Category: Energy Matters
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
Power station developers dismiss renewable energy
Power station developers dismiss renewable energy
BEN CUBBY
February 25, 2010
TWO new fossil fuel power plants that will increase the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by between 5 and 15 per cent will move a step closer to construction this week after developers claimed renewable energy cannot feed a growing hunger for electricity.
The carbon emissions from the power stations, which would be added to existing plants at Mount Piper near Lithgow and Bayswater in the Hunter Valley, would equal a doubling of the number of cars on NSW roads.
But the two government-owned developers, Delta Electricity and Macquarie Generation, say they are essential to meet demand and replace older, less efficient coal-fired generators.
Their responses to public submissions dismiss the idea of investing in solar or wind power instead. Macquarie Generation says NSW will have trouble meeting the national 20 per cent renewable energy target by 2020 because ”other states have better renewable resources”.
Wireless Technologies in Renewable Energy Markets
February 22, 2010
Wireless Technologies in Renewable Energy Markets
The same wireless technologies that are used in many utility applications are available to renewable energy plants.
by Colin Lippincott, FreeWave Technologies
Oklahoma, United States [Renewable Energy World North America Magazine]
As alternative energy sources such as wind and solar become an increasingly compelling solution for power generation, utility operators are looking for new ways to maximize their investment in communication networks while ensuring reliable, secure data transmission across them. A variety of communication options exist, including data radios, fiber-optic cable, cell phones and satellite modems.
The same wireless technologies used in many utility applications, such as distribution automation, are available to renewable energy plants. With wind turbines and solar power generation, systems can often benefit from the cost savings of wireless versus fiber optic cable. While fiber is both an expensive and time-consuming process to install, wireless technologies are easily deployed, dependable solutions. Wireless technologies can support all types of solar power generation models, from the solar troughs, dishes, tracking photovoltaic and heliostats, delivering information directly to the user’s desktop.
Rail Delay costs $2 billion
Rail delay costs $2 billion
Updated
Pressure rising … Transport Minister David Campbell (AAP: Dean Lewins)
Delaying construction on Sydney’s north-west rail link will cost taxpayers $1.9 billion, the New South Wales Transport Minister has admitted.
And by the time the rail link is finished in 2024, the State Opposition calculates that north-west Sydney drivers will have spent up to another $65,000 each on road tolls.
The admission about costs is sure to add to the pressure on Transport Minister David Campbell, who is already facing calls for his scalp from the Opposition over the cost of the axed CBD Metro rail line.
UN warns India and China over growing problems of e-waste
UN warns India and China over growing problem of e-waste
Ecologist
22nd February, 2010
African and Asian countries need proper electronic waste recycling systems to prevent the surge in consumer demand creating toxic e-waste mountains
Less-industrialised countries like India, Uganda and Senegal face a mounting hazardous e-waste problem unless proper recycling measures are enforced, says the UN.
Sales of consumer electronics, particularly mobile phones and computers, have soared in the past two decades. In 2007, one billion mobile phones were sold, up from a figure of 896 million in 2006.
A report on e-waste from the UN Environment Programme says China and India are expected to see sharp rises in electronics sales over the next decade, contributing to an e-waste mountain growing by 40 million tons a year.
Hydrogen taxi cabs to serve London by 2012 Olympics
Hydrogen taxi cabs to serve London by 2012 Olympics
• New taxis developed by Lotus and Intelligent Energy
• Hydrogen tanks can travel for 250 miles at up to 81mph
• Interactive: Beneath the bonnet of the fuel cell taxi
- The Guardian, Monday 22 February 2010
- Article history
The new hydrogen-powered taxis will look exactly like London’s familiar black cab. Photograph: Paul Owen
A taxi cab that runs on the latest hydrogen fuel cell technology is being developed with the aim of being ready for full road trials in time for the 2012 Olympics.
The car looks and drives just like a standard London black cab – but underneath the bonnet is some cutting-edge technology by sports carmaker Lotus.
The fuel cell taxi can hit a top speed of 81mph, go from 0-60mph in 14 seconds and has a range of more than 250 miles on a full tank of hydrogen. Like electric vehicles, the new taxi does not produce any emissions from its tailpipe but, unlike battery-electric cars, it will only take a few minutes to fill up from empty.