Net Metering
Large cap utilities companies are a staple of American industry and culture. Such a staple that they are represented on the original monopoly board, and just about every home/business owner or renter in the country has at some point been under the grips of one of these companies and has paid an electricity bill. But times are changing, and new … Read More
Saudi Arabia to focus more on solar power?
Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, may also see their solar energy exports climb toward the top of this list. A country that has made so much of it’s money on oil exports is also a geographical powerhouse for the production of solar energy and plans to have at least around 40 GW of solar production by the year … Read More
LightSail Spacecraft
Some positive news in space exploration as the LightSail Spacecraft has regained function and connection with it’s command team after about eight days of silence from malfunctions and unexpected silence. The LightSail which uses force from the collisions of photons against it’s mylar sail (much like a sailboat uses wind – see diagram below) is the first of two LightSail … Read More
Solar panels could definitely power the world – A new MIT study
It’s not a matter of how, we know how to use the sun’s energy to produce electricity, it’s a matter of action. When will we start taking more advantage of our closest star? The technology is already here and it’s time to start investing. This is according estimations from a new study at MIT that says we’ve got what it … Read More
Tesla Turbine
The Tesla Turbine, as you may have guessed, was patented by Nikola Tesla in 1913. Tesla had nearly 300 patents and countless ideas and inventions, but frequently referenced his particular turbine innovation as one of his most important. The word turbine in this situation can be misleading. Most turbines are designed with a shaft and blades, and the blades are usually what … Read More
Wind Power in 2013
The future of wind power in the United States will hopefully get a considerable push in the right direction after congress and Obama have approved the renewal of the wind energy tax credits after they were threatened for removal after the fiscal cliff in late 2012. Now, wind energy construction companies can continue stalled wind turbine construction from the year before. if you look … Read More
Congress extends wind tax credits
Hurray! Congress has extended the wind energy tax credits through 2013. Meaning that any wind turbine production project that begins construction in 2013 will be eligible regardless of them becoming operational or not in this same year. This extension, although many hoped for a longer extension than one year, is huge for the wind industry. Many large-scale wind energy projects have been … Read More
Africa’s Largest Solar Power Project
The country of Ghana is the big winner. Blue Energy, the British renewable energy development company is backing the $400 million project to bring 155MW of solar power energy to western Ghana. The company is hoping to begin construction on the solar PV power plant by 2013 and plans to have it operational by October of 2015. The project will … Read More
East Coast Offshore Wind Turbines
Looks as if the ocean view of some of you Eastcoasters may be changing over the next few years. The US Government has released new plans to offer leases towards large areas of ocean off the coast of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia that have a high potential for wind energy production. Around 200,000 acres will be available for lease … Read More
How Solar Stills Work – Life of Pi
For those of you who read the book or saw the movie Life of Pi you may have wondered how he was able to purify drinking water through the use of sunlight. A solar still is an invention that uses sunlight to purify water. Sounds easy enough, but how does a solar still actually work? The process is not as easy as … Read More