New Developments in Solar Technology are Promising
Solar power has always been the renewable energy source that captures the imagination. Free, instant electricity with no moving parts and nothing to wear out –you just point your panel at the sun and plug in. It’s such a wonderful concept that it’s always been in the back of every renewable energy ecogeek’s mind. On top of that, it’s a commonly quoted figure that the sun blasts the earth with enough energy in an hour to produce a year’s worth of electricity. It all sounds very promising and seductive; the problem is that solar panels just aren’t very efficient. In fact most modern solar panels are only able to convert around 25% of the energy that hits them into electricity. That’s not very much and because of that solar panels just haven’t been very successful when it comes to development as a means of mass power generation.
But wait – there’s more! That’s not the only thing that is having a negative effect on the popularity of solar power. The other issue (and probably the killing stroke) is expense. Solar panels use components and materials (gold, to name one) that are extremely expensive. Because of that, the panels are very costly. The truth of the matter is that not everyone is committed enough to alternative energy that they have desire to shell out thousands of dollars to purchase a machine that only does its job at ¼ to 1/3 efficiency.
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Posted in Green, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Sustainable Living
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Tagged clean energy, eco friendly, electricity, energy efficiency, environment, green, green energy, green living, homeowners, renewable energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, sustainability
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American Honda Motor Co. named as the greenest car manufacturer in 2010
As the concern over global warming and its connection to vehicle emissions has increased over the past few years, alternative fuel vehicles and other green automobiles are now becoming more popular. Cars have been singled out as one of the major contributors to air pollution, so to minimize the effects that cars have on the environment different car manufacturers have made varying versions of their own green autos. This year the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) awarded Honda Motor Co. [NYSE: HMC] as the “Greenest Automaker” for the fifth consecutive year for its effort to reduce carbon emissions.
Toyota and Hyundai were tied at second place. Honda beat them by only one point. Toyota almost made it to the top this year but lacked effort in reducing carbon emissions. Hyundai’s fleet showed considerable improvements in fuel efficiency which put it in a contender spot. In order to determine the rankings, the top eight car manufacturers’ average per-mile smog pollution and global warming emissions of its vehicle fleet were studied. The top eight car manufacturers are Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen.
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Businesses choose renewable energy sources rather than traditional energy use
The use of renewable energy has passed a critical threshold with companies aiming toward making the transition to the use of 100% renewable energy. Environmentalists, ecosystem advocacy groups and the blossoming wind and solar industries are on board pushing for the exclusive use of renewable energy wherever possible.
From a technical standpoint it is seen as being a realistic goal through the use of the Cradle to Cradle principle. The Cradle to Cradle principal entails the use of 100% renewable energy while maximizing an organization’s environmental, social and economic impacts. Cradle to Cradle is a holistic, economic, industrial and social framework that seeks to create systems that are not just efficient but fundamentally waste free. It moves beyond traditional sustainability goals of only reducing negative impacts to instead creating a wholly positive or beneficial mark on the planet.
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Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Sustainable Living, Wind Energy, green education
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Tagged carbon dioxide emissions, carbon emissions, clean energy, cradle to cradle principle, eco friendly, electricity, energy conservation, energy efficiency, environment, renewable energy, renewable energy companies, steelcase, wind energy
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Mobile Phone Manufacturing is Getting Greener
When asked to name one thing that they can’t live without, many people have the same answer: my mobile phone. Mobile phones have become more than just useful gadgets these days. Plain and simple, make our lives easier. From making a last minute call for pizza or working on the go, to engaging yourself in a social media network or sending that last-minute email from the train, mobile phones are part of our lives. And because many people find it important to own a mobile phone, reports have indicated that in 2009, mobile phone ownership exceeded 1 billion units. And of course just like anything else, increasing mobile phone use and manufacturing has had environmental impacts.
Of course making phone calls through our mobile phones uses electricity, which contributes to the production of carbon dioxide (CO2). This is the chemical largely responsible for global warming. So just like any other appliance, the more hours you spend making a phone call using your mobile phone adds up to the amount of CO2 added in the atmosphere.
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US and China to partner in eco-friendly projects
The saying “two heads are better than one” comes to mind when trying to work through a particularly difficult crossword puzzle; but how universal is this old adage? Are say, two countries better than one? Our leadership seems to be hedging their bets towards the conclusion that this is in fact the case. In line with this spirit of collaboration comes the latest in a series of interesting (and sometimes unlikely) pairings in the environmental research and development field. Berkeley Lab has been chosen to lead a cooperative US-China project called the Clean Energy Resource Center (CERC).
The project was conceived in 2009, beginning with a meeting between United States President Barack Obama and President Hun Jintao of China. The meeting was held in Beijing to establish a basis for the cooperative effort, which will work to develop efficient energy-saving buildings and cost-effective / waste reducing construction processes in the next five years. It is a dubious mating for the more cynical among us, especially considering the United States’ seemingly uncontrollable construction fetish (for wastefully assembled “throwaway buildings” which are simply replaced every 10 or 15 years or whenever they go out of style) and China’s love for all things carbon (if you recall the vicious smog that threatened the health of Olympic Athletes during the Beijing Summer Games and the mysterious “air scrubbers” that the Chinese government was supposedly using to keep the rampant pollution under control, you understand what I mean).
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Posted in Green, Green Government, Sustainable Living
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Tagged berkely lab, california, carbon dioxide emissions, carbon emissions, china, clean energy resource center, eco friendly, electricity, energy, energy conservation, energy efficiency, environment, hun jintao, obama, sustainability
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Waterpure International, Inc. to release atmospheric water generator (AWG) to some countries
The quest for a clean and pure drinking water is a worldwide concern and finding better ways of addressing the need for safe drinking water is a task that scientists have struggled with for many years. Now, it seems that an important piece of the puzzle has presented itself quite literally “out of thin air.” It’s called the Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) and it has just entered production by Florida, USA based WaterPure International [OTC BB: WPUR].
Basically, the AWG is a technological response to what is fast becoming a global water crisis. The need to provide safe and clean drinking water is essential to survival. Not only because of the simple fact that human beings need water to live, but because water-borne pathogens are among the most common causes of serious illness worldwide. The problem is that in many parts of the world the water supply is minimal and commonly the quality of available water is continually degrading due to varying reasons, including environmental shift, industrial contamination and contagious disease. Because of these common risk factors associated with native ground water supplies, the AWG presents a significant advantage in comparison with competing filtration and purification technologies that require the use of standing water, since the AWG device is used to instead extract water from the atmosphere.
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Siemens in full support of Australia's incentive program for businesses supporting the government's energy efficiency efforts
Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency got a big boost when industrial mega-giant Siemens AG [NYSE: SI] vowed to support their programs by offering business incentives for the creation of energy efficiency saving measures and raising economic productivity. The objective of the program is to encourage businesses to undertake energy efficiency projects with the eventual goal of increasing the overall energy efficiency of the Australian way of life.
Siemens is the world’s largest provider of environmentally friendly technologies. Their recently launched Energy Efficiency Portfolio includes over 45 unique products and services directly related to efficiency, from water treatment and cogeneration solutions to brand new LED lighting technology and energy performance contracting. The Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency Report was specially contracted by the Australian Government in order to provide advice on developmental policy which will strengthen Australia’s response to climate change while at the same time reducing energy costs and raising the standard of living for all Australians.
Siemens CEO Albert Goller congratulated the Prime Minister’s Task Group for their comprehensive set of recommendations. He added that the report is a direct response to Siemens’ Picture the Future blueprint program which calls for innovation in the energy efficiency sector and advancement in smart grid technologies. The Pictures of the Future study identified a goal of 30% total energy reduction across all sectors and is believed to be achievable by 2030.
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October is Energy Awareness Month
The United States Department of Energy has declared the month of October to be National Energy Awareness Month. The idea is to encourage consumers to invest in energy saving products and to focus on efficient and wise use of electricity. It is the perfect opportunity for Eco-Consultants to remind customers that there is always plenty of room to improve energy habits as well. The observation of Energy Awareness Month will give us yet another reason to further evaluate energy habits at home, at work and in our communities in order to make relevant changes to benefit our environment.
With intensifying environmental problems, in particular global warming, everyone is encouraged to do their part in helping save our planet’s ecosystem. However not everyone is familiar with the simple measures they can take to help. We can all start by using electricity efficiently and wisely, and going green does not have to be expensive. If you cannot afford to buy solar panels you can still help with simple acts such as switching off lights when they are not in use and unplugging appliances when possible. You can also buy energy saving light bulbs when it’s time to replace the incandescent ones and you will see how much it can help you save on your electric bills too.
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Choosing a car based on lifestyle and projected carbon-dioxide emission output
Fuel efficiency is now vying to be the #1 selling point for new cars in the current market. There are endless promotions on fuel efficient cars but it seems that at least in America, consumers really aren’t sure what type of vehicle really fits their needs.
Hybrid cars are being manufactured in large numbers with hopes that consumers will be interested and begin to purchase them. Other Americans are waiting patiently for the first all-electric cars to hit the market. There are flexfuel vehicles that are ready to burn E85 ethanol right off the lot and of course we can’t forget the venerable (and increasingly popular) clean diesel. With the many discussions about carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their effect to the global environment, many people are interested in purchasing a more fuel-efficient vehicle, if not just to save money then also to help reduce CO2 emissions in their own little way. But why are so many Americans holding back on this decision for now?
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Posted in Car, Green, Sustainable Living
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Tagged alternative fuels, carbon dioxide emissions, clean diesel, e85, ethanol, flexfuel, fuel-efficient vehicles, harris poll, hybrid cars, mpg, renewable energy, renewable fuels
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