Peak oil, gas, prices, and supplies - Feb 3
-Energy bills will be unaffordable without system overhaul, says regulator
-Is the world awash in oil?
-Demand for oil will peak by 2030 – BP chief
Archive for February 3rd, 2010
Peak oil, gas, prices, and supplies - Feb 3
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Peak oil, gas, prices, and supplies - Feb 3
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Peak oil, gas, prices, and supplies - Feb 3
-Energy bills will be unaffordable without system overhaul, says regulator
-Is the world awash in oil?
-Demand for oil will peak by 2030 – BP chief
On the Flip Side — A Hope for US Clean Energy
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
On the Flip Side — A Hope for US Clean Energy
I just wrote about how it looks like China is going to clean the US’ clock on large-scale clean energy projects. But, as we all know, clean energy doesn’t need to be built in (super) large projects to provide people with power. In fact, that is one of the hopes many of us have, that “power” will be more decentralized.
However, something that would combine those two approaches — large-scale, centralized power and small-scale, decentralized projects — is “large-scale distributed energy” power purchase agreements and it looks like it can provide the best advantages of both.
Additionally, it looks like it is here!
Recurrent Energy and Southern California Edison (SCE) signed an agreement today to have SCE buy 100% of the energy from three Recurrent Energy solar power projects.
The three projects that Recurrent Energy is building will be in Kern County and San Bernardino County and will have a peak output of 50 MW. They should be completed by 2013 and construction is expected to begin in 2012. Two projects have a peak output of 22 MW and one 6 MW.
What are the Big Advantages of Distributed Power Projects?
The main advantages of these projects are quicker implementation, better ability to upgrade or innovate to more efficient technologies, and much more flexibility in siting.
As David Roberts of grist lists, in more detail, these are some of the big pluses for Recurrent Energy and distributed power, in general:
*It’s easier to find land, because solar panels are modular (they can be scaled to any size/shape of land parcel) and they are quiet and non-polluting (they can be located next to homes and offices).
*For the same reasons, distributed solar doesn’t require environmentally sensitive land; it can be placed on already developed land or industrial rooftops. That makes for a much easier and faster permitting process.
*Distributed solar doesn’t require new transmission, since it can be located next to existing lines. There’s no waiting for transmission permits or construction. Interconnection to the grid can happen almost immediately, and some of the value of avoided transmission can be built into the power price.
*Because it avoids many permitting and interconnection hassles, Recurrent can build projects faster, in the range of two to three years. (The SCE projects will go online in 2013.)
*Because it has many smaller investments rather than one big one, Recurrent is more able to adapt to delays or setbacks at individual projects.
*Because it has a steady stream of new projects rather than one every 5-10 years, it is better positioned to take advantage of iterations in technology. (And solar panel prices are descending quickly.)
More large-scale power purchase agreements using distributed energy could be the US’ special juice to get ahead in clean energy.
Along with leading technological development and innovation, this could help put the US in a better position than we might expect just looking at the eye-dropping mega projects.
Related Stories:
1) Utility-Scale Distributed Solar Gets Blast-Off in California
2) Rooftop Solar Installations Growing Faster than Utility-Scale Solar
3) Wow, China IS Serious About Clean Energy!
4) Who’s More Powerful than Obama?
Image Credit: Zen Roxy via flickr under a CC license
Are cities sustainable in a post-peak oil world?
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Are cities sustainable in a post-peak oil world?
-Depletion of Key Resources: Facts at Your Fingertips
-Cities, peak oil, and sustainability
-Reconsidering Cities
-Peter Newman: The Crash, Peak Oil and Resilient Cities
-Where do we go from here?
Are cities sustainable in a post-peak oil world?
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Are cities sustainable in a post-peak oil world?
-Depletion of Key Resources: Facts at Your Fingertips
-Cities, peak oil, and sustainability
-Reconsidering Cities
-Peter Newman: The Crash, Peak Oil and Resilient Cities
-Where do we go from here?
Are cities sustainable in a post-peak oil world?
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Are cities sustainable in a post-peak oil world?
-Depletion of Key Resources: Facts at Your Fingertips
-Cities, peak oil, and sustainability
-Reconsidering Cities
-Peter Newman: The Crash, Peak Oil and Resilient Cities
-Where do we go from here?
Columbia University Looks to Nanomagnetic Materials for Energy Efficient Computer Chips
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Columbia University Looks to Nanomagnetic Materials for Energy Efficient Computer Chips
Columbia University has received a federal grant of $2.8 million to develop energy efficiency computer chips using magnetic materials.
Magnetic materials are set to play a big role in a more energy efficient future for the information technology sector. Last month the U.S. Department of Energy announced $47 million in grants for new IT energy efficiency projects, and a big chunk of that – $2.8 million – will go to the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University (SEAS) to develop new computer chips using nano-scaled magnetic materials.
Columbia will be working with partners IBM and Cornell University on the project, which is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). It’s a compelling example of the ripple effect that government investment in research can have, as the increased efficiencies are expected to yield significant bottom line savings for established IT players and startups alike. Private industry is chipping in a cool $70 million in matching funds for the overall DOE program.
IT and Energy Consumption
According to DOE, computer servers in the U.S. account for more than 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity every year. That’s three percent of total U.S. consumption. With a scale like that, even a single-digit increase in energy efficiency would be significant. A ten percent savings in processors could result in a savings of 1.9 billion kWh in large servers alone. Along with Columbia University the other DOE grant recipients will be developing more energy efficient designs for IT equipment and software, power supply, and cooling.
Columbia SEAS and Energy Efficient Computer Chips
The SEAS project involves building a power converter that can fit on a silicon chip, instead of being positioned on the main circuit board (converters adjust the voltage to the low level required by silicon chips). Energy is lost when electricity travels from the converter to the chip, so locating the two in close quarters is more efficient. The focus will be on magnetic materials because they enable high density, high efficiency energy storage on a nanoscale.
Energy Efficient Computer Chips and Magnetic Materials
Cornell will supply the know-how for the materials aspect of the design. The University’s School of Applied and Engineering Physics specializes in nanomagnetics, and researchers there are exploring the manipulation of “electron spin” from one nanomagnet to another. Cornell’s Center for Materials Research has developed a thin film “superparamagnetic” material based on microscopic particles of ion oxide, which could also have application in medical diagnosis. The researchers have developed devices in which the alignment of two magnetic layers can be switched from one configuration to another. In effect, it’s a highly efficient, high density binary operation that serves as a memory device.
Magnets on the March
Aside from their use in boosting IT efficiency, magnets are coming into play in various aspects of sustainable energy. Magnet research got a big boost this year when Florida State University announced funding for the National Magnetic Field Laboratory, which will house a high efficiency superconducting magnet that could help lower the cost of basic research. The advent of flywheel-based energy storage systems also means a growing role for magnets in wheel bearings. On the individual end of the scale, at least one company has developed a battery that is based on a spring-loaded coil-magnet, which a person can recharge by shaking vigorously.
Image: Magnets by somegeekintn on flickr.com.
Columbia University Looks to Nanomagnetic Materials for Energy Efficient Computer Chips
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Columbia University Looks to Nanomagnetic Materials for Energy Efficient Computer Chips
Columbia University has received a federal grant of $2.8 million to develop energy efficiency computer chips using magnetic materials.
Magnetic materials are set to play a big role in a more energy efficient future for the information technology sector. Last month the U.S. Department of Energy announced $47 million in grants for new IT energy efficiency projects, and a big chunk of that – $2.8 million – will go to the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University (SEAS) to develop new computer chips using nano-scaled magnetic materials.
Columbia will be working with partners IBM and Cornell University on the project, which is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). It’s a compelling example of the ripple effect that government investment in research can have, as the increased efficiencies are expected to yield significant bottom line savings for established IT players and startups alike. Private industry is chipping in a cool $70 million in matching funds for the overall DOE program.
IT and Energy Consumption
According to DOE, computer servers in the U.S. account for more than 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity every year. That’s three percent of total U.S. consumption. With a scale like that, even a single-digit increase in energy efficiency would be significant. A ten percent savings in processors could result in a savings of 1.9 billion kWh in large servers alone. Along with Columbia University the other DOE grant recipients will be developing more energy efficient designs for IT equipment and software, power supply, and cooling.
Columbia SEAS and Energy Efficient Computer Chips
The SEAS project involves building a power converter that can fit on a silicon chip, instead of being positioned on the main circuit board (converters adjust the voltage to the low level required by silicon chips). Energy is lost when electricity travels from the converter to the chip, so locating the two in close quarters is more efficient. The focus will be on magnetic materials because they enable high density, high efficiency energy storage on a nanoscale.
Energy Efficient Computer Chips and Magnetic Materials
Cornell will supply the know-how for the materials aspect of the design. The University’s School of Applied and Engineering Physics specializes in nanomagnetics, and researchers there are exploring the manipulation of “electron spin” from one nanomagnet to another. Cornell’s Center for Materials Research has developed a thin film “superparamagnetic” material based on microscopic particles of ion oxide, which could also have application in medical diagnosis. The researchers have developed devices in which the alignment of two magnetic layers can be switched from one configuration to another. In effect, it’s a highly efficient, high density binary operation that serves as a memory device.
Magnets on the March
Aside from their use in boosting IT efficiency, magnets are coming into play in various aspects of sustainable energy. Magnet research got a big boost this year when Florida State University announced funding for the National Magnetic Field Laboratory, which will house a high efficiency superconducting magnet that could help lower the cost of basic research. The advent of flywheel-based energy storage systems also means a growing role for magnets in wheel bearings. On the individual end of the scale, at least one company has developed a battery that is based on a spring-loaded coil-magnet, which a person can recharge by shaking vigorously.
Image: Magnets by somegeekintn on flickr.com.
Electric Field Induced Hydrogen Storage: A New Step Forward
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Electric Field Induced Hydrogen Storage: A New Step Forward
Scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University, Peking University in Beijing and the Chinese Academy of Science in Shanghai made a discovery that could help other researchers build hydrogen containers that could make the gas compete with petrol-based fuels in terms of energy density and availability.
TVA taps SmartSynch for new renewable energy program
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
TVA taps SmartSynch for new renewable energy program
Mississippi company’s public wireless smart metering technology is expected to benefit the Tennessee Valley Authority’s 156 U.S. power distributors.
Wood-Powered Cars: History Repeats Itself
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Wood-Powered Cars: History Repeats Itself
Few people that are ripping around the streets in today’s gas guzzlers will remember wood-powered cars, but if things continue the way they are, they may be lucky enough to see one pull up next to them at the light. Wood-powered cars are starting to pop up again as yet another means of saving [...]
Posted in: Biofuels, Transportation
Smart Grid Can Decrease Energy Use 12% by 2030: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Report
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
Smart Grid Can Decrease Energy Use 12% by 2030: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Report
02/03/2010 - A smart electrical power grid could decrease annual electric energy
use and utility sector carbon emissions at least 12 percent by 2030,
according to a new report from the Department of Energy’s Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory…
American Superconductor Lands $70 Million Chinese Contract for Wind Turbine Electrical Control Systems
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
American Superconductor Lands $70 Million Chinese Contract for Wind Turbine Electrical Control Systems
02/03/2010 - American Superconductor
Corporation announced recently that it has received an initial
order for full wind turbine electrical control systems from China’s <a
href=”http://www…
British Hydropower Association Offers Mixed Reaction to New Tariffs
Author: EcoFriendlyFeb 3
British Hydropower Association Offers Mixed Reaction to New Tariffs
The British Hydropower Association welcomes the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s finalized version of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme for renewable electricity generation but says some issues must be addressed.
Visit the original post at: Renewable Energy News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com
