Monthly Archives: November 2009
The world’s largest working wave energy electricity generating device has been officially launched in Scotland. Known as Oyster, the device, built by Aquamarine Power, is stationed at the European Marine Energy Center Billia Croo site near Stromness. At present, it is the world’s only wave energy device which is producing power to the grid. Oyster produces electricity by pumping high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine which feeds into the national grid to power homes in nearby Orkney and beyond. Oyster is designed to capture the energy found in near-shore waves in water depths between 10 and 16 metres. … Continue Reading
The Friends of the Earth have published a report on a study of various ways in which the world’s projected population of 9.16 billion in 2050 could be fed. The key finding was that feeding the world in 2050 is possible without the most intensive forms of animal and crop production and without a massive expansion of agricultural land. The study focused on four possible dietary scenarios: Western High Meat – assuming that there is a global adoption of the current Western diet with an average intake of 3,000 kcal per day per person and with 44% of protein from … Continue Reading
The International Energy Agency, which provides energy statistics and projections to 28 industrialised countries, has issued a report warning that every year of inaction in cutting carbon emissions will cost the world an additional $US500 billion. The IEA estimates that in order to limit the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees, non-fossil fuels will need to provide at least 32 percent of total energy and the share of new cars with internal combustion engines will have to fall to less than 40% by 2030. The IEA says that to achieve this the world needs to spend a total of … Continue Reading
For a period of five hours on Sunday (8 November, 2009), 53% of Spain’s electricity was produced by its wind turbines. Spain began installing wind turbines in 1997 and, up to about five years ago, critics claimed that the country could never produce more than 14% of its power needs from wind. Overall this year, Spain expects to produce 13% of its power from wind, 20% from nuclear, 10% from hydro and 2.5% from solar. The contribution of wind is expected to double by 2020 and Spain’s Prime Minister, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, has suggested that the contribution of renewables … Continue Reading
Offshore wind farm developers have announced plans for major development in the outer Forth and Tay areas off the coast of Scotland. The proposed sites have a combined capacity of 2,470 megawatts. The plan comprises four individual projects locatied at least 10 kilometres from shore and in a total area covering approximately 475 square kilometres. The plan requires major programmes of studies and surveys including; fisheries, shipping, birds, marine mammals and seabed conditions before approval will be granted by the Scottish Government. The developers believe that this could be achieved as early as mid-2012 with construction beginning in 2014 and … Continue Reading
The Japanese Government has selected a group of companies to work on the development of a Space Solar Power Station which would comprise an array of photovoltaic dishes several square kilometres in area located outside the Earth;s atmosphere and beaming energy to the ground using laser beams or microwaves. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which has had a team of some 130 scientists working on the idea since 1998, has now nominated a group of companies, including Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, Fujitsu and Sharp, to develop the project. The aim is to launch a satellite to test transmission of energy … Continue Reading
A British judge has ruled that deeply held environmental views are entitled to the same protection as religious convictions. Until five years ago, Tim Nicholson, a British quantity surveyor, "flew abroad on holiday and for work, drove fast cars and had no knowledge of or concern about carbon emissions". But after a trip to New Zealand, he decided that he could no longer "continue to live in a way that would increase the already dangerous high levels of CO²" and took a job as head of sustainability for Grainger plc, a large property management company. Mr Nicholson said that his … Continue Reading
Closing the hole in the ozone is seen as the world’s greatest environmantal restoration achievement but there’s a hitch … Under the Montreal Protocol, chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) were phased out and replaced with the less damaging hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) as an interim measure. HCFCs have now become the standard working coolant in refrigerators, air conditioners and aerosol cans. But HCFCs are still damaging to the ozone layers and, in the longer term, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) were promoted as the best alternative. From January 1, 2010, the world’s developed nations must cut HCFC consumption and production by 75 percent. It will then become illegal … Continue Reading
Videos
Renewables News- Vic Council Approves Wind Farm with Community SharesBuloke Shire has approved a planning permit for a five-turbine wind farm spanning 5.t hectares at Coonooer Bridge, west of Bendigo..It is the first wind farm planning permit approved since 2011 when the Victorian Government introduced tough planning laws that … Continue Reading → […]
- NZ Electricity Co Offers Solar PV with BatteryVector Limited, the largest electricity and gas distribution company in New Zealand, is offerring a "home solar power solution", incorporating intelligent battery storage into a traditional solar PV system. In the introductory phase of the programme, a limited number of … Continue Reading → […]
- Sydney City Revises Trigen Power PlanThe City of Sydney has decided not to pursue its plan for a trigeneation power precinct at Green Square at this time but has re-affirmed its commitment to cutting carbon emissions using trigeneration, among other technologies, The decision to halt … Continue Reading → […]
- Vic Council Approves Wind Farm with Community Shares
