The twentieth century way of life has been made available, largely due to the miracle of cheap energy. The price of energy has been at record lows for the past century and a half.As oil becomes increasingly scarce, it is becoming obvious to everyone, that the rapid economic and industrial growth we have enjoyed for that time is not sustainable.Now, the hunt is on. For renewable sources of energy, for alternative sources of energy, for a way of life that is less dependent on cheap energy.Â
Methane hydrate isn’t a familiar term to most, but it is gaining popularity in the energy sector. In the realm of energy R&D, methane hydrates are being evaluated as a potential fuel for the future. Some believe there is enough methane in the form of hydrates-methane locked in ice-to supply energy for hundreds, maybe thousands, Continue Reading →
Nick Sireau, SolarAid Director
 |
| LED Solar Lantern – Andy Bodycombe/SolarAid |
Mirriam is 18 years old and lives in Malawi. She has two children, one brother and one sister. Her father died of AIDS and her mother is now also sick with HIV AIDS. Every day is a struggle: finding food for her children, caring for her mother, looking after her other sick relatives – all this with next to no income.
Yet she’s now found hope in a ground-breaking project carried out by non-profit SolarAid with funding another non-profit, TRAID. SolarAid is training young Malawians to become solar entrepreneurs so that they can build and sell small solar products such as solar lanterns and solar chargers for mobile phones and radios. The project is aiming particularly at young people affected by HIV/AIDS in order to provide them with more income.
While I deplore the use of foodstuffs for the production of biofuels, I feel that I should reiterate yet again that other choices are possible without resorting to that or destroying the environment. Many people are starting to become aware (at last) that woody biomass is a viable source of liquid fuels, but they usually Continue Reading →
From FarmProgress in USAÂ It seems that ethanol has a target on its back. The rising cost of food has gained a lot of media attention, with many laying the blame at ethanol’s feet, despite numerous reports and studies showing that other factors such as the high price of oil are the real culprits. The Continue Reading →
New England Wood Pellet’s Jaffrey, New Hampshire plant produces approximately 75,000 tons of wood pellet fuel per year. Most is bagged and shipped to a network of more than 100 retailers throughout the Northeast. From there it helps heat homes, businesses and schools. Steve Walker, the company’s president and CEO, took the time to show Continue Reading →
by Ralph Sims, International Energy Agency Within recent months biofuels have gone from making headline news as being the world’s salvation for when the oil runs out to becoming a “crime against humanity.” Almost every day the world’s media run a story on the topic, often blaming biofuels for all the world’s pending disasters. Even Continue Reading →