Blogs & Ecology

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From Solar to Nuclear, Energy Myths Explored

photo: Iberdrola Renewables

photo: mtoz

Until some carbon taxes or a cap-and-trade system pushes fossil fuel prices up to where they probably should be (if all the environmental factors are taken into consideration) any small thing that reduces the cost of generating electricity from renewable energy sources is great news.

A claim that a new wind turbine design could reduce the cost of generating electricity from wind power by 50%, and possibly double or triple a turbine’s output in the process is even better news. This is how it could happen:
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Europe's Leading Eco-Center Offers Clean Energy Surgeries
Here’s an exciting opportunity for any UK-based folks who are planning a renewable energy project of any kind. The Center for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales is launching a series of Renewable Energy Consultancy Surgery Days to allow renovators, home builders and anyone interested in harnessing the sun, the wind, biomass, ground source heat pumps, small scale hydro or a combination of the above to leverage CAT’s expertise, accumulated over 35 years of leading renewable en...

Unlimited Wind Tower Image: mishox

Modern air-conditioning has become an essential commodity in many parts of the world, and guzzles more than its fair share of energy as it shifts heat around buildings. But while scientists sweat to find solar solutions to cool this burning energy issue, over a thousand years ago ancient cultures had discovered sustainable precursors to air-conditioning, albeit by and large just for the privileged few. Here are three of the coolest indoor-cooling innovations from those environmentally-savvy ancients – and not a chemical in sight.

photo: Patrick Finnegan

There’s a bit up in the air on this one, all the more so since it concerns financing, but Finavera Renewables has announced that it plans to develop four wind power projects in northeast British Columbia, with a combined capacity of 295 megawatts.

photo: einalem

Who says that wind power can’t provide large parts of a nation’s electric needs? For a brief period on Monday, November 24th wind power provided 43% of all of Spain’s demand for electricity, according to the Spanish wind power association. (AFP/Yahoo News) At around 5 AM, wind power generated 9,253 megawatts of power out of a total demand of 21,264 megawatts. ...

photo: Home Energy

Though solar panels definitely hog the renewable energy stage when it comes to home installations, a number of new, innovative wind turbines have entered the market in the past couple of months. Not all of these are intended to be mounted on your roof, some you’ll need a bit of a yard (and a dearth of neighbors) to install and they vary in price from affordable to "when am I going to actually pay this off?”, but they all go to show that there’s more than one way to harness the wind to generate electricity. Check 'em out:

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Afghan security forces watch over a new wind farm in Afghanistan’s Panjshir province. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Paul David Ondik.

While the solar panel in this photo is pretty much a token renewable energy gesture, Wal-Mart’s wind power commitment is significantly more substantial. Photo: Wal-Mart Stores

Say what you like about Wal-Mart (and I certainly have said some less than flattering things), but sometimes the world’s largest retailer does something undeniably positive: Like make its first major purchase of wind power in the United States.

photo International Polar Foundation

TreeHugger readers have a love/hate relationship with London designer Ross Lovegrove; most loved his solar trees and hated his car on a stick. He is at it again with his Alpine Capsule,

A compact shelter where one may spend the evening admiring the stars and the beautiful surrounding mountain range. It would offer the opportunity of overnight stays within a spectacular 360 degree view.

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photo: Mariah Power