No New Coal Plants Started in 2009No new coal plants broke ground in 2009, a result of a combination of widespread public opposition, rising costs, increasing financial risks and concerns over future carbon regulations. In 2009 twenty-six coal-fired power plants–which would have emitted 146 million tons of carbon dioxide annually– were defeated or abandoned, the […]
World’s first molecular transistor createdScientists have succeeded in creating the first transistor made from a single molecule. They showed that a benzene molecule attached to gold contacts could behave just like a silicon transistor.
NYS DEC - Waking Up After its HiatusThe word from a large environmental law firm in Albany confirms there’s a new sheriff […]
Algae turned into high-temperature hydrogen sourceIn the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits of not using petroleum to power vehicles. New findings however, show that […]
Actions Taken Over Next Decade To Demonstrate And Deploy Key Technologies Will Determine US Energy FutureWith a sustained national commitment, the United States could obtain substantial energy-efficiency improvements, new sources of energy, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through the accelerated deployment of existing and emerging energy technologies.
Synthetic Cells Shed Biological Insights While Delivering Battery […]
Transparent Solar Cells Made For WindowsIf solar cells were transparent, they could be fitted to windows and building facades. Physical modeling helps in the development of suitable materials for transparent electronics and thus in creating the basis for transparent solar cells.
Tell Your Mayor To Take Action for the Environment!The pending energy bill is crucial for […]
High-performance Plasmas May Make Reliable, Efficient Fusion Power A RealityIn the quest to produce nuclear fusion energy, researchers from the DIII-D National Fusion Facility have recently confirmed long-standing theoretical predictions that performance, efficiency and reliability are simultaneously obtained in tokamaks, the leading magnetic confinement fusion device, operating at their performance limits.
SNI is Hiring!SNI is looking […]
Glitter-sized solar photovoltaics could revolutionize the way solar energy is collected and usedScientists have developed tiny glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that could revolutionize the way solar energy is collected and used.
Exotic electric properties of graphene confirmedFirst, it was the soccer-ball-shaped molecules dubbed buckyballs. Then it was the cylindrically shaped nanotubes. Now, the hottest new material in […]
Take Action!In an earlier post I passed along some of my favorite sites so that you can keep up to date on the latest and greatest in the world of modern energy. In my infinite (read: finite) wisdom I neglected to add http://www.votesolar.org/ and http://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/category/sources/action-alerts/ 2 websites dedicated to keeping the citizenry up to date […]
Glitter-sized solar photovoltaics could revolutionize the way solar energy is collected and usedScientists have developed tiny glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that could revolutionize the way solar energy is collected and used.
Big Old House Windows - Part 3 in the seriesLets continue prying into this big old house.
How Countries Can Integrate Wind Power Smoothly Into Power SystemsSome countries already get a substantial share of their electricity consumption from wind power: Denmark 20%, Spain and Portugal 11%, Ireland 9%, and Germany 7%. Power systems have to cope with variable electricity consumption. Variable wind power will increase variations that the power system has to […]