February 2008
Monthly Archive
Geothermal system discovered in Nevada
Posted by admin on 29 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Geothermal
Researchers have found evidence of an active geothermal system in Mineral County, NV.
Although no thermal springs or wells are known to exist in the basin, shallow temperature anomalies are thought to be caused by geothermal groundwater upwelling along a fault on the western margin of the basin, Lisa Shevenell, director of the Great Basin Center, told the paper.
Lithium to be mined for green batteries
Posted by admin on 29 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Geothermal
Within the next ten years, Simbol Mining plans to meet 25% of the world’s lithium needs without creating any pollution. Lithium is used in the batteries of hybrid and electric cars.
The start-up eventually aims to mine more than 100,000 tons of lithium carbonate each year from geothermal sources. That’s more than the current annual market for the compound; the company expects demands for it to quintuple by 2013.
Micro-hydro: efficient, reliable and clean
Posted by admin on 28 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Hydro
Water wheels have been around for thousands of years, but micro-hydro power is generating new interest.
Micro-hydro, by the way, usually refers to plants generating up to 100KW, or 100 standard units of electricity in an hour. Large scale hydroelectric power plants generate a lot more, but have all sorts of damaging environmental and social impacts. Micro-hydro has none of these drawbacks.
Chicago area teens tour eco-friendly home
Posted by admin on 28 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Geothermal, Solar
Chicago area high schoolers toured a green-friendly home to see how concepts they learned in school can be applied to daily life.
After explaining some of the home’s outdoor features, Dypold took the class inside to show them how the heating and air conditioning unit matches with underground pumps, and how radiant heat in the floors and ceilings keeps his energy costs about 66 percent lower than before he began using geothermal and solar energy.
Biodiesel processing kit available to consumers
Posted by admin on 28 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel
A British company is offering a biodiesel processing kit to the individual consumer.
Why not make your own diesel? With the ever rising price of mineral diesel at the pump, buying a home brew bio diesel processing kit can be a very cost effective way of running your vehicles. The process (transesterification) involves turning waste vegetable oil into diesel and is simple and efficient. After buying a Freddy ‘ homebrew kit’ the cost is just £0.20p per lire to make quality Biodiesel that is 100% legal in the UK, and that includes the cost of the chemicals needed in the process.
Ontario building receives Platinum LEED certification
Posted by admin on 27 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: LEED
Toronto and Region Conservation’s Restoration Services Centre was awarded a Platinum LEED certification, the highest level of environmental certification. Only four other buildings in Canada have achieved Platinum Certification.
Inspired by TRCA’s vision for The Living City™ — where human settlement can flourish forever as part of nature’s beauty and diversity, the building has been designed to have a symbiotic relationship with its natural surroundings,” said Santiago Künzle, architect with Montgomery Sisam Architects. “The building harvests natural light and ventilation, geothermal energy and directs all rain water to replenish wetlands that provide habitat for birds, turtles and insects. The design focuses on using simple, low-cost solutions to drive high performance sustainability outcomes while creating a comfortable and inspiring environment for the client. Superior indoor environment quality is achieved through extensive natural light and ventilation, low emitting finishes and low velocity fresh air supply.”
E85 gas stations still rare
Posted by admin on 27 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Ethanol
Gas stations that sell E85 ethanol (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) are so rare that drivers often have to wait in long lines to buy fuel.
The Corn Belt has most of the E85 pumps. Of the 1,490 U.S. stations with E85, 89 are in Iowa, 169 in Illinois and 342 in Minnesota, according to the tally kept by the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. But there are just four stations in Utah and one each in Montana, Massachusetts and Delaware.
Central Florida transit system to go green in 2009
Posted by admin on 27 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel
Lynx, Central Florida’s bus system, will convert all 290 of its buses and support vehicles to biodiesel by next year.
The bus agency said it thinks the change to biodiesel will not cost any more money because the cleaner-burning fuel extends engine life. So any extra expense will be more than offset by the expected savings that come with lower maintenance costs, Darnall said.
Hollywood goes green with new generators
Posted by admin on 26 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel
According to a recent UCLA study, the California film industry was the second largest polluter in the state. A company called GreenPower Generators has manufactured clean-burning biofuel generators for use in film fests, events, and anything else that wants green energy.
Who’s interested? Currently GPG is booked to power the 17th annual EMA (Environmental Media Association) awards, E! Entertainment & EMA’s Golden Globes Party, the Home Depot stop of the Warped Tour and Clear Channel’s December 8th Christmas Party. They’re all excellent first steps for a company that just launched July 19th.
Biodiesel workshops to be offered in five states
Posted by admin on 26 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel
Iowa’s Renewable Energy Group is conducting workshops in five states as an introduction to the biodiesel industry.
REG spokeswoman Alicia Clancy said the workshops are designed for industry stakeholders, or simply the curious. She said people want to know the basics: what is biodiesel, what is it made of, how to check for quality, who is using it, how much they’re using and its availability.
The workshop also addresses biodiesel storage and handling, because past participants have shown interest in those areas, as well as state-specific and federal legislation, biodiesel mandates and niche markets such as Bioheat and the mining industry.
