Wednesday, 06 August 2008
While pondering how to capture wind energy, scientists from the Netherlands went out and flew a giant kite. The 10-sq-meter kite was tethered to a generator and managed to produce 10 kW. With the success of this kite, they’re planning to test a 50 kW version of the kite, dubbed Laddermill, and if that succeeds, they’re proposing a multi-kite version that could get as much as 100 MW - enough for 100,000 homes.
The kite generates energy by pulling on its string on the way up. When it gets to the end of the string, it’s pulled back down and then sent back up for another flight. The amount of energy captured is maximized by flying the kite in figure eights, and bringing it down in a fall like a glider plane.
If you’re thinking, “Now, this I gotta see,” then you can watch this video. It really is pretty cool. And considering how easily the kite takes off in the strong wind – no running, jumping, or Peter-Pan-wishful-thinking involved – I can imagine that a whole lot of power could be generated. Google thinks so too, having invested $10 million in a US kite project last year. Actually, we know of a lot of people are working on generating wind power from kites – or like-flying objects – even on a commercial scale.
Wind higher than about a kilometer above the ground carries about 100 times more energy than wind at tower level, so finding a cheap way to harness it – like kite flying – could be a big breakthrough for wind power. Countries like the UK, Netherlands, and Denmark are perfect for this type of wind power generation, being located next to the high-speed jet stream.
The Netherlands scientists believe they could generate power comparable to the price of coal, and 50% cheaper than wind turbines. Now, like most all renewable energy endeavors, all these various researchers simply need the funding to back the projects. Hopefully investors will look at Google and pull a monkey-see-monkey-do.
Source: http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1972/86/ (& The Guardian)
Showing posts with label green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Great green wedding
Great green wedding - eco friendly flowers, favors, invitations etc.
http://www.greatgreenwedding.com/default.php
http://www.greatgreenwedding.com/default.php
Monday, 15 September 2008
Holidays in harmony with nature
We provide high quality environmentally friendly holidays in comfortable yurts and bell tents on the beautiful Isle of Wight. Our site forms part of award-winning Afton Apple Orchard (as featured in the August 2007 issue of Country Living Magazine). We also have 2 holiday cottages available and are as green as we can possibly make them. This is a green camping holiday with a difference-we have real beds, floors and furniture, and we are really green.
Our holidays are as environmentally friendly as we can possibly make them, without compromising on comfort. From arranging eco-friendly transport from the ferry and during your stay, so that you can leave the car at home if you want to, to providing organic, locally produced food and washing products, and recycling as much as possible, we aim to ensure that your holiday will make the lowest possible adverse impact on the planet
http://www.thereallygreenholidaycompany.co.uk/default.htm
Our holidays are as environmentally friendly as we can possibly make them, without compromising on comfort. From arranging eco-friendly transport from the ferry and during your stay, so that you can leave the car at home if you want to, to providing organic, locally produced food and washing products, and recycling as much as possible, we aim to ensure that your holiday will make the lowest possible adverse impact on the planet
http://www.thereallygreenholidaycompany.co.uk/default.htm
Thursday, 11 September 2008
World’s First Test of Solar-Powered Wireless Power Transmission
September 11, 08
Space solar power could be a clean, renewable solution to America's long-term energy needs. John C. Mankins, former manager of NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology Program, and one of the foremost experts on space solar power, will announce on Friday a milestone demonstration of the critical technology enabling SSP: long-distance, solar-powered wireless power transmission.
The project demonstrated wireless power transmission between two Hawaiian islands 148 kilometers apart, more than the distance from the surface of Earth to the boundary of space.
It will be featured in an hour-long special that evening on Discovery Channel as part of DISCOVERY PROJECT EARTH, an eight-part series on the most ambitious geo-engineering ideas to tackle global climate change and the need for new and sustainable energy sources.
Space-based solar power, in which large satellites would collect plentiful solar energy in orbit and beam it safely down to Earth, could one day reduce our carbon emissions to virtually zero. It is the only energy technology that is clean, renewable, constant and capable of providing power to virtually any location on Earth.
Source: http://www.nextenergynews.com/news08-2/next-energy-news9.11.08d.html
Space solar power could be a clean, renewable solution to America's long-term energy needs. John C. Mankins, former manager of NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology Program, and one of the foremost experts on space solar power, will announce on Friday a milestone demonstration of the critical technology enabling SSP: long-distance, solar-powered wireless power transmission.
The project demonstrated wireless power transmission between two Hawaiian islands 148 kilometers apart, more than the distance from the surface of Earth to the boundary of space.
It will be featured in an hour-long special that evening on Discovery Channel as part of DISCOVERY PROJECT EARTH, an eight-part series on the most ambitious geo-engineering ideas to tackle global climate change and the need for new and sustainable energy sources.
Space-based solar power, in which large satellites would collect plentiful solar energy in orbit and beam it safely down to Earth, could one day reduce our carbon emissions to virtually zero. It is the only energy technology that is clean, renewable, constant and capable of providing power to virtually any location on Earth.
Source: http://www.nextenergynews.com/news08-2/next-energy-news9.11.08d.html
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Verdiem brings PC energy management to the masses
Edison Enables Consumers to go Green with Energy Efficient PCs
Melbourne Australia - August 8, 2008 – GreenInnovation welcome the release of Verdiem’s Edison™ software product, a free energy monitoring application that allows eco-conscious consumers to actively control their PC's energy consumption - and their household's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Made for the Windows operating system, Edison enhances existing PC power settings and provides a consumer-friendly interface that is easy to set up and manage. The Edison application is supported by Microsoft as an easy way for consumers to become active in supporting the Climate Savers Computing InitiativeSM goal of reducing global CO2 emissions from the operation of computers by 54 million tons by 2010. Verdiem is challenging PC users to "do their part" and download 10 million copies of Edison (approximately 1 percent of the global PC population) in the next year.
It's an issue
While much of the IT industry has focused on data center energy efficiency, the world's more than 1 billion PCs are an unexpected drain of energy and source of carbon emissions. Specifically, PCs energy consumption correlates to an average of 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and worldwide can consume about 506 billion kWh per year - the equivalent of 70 million cars on the road. "PCs are the hidden energy hogs of the home and most users have no idea that they are needlessly throwing away 80 percent of their PC's energy," said Kevin Klustner, Verdiem's President and CEO. "If just 1 percent of all PCs used Edison we could potentially reduce environmental impacts by 7 billion pounds of CO2, which is equal to taking more than a half million cars off the road. By finding ways to embed offsets in our daily life - even something as simple as downloading software - we will create permanent reductions in energy use and have a huge impact on our environment and resource sustainability."
Power in numbers
Microsoft, a worldwide leader in software, services and solutions, is asking its Windows PC users to augment current PC power settings with Edison software.
"Microsoft is committed to forging partnerships and developing innovative software solutions and services that enable people and organizations to reduce their impact on the environment," said Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft. "We are pleased to collaborate with Verdiem and Climate Savers Computing to introduce Edison, a free PC energy management solution. With a proven enterprise PC energy management solution, SURVEYOR, Verdiem has demonstrated the ability to deliver excellent customer solutions and now with Edison, consumers can reduce their household greenhouse gas emissions and control energy costs."
Verdiem and Microsoft are both members of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, a nonprofit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations committed to reducing the power consumption of PCs and servers. The organization recognizes the value and importance of PC power management and its potential effects.
"Recent studies predict PC ownership will quadruple to 4 billion and double emissions by 2020, so implementing PC energy management solutions at home and in the workplace is a vital component of climate protection," said Lorie Wigle, President of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. "Tools like Edison can help consumers control and monitor their PC's energy intake and make a real difference in the way they manage the power consumption of the technology they use."
Marcel Merkus CEO of GreenInnovation, Australasian distributors of SURVEYOR further said, “One of the most important steps necessary is for us all to recognize our actions add up. Edison is a great opportunity for people at home to cut their planet impact AND electricity bill.”
EDISON Features
Melbourne Australia - August 8, 2008 – GreenInnovation welcome the release of Verdiem’s Edison™ software product, a free energy monitoring application that allows eco-conscious consumers to actively control their PC's energy consumption - and their household's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Made for the Windows operating system, Edison enhances existing PC power settings and provides a consumer-friendly interface that is easy to set up and manage. The Edison application is supported by Microsoft as an easy way for consumers to become active in supporting the Climate Savers Computing InitiativeSM goal of reducing global CO2 emissions from the operation of computers by 54 million tons by 2010. Verdiem is challenging PC users to "do their part" and download 10 million copies of Edison (approximately 1 percent of the global PC population) in the next year.
It's an issue
While much of the IT industry has focused on data center energy efficiency, the world's more than 1 billion PCs are an unexpected drain of energy and source of carbon emissions. Specifically, PCs energy consumption correlates to an average of 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and worldwide can consume about 506 billion kWh per year - the equivalent of 70 million cars on the road. "PCs are the hidden energy hogs of the home and most users have no idea that they are needlessly throwing away 80 percent of their PC's energy," said Kevin Klustner, Verdiem's President and CEO. "If just 1 percent of all PCs used Edison we could potentially reduce environmental impacts by 7 billion pounds of CO2, which is equal to taking more than a half million cars off the road. By finding ways to embed offsets in our daily life - even something as simple as downloading software - we will create permanent reductions in energy use and have a huge impact on our environment and resource sustainability."
Power in numbers
Microsoft, a worldwide leader in software, services and solutions, is asking its Windows PC users to augment current PC power settings with Edison software.
"Microsoft is committed to forging partnerships and developing innovative software solutions and services that enable people and organizations to reduce their impact on the environment," said Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft. "We are pleased to collaborate with Verdiem and Climate Savers Computing to introduce Edison, a free PC energy management solution. With a proven enterprise PC energy management solution, SURVEYOR, Verdiem has demonstrated the ability to deliver excellent customer solutions and now with Edison, consumers can reduce their household greenhouse gas emissions and control energy costs."
Verdiem and Microsoft are both members of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, a nonprofit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations committed to reducing the power consumption of PCs and servers. The organization recognizes the value and importance of PC power management and its potential effects.
"Recent studies predict PC ownership will quadruple to 4 billion and double emissions by 2020, so implementing PC energy management solutions at home and in the workplace is a vital component of climate protection," said Lorie Wigle, President of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. "Tools like Edison can help consumers control and monitor their PC's energy intake and make a real difference in the way they manage the power consumption of the technology they use."
Marcel Merkus CEO of GreenInnovation, Australasian distributors of SURVEYOR further said, “One of the most important steps necessary is for us all to recognize our actions add up. Edison is a great opportunity for people at home to cut their planet impact AND electricity bill.”
EDISON Features
The Edison software application offers a simple solution for the individual PC user. The software features include:
- Scheduling - allows users to identify work and non-work schedules to optimize power schemes based on when the PC is in use or on standby.
- Settings - provides several options of desired power savings and settings. Simply choose the most appropriate and it applies 24x7x365.
- Estimated Savings Reports - offers information that correlates PC power settings to money, kWh and CO2 savings.
- Intuitive User Interface - easy to use sliding bars help consumers choose settings and instantly see the power and monetary savings. Clearly marked tabs help users navigate through the interface.
Edison is available today at no cost. To download the solution, and reduce your household's greenhouse gas emissions please visit www.verdiem.com/edison.
Source: www.greeninnovation.com.au
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