renewableenergy
Latest
Stacking solar cells leads to more efficient energy collection, lower bills
Thanks to the efforts of a North Carolina-based company, solar panels are about to get a lot more efficient. Semprius produces the collection devices by stacking materials on top of each other in order to catch more frequencies of light. In the process, cell stacking boosted efficiency to around 45 percent during tests. The new tech can be produced quickly using cells that are one millimeter across to reduce cooling needs while combining semiconductor materials and reusing the components cells are grown on. All of that will help Semprius achieve 50 percent efficiency in the next three to five years -- up from the current 25 percent range. Unfortunately, the new method will be quite expensive until demand warrants mass production. However, more efficient collection will lead to lower overall cost in the long run, and make solar power as cheap as that produced by natural gas facilities.
Biggest-ever solar thermal power plant goes online in California
Solar power just hit the big time in the US -- BrightSource Energy has confirmed that the world's largest solar thermal plant, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California, is up and running. The array, also backed by Google and NRG Energy, produces a total 392MW of power through 173,500 multi-mirror units. That's enough to power 140,000 nearby homes, and it represents 30 percent of all the solar thermal energy in the US. The Ivanpah harvester has its drawbacks; with roughly 5.5 square miles of mirrors, it's creating trouble for birds and other nearby wildlife. Even so, it represents an important breakthrough for delivering clean energy on a grand scale.
Google keeps it green, purchases 240MW of wind power in Texas
Google's goal of meeting its electrical needs with renewable sources got another big boost today. The Happy Hereford wind farm in Texas will produce 240 megawatts of juice, and all of that output has been bought by Big G. That power won't flow directly from the turbines into Google's data centers, instead it'll be fed into the regional grid when Google sells the energy on the wholesale market. The 240 renewable energy certificates (REC) acquired in the deal will be retired in support of mother earth, and any additional REC's created by the wind farm will be used to "reduce our [Google's] carbon footprint elsewhere." According to Google, this is similar to other green energy deals it's done in Iowa and Oklahoma, so it's highly likely we'll be seeing more such deals in the not-so-distant future. Of course, no one will be receiving any of that Happy Hereford wind power just yet -- the farm won't be sending out any renewably-sourced electrons until late 2014.
First grid-scale compressed air battery now operational
Compressed air batteries have long promised truly clean energy storage, but they haven't scaled large enough in recent years to be viable companions to renewable power sources. That changes now that SustainX has switched on the first modern air battery large enough to join an electrical grid. The company's new ICAES (Isothermal Compressed Air Energy Storage) system in Seabrook, New Hampshire can hold 1.5 megawatts of power versus the kilowatt-level capacities of its rivals. Despite its size, ICAES is sustainable; it doesn't require 'dirty' energy for either compression or releasing air to its generator, and the supply won't degrade like that of a chemical battery. The New Hampshire system is just a demonstrator to attract interest, but SustainX expects to have its first commercial battery running in China next year. If ICAES (and technology like it) proves successful, we could see more solar and wind farms that keep delivering electricity when they're otherwise idle.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: lane-straddling bus, invisible skyscraper and space vegetables
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. When it comes to public transportation, taking the bus is the least sexy option. Buses are slow; they make frequent stops; and because they share the road with cars, they get stuck in traffic. But a new proposal for a giant lane-straddling bus would eliminate traffic congestion by letting cars pass right through the middle of it. The futuristic bus is just one of several stories about innovations in green transportation on Inhabitat this week. Mercedes-Benz just completed the first cross-country trip for a self-driving car with its S500 Intelligent Drive research vehicle, and BMW unveiled the official production model of its 2015 i8 plug-in hybrid sports car at the Frankfurt Motor Show. In other green car news, Nissan announced that it is in the final stages of developing its second electric vehicle -- the e-NV200 compact van. In an effort to make flat tires a thing of the past, Korean manufacturer Hankook has produced a puncture-proof, airless tire that is made from 95 percent recyclable materials. And in more good news for green cars, August was the best month ever for US sales of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and conventional hybrids.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: anti-mosquito sticker, a cancer-identifying scalpel and the world's largest offshore wind farm
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Urine and cellphones don't mix -- just ask anyone who has ever dropped their phone in the toilet. At least that's what we thought before learning that a team of UK scientists has created the world's first pee-powered cellphone, which is based on microbial fuel cells. In other renewable energy news, the Peruvian government is providing free electricity to over 2 million of its poorest citizens by harvesting energy from the sun, and China just became the world's first country to install 3 GW of utility-scale solar. Wind power is also on the rise as CalTech researcher John Dabiri figured out a way to make cheaper, more efficient wind farms inspired by schools of fish, and construction began this week on the world's largest offshore wind farm on the Fukushima coast. And in an unusual paring of renewable energy and architecture, Morphocode has designed a futuristic-looking loft that is nestled on top of an offshore wind turbine.
Google buys Swedish wind farm's entire output to power Finnish data center
Google has just secured the services of an entire 72MW wind farm in Maevaara, Sweden for the next ten years to keep its Finnish data center humming, according to the official blog. It brokered the deal through German insurer Allianz, which purchased the farm and will begin selling all the electricity it produces to Mountain View by 2015. The move is part of Google's quest to remain carbon neutral, and is along similar lines to a recent deal which saw the search giant purchase 48MW of energy from a wind farm in Oklahoma. The news follows Apple's announcement that it gets 75 percent of its power from renewable sources -- showing the arch-foes can at least agree on something.
Proposal from Google and Duke Energy lets companies buy renewable power
When a company wants a green data center, it often has to build its own energy sources. Google knows that's sometimes not practical, even for a company its size. To that end, it's partnering with Duke Energy on a proposed business model that would let companies explicitly purchase renewable electricity: companies could demand eco-friendly power sources, whether or not they're the most cost-efficient. The Duke approach goes to a state commission for approval within 90 days, and it might let Google expand a Lenoir, North Carolina data center (above) with a clearer conscience and minimal costs. The real challenge may be getting other utilities to follow in Duke's footsteps -- even if there are no legal hurdles, local power providers still have to implement clean energy on a large enough scale. If they do, however, environmental responsibility may be within reach to those businesses more interested in building server farms than solar farms.
Recyclable organic solar cells: a clean fuel future made possible by trees
You don't have to know Shel Silverstein to know that trees are exceptionally giving. They're responsible for our homes, paper, air, furniture and, now, energy -- the "clean" kind, that is. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Purdue University have jointly devised a patent-pending method to build organic solar cells using plant-derived substrates. Known as cellulose nanocrystal substrates (or CNC), these solar cells benefit from being truly disposable, eliminating the waste that results from the use of alternative materials like petroleum or glass. The CNC-made cells are not only transparent enough to allow light to pass into an embedded semiconductor, but they also dissolve when submerged into water, thus earning the esteemed recyclable distinction. Although this is undoubtedly a breakthrough for clean energy tech, it's by no means a near-future reality. Apparently, current cells can only yield a 2.7-percent conversion efficiency rate, which falls far below the 10-percent threshold met by rival fabrication methods (i.e., petroleum and glass). So, there's still significant work to be done before the team can improve production and achieve parity with those less "recyclable" options. Until that time, consider this a comforting reassurance that a clean fuel era is well within reach.
Apple's data centers now powered by 100% renewable energy
Apple released the 2012 update of its environmental policy pages and notes that the company is now using 100 percent renewable energy sources -- solar, wind, hydro and geothermal -- at its data centers. The 100 percent renewable energy figure was also achieved at facilities in Austin, Texas; Elk Grove, Calif.; Cork, Ireland and Munich, Germany, as well as at the Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, Calif. For all of Apple's corporate facilities worldwide, the figure is at 75 percent, and the company says that they "won't stop working until we achieve 100 percent throughout Apple." The company made a commitment to using 100 percent renewable energy at its data centers in 2012 after being criticized by Greenpeace over its energy usage. As the Apple video below demonstrates, the scope of the photovoltaic arrays used at the Maiden, N.C., data center is breathtaking. [via Bloomberg]
Apple says it now gets 75 percent of its total energy from renewable sources
Based on the latest reports, the company once chided for making too large an impact on Mother Earth is now claiming that a full 75 percent of its energy is being sourced from renewables. Apple's chief financial officer, Peter Oppenheimer, informed Reuters this week that all of its data centers -- including the gargantuan facility in Maiden, North Carolina -- are now fully powered by renewable energy from onsite and local sources, while three-fourths of the energy used by the whole company is pulled from green sources. For those wondering, that includes solar, wind, hydro and geothermal, and the 75 percent mark is a stark 40 percent uptick from just two years ago. As for what the future holds? According to Apple: "We won't stop working until we achieve 100 percent throughout Apple." Alrighty then.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: vertical farm, solar energy funnel and a brainwave monitor
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week Inhabitat reported live from the Los Angeles Auto Show as we brought you the hottest new green cars -- beginning with the 2013 Fiat 500e electric vehicle. We're also eagerly awaiting the unveiling of BMW's new i3 Coupe concept. In other green transportation news, JR Tokai unveiled Japan's new lightning-fast 310 MPH MagLev train, while Amtrak announced that trains traveling between Chicago and St. Louis were cleared to accelerate to 110 MPH on a short stretch of track. It's no MagLev, but we'll take it! Designer Jeffrey Eyster also unveiled the MRV-1, a recreational vehicle that doubles as a sustainable nature retreat.
Google data center in Oklahoma to get 48MW of wind power, boost renewable energy in the Sooner state
Google has made a point of relying on renewable resources for its data centers whenever possible, even down to the cooling. It hasn't had quite as unique an arrangement as what it's planning for its data center in Oklahoma, though. The search firm wants to supply its Mayes County location with 48MW of wind energy from Apex's Canadian Hills Wind Project, but it isn't buying power directly from the source. Instead, it's making a deal with the Grand River Dam Authority, a utility, to purchase the clean power on top of what's already supplied from the GRDA at present. The deal should keep the data center on the environmentally friendly side while giving it room to grow. Wind power will come online at Google's facility once the Canadian Hills effort is up and running later in 2012; hopefully, that gives us enough time to better understand why there's a Canadian River and Canadian Hills to be found in the southern United States.
Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint
More Facebook news, but this time we're back to the numbers instead of reporting on a new feature, improvement or integration. As part of its mission to swap the familiar blue for something of a greener tinge, Facebook released today its carbon footprint and overall energy usage figures for 2011. Turning bio-babble into easy visualizations, the company points out that for the whole year, an active user occupied roughly the same carbon footprint as one medium latte. Or, if you're a fan of the tipple, a couple of glasses of wine. Impressively, 23 percent of the social giant's energy usage came from clean and renewable sources, which puts it well on the way to its 2015 target of 25 percent or more. If you'd like more info and a complete breakdown of the stats, the full report is available at the source link below.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: origami Yoda, high-speed rail line and a self powered building
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It's been a great week for two of our favorite things over at Inhabitat: LEGOs and Star Wars. First, a group of LEGO builders from LEGOLAND Windsor built the tallest LEGO tower ever, snatching the title back from South Korea and returning it to the UK. Then, using 152,455 LEGO bricks, Rolls-Royce built a half-size replica of the jet engine that powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In one of the most ingenious LEGO constructions ever built, LEGO pro Rene Hoffmeister built a barrel organ that plays the Star Wars theme song. And in other Star Wars news, we reported on the renovation of Luke Skywalker's boyhood home in Tatooine (actually it's in Tunisia). And finally, we shared a photo of this 7-centimeter-tall origami Yoda -- the most adorable bit of Star Wars memorabilia ever made.
Greenpeace: Apple's energy policy has improved, still needs to remove the coal smoke from iCloud
Wondering where Apple stands environmentally after the recent withdrawal (and subsequent return) of its laptops and desktops from the EPEAT rating system? Greenpeace has issued a well-timed report, outlining the company's broader back-end energy policies. According to the organization, "Apple's clean energy policies have significantly improved, but the company still gets low scores for its energy choices when compared with sector leaders." Greenpeace applauds Cupertino's commitment to goal coal-free by next year, but wonders aloud how the company will get there, noting that while it has invested in solar and other renewable energy sources, it still buys power from outlets that rely on coal. The organization also took the time to admonish Apple's lack of transparency on its environmental plans.
First solar-geo plant blooms in Nevada's high desert
Drive west on US Route 50 through a stretch of Nevada highway known as "The Loneliest Road in America" and you'll eventually find yourself in the rural county of Churchill. Once a solitary leg in the Pony Express route, irrigation transformed swaths of Churchill's high desert areas into thriving agricultural communities more than a century ago. Fast forward to today and Churchill finds itself playing host to yet another interesting dichotomy -- a first-of-its-kind power plant that generates electricity by harvesting renewable resources from both earth and sky. %Gallery-159924%
Greenpeace boosts Apple's rating, but barely
Greenpeace recently released an environmental report on Apple and upgraded the company's score from an F to a D, says a report in Wired. Greenpeace pointed to Apple's commitment to use alternative power at its North Carolina and Oregon data centers as the reason for this small boost in score, but wanted additional details on how the Cupertino company was going to carry out its plans. Apple has said publicly that it expects to power 60 percent of its North Carolina data center and 100 percent of its Newark, California center with renewable energy. Its upcoming Oregon data center will be power by a combination of hydro, geothermal and wind energy. The environmental watchdog also listed several recommended steps Apple should take if it's serious about the environment. These steps include choosing a renewable-powered utility for its Oregon Data center and seeking alternatives to using the "dirty electricity" from Duke Energy. Instead of relying on coal-based power, Greenpeace encouraged Apple to "use its buying leverage with Duke Energy and other utilities to push for cleaner electricity options."
Inhabitat's Week in Green: energy-harvesting toilet, LED lightbulb overhaul and a floating, solar-powered resort home
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. LED technology shone brighter than the summer sun this week as artist Bruce Munro unveiled plans for his largest lighting installation ever -- a field of thousands of LED flowers that will spring up next year at Australia's Ayers Rock. Best of all, the entire installation will be powered by solar energy! We also saw Rice University flip the switch on its new Epiphany Skyspace -- a green-roofed pavilion that's topped with a brilliant blue canopy of light. If you're still not convinced that LEDs are the future, we recently produced two videos that are sure to show you the light -- check out our interview with five professional lighting designers on today's state of the art LED bulbs and watch as we give Inhabitots editor Julie Seguss a light bulb overhaul that shaves over $400 off her utility bills. And if you're ready to make the switch, check out our guide to 24 gorgeous green lamps that look great with LED bulbs. This week saw some exciting new developments in the realm of renewable energy. First, a group of scientists in the UK developed a new energy-harvesting device that attaches to the joint between the thigh and shin. The device could be used to power monitors and mobile devices, to name a few possible applications. Meanwhile, scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have invented a new toilet that turns human waste into electricity while reducing the amount of water needed for flushing by up to 90 percent. That's what we call, win-win!
Apple receives regulatory approval for solar farm in North Carolina
As noticed by AppleInsider, the North Carolina Utilities Commission approved Apple's application to build a 20-megawatt solar farm on land adjacent to its Maiden, North Carolina data center. The proposal was filed on February 15 and publicly announced at the end of March. It received no complaints and was approved by the Commission on May 14. This approval gives Apple the green light to continue work on the solar farm, which will provide a portion of the power required by its data center. The solar array is expected to be completed by November and will start providing power late in December. Apple has said it will be the largest user-owned solar array in the United States. Apple's data center has been the target of several Greenpeace demonstrations around the world. The environmental activist group criticizes Apple for its reliance on coal and says the company could improve its usage of clean power. [Via AppleInsider]
