available through this grant program, of which more than $2 billion has already been awarded through more than 1,800 loans to communities all across the United States.

With its $2.8 million, South Dakota can invest in:

• Wind turbines
• Solar panels
• Heat pumps
• Installation of efficient lighting
• Energy-efficient heat and a/c systems

You can take a look at all grantees of these zero-interest long-term loans for clean energy projects, including the 1) name of applicant, 2) state, 3) type of grantee, and 4) loan amount. It’s a long list to scroll through, but all 50 states appear to be represented!

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, clean energy, EECBG, federal stimulus, Renewable Energy, Solar, South Dakota, Wind, zero-interest loan

Bloom Energy says the Bloom Box will get us off the grid.

Since the world got its first glimpse at the Bloom Box during 60 Minutes Sunday night, Bloom Energy has monopolized the clean energy news. This ”secretive Silicon Valley startup,” as it is has come to be known, produces fuel cell technology that promises to get us off the grid and power our homes and businesses cleaner and cheaper. Skeptics expect we’ll be disappointed, doubting the Bloom Box can replace wind or solar as the renewable energy alternative of choice.

THE BLOOM BOX

As Bloom Energy founder K. R. Sridhar explained to Lesley Stahl during the 60 minutes interview, the fuel cell itself is made of beach sand. They bake this sand then cut it into squares. Each side of this square receives a different coat of secret formula paint — one black, one green.

The more of these fuel cells they stack on top of one another, the more power it’s going to produce through a combination of oxygen and fuel. It’s the chemical reation of these two elements combined that produces electricity.

“Our system can run on fossil fuels,” says Sridhar, “like natural gas. Our system can run on renewable energy from the landfill, bio-gas. You can use solar.”

THE PROMISE

Sridhar, who originally invented a similar device for NASA, also says:

• 2 Bloom Boxes can power one American home
• 1 Bloom Box can power one European home and four Asian homes
• 64 Bloom Boxes can power a small business, like a Starbucks
• The cost of a Bloom Box will ultimately be as low as $3,000
• Every home will have one within 10 years time

THE PESSIMISM

Skeptics say it’s doubtful Bloom Energy can do what no other clean energy company has been able to do thus far — produce fuel cell technology that can be produced on a mass scale both quickly and affordably. In fact, Bloom Energy is only able to produce one Bloom Box a day, and that’s with 10 years of development and $400 million behind it.

THE PROOF

Though the potential for mass production remains to be seen, one thing is certain. The Bloom Box does work, as can be attested by Google, eBay, FedEx and Staples, just a handful of the 20 bigname companies who Sridhar counts among his clientele.

In fact, Bloom Energy’s official launch today is at eBay headquarters where the technology has saved the company over $100,000 in electricity bills in just a few months time.

“It’s about seeing the world as what it can be,” says Sridhar, “not what it is.”

Meredith Simonds Fuel Cells, Renewable Energy Bloom Box, Bloom Energy, clean energy, ebay, fuel cell, launch, Sridhar

By 2020, California needs 33 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources.

It’s been a little over a year since California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the executive order requiring the state to generate 33 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, like wind and solar, by 2020. This week two announcements are helping to pave the way toward that end goal.

On Monday, the California State Senate approved a bill that could help the California Energy Commission speed up the permit process for pending renewable energy projects — 11 of them that state officials are hoping will garner federal loan guarantees for their completion. Swift action is required, as receving these loans is dependent on breaking ground on these projects by the end of 2010.

Case in point: Also on Monday, the federal government gave a tentative greenlight to a federal loan guarantee for a huge solar energy project in the Mojave Desert. Specifically, this loan would provide $1.4 billion toward the construction of three solar energy plants that will produce enough electricity to power 140,000 homes.

Both devlopments are pending finalization. The California State Senate bill now goes to the Assembly for approval. As for the Mojave Desert solar energy project, there are some environmental and financial loose ends to address. However, each appears poised to move forward.

At a time when nuclear energy development seems at the forefront of U.S. renewable energy ambitions, it’s nice to see support of California’s own solar and wind ambitions in the mix.

Meredith Simonds Nuclear Power, Renewable Energy, Solar 2020, California, California Energy Commission, Governor Schwarzenegger, Mojave Desert, nuclear, Renewable Energy, Senate bill, Solar, Wind

We talk about wind and solar, but the race we seem to be running is nuclear.

“Made in China.” Them are fighting words in the renewable energy race. And as The New York Times reported earlier this month, China is winning, now the world leader in the production of wind and solar energy technology. As noted  by the CEO of a  Beijing private equity fund that focuses on renewable energy, “Most of the energy equipment will carry a brass plate, ‘Made in China.’”

Fast forward to Friday at a renewable energy jobs summit in Aurora, Colorado. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu referenced China’s $9 billion per month investment in renewable energy — motivation to rally the troops, stating “America has the opportunity to lead the world in a new industrial revolution.” Yet his big announcement on the heels of that statement was less than impressive.

The federal government plans to invest $8 million in stimulus money toward helping 43 communities across the country make emergency plans to restore power systems in the event of natural or other disasters. Certainly it is a noble endeavor, but $8 million divided among 43 communities doesn’t sound like enough to make much of an impact.

Presumably these emergency plans will involve renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, though all the coverage I’ve read from the event notes Chu’s promotion of nuclear energy. In fact, nuclear seems to be the Obama administration’s golden child of renewable energy sources, as President Obama’s budget includes $54 billion set aside for nuclear power projects.

Though the administration is seemingly making strides toward the development of other renewable energy sources too (e.g., working with 11 East Coast states to expedite the process of offshore wind turbines), something tells me the only renewable energy race we’re truly intent on winning is the nucelar one with a sign at the finish line that reads “Made in the USA.”

Meredith Simonds Nuclear Power, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind Power China, Made in China, nuclear, Renewable Energy, renewable energy race, Solar, Steven Chu, U.S. Energy Secretary, Wind

ETI announces world's largest indoor facility for testing offshore wind turbines onshore first

With the Global Wind Energy Council reporting that worldwide wind power was up more 30 percent in 2009, we’re seeing a growing dependence on wind energy. Naturally this leads to an increased interest in technology enabling us to more efficiently and cost-effectively build new wind farms. In addition to the new point-and-click wind (and solar) prospecting tools I blogged about yesterday, there’s another key innovation in wind power development on the horizon.

UK-based Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) this week announced plans to develop the world’s largest indoor testing facility for the next generation of offshore wind farms.

Testing turbines onshore first, within an enclosed controlled infrastructure:

• Lowers electricity costs
• Decreases technical risks associated with mass production
• Generates new prototypes for more efficient and cost-effective equipment
• Increases deployment of new turbines and offshore wind farms

“This test rig will help develop the next generation of offshore wind technology and beyond, meaning that turbine designs can be tested more quickly and cheaply,” says David Kidney, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change.

ETI Chief Executive Dr. David Clarke adds:

“When complete, this world-leading facility will allow turbine manufacturers and engineering teams to test the reliability of their equipment under realistic load conditions without the expense and risk of deploying them offshore.

“It will also offer opportunities to component suppliers and research teams who will be able to test new technologies and designs more comprehensively and to offshore developers who will be able to validate the performance of equipment before putting it into service.”

The ETI is a partnership between international industrial companies with a strong focus on energy, and the UK government. Dr. Clarke notes that this project will serve to attract investment into the UK from companies looking to get involved in the offshore wind sector. If so, I suspect we’ll see the rest of the world take note and invest in indoor turbine testing facilities of their own.

Meredith Simonds Wind Power Energy Technologies Institute, ETI, Global Wind Energy Council, indoor testing facility, offshore wind farms, UK, wind energy

New prospecting tools simplify wind power siting

For the folks on Denmark’s Samso Island, siting the perfect spot for a wind turbine isn’t too much of a challenge. The wind never stops blowing which is why the the island’s 4000 residents are able to get 100 percent of their electricy from wind power. For most people in the rest of the world, utilizing wind to its greatest potential presents more of a challenge, thus the excitement surrounding 3TIER’s adanced prospecting technology, not only for maximizing wind power but solar power too.

3TIER announced this week the launch of its advanced prospecting tools for enabling renewable energy professionals to find the most ideal locations for wind turbines and solar panels.

“These tools provide – for the first time ever – instant and unlimited access to seasonal variability data of wind and solar resources, around the world,” says 3TIER founder and CEO Kenneth Westrick. “Ultimately, these tools will help accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and bring more reliable energy onto the grid.”

POINT-AND-CLICK SYSTEM SIMPLIFIES WIND AND SOLAR SITING

Through what Westrick describes as a simple “point-and-click” system, users of this technology should be able to determine the following wind variables anywhere in the world:

• Monthly mean wind speed
• Annual mean wind speed
• Annual mean wind direction
• Data available for 20 m, 50 m, and 80 m above ground heights

And capabilities regarding solar siting include ability to determine annual and monthly mean Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) and mean Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DIF).

NEW PROSPECTING TOOLS INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIC FEASABILITY

Over the past 20 years the average height of a wind turbine has grown from 40 meters to 90, with some reaching heights of 100 meters. Though the end goal is maximizing the efficiency of wind power, the taller the tower the higher the pricetag. Perhaps 3TIER’s new generation of prospecting tools can help. As Westrick notes, “It is a smarter, faster and more cost-effective way for the industry to identify and prioritize potential sites for more in-depth assessment.”

Click here to learn more about 3TIER’s new prospecting tools for siting wind and solar locations anywhere in the world.

Meredith Simonds Wind Power 3TIER, Denmark, prospecting tools, Renewable Energy, Samso Island, solar power, Wind Power, wind turbines

Bill Gates endorses traveling wave nuclear reactor technology

Though nuclear energy emits zero carbon emissions, the potential hazards associated with disposing of its radioactive waste is a threat that has historically positioned solar energy and wind energy at the top of the list when it comes to producing electricity through alternative fuel sources. However, if Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is right about TerraPower, the clean energy game could change.

BILL GATES TOUTS TRAVELING WAVE NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

At the TED Conference on Friday, Gates endorsed TerraPower as the clean energy solution to our climate change problems. Gates is a principal owner of this technology based on a “traveling wave nuclear reactor design” that utilizes nuclear waste as fuel for producing clean energy. Not only does Gates say it’s safer than current nuclear plants, but also that it is more reliable than solar or wind.

Though most applaud the technology itself, critics say the price makes TerraPower impractical, as further research and testing will cost millions of dollars and building a test unit will run into the billions. However, Gates says the market will drive this price down once the technology is proven.

TERRAPOWER TURNS RADIOACTIVE WASTE INTO CLEAN ENERGY

“Today we are always refueling the reactor so lots of controls and lots of things can go wrong,” says Gates. “That is not good. With this, you have a piece of fuel, think of it like a log, that burns for 60 years and it is done.” So in addition to emitting zero CO2, TerraPower seemingly provides a viable use for radioactive nuclear waste - a key development considering that:

• There are more than 400 nuclear power plants in the world today (producing 17 percent of our electricty)
• New nuclear power plants are in construction all over the world
• President Obama just announced plans that the government will finance the first nuclear power plant to be built in the U.S. in three decades

“We need energy miracles,” says Gates. ”The microprocessor and internet are miracles. This is a case where we have to drive and get the miracle in a short timeline.”

COULD TERRAPOWER BE THE “MIRACLE” WE NEED TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE?

Unlike Gates, I would not elevate the microprocessor or the internet to the level of divine intervention a “miracle” suggests, much less TerraPower technology Bill Gates has an invested financial interest in. Yes, he is a powerful man who has proven he can do powerful things with his money but all the money in the world does not a miracle make.

However, if traveling wave nuclear reactors can safely dispose of radioactive nuclear waste - while creating clean energy in the process – it is certainly a technology I could comfortably elevate to one of the most impressive marvels of modern man.

To learn more, check out this video of TerraPower President John Gilleland demonstrating how traveling wave nuclear reactor technology works.

Meredith Simonds Nuclear Power Bill Gates, Climate change, nuclear energy, solar energy, TerraPower, traveling wave nuclear reactor, wind energy

Date: 2/11/2010

Accurate information about the wind potential in each state is required for federal and state policy initiatives that will expand the use of wind energy in the United States. A collaborative project between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and AWS Truewind has resulted in the first comprehensive update of the wind energy potential by state since 1993.

Using an AWS Truewind national dataset of estimated gross capacity factor (not adjusted for losses) at a spatial resolution of 200 m and height of 80 m above ground, NREL estimated the windy land area and wind energy potential in various capacity factor ranges for each state in the contiguous United States. The table (Excel 75 KB) lists the estimates of windy land area with a gross capacity factor of 30% and greater at 80-m height and the wind energy potential from development of the “available” windy land area after exclusions. These areas are generally considered to have suitable wind resource for wind development.

The “Installed Capacity” is the potential megawatts (MW) of rated capacity that could be installed on the available windy land area, and the “Annual Generation” is the estimated annual wind energy generation in gigawatt-hours (GWh) that could be produced from the installed capacity. NREL reduced the wind potential estimates by excluding areas unlikely to be developed such as wilderness areas, parks, urban areas, and water features (see Wind Resource Exclusion Table in the spreadsheet above for more detail).

Kristy Wesh Wind Power AWS Truewind, National Renewable Energy Lab, NREL wind estimates, wind development, wind energy, Wind Power

BrightSource Energy Inc. has submitted a new design for the Ivanpah solar Energy Generating System project. This mitigation proposal, filed with the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM), would reduce the project’s size from 440 to 392 megawatts (MW) and reduce its overall footprint by 12 percent.

Kristy Wesh Solar brightsource energy, Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System Project, Solar, solar energy, solar power, solar power plants

The continual production of waste in mountainous quantities across the globe is a cause for concern for everyone, even if they don’t realize it yet. While finding new and innovative ways of recycling materials is an ongoing task, there are many consumers who have yet to grasp the basics of recycling their waste. With a few sensible tips and a will to reduce waste, anyone can help boost the amount of recycled materials in circulation.

Whether it’s glass jars, plastic bottles or even just the peelings from vegetables, it’s important to make sure as much waste as possible is put into the recycling stream rather than sent for land fill or incineration. It is thought that as much as two thirds of household waste could be recycled. Separated curbside collections and civic amenity sites set up for recycling are now common in most urban environments and everyone should be making sure that recycling starts within the home. Taking a few steps to make recycling easier and part of your everyday lifestyle will not only increase the amount you send for recycling but will also reduce the amount of overall waste produced in your household.

With future charges for waste disposal being considered that are volume and weight driven, it makes sense to get a grip on your waste sooner rather than later. Why not put a few additional small bins out to keep some materials separate? For example, a small waste bin in the bathroom would allow you to keep empty plastic soap or shampoo bottles away from the other waste in the house, ready for putting straight into the recycle bin. This could also be used for the cardboard centers of empty toilet tissue rolls.

If you have a garden, why not invest in a compost bin? You can separate some of your kitchen food waste to be put in the compost bin instead of going to land fill. Compost bins can take many organic materials such as eggshells, vegetable waste or peelings and even shredded paper. The result is nutrient-rich compost you can use in your garden to help with next year’s crop of home-grown fruit or vegetables.

One of the most obvious ways of cutting your waste is by getting a hold of reusable shopping bags and remembering to use them. This reduces your demand for polythene carrier bags which are incredibly difficult to dispose of, despite the use of billions of them every year in supermarkets. If you do find yourself having to use a bag from a store, ask if they have paper bags. These can at least be put into your waste paper recycling bin when you get home.

Make more use of charity shops and recycle bins in general. At your local civic amenity or refuse disposal centre, there will be an array of recycle bins. These will take almost anything nowadays, from clothes to CDs and books. If you have clothing that’s perfectly serviceable that you just don’t want, why not give it to a charity shop to sell on to someone else.

Refilling consumables is becoming more and more common as the cost of packaging, both in monetary and environmental terms is increasingly understood. From printer ink cartridges to detergents, soaps and coffee, more and more consumable items are being made available to buy as refill packs. Making use of these will cut down not only the waste packaging you buy but also the cost and impact of transporting the goods in the first place from the manufacturer. Every little reduction in weight or size that you can make will have an upstream carbon reduction in the supply chain. Imagine the savings on transport cost and emissions if everyone used refill packaging instead of new jars, cartons or bottles all the time.

You have the ability to control the waste being produced in your household. As a consumer, you also have the ability to make choices around what products or brands you buy that will affect the manufacturers’ long term attitude towards packaging and waste produced downstream of their operations. Only through doing things differently, and making choices that are responsible, can we reduce the waste we produce for good.

Cindy Recycling household recycling, household reuse, re-use, re-use household items, recycle, recycle waste, Recycling

On Tuesday, executives from the leading renewable energy trade associations emphasized the need for Congress to swiftly enact key policies to continue accelerated growth across the entire sector in order to add jobs and boost economic growth in 2010.

Kristy Wesh Solar Federal Action, job creation, Renewable Energy News, Trade Associations

The nation’s plumbing code developer releases a “green” supplement. Efforts to make it easier to use reclaimed and captured water in new construction got a new tool Feb. 1 when the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) formally released its Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement.

Read More…

Kristy Wesh Green Communitites, Green Living green supplement, IAPMO, plumbing

Novato-based solarCraft, the North Bay leader in solar Electric and solar Thermal installations, is pleased to announce that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved a $350 million dollar rebate program to encourage state residents and businesses to install solar water heating to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Combined with the current 30% Federal Tax Credit, that means savings of up to 60% on the cost of solar domestic water heating installations. The program’s goals are to see over 300,000 systems installed over the next 8 years, saving California residents nearly 6 million cubic feet of natural gas and 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, while creating thousands of jobs.

Kristy Wesh Solar California, federal tax credit, solar water heating, tax incentives

Broadlands Financial Group LLC has been selected as the Owner’s Representative by India-based Entegra Limited for the construction of Rajasthan solar One, a 10-megawatt Concentrating solar Power (CSP) plant in Rajasthan, India. solare XXI will supply solar collectors. Rajasthan solar One will be the first major utility-scale deployment of the solare XXI technology.

Kristy Wesh Solar Broadlands Financial, Indian CSP, Rajasthan solar One, solar collectors