An interesting idea for a sustainable fridge in developing countries.
Archive for the 'General' Category
This weeks issue of The Economist has a 20 page special report on the future of energy. It looks at wind, solar, Nuclear, CCS, electrical networks and all the usual suspects. The editorial leader also has energy as a focus.
“As these alternatives start to roll out in earnest, their rise, optimists hope, will become inexorable. Economies of scale will develop and armies of engineers will tweak them to make them better and cheaper still. Some, indeed, think alternative energy will be the basis of a boom bigger than information technology.”
A large part of the special report is available online but its well worth buying a copy to peruse it all.
I can barely describe how happy this makes me. Die hummer die!
Production line stalling a bummer for Hummers | theage.com.au
At the invitation of the German Federal Government, representatives from more than 60 countries met in Berlin earlier this month to discuss the founding of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), an intergovernmental organization that will exist to exclusively promote the adoption of renewable energy worldwide. This is indeed a good news for the future of sustainable energy technologies.
IRENA will address several critical barriers that are preventing the full-scale adoption of renewable energy. It will provide informed policy advice and assistance to national governments that are currently lacking the means and capacity to develop effective regulatory frameworks for renewable energy adoption.
You can find more about this news by Lily Riahi in the following link:
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52254
Cheers
Anil
Hi all,
For those who have not seen via my post to the MIET2126 & 2127 discussion board. A very interesting report.
http://www.abareconomics.com/publications_html/energy/energy_08/energyAUS08.pdf
Cheers,
TonyB
The linked story is about a neat little system that recovers waste heat from a data center and uses it to warm a nearby swimming pool. Data centers pump out a lot of heat so being able to tap into that much energy and use it is a nice example of lateral thinking. Even my little laptop generates too much heat to leave it on my lap for very long so some of those big server rooms could no doubt provide a lot of energy. Makes you wonder if the current trend towards flash based hard drives is going to require redesigning of data centers
“A new computer centre in Switzerland is making novel use of the hot air thrown off by its servers and communications equipment: the heat is being funneled next door to warm the local swimming pool.
As in all data centers, air conditioners will blast the computers with chilly air - to keep the machines from exceeding their optimum temperature of around 21 degrees Celsius - and pump hot air out.
Usually, the hot air is vented outdoors and wasted. In the Uitikon centre, it will flow through heat exchangers to warm water that will be pumped into the nearby pool.”
Should tax payers compensate private generators as they struggle to cope in a carbon constrained world?
Big polluters demand billion-dollar ‘ransom’ - Environment - theage.com.au
Production of photovoltaics (PV) jumped to 3,800 megawatts worldwide in 2007, up an estimated 50 percent over 2006. At the end of the year, according to preliminary data, cumulative global production stood at 12,400 megawatts, enough to power 2.4 million U.S. homes. Growing by an impressive average of 48 percent each year since 2002, PV production has been doubling every two years, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy source.
The MagLev wind turbine, which was first unveiled at the Wind Power Asia exhibition in Beijing, is expected take wind power technology to the next level with magnetic levitation.
Magnetic levitation is an extremely efficient system for wind energy. Here’s how it works: the vertically oriented blades of the wind turbine are suspended in the air above the base of the machine, replacing the need for ball bearings. The turbine uses “full-permanent” magnets, not electromagnets — therefore, it does not require electricty to run. The full-permanent magnet system employs neodymium (”rare earth”) magnets and there is no energy loss through friction. This also helps reduce maintenance costs and increases the lifespan of the generator.
Maglev wind turbines have several advantages over conventional wind turbines. For instance, they’re able to use winds with starting speeds as low as 1.5 meters per second (m/s). Also, they could operate in winds exceeding 40 m/s. Currently, the largest conventional wind turbines in the world produce only five megawatts of power. However, one large maglev wind turbine could generate one gigawatt of clean power, enough to supply energy to 750,000 homes. It would also increase generation capacity by 20% over conventional wind turbines and decrease operational costs by 50%. If that isn’t enough, the maglev wind turbines will be operational for about 500 years!
Source: Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/11/26/super-powered-magnetic-wind-turbine-maglev/
Got an email from a friend of mine in the legal sector. It contains an examination of the Rudd govts environmental plans. Makes for interesting reading:
http://www.freehills.com/publications/publications_7084.asp
Renewable energy
Labor can also be expected to implement its announced policies on renewable energy: Labor’s 20 Per Cent Target For a Renewable Energy Future. Labor has promised to ensure that at least 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply (approximately 60,000 GWh) is generated from renewable sources by 2020. This will be a significant increase on the current target of 9.5 per cent (approximately 15,000 GWh). The aim is to combine existing and proposed state and territory renewable energy schemes and the national Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) scheme into a single national scheme.
Labor considers that renewable energy targets do not have a long-term future given the planned implementation of an ETS. It proposes a phase-out of renewable energy targets from 2020 to 2030 as domestic emissions trading matures and carbon prices become sufficient to ensure that mandatory renewable energy targets are no longer required.
Labor has also committed to providing (among other things) $50 million for geothermal drilling to assess the potential for hot, dry rock technologies.
Clean energy funds
Labor can also be expected to implement its announced policies on ‘clean’ energy: Federal Labor’s Clean Energy Plan To Help Tackle Climate Change. Labor has promised to provide: $500 million for a Renewable Energy Fund, $150 million for an Energy Innovation Fund, and $240 million for a Clean Business Fund.
Spending under the Energy Innovation Fund will include: $50 million for an Australian Solar Institute based on an existing CSIRO centre in Newcastle, $50 million towards solar PV research and development, and $50 million towards ‘general clean energy research’.
Spending under the Clean Business Fund will include: $90 million for a Green Building Fund to subsidise 50 per cent of the cost of retrofitting commercial office buildings, with a maximum of $200,000 provided for each building. It will also include $75 million for grants of up to $500,000 to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers retool their production processes, reduce their environmental footprint and cut carbon emissions. Another $75 million will go to a program to support development and commercialisation of ‘clean, green technologies’.
The existing Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund scheme and the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program will be abolished.
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