May 2008
Monthly Archive
Toyota goes solar in South Africa
Posted by admin on 30 May 2008 | Tagged as: Solar
South Africa is facing a major power shortage, and the national utility company, Eskom has asked businesses to cut energy use by 10%. Toyota has responded by installing solar panels in its factory in Durban.
Toyota’s renewable energy project began in 2006 with the installation of 44 x 2,5 m² panels and the second phase was completed in June 2007 when 150 panels were installed. In the third phase of this project, Toyota will install a further 120 panels. While the project has cost Toyota R3,5 million, the company expects to save R95 000 per month on energy costs when the project is completed in the next few months.
New Mexico fueling station offers a variety of biofuels
Posted by admin on 30 May 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel, Ethanol
The Nambe Falls Travel Center offers a variety of alternative fuels such as E10, E85, B5 and B20, making it only the third store in New Mexico to offer such a wide selection.
The Nambe Falls Travel Center acts as a retailer and wholesaler in the area with a total capacity of 128,000 gallons of fuel. The center is located just 15 minutes north of Santa Fe, N.M., on US Highway 285/84 at Exit 177.
Ronald McDonald House granted platinum LEED certification
Posted by admin on 30 May 2008 | Tagged as: LEED
The Ronald Mcdonald House of Austin and Central Texas has been awarded a platinum LEED certification.
The Ronald McDonald House also has a 10.8 kilowatt solar array on the rooftop, which was donated and funded by Green Mountain Energy Co. and Austin Energy. Consisting of 54 photovoltaic solar panels and covering nearly 950 square feet of roof space, the array will power at least half of the rooms in the house via solar energy. It also minimizes emission of harmful greenhouse gases, offsetting more than 30,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. The array makes this the first solar-powered Ronald McDonald House in the world.
South Africa’s first wind farm opens after long fight
Posted by admin on 29 May 2008 | Tagged as: Wind
After a 12-year struggle against South African red tape, Hermann Oelsner succeeded in opening South Africa’s first wind farm in Darling, near Cape Town, on May 23rd.
The wind farm, which has four turbines, can supply 5.2MW of electricity at present. This would be enough for 60 percent of the energy needs of a town the size of Darling in winter, when there is less wind, and 90 percent in summer.
There are plans to erect another 16 turbines which will bring the total amount generated to 13MW.
First IPO planned for all-wind company in US
Posted by admin on 29 May 2008 | Tagged as: Finance and Investing, Wind
Noble Environmental Power, Inc. is planning to go public by registering an IPO with NASDAQ later this year.
No other company focused exclusively on wind power generation has ever launched an IPO in the U.S., although there have been 17 such offerings in other parts of the world since 1995, according to data tracker Dealogic. But it was inevitable that a wind-related offering would come to market in the U.S., given the growth in the industry and a rise in private investments in the sector, says
Randall Swisher, executive director of the American Wind Energy Association, a trade group that promotes wind power.
Marine company approves B5 for its boat engines
Posted by admin on 29 May 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel
The Netherlands’ Yanmare Marine has approved the use of 5% B5 biodiesel for most of its boat engines.
Yanmar Marine has approved B5 Biodiesel fuel for use across most of its recreational marine engines, as part of the company’s continuing efforts to encourage environmentally friendly boating.
In general, when compared to standard diesel fuel, B5 Biodiesel usage can reduce particulate matter and the emission of so-called greenhouse gases. A maximum 5% B5 Biodiesel is blended with standard fuel and must conform to ASTM D6751 or ISO EN14214 specifications.
UK company looks at small hydro for rivers
Posted by admin on 28 May 2008 | Tagged as: Hydro
The UK’s Water Power Enterprises is looking at small hydroelectric plants powered by rivers to provide green energy.
The company plans to introduce a hydroelectric scheme in Settle, North Yorkshire, that could generate 180,000KwH of electricity a year, which is enough power to provide heat and light for 50 houses. If it secures planning permission, the Settle scheme could start by the end of the year. It’s estimated lifespan would be 40 years, and Water Power Enterprises predicts it will save 80 tonnes of carbon a year.
Ms Walker said: “Water Power Enterprises plans to re-use river weirs for their original intention, namely the generation of power. However, this time round, we’ll use them to develop electrical energy instead of mechanical energy.
Cranberry-byproducts could become cellulosic ethanol
Posted by admin on 28 May 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel, Biomass, Ethanol
Waste left after a cranberry harvest – leaves, rotting fruit, and twigs, for example – could be used to make cellulosic ethanol in the future.
There are just giant mounds of rotting cranberry waste” sitting on bog land. On the production end, the process of making cranberry juice leaves behind a “press cake” after the berries have been squeezed into juice. Both types of leftovers could be made into biofuel — called cellulosic ethanol — in the future.
Biofuel from rice straw?
Posted by admin on 28 May 2008 | Tagged as: Biofuel
Chinese researchers have developed a way to produce biofuel from rice straw, the stem and leaves left after the rice grain is harvested.
The researchers treated rice straw with sodium hydroxide before allowing bacteria to ferment it into a biogas. That so-called pretreatment increased biogas production by making more cellulose and other compositions in straw available for digestion by the bacteria. Three prototype facilities have been built in China using this technology.
Apple applies for patent for solar power use
Posted by admin on 27 May 2008 | Tagged as: Solar
Apple has applied for a patent that suggests the company will use solar cells to power products in the future.
Apple’s proposed solution involves inserting solar cells into the display, beneath the protective glass and the LCD. Aside from conserving surface space, this would require virtually no exterior design changes, which Apple typically avoids unless it intends to make a major shift in aesthetics.
