Category: Articles

Welsh construction centre leads field in sustainability

admin /1 November, 2009

Welsh construction centre leads field in sustainability

Eifion Rees

16th July, 2009

The new Construction and Sustainable Energy Centre in Haverfordwest is a blueprint for the newbuild higher education buildings of the future, in Wales and beyond

Pembrokeshire is a part of Wales well versed in contradictions. With a coastline rich in biodiversity, as well as some of the finest beaches in the UK, it is also home – in Milford Haven, Europe’s biggest deepwater port – to huge Chevron and Merco oil refineries, and the South Hook and Dragon LNG terminals, starting point for the vast pipeline that carries liquefied natural gas all the way to Gloucestershire.

Roughly 20 per cent of the UK’s energy capacity comes through Pembrokeshire, in fact, so perhaps it’s understandable that it should be at the forefront not only of technological innovations in this sector, but in the world of construction too.

Governments failure to acknowledge oil supply crunch risks conflict and threatens the climate

admin /21 October, 2009

Government failure to acknowledge oil supply crunch risks conflict and threatens the climate

Press Release – 20/10/2009

There is an imminent oil supply crunch that governments have failed to acknowledge or act upon, the impacts of which will be felt throughout every aspect of modern society which is heavily reliant on oil, according to a new report published by campaign group Global Witness today.

Governments have not taken on board the four underlying oil production factors which clearly show there is a problem.  Heads in the Sand outlines these factors – declining output, declining discoveries, increasing demand and insufficient projects in the pipeline – which clearly show that the world is facing an imminent oil supply crunch.  Some of these factors have been apparent for many years. [1]

Biomethane as an energy carrier

admin /21 October, 2009

October 20, 2009

Biomethane as an Energy Carrier

by Thomas R. Blakeslee, Clearlight Foundation

Methane is a better long-distance energy carrier than electricity. Its storage and transportation is much cheaper and easier than electricity. Natural gas pipelines cost half as much to build as electric towers and have about one fourth as much transmission loss. They are also more reliable, safer and visually superior to ugly transmission towers.

Building a hydrogen infrastructure now would be folly. Biomethane can do the job now and will be cleaner and cheaper.

Our electrical grid is only 30% efficient in delivering the energy in fuel burned to the customer. That efficiency could be doubled or even tripled if we used combined heat and power (CHP) generators located where heat is needed. By using the generator’s waste heat, an efficiency of 85% is possible. Clearly it is smarter to expand our gas pipeline network than to build more electrical towers to distribute inefficiently generated electricity from massive power plants.

Is the German Renewable Energy Industry in Jeopardy?

admin /20 October, 2009

Is the German Renewable Energy Industry in Jeopardy? by John Blau, European Contributor Berlin, Germany [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Germany’s newly elected government could hinder the expansion of renewable energy in the country with its plans to extend the lifetime of nuclear reactors, warns the German Renewable Energy Federation (Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie – BEE). “There has to be Continue Reading →

Offshore Wind: Time for a Market Take-off?

admin /20 October, 2009

October 8, 2009 Offshore Wind: Time for a Market Take-off? Offshore wind activity is experiencing significant growth now in terms of capacity installed. However, the industry is struggling with the costs of development, which have more doubled in 5 years. by Steve Kopits and Adam Westwood London, UK [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] The offshore wind market is finding Continue Reading →

Supergrid for renewables: Coloring the US Grid Green

admin /20 October, 2009

October 6, 2009 Supergrid for Renewables: Coloring the US Grid Green Modernizing the US grid is a mammoth task, one that is spurring new lines of thought about generation and transmission resources. by Elisa Wood, Correspondent Virginia, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Renegades, some may call them, but people have lived off-grid for decades by relying exclusively Continue Reading →

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