http://monitorelectricity.com Learn how to monitor electricity and save on your power bills. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:20:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/thin-films-showing-promise-for-solar-applications/2526/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/thin-films-showing-promise-for-solar-applications/2526/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:20:02 +0000 admin Electric control of aligned spins improves computer memory
Researchers are using electric fields to manipulate the property of electrons known as “spin” to store data permanently. This principle could not only improve random access memory in computers, it could also revolutionize the next generation of electronic devices.

Westerlo House part 2: Foundation Welcome back. ]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/thin-films-showing-promise-for-solar-applications/2526/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/high-performance-microring-resonator-developed/2525/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/high-performance-microring-resonator-developed/2525/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:32:02 +0000 admin

New way of producing electricity with nanotubes discovered Scientists have discovered a previously unknown phenomenon that can cause powerful waves of energy to shoot through minuscule wires known as carbon nanotubes. The discovery could lead to a new way of producing electricity, the researchers say.

Innovation puts next-generation solar cells on the horizon Scientists have developed an innovative way to boost the output of the next generation of solar cells. They have produced tandem dye-sensitized solar cells with a three-fold increase in energy conversion efficiency compared with previously reported tandem dye-sensitized solar cells.

High-performance microring resonator developed A new, more efficient low-cost microring resonator for high speed telecommunications systems has been developed. This technological advance capitalizes on the benefits of optical fibers to transmit large quantities of data at ultra-fast speeds.

Electric cars are going places Electric cars have many merits: They are quieter and require less maintenance than cars with internal combustion engines. A network of smartly located charging stations covering the entire Harz region in Germany is bound to make electric cars a regional feature.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/high-performance-microring-resonator-developed/2525/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/press-release-from-solar-night-industries/2524/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/press-release-from-solar-night-industries/2524/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:54:10 +0000 admin Sunny Record: Breakthrough for Hybrid Solar Cells
Scientists in Germany have succeeded in developing a method for treating the surface of nanoparticles which greatly improves the efficiency of organic solar cells. The researchers were able to attain an efficiency of 2 percent by using so-called quantum dots composed of cadmium selenide. These measurements, well above the previous efficiency ratings of 1 to 1.8 percent, were confirmed.

Press Release from Solar Night Industries 12.13.2007-Solar Night Industries (PINKSHEETS: SLND), a renewable energy company formed to accelerate the adoption of Modern Energy Solutions, today issued a corporate update. See Full Press Release at Investor Relation Home. SHAREHOLDERS: Register Now For Solar Night Investor Relations Packet & Newsletter Updates

Hey Action Takers–It’s Almost Time! I’ve asked you repeatedly to take action on the impending energy bill as it went through the House and Senate. Don’t remember? Just click here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here (with the “I’m Just a Bill” song from School House Rock!) Well, HUGE News!!! All of our efforts will hopefully pay off later today when the House is expected to vote on the FINAL energy bill! If everything goes as expected, we can look forward to an energy bill that drastically cuts carbon (and other harmful) emissions.

Prototype for a new living concept: Living module makes its debut A novel, highly innovative module for working and living has been designed to be self-sufficient in energy and water consumption. It includes a bedroom, bathroom, toilet and kitchen and is being used as a test bed and demonstrator for new building concepts and energy technologies.

Trapping sunlight with silicon nanowires Researchers have found a better way to trap light in photovoltaic cells through the use of vertical arrays of silicon nanowires. This could substantially cut the costs of solar electric power by reducing the quantity and quality of silicon needed for efficient solar panels.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/12/press-release-from-solar-night-industries/2524/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/chicago-ventures-into-distributed-solar-energy/2523/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/chicago-ventures-into-distributed-solar-energy/2523/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:09:02 +0000 admin “Thermos Bottle” Technology Delivers Solar Hot Water in Cold Weather
by Tina CaseyA lunch box staple is the core idea behind solar technology that could bring cost effective solar-heated hot water to cold climates. Solar Panels Plus has come up with a solar hot water heater based on evacuated tubes similar to those popularized by Thermos. Last year two of the company’s models were certified as eligible for Canada’s ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program, but the real test will occur in southeastern Idaho, where Solar Panels Plus has installed a solar hot water system at the Homestead Family Restaurant in Blackfoot.If the installation keeps the solar hot water coming in cold weather, it’s another big step forward for the ability of solar energy to compete with fossil fuels. Restaurants are hot water gobblers, and a low cost solar installation that works in cold weather would have a relatively short payback for high volume users - especially if it receives solar energy incentives from its utility, as was the case here.Solar Panels Plus and Thermos-style Solar EnergyLike a Thermos bottle, Solar Panels Plus uses double-walled glass tubes to retain and concentrate heat, helped along by an optical coating. The tubes passively track the sun due to their curved shape, which helps boost efficiency. The five SPP-30 model solar collectors installed at Homestead each contain 30 of the tubes and the owner estimates a savings of $500 monthly on electricity bills for the 130-seat restaurant. Though the solar collectors operate effectively under cloudy, cold or even freezing conditions, the company recommends that for maximum reliability and return on investment, the system should be used to marginalize the use of conventional fuels rather than replacing them completely.Utilities, Incentives, and Clean Energy ChampionsThe Homestead system was installed under an incentive program offered by the local utility, Idaho Power Company. It was the first commercial installation under the utility’s clean energy program and according to a recent press release it illustrates, “a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability - something we champion.” Well, join the party. Utilities are emerging as the knights in shining armor of the clean energy scene by promoting clean energy innovation and pushing for small scale, on-site installations. A recent survey revealed that most utility companies believe that by 2050 small scale clean energy will become an important part of the national grid, and within that group 13% believe that the small scale clean energy “electranet” will actually surpass conventional centralized generation.Nuclear Power and the Clean Energy FutureThe clean energy juggernaut keeps rolling along, picking up investment power and the support of corporate giants including utility companies. Even the nation’s top sports industries are on board the sustainability train, including golf, the ski industry, Major League Baseball and the National Football League. If this keeps up the future doesn’t look good for the promotion of nuclear power as called for by the Obama administration’s current energy package. The fact is that nuclear energy is neither clean nor sustainable, it is simply expedient. It is rapidly becoming obsolete as a fuel for electrical generation, and if the utility industry survey cited above is any indication, its large scale centralized model is out of place in the electrical grid of the future.Reprinted with permission from Cleantechnica

Artificial foot recycles energy for easier walking An artificial foot that recycles energy otherwise wasted in between steps could make it easier for amputees to walk, its developers say.

Abound Solar Keeps It In-House by Bruce Haring Mark Chen is the director of marketing at Abound Solar, a Colorado-based manufacturer of thin-film cadmium telluride solar modules. Cleantechies sat him on the hot seat for three questions:CleanTechies: Unlike many photovoltaic (PV) companies, you are manufacturing in the United States. Tell me about the company’s decision to do that.Mark Chen: Abound Solar was founded in Colorado in 2007 based on research conducted at Colorado State University for over 15 years. Abound Solar’s manufacturing technology features a continuous semiconductor deposition process on a fully-automated production line. Our geographic roots and low labor content allow us to be competitive despite higher hour wages in the United States.CleachTechies: Can the United States compete with China’s photovoltaic industry? What advantages do you offer?Mark Chen: Chinese manufacturers are highly competitive in the global market. Their growing production scale, cost advantages and domestic market place pressure on U.S. and European manufacturers alike. U.S.-based PV manufacturers can compete with innovation and customer intimacy.Manufacturers, including Abound Solar, SunPower and First Solar are leading in their respective market segments through cutting-edge products that offer higher performance, higher quality and lower cost. Sometimes this includes strategic use of offshore production, but all have hundreds of key employees based in the United States. Abound Solar’s unique advantage is in producing at lower cost while also partnering with our customers to ensure high-performing PV installations are designed and constructed.CleanTechies: What are the barriers to PV that you’re encountering with commercial installs?Mark Chen: The primary barriers to widespread penetration of commercial PV that we face are lack of financing, complexity of regulation and permitting and lack of understanding of various PV technologies.With banks reducing the amount of credit made available, particularly to owners of large property developers (i.e., retail stores and commercial real estate developers), sources of finance for large-scale systems can often be the single, most important barrier to greater usage of PV.Secondly, a highly-fragmented and heterogeneous system of incentives and regulations increase the complexity of any system design and installation. Owners often misunderstand the wealth of incentives available to them. Project developers can also be held up by local permitting and utility interconnect regulations.Lastly, many PV system buyers still do not buy from a basis of knowledge and experience. There is no Consumer Reports of solar. Instead, they tend to buy either solely on upfront cost or efficiency, neither of which are good measures on which to depend. They should be looking at the full system, the quality and reputation of the component manufacturers and calculating the full long term cost of the electricity that will be produced.Reprinted with permission from Cleantechies

Algae turned into high-temperature hydrogen source In 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 photosynthesis may function as that clean, sustainable source of hydrogen.

SNI and Farmergy at the Ozark Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Expo SNI will share a tent at the Ozark Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Expo, with Farmergy, on September 22-23. The Expo will take place at the Les Bourgeois Winery just outside of Columbia, MO. For more info on this great event click here.

Chicago Ventures Into Distributed Solar Energy by Zachary ShahanCreating a revolution in the way energy is produced and shared, distributed solar energy is one of the top clean energy topics of the day.Chicago utility company ComEd (an arm of the energy giant Exelon Corporation) has a new pilot project in this field that will outfit 100 Chicago-area homes with solar photovoltaic panels and “at least 50 of those with ’smart’ meters, net metering, battery backup and a grid-tied status that enables them to send unused electricity from their solar energy systems back to the grid.”ComEd Environmental and Marketing Vice President Val Jensen says that the aim is to turn each of these homes into a “mini-utility”. But the project goes far beyond that.The selected homes will be part of a pilot program to make people into better energy consumers, teaching them how to plan electrical usage to avoid “peak” loading (i.e. using electricity when nearly everyone else is in the mornings and evenings). Doing this can help individuals to reduce their energy bills and can also help to reduce the need for expensive utility upgrades for transmission and distribution.The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 is providing most of the funding for this project ($5 million), while ComEd and its technology vendors are providing an additional $3 million.The smart grid is supposed to be extended to 131,000 homes eventually, with 8,000 being used to evaluate “advanced metering capabilities”. Advanced metering capabilities include “two-way smart metering that tests consumers’ ability to use the technology to change energy use behaviors.”This pilot program is said to be the largest in the country “to focus on retraining electrical consumers to change their habits to reduce stress on America’s aging electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure” and will last for 12 months.Participants will be given a range of different gadgets to help them out with all of this: “The smart-use rollout will include about 3,100 customers using a basic energy-use display meter; 1,500 ratepayers getting a larger, touch-screen device that allows electricity monitoring and Internet access; and 400 ComEd users getting programmable thermostats that allow programming and remote control of heating and air-conditioning units.”The program is also “the first in the world” to offer a tiered pricing approach to its pilot participants, “offering one of six electric rates; the current flat rate; rising rates based on more-than-average consumption; hourly rates based on day-ahead wholesale rates; rates sharply rising based on peak demand; a rebate for those who reduce use during peak demand; and a time-of-use rating based on peak loading and non-peak periods, like midnight to 7 a.m.”Looks like an exciting pilot program in Chicago. Something to keep an eye on.Reprinted with permission from Cleantechnica

Hidden Solar Cells: 3-D System Based On Optical Fiber Could Provide New Options For Photovoltaics Converting sunlight to electricity might no longer mean large panels of photovoltaic cells atop flat surfaces like roofs.

Habit-learning device will lower energy bills under new clean energy cashback scheme Smart control units that learn householders’ energy habits and provide immediate feedback on consumption could give home energy savings of up to 20 percent without compromising comfort.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/chicago-ventures-into-distributed-solar-energy/2523/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/all-sustainable-transportation-subsidies-shouldnt-be-created-equal-experts-say/2522/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/all-sustainable-transportation-subsidies-shouldnt-be-created-equal-experts-say/2522/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:14:03 +0000 admin Cars of the future could be powered by their bodywork, thanks to new battery technology
Parts of a cars bodywork could one day double up as its battery, according to the scientists behind a new project in the UK.

Press Release from Solar Night Industries 1.14.2008-Solar Night Industries (PINKSHEETS: SLND) to host January Training Event for Installers in St. Louis, MO. The hallmark of the program and training will be to demonstrate how to use the integrated tools for streamlining the process from lead generation to installation. During the session, SNI will collaborate with the Advanced Partners and provide training on how to use the Modern Energy Plan to build their business model, how to use the SNI advanced partner tools and lead management programs.See Full Press Release at Investor Relation Home. SHAREHOLDERS: Register Now For Solar Night Investor Relations Packet & Newsletter Updates

All sustainable transportation subsidies shouldn’t be created equal, experts say When it comes to pumping up the appeal of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, some regions are more ripe for the cars than others, and some consumers’ buttons need more pushing than others — an important policy distinction when shaping subsidies, two energy policy experts say.

New Nanostructure Technology Provides Advances In Eyeglass, Solar Energy Performance Chemical engineers have invented a new technology to deposit “nanostructure films” on various surfaces, which may first find use as coatings for eyeglasses that cost less and work better. Ultimately, the technique may provide a way to make solar cells more efficiently produce energy.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/all-sustainable-transportation-subsidies-shouldnt-be-created-equal-experts-say/2522/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/press-release-from-solar-night-industries/2521/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/press-release-from-solar-night-industries/2521/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:21:02 +0000 admin Kyocera to Begin Solar Manufacturing in US
Kyocera Solar, Inc. (NYSE:KYO) announced plans to begin manufacturing solar modules in the US.Manufacturing will begin in San Diego, California, at Kyocera’s Balboa Avenue facility during the first half of 2010, with an initial production target of 30 megawatts (MW) per year.Kyocera’s has set a goal of producing 1,000 MW of solar cells per year (equal to one gigawatt) globally by March 2013. 1000 MW in capacity would be enough to provide 3.5-kilowatt solar-electric systems for about 285,000 homes each year.Solar energy has become one of Kyocera’s fastest-growing businesses globally, with the company expecting to double its production of solar cells in the two fiscal years from 2009 to 2011. In addition to the operations coming to San Diego, Kyocera currently has solar module manufacturing facilities in Japan, China, the Czech Republic and Mexico.Kyocera Corporation was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera Corporation has become a supplier of solar electric generating systems, telecommunications equipment, copiers, printers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics.During the year ended March 31, 2009, the company’s net sales totaled 1.13 trillion yen (approximately US$11.5 billion). Kyocera marked its 50th anniversary in 2009, and the 40th anniversary of its U.S. operations. It is ranked No. 418 on Forbes magazine’s 2009 “Global 2000″ listing of the world’s largest publicly traded corporations.Kyocera Group companies currently employ approximately 4,000 people in the United States. Reprinted with permission from Sustainable Business

Press Release from Solar Night Industries 1.4.2008-Solar Night Industries (PINKSHEETS: SLND), a renewable energy company formed to accelerate the adoption of Modern Energy Solutions, announced that Tim Corbet, CEO of the Company, was recently a participant and presenter at the Fall 2007 Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Peer Exchange, held in Fairview Heights, Illinois.See Full Press Release at Investor Relation Home. SHAREHOLDERS: Register Now For Solar Night Investor Relations Packet & Newsletter Updates

BEEP BEEP–Honk if You’re Efficient! I’ve declared my love for acronyms in a previous post, aptly titled ‘I Love Acronyms’. Today my energy efficient side and my acronym-loving side were happy to read about BOMA’s (Building Owners and Managers Association) BEEP (the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program). BOMA’s BEEP has been focusing on “low and no cost” strategies for energy efficiency on office buildings. If BEEP goals are met the 9 billion square feet of office and retail space in the U.S. would cut energy consumption one third by 2012. BEEP estimates that the 33% cut in energy consumption “equates to $7.2 billion, and is readily.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/press-release-from-solar-night-industries/2521/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/vancouverism-and-the-seven-year-itch/2520/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/vancouverism-and-the-seven-year-itch/2520/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:18:09 +0000 admin Vancouverism and the Seven-Year Itch
Seven years after winning their bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, how are Canadians feeling about the upcoming games? Denis Du Bois talks with Vaughn Palmer, political columnist for the Vancouver Sun.

I Require DSIRE! Don’t forget to regularly log into DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency) at www.dsireusa.org. DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. See what incentives you have coming your way when you purchase your new(est) Modern Energy product! And, save this site in your favorites folder–it is ever-changing, as Modern Energy is becoming more feasible for everyone.

Solar Night Presenting Solar Synapse Pre-Wire Kit for New Construction at Timbers at Creekside Home-Tuesday, August 7th Come See the Finished Home by Belcher Homes featuring the Solar Synapse Pre-Wire Kit for New Construction! Last Chance to See the Timbers at Creekside Home Timbers at Creekside home (the Essex Plan). This home will be sold on August 10! This will be the last chance to see it finished. Open on Sunday August 5 from 1-3pm And Open on Tuesday August 7 from 4-6pm with a presentation of the Solar Synapse by Solar Night Industries. Two new plans for the remaining Lots! Belcher Homes will also introduce two new plans for the remaining lots, a ranch plan for.

Making it easier to save energy Scientists in Germany are developing programs that help show at a glance how much energy devices — such as cell phones — are consuming.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/11/vancouverism-and-the-seven-year-itch/2520/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/as-seen-in-solar-industry-magazine/2519/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/as-seen-in-solar-industry-magazine/2519/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:29:02 +0000 admin Tally of Antarctic Sealife Sheds Light on Changing Climate
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) presents the results of its ongoing census of marine life in the Antarctic at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The BAS census has been documenting the diversity of marine life in Antarctic waters and the way it is changing in response to climate change.Marine Biologist Huw Griffiths from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is involved in this major international investigation into the distribution and abundance of Antarctica’s vast marine biodiversity - the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML).More than 6,000 different species living on the sea-floor have been identified so far and more than half of these are unique to the icy continent. A combination of long-term monitoring studies, newly gathered information on the marine life distribution and global ocean warming models, enable the scientists to identify Antarctica’s marine “biodiversity hotspots”.Researcher Griffiths describes how krill populations (the shrimp-like invertebrates eaten by penguins, whales and seals) are reducing as a result of a decrease in sea-ice cover. A much smaller crustacean (copepods) is dominating the area once occupied by them. This shifts the balance of the food web to favour predators, like jellyfish, that are not eaten by penguins and other Southern Ocean higher predators. Sea-ice reduction is also affecting penguins that breed on the ice.Images of marine life counted in the census are truly amazing. The photo shows an Ice Fish.To see more images of some of the creatures counted visit: http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/press/press_releases/press_release.php?id=1139Reprinted with permission from Environmental News Network

Biofuels policy fails to achieve goals, warn experts US biofuel policies will fail to achieve the intended environmental, energy and agricultural goals, warns a new article.

Large Area Solar Cells With 18.4% Conversion Efficiency, Featuring Cu-plated Contacts Researchers in Europe are presenting a large-area solar with a conversion efficiency of 18.4%. Compared to the standard i-PERC cell process, the new solar cell features a shallow emitter and advanced front metallization using copper plating. The results were obtained on large-area cells, proving the industrial viability of the process.

A Little Green Math Challenge For You–(because my calculator watch just broke) OK–as a new signer upper for Ameren’s Pure Power Plan I am curious about 1 thing: How can I present this to my wife as an economical decision? Two things are apparent from that question: 1. I signed up without telling my wife–not usually my style, I guess I was just hoping she wouldn’t notice. 2. She won’t be down with supporting modern energy. Not true–she’s down. It’s just that she is more fiscally conservative than I. So here is my math problem for you: Ameren’s Pure Power Plan asks the customer to pay 1.5 cents per kWh. Let’s say.

As Seen in Solar Industry Magazine Solar Night Plans Training Event For Solar Installers Register To Become An Advanced Partner of Solar Night Industries. Accelerate Your Business With The Modern Energy Plan by SNI. Register Your Business Now.

Rethinking renewable energy strategy Researchers suggest that policy makers examine greenhouse gas emissions implications for energy infrastructure as fossil fuel sources must be rapidly replaced by windmills, solar panels and other sources of renewable energy.

Gold Solution For Enhancing Nanocrystal Electrical Conductance In a development that holds much promise for the future of solar electricity and fuel, researchers used gold tips grown in solution to increase the electrical conductivity of cadmium-selenide nanorod crystals by 100,000 times.

The Key Questions of Corporate Sustainability Can Peer Deep into a Company’s Very Purpose CSR initiatives should answer the questions of why, what, and how it will change us.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/as-seen-in-solar-industry-magazine/2519/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/us-energy-use-drops-in-2008/2518/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/us-energy-use-drops-in-2008/2518/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:21:02 +0000 admin Neighborhood grids promise energy gains
Researchers are creating technology that will treat neighborhoods like a miniature power grid, sharing energy generated at each house according to need. Allied to a host of other developments, the concept promises huge energy savings.

Molecule with promising semiconductor properties created Chemists have synthesized the first-ever stable derivative of nonacene, creating a compound that holds significant promise in the manufacture of flexible organic electronics such as large displays, solar cells and radio frequency identification tags.

US Energy Use Drops In 2008 Americans used more solar, nuclear, biomass and wind energy in 2008 than they did in 2007, according to the most recent energy flow charts.

Spray-coating Technique Holds Promise For Cheap Fully Solution-processed Organic Solar Cells Researchers have demonstrated a fully solution-processed organic solar cell with a spray-coated active layer and a metal top contact spray-coated on top. The resulting cell shows power conversion efficiencies above 3%, a performance comparable to organic solar cells produced by spin coating of the organic layer and vacuum evaporation of the top contact metal. This is an important step towards producing organic solar cells with cheap and large-area processes.

Solar-powered irrigation significantly improves diet and income in rural sub-Saharan Africa Solar-powered drip irrigation systems significantly enhance household incomes and nutritional intake of villagers in arid sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new study.

Press Release from Solar Night Industries 12.28.2007-Solar Night Industries (PINKSHEETS: SLND), a renewable energy company formed to accelerate the adoption of Modern Energy Solutions by providing design and product solutions, had a challenge. Project Manager Alan Brani of Solar Night began working with their Michigan Installer/Partner, Mark Bauer of Bauer Power, who was concerned about finding an optimal roof mount location for a solar thermal (hot water) installation. Working with Bauer, it was agreed the best solution would be a “ground mount” system for the solar panels. Solar Night found it difficult to find a viable solution from their extensive list of suppliers. See Full Press.

]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/us-energy-use-drops-in-2008/2518/feed/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/50000-eyes-on-modern-energy/2517/ http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/50000-eyes-on-modern-energy/2517/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:50:01 +0000 admin Renewable Energies Will Benefit US Workers’ Health, Expert Predicts
Expansion of renewable energies should appreciably improve the health status of the 700,000 US workers employed in the energy sector, according to one expert.

Superconducting DC Cables: Technology Is Ready Superconducting direct current (DC) cables, capable of moving thousands of megawatts of electricity between regions, are ready for commercial development using today’s technology, according to a new report by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).The EPRI analysis points to significant efficiency gains using superconducting DC transmission lines, with the capability to reduce transmission losses at full load by more that 150% compared to alternating current (AC) or high-voltage DC systems. Assuming the trend continues for cost-performance improvements in superconducting wire, such a line could become an option within a decade along with Extra High Voltage (EHV) AC lines that are currently used to move large amounts of power over long distances.The EPRI report indicates that the builders of superconducting DC transmission lines could rely on commercially available technology and construction methods similar to those used in natural gas pipeline construction. These include factory manufactured, transportable sections of an outer carbon steel pipe containing inner stainless steel piping for the flowing coolant and superconducting cable, and trucking to the site for assembly, welding and burial.The lighter, thinner, higher-capacity superconducting cable might be fabricated, shipped and installed with methods and equipment now used for conventional underground transmission cable. Production capacity of superconducting wire today is limited but given substantial demand capacity could possibly be expanded sufficiently for longer lines. Refrigeration and vacuum requirements of the line might be met by equipment and methods utilized in the industrial gas industry.”In the future we may see the development of generation facilities, such as large wind farms or nuclear “farms” capable of producing five to 10 gigawatts (GW), but located far from urban centers of demand. It will then be necessary to move large amounts of power over long distances,” said Arshad Mansoor, vice president of Power Delivery and Utilization for EPRI.As designed, the superconducting cable system outlined in the report would provide 10 GW power capacity with a nominal current and voltage of 100 kiloamps and 100 kilovolts. The report also points to the cable system’s potential to enhance the safety, reliability and efficiency of the existing AC power grid.EPRI also has published two companion superconducting reports. These highlight the practical issues of integrating a long-distance, high-power superconducting DC link into the existing, lower-power AC transmission and distribution systems, and states that the operation and control of this link will be a key to the viability and acceptance of the concept.The reports can be downloaded at the link below.Website: www.epri.comReprinted with permission from Sustainable Business

Pure Power Party: Ameren’s Renewable Energy Celebration Not much left to say–today’s PRNewswire release (below) says it all. Although it didn’t mention me it did mention my favorite brewery, along with many other early adopters. AmerenUE today officially launched PurePower ]]> http://monitorelectricity.com/2010/03/10/50000-eyes-on-modern-energy/2517/feed/