It would connect turbines off the wind-lashed north coast of Scotland with Germany's vast arrays of solar panels, and join the power of waves crashing on to the Belgian and Danish coasts with the hydro-electric dams nestled in Norway's fjords: Europe's first electricity grid dedicated to renewable power will become a political reality this month, as nine countries formally draw up......read more
The human body is constantly moving around and creating energy. Wouldn't it be convenient if we could harness that energy to do things like charge our electronic devices? According to scientists at UC Berkeley, we can. Researchers are developing this breakthrough technology that will enable individuals to create their own renewable energy. The scientists are using microscopic fibers known as......read more
A small town on the border of the Mojave Desert is the new leader in solar energy. Nipton, California, a town of about 250 people, gets 85% of its electricity from a new 80 kilowatt solar project. This proves that renewable energy technology is already advanced enough to power our homes and lives, albeit maybe just in small towns for now. But the possibilities are endless, and as a gateway......read more
The shift away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources is obviously a key aspect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But, according to a newly released report from the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) of Australia, it's not nearly as important as taking measures to improve energy efficiency. "The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency will deliver 65 per......read more
A wind power mega-project -- the largest in the country -- breaks ground in the Mojave Desert. The VeGZAtarian: Eater interviews Wu Tang's lyrical genius and resident raw food guru. In Fast Company, a great slideshow of EV chargers of the future may have been published just a little too soon. The small print: At a mere 220 square feet, the L41 is a subcompact home with a tiny footprint. ......read more
As a potential clean energy source, tidal power is as alluring as it is elusive. The consistent daily flux of the tides presents attractive possibilities for the production of reliable, sustainable power, but the hurdles posed by deploying large turbines in the sea are more than a little significant. Still, tidal energy projects, particularly in Europe, are attracting plenty of capital......read more
Municipal departments at the City of San Francisco are required to buy products that meet strict environmental standards. Now they're sharing what they know about green vendors. The SF Approved List is like a cheat sheet for buying green. (via NYT Green Blog) When Ali Hewson and her husband Bono launched Edun in 2005, they were among the first to combine fashion with ethics. The......read more
Renewable energy projects have faced some interesting opposition over the years. Some are opposed by environmentalists have because of threats to endangered species. Others are opposed by ordinary citizens for aesthetic reasons. Now the U.S. military presents a formidable new opponent. The specific menaces targeted by the Armed Forces are wind turbines, the blades of which are indistinguishable......read more
The California Energy Commission has approved the Beacon Solar Energy project in the Mojave Desert, making it the first solar thermal farm regulators have permitted in twenty years. The $1 billion, 250-megawatt facility will be built and managed by NextEra Energy Resources. The Beacon project covers over 2,000 acres of private land in Kern County, California, where long rows of curved mirrors......read more
The California Legislature has passed the nation's first energy storage bill, an important step in spurring the development of renewable energy projects. Energy storage is considered vital for renewable energy development because of the intermittant nature of wind and solar power. It allows utility companies to store renewable energy then utilize it later when demand is high. For example,......read more