New York plans $40 million prize competition to create community microgrids

New York plans competition for 10 community microgrid projects across the state.

The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, has put $40 million in prize money behind his push to bolster the state’s post-Hurricane Sandy storm resilience with community microgrids. But will that be enough to overcome the regulatory and economic barriers that have challenged efforts to create microgrids in New York?

 

 

Continue reading… “New York plans $40 million prize competition to create community microgrids”

Ascent Solar debuts solar powered battery for smartphones

Ascent Solar Technologies EnerPlex solar charging products.

Ascent Solar Technologies Inc is a developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules integrated into off-grid applications as well as the EnerPlex(TM) series of consumer products. The company has debuted new additions to their EnerPlex product lineup, including the Surfr battery and solar case for the iPhone 5 and 5s as well as additional solar products and charging accessories, at CES 2014 in Las Vegas.

 

Continue reading… “Ascent Solar debuts solar powered battery for smartphones”

Living off the Grid is now Illegal in the State of Florida

robin-speronis1-400x217

Robin Speronis lives off the grid in Florida, completely independent of the city’s water and electric system. A few weeks ago, officials ruled her off-grid home illegal. Officials cited the International Property Maintenance Code, which mandates that homes be connected to an electricity grid and a running water source.

Continue reading… “Living off the Grid is now Illegal in the State of Florida”

Nissan’s New Electric Car has Range

773761577_nissan_electric_car_nissan_leaf

For many more people than realize it, electric cars are already adequate for their needs and better than a gasmobile for their bank account and quality of life. However, it often isn’t good enough for disruptive technology to be better than the incumbents. It has to be much better. The target for electric cars, in order to meet that challenge, is a very long-range and affordable electric car. That would bring electric car convenience to another level, and leave gasmobiles with not a single actual advantage over electric cars, compared to nearly 10 for electric cars.

Continue reading… “Nissan’s New Electric Car has Range”

Hawaii’s solar boom is so successful it’s been blocked from further expansion

Rooftop solar on a house in Hawaii.

William Walker and his wife, Mi Chong, wanted to join what’s seen as a solar revolution in Hawaii. Shortly after buying their Oahu home earlier this year, they plunked down $35,000 for a rooftop photovoltaic system. The couple looked forward to joining neighbors who had added panels, to cutting their $250 monthly power bills and to knowing they were helping the environment.

 

 

Continue reading… “Hawaii’s solar boom is so successful it’s been blocked from further expansion”

2013 has been a record breaking year for solar power in the U.S.

America is on track to install more solar capacity this year than world leader Germany.

In the U.S., the outlook for solar power is bright and sunny. The solar industry in America has recorded its second largest quarter ever in the third quarter of 2013, and the largest quarter ever for residential installations. (Infographic)

 

 

Continue reading… “2013 has been a record breaking year for solar power in the U.S.”

This is your future: Ray Kurzweil

By the early 2020s, we will have the means to program our biology away from disease and aging, by the early 2020’s. Health and medicine have been a hit or miss up until recently. We would discover interventions such as drugs that had benefits, but also many side effects. Until recently, we did not have the means to actually design interventions on computers.

 

 

Continue reading… “This is your future: Ray Kurzweil”

Tesla batteries are powering an energy revolution

SolarCity generator

Tesla Motors lithium-ion battery packs aren’t just powering electric luxury sports sedans for wealthy any more. They’ve started appearing in a small number of California homes to store electricity generated by rooftop solar panels, and SolarCity, the Silicon Valley solar installer, will start providing Tesla batteries for businesses that want to cut their utility bills.

 

Continue reading… “Tesla batteries are powering an energy revolution”

Growing algae in sewage to create biofuels

A channel in which algae is bred and gently stirred with a paddlewheel.

Growing algae on sewage could generate affordable biofuels. To make this work you begin with a series of small artificial rivers where waste water flows and algae is cultured. In those ponds is a paddle wheel, which pushes the water about and mixes algae into the waste water. The shallowness of the rivers encourages sunlight and helps the algae grow. And that algae is pretty important, because it’s what gets turned into biofuel.

 

 

Continue reading… “Growing algae in sewage to create biofuels”

Japan wants to supply the world’s energy from a giant solar power plant on the moon

The Japanese architectural and engineering firm, Shimizu, has a solution for the climate crisis: Simply build a band of solar panels 400 kilometers (249 miles) wide running all the way around the Moon’s 11,000-kilometer (6,835 mile) equator and beam the carbon-free energy back to Earth in the form of microwaves, which are converted into electricity at ground stations.

 

 

Continue reading… “Japan wants to supply the world’s energy from a giant solar power plant on the moon”

Natural gas is set to be the next big energy trend

Global consumption of natural gas will rival the use of coal and steal the market share from oil on the world market.

The “next defining energy trend” is poised to be natural gas as it increasingly becomes a primary global energy source, according to a report released today by GE.

 

 

Continue reading… “Natural gas is set to be the next big energy trend”

Heat from subways to warm homes in London

London’s subway will be supplying green energy to warm up more homes around the borough.

A new project announced by the Islington council will redirect the heat from a Northern Line of London’s subway to vent to homes across the city, giving homeowners a new way to get through the cold season. The project will deliver cheap heating to 500 homes around the area. It will not only be saving consumers money, but also the environment from 500 tons of CO2 emissions.

 

 

Continue reading… “Heat from subways to warm homes in London”

Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.