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January 10, 2007

100 Solar Megawatts

Photovoltaic power plants to produce 10 times as much electricity

Posted by dymaxion at 12:05 AM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2007

Amazing Pictures of Offshore Wind Farms

One of the stories recently featured on one of my favorite sites, Reddit, was a link to some amazing pictures of offshore wind farms.

Seeing these pictures of wind turbines really made clear to me the reality of offshore wind power, and the size and scope required to harness the power of wind over the ocean.

Summarizing some points from the article:

  • average wind speeds are greater over the ocean than they are over land
  • the world's largest offshore wind farm is Horn’s Reef project located 14 kilometers (or about 9 miles) off the coast of Denmark in the North Sea (which has some of the roughest water in the world)
  • waves at the Horn's Reef project are 8-10 meters (about 25 - 30 feet)
  • the Danish Government has a plan to have wind turbines with a total capacity of 4000 MW in Danish waters by 2030
  • since 2002, the Horn's Reef project has produced enough energy to run 150,000 Danish households

    • For this post, pictures are worth more than 1,000 words, so do click over and see the pictures of offshore wind farms for yourself.

    Posted by dymaxion at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

    Inertial-Electrodynamic Fusion Device receives 2006 Technology of the Year Award by the International Academy of Sciences

    Dr. Bussard and his team at Energy/Matter Conversion Corporation, after close to 20 years of hard work, have developed a revolutionary radiation-free fusion process that takes boron-11 and fuses a proton to it, producing, in its excited state, a carbon-12 atom. This excited carbon-12 atom decays to beryllium-8 and helium-4. It was developed under a DOD contract and has recently been made public. (PESWiki; Jan. 2)

    Posted by dymaxion at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)

    US to Host Global Renewable Energy Conference in 2008

    The US Department of State has officially committed to be the global host for the 2008 Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008). Approximately 5000 attendees are expected to take part in the international event, ...

    Posted by dymaxion at 11:07 PM | Comments (0)

    EPA plan puts politics before science

    The EPA has announced measures that will increase the role of political appointees and circumvent independent scientific research, leaving the public at risk.

    Posted by dymaxion at 11:02 PM | Comments (0)

    The Rise of Chinese Alternative Energy Companies

    Dan Lewis of AEI writes that because China is undergoing "the greatest industrialisation in the history of the world", energy demand is accelerating at a very quick rate. In order to meet this demand in the next 25 years, an alternative energy revolution is vital. This article hightlights eight alternative energy companies that are well positioned to help usher in a Chinese energy revolution.

    Posted by dymaxion at 11:01 PM | Comments (0)

    Boeing Solar Cell Sets New Record At 40.7% Efficiency

    Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced that Spectrolab, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, has achieved a new world record in terrestrial concentrator solar cell efficiency. Using concentrated sunlight, Spectrolab demonstrated the ability of a photovoltaic cell to convert 40.7 percent of the sun’s energy...

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    Posted by dymaxion at 10:58 PM | Comments (0)

    Fuel Cell Industry Growing, but Still Relatively Small

    According to the 2006 Fuel Cell Industry Survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, for the publicly traded companies in the global fuel cell sector:● Revenues were up 20% to $266 million in 2005● There was a 6% decrease in RD expenditures to $206 million ● Continuing a trend started in 2003, revenues...

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    Posted by dymaxion at 10:51 PM | Comments (0)

    China Takes Lead in Electric Cars

    Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd. (QYEV) is building a 165 million yuan (US$21 million) factory capable of producing 20,000 electric powered vehicles a year in the northern port city of Tianjin. The plant will produce cars powered by battery, hybrid power and fuel cells. It is expected to...

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    Posted by dymaxion at 10:47 PM | Comments (0)

    Audubon Society Stands Up in Support of Wind Energy

    The Audubon Society strongly supports wind power as a clean alternative energy source, pointing to the link between global warming and the birds and other wildlife that scientist say it will kill wrote John Flicker, the president of the National Audubon Society, in the November-December issue of...

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    Posted by dymaxion at 10:46 PM | Comments (0)

    UCS Asserts That ExxonMobil is Clouding Understanding of Climate Change to Delay Action on the Issue

    A new report, Smoke, Mirrors Hot Air, from the Union of Concerned Scientists asserts that ExxonMobil has adopted the tobacco industry's disinformation tactics, as well as some of the same organizations and personnel, to cloud the scientific understanding of climate change and delay action on the...

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    Posted by dymaxion at 10:42 PM | Comments (0)