Wind turbines are one of the most promising sources of large-scale renewable power.  Wind power doesn’t produce any pollutants, and unlike water or fuel resources, wind is literally an endless source of energy.  However, wind farms do require a substantial amount of space, which is why a much more efficient design like the “Wind Lens” could make wind energy cheaper and more practical.

Developed by researchers at Kyushu University’s Research Institute for Applied Mechanics (RIAM), the wind lens design utilizes a curved housing that encircles the blades of a wind turbine.  The ring is comprised of an inlet shroud, diffuser, and brim that work together to create a low-pressure pocket behind the turbine when wind passes around the ring.  The resulting suction can triple the effective wind speed that drives the turbine blades.

The Aerodynamics Behind The Wind Lens (image: Kyushu University RIAM)

Increasing the energy generated from a single turbine has the potential to make wind power even cheaper than nuclear energy, and wind turbines carry none of the risks associated with nuclear power plants.  Their primary drawbacks are interference with wildlife (such as migrating flocks of birds) and noise; fortunately, the Wind Lens design makes turbines quieter as well as more efficient.

But could wind turbines really make a substantial contribution to US energy demand?  Absolutely.  A recent MNN article by Karl Burkart breaks down the numbers in more detail, but the bottom line is this:  if improved turbines like the Wind Lens were installed in just 20% of America’s “high wind potential” areas, they could provide all the power consumed in the US.

Rendering Of An Offshore Application For Wind Lens Turbines (image: Kyushu University RIAM)

Prototypes are already being tested at Kyushu University.  And the developers are already thinking ahead to the possibilities for large-scale implementation, including floating offshore wind farms far out to sea that could take advantage of uninterrupted air currents without competing for space on land.

(via CleanTechnica & MNN)

According to a recent study conducted by Yale and George Mason Universities, most Americans are firmly behind the development and implementation of cleaner energy technologies.  The majority – across the political spectrum – would even support taxing carbon emissions to help reduce industrial pollution.

The Yale Project on Climate Change Communication coordinated the study, which took place during October and November of this year.  Among the feedback from “Climate Change in the American Mind:  Public Support for Climate & Energy Policies in November 2011″ were the following findings:

90 percent of Americans say developing sources of clean energy should be a very high (30%), high (35%), or medium (25%) priority for the president and Congress, including 82 percent of registered Republicans, 91 percent of Independents, and 97 percent of Democrats.

85 percent of Americans (including 76% of registered Republicans, 83% of Independents, and 90% of Democrats) say that protecting the environment either improves economic growth and provides new jobs (54%), or has no effect (31%). Only 15 percent say environmental protection reduces economic growth and costs jobs.

69 percent of Americans oppose federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, including 67 percent of registered Republicans, 80 percent of Independents, and 68 percent of Democrats.

Most Americans Would Support Carbon Taxes To Cut Pollution & Offset Personal Income Tax

Not surprisingly, respondents found the idea of additional taxes to be more agreeable when they considered that the revenues could actually offset their personal income taxes by targeting industrial polluters:

60 percent of Americans support a $10 per ton carbon tax if the revenue were used to reduce federal income taxes, even when told this would “slightly increase the cost of many things you buy, including food, clothing, and electricity.” This policy is supported by 48 percent of registered Republicans, 50 percent of Independents, and 74 percent of Democrats.

The bottom line?  Clean energy solutions don’t need to be a financial compromise – they can be healthy for the nation’s economy as well as the environment.  More and more individuals are recognizing this, which will be crucial as American energy policy evolves over the next few years.

You can view the entire study, or download it in PDF format at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies website.

Home improvement can pay for itself, and even put cash back in your pocket – if you’re putting your money in the right places.  Renovations that increase your home’s energy efficiency aren’t just nice for the environment, they can be economical as well.  The folks at One Block Off The Grid offer a great guide to help you sort out which upgrades make the most sense for your home.

The graphic highlights a range of improvements, both big and small, that will cut your utility bills while reducing your home’s environmental footprint.  Each project is marked with four key figures:  average annual savings, projected savings over a 20-year period, the amount of time for the project to pay for itself, and the cost of the renovation.

(click to view the full size image)

The handy illustration points out that in terms of financial investment, many of these home upgrades can offer a better payoff than traditional investments like stocks or CDs.  And depending where you live, incentives like rebates and tax breaks can make the renovation costs substantially cheaper.

These aren’t just long-term projects, either:  upgrades like low-flow showerheads and programmable thermostats can pay for themselves in less than a year, making them a good choice for renters as well as homeowners.  Larger scale renovations on the other hand, like a green roof or solar array, have the potential to save a homeowner tens of thousands of dollars over the years.

(via One Block Off The Grid)

The small town of Mutriku in the Basque region of Spain is the first in the world to open a commercial wave power plant. The Basque government energy agency Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE) debuted its €2.3 million ($3.1 million) project in July. The project is funded by taxes. It is estimated that the wave power plant will produce about 300 kilowatts, enough to provide 10% of Mutriku’s energy needs. Voith and Siemens provided the 16 columns as part of a joint venture.Wave energy technology has been produced on an experimental scale for years, and several methods have been tried. There have been underwater turbines that are driven by water like wind turbines are driven by wind, and there have been systems where a rising and falling buoy drives a piston. The power plant at Mutriku employs another approach: 16 oscillating water columns.

Here’s how the technology works. The 16 hollow columns are installed on a breakwater in the city’s bay. Each column is open to the water below sea level. As the waves rise, the air inside each column (above sea level) is compressed and forced out of a small opening at the top. This pressurized stream of air spins a turbine, which in turn drives an alternator to produce electricity. As the waves recede, the pressure inside the column drops, drawing a stream of air through the same upper opening and providing another impetus for spinning the turbine. No water comes into contact with the turbines during the process.

Oscillating Wave Column

Wells Tubine For Harnessing Wave Power

The bay at Mutriku should provide plenty of wave energy. The local harbor has been beset by rough waters for years, and plans to update the breakwater system were well underway when the idea of integrating a wave power station arose. The oscillating water column technology was a good fit with the established breakwater blueprint.

When the largest economy in the European Union derives 20% of its energy from renewable sources, it is a milestone worthy of international attention. Germany’s renewable energy consumption jumped 2.5% within the last year, sending the total consumption of green power in that country to 20.8%. Since 2000, Germany’s use of renewable energy has increased 15 percentage points.

Driving this change is government action. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the German government reversed its policy of supporting nuclear power and declared it would work to phase out all of its nuclear energy by 2022. Along with the demotion of nuclear power, there has been a promotion of renewable power via a feed-in tariff mechanism. Germany’s feed-in tariff was established in 2000 under the Renewable Energy Sources Act. The Act encourages investment in renewable energy by providing companies with long-term contracts and defraying the higher implementation costs green technologies require.

The majority of German citizens support the increased taxes needed to finance feed-in tariffs. Germany plans to achieve 35% renewable electricity use by 2020.

Solar power has become the driving force in the growth of renewable energy in Germany. Solar’s 3.5% of total electricity production is 76% higher than it was last year, and solar now produces more renewable energy than hydropower. The bulk of German green energy is generated by wind and biomass sources.

There is some conflict over the growing infrastructure of German renewable electricity, which will require over 1,800 miles of new power lines by 2025 as well as new sites for windmills and solar panels. Despite their comfort with financing these projects, German citizens are not keen on seeing them built in their back yards.

The wave of interest in solar power across Europe has now touched Greece, and in a big way. The Mediterranean country of over ten million inhabitants plans to construct Earth’s biggest solar farm. Estimated to cost €600 million ($822 million), the project will cover 1,285 acres of depleted coal mines in the northern city of Kozani.

Greece remains in the midst of financial crisis, with high unemployment and monumental debt. Hoping to spur economic growth and create jobs, Greece is seeking an outside investor for its state-run solar project. Investment in renewable energy is a key long-term strategy Greece is using to lift itself out of a years-long recession.

The solar project at Kozani will also lesson Greece’s dependence on lignite coal, a heavily-polluting energy source that accounts for about half of Greece’s generated electricity.

Total output of the completed solar installation is estimated to be 200 megawatts (MW). Germany is expressing interest in purchasing some of the new Greek solar power. The German government is actively trying to step away from nuclear power and is seeking alternatives to energy sources from politically unstable countries. Greek Prime Minister Georges Papandreou promised 10,000 to 15,000 MW of solar energy to Germany in a recent press conference. Papandreou will visit Germany later in the month to formally discuss the issue with German leadership.

There is also talk of a joint Greek-German project to build up to 49,400 acres of photovoltaic farms at a cost of €20 billion ($27.4 billion). This ambitious project would produce anywhere from 30,000 to 60,000 jobs in struggling Greece.

The world in 2010 added 16 gigawatts of new solar power, a number that is expected to be surpassed by the sum of 2011 projects.

New Zealand is one big step closer to accomplishing the ambitious goal of generating 90% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. The country already produces nearly 80% of its power from clean sources, including hydropower, geothermal, and wind farms. With hydropower approaching its natural limit, New Zealand is investing heavily in two huge new wind farms.

Currently, New Zealand’s wind farms produce 615 megawatts (MW), accounting for around 4% of the overall electricity generated in the country. The most ambitious goal aims for total wind power production of 3,000 MW, or 20% of the country’s total power needs. The two wind farms just approved will contribute 1,400 MW toward that target.

The larger of the two farms is being constructed by Genesis Energy. Its output will be 860 MW, generated by 286 turbines of up to 155 meters in height. The $1.46-billion project will be sited near Wellington in a remote part of Wairarapa. Twenty-seven rural land owners affected have signed land use agreements.

The second approved farm will spring up on the west coast between Port Waikato and Raglan, near Auckland. Here, 168 turbines will produce up to 540 MW. This farm is being developed by Contact Energy, which has agreed to limit the size of the turbines, minimize construction- and operation-related noise, and take measures to protect the local ecosystem.

The scope of these two projects is massive; the biggest New Zealand wind farm to date has only 62 turbines.

The Largest Solar Powered Boat In The World: Turanor PlanetSolar

Solar power is increasingly becoming a feasible choice for powering electric boats. In the last decade, we’ve seen improvement in the efficiency of electric boat motors, lithium-ion batteries, and the efficiency of solar panels. In 2010, the Tûranor PlanetSolar, a huge catamaran yacht powered by 470 square meters of solar panels, was unveiled by New Zealand’s LOMOcean Design. It became the first solar-powered vehicle to circumnavigate the earth, when it finished a world tour. The name Tûranor, derived from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Lord of the Rings, translates to “The Power of the Sun”.

Tûranor Solar Catamaran Sailing

On a less grand scale, solar-powered boats are becoming available in the consumer market, driven by the introduction of lithium-ion marine batteries. These batteries have been mostly used to power small electronic devices, but now large-scale lithium-ion batteries are available for boats. Lithium batteries deliver four times the energy per pound of battery weight when compared with conventional lead acid, gel or AGM batteries. They also last about three times longer than conventional batteries (up to 10 years), and less susceptible to shocks and temperature extremes.

A German company, Torqeedo has introduced high-efficiency boat motors come with lithium-ion batteries pre-installed. Torqeedo offers a range of motors that connect to crafts of all sizes — everything kayak motors, to large outboard motors with the equivalent of 20 HP of thrust, capable of powering boats up to 6 tons in weight.

Torqeedo also has a line of solar products available — it recently introduced powerful lithium-ion marine batteries that connect to marine-ready solar panels. The batteries have a capacity of 2,685 Wh and weigh 44 pound.

Solar Module Changing Torqeedo Electric Motor

Sea Eagle, a maker of inflatable boats, also offers a solar panel that connects with Torqeedo motors. Sea Eagle says the Travel 1003 Torqeedo motor can be combined with a Sea Eagle Solar Panel, and this panel will completely recharge the lithium-ion battery in less than ten hours. The solar panel also charges the battery while the motor is being used. The 45 watt solar panel can be mounted on canopies on dinghies, transom and pontoon boats.

Solar Powered Catamaran

The Travel 1003 Torqeedo motor can monitor your sailing speed with built-in GPS, and the display panel also shows the status of the charging battery. The Sea Eagle Solar Panel is made by US company PowerFilm. It measures 58” x 36” and can be rolled up for storage when not in use.Torqeedo products are available online at West Marine.

Right now, I’m investigating a new travel technique, which I’m calling “Slow Daily Travel”. By going slow (traveling 1o to 100 miles per day), your journey can often become more intriguing and enjoyable. My technique involves traveling as far as you like each day, and then staying overnight in a hotel. The next day you repeat, until you reach your destination. If you pack minimally enough, and you are not in a hurry to get anywhere, this techniques works quite well.

You can use any efficient type of transportation you like to travel. You can walk, cycle, kayak, sail, ride a bus, or ride a train. Electric vehicles are also ideal for this kind of travel because you can recharge your batteries overnight, and have them ready for the next day. You can use electric vehicles like electric bikes, electric kayaks, electric catamarans or dinghies (see the book Sustainable Sailing for more info on electric boats). You can also make use of solar chargers with these vehicles (I’ll be examining solar charging in detail in an upcoming article).

In conjunction with this, I’ve been investigating car-free routes around my home. So far, I’ve discovered a surprising number of car-free routes from my local area, Northern Virginia. Some of the routes include: the WO&D Trail (biking trail from Washington, DC to Purcellville, VA) the C&O Canal Trail (biking trail from Washington, DC to Cumberland, MD), the Great Allegheny Passage (biking trail that goes from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA), the Intracoastal Waterway (an inland waterway that goes from Norfolk, VA to Miami, FL). The Chesapeake Bay is also a huge car-free region that you can explore for months in a small boat.

By investigating car-free routes, I’ve actually become more aware of the terrain around my home, and this has made me think differently about my vacation plans. I’ll be going into the details of my slow travel in upcoming articles.

Here are some book I found useful while investigating slow, car-free travel:

Books On Electric Vehicles

• Sustainable Sailing: Go Green When You Cast Off  by Dieter Loibner
• How to Live Well Without Owning a Car: Save Money, Breathe Easier, and Get More Mileage Out of Life by Chris Balish
• Bike Touring: The Sierra Club Guide to Travel on Two Wheel by Raymond Bridge
• Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Seth Leitman
• The Electric Vehicle Conversion Handbook by Mark Warner
• Build Your Own Electric Bicycle by Matthew Slinn

Mid-Atlantic Biking Books

• Rail-Trails Mid-Atlantic: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC and West Virginia
• Bicycling The Atlantic Coast by Donna Ikenberry Aikenhead
• Linking Up: Planning Your Traffic-Free Bike Trip Between Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, DC  by Mary Shaw and Roy Weil

Mid-Atlantic Boating Books

• The Intracostal Waterway, Norfolk to Miami: The Complete Cockpit Cruising Guide by Jan and Bill Moelier
• Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholer’s Guide by William H. Shellenberger (Hardcover)
• Guide to Cruising Chesapeake Bay 2011 Edition by Staff of Chesapeake Bay Magazine
• Sea Kayaking Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay: Day Trips on the Tidal Tributaries and Coastlines of the Western and Eastern Shore by Michael Savario
• Sea Kayaking Virginia: A Paddler’s Guide to Day Trips from Georgetown to Chincoteague by Andrea Nolan

See also this Wikipedia article on Slow Travel, and the Rails-to-Trails group.

Rendering of Boeing Solar Project via SCE&G

The largest industrial investment in the history of South Carolina will soon become the home of the largest single rooftop solar array in the United States. Boeing Co., the Seattle-based manufacturer of jetliners, will install approximately ten acres of solar panels on the roof of their $750 million facility in North Charleston, SC. The solar farm will be the sixth largest in the U.S. and one of the biggest in the Southeast.

One of the photovoltaic solar panels to be installed on roof of Boeing plant.

South Carolina Electric & Gas, who will own and maintain the solar panels, chose the NC-based Baker Renewable Energy to implement the project. Four 700-watt kilowatt inverters from General Electric and 18,095 solar panels will create up to 2.6 megawatts of electricity, which is enough carbon-free energy to power about 250 homes.

Baker Renewable Energy Photovoltaic System

Jason Epstein, executive vice president of Baker Renewable Energy said: “This single project will be the equivalent to twice the solar that has currently been installed in the state of South Carolina.” Epstein predicted that the project will create 12-15 permanent jobs in the North Charleston area.

Boeing Charleston Site Rendering

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said, since the 787 Dreamliner produced in the SC plant was designed to protect the environment by using fewer hazardous materials, consuming less fuel and producing fewer emissions, it followed that the plant would be built in a similar way. This project will be a big step toward Boeing’s goal of operating their new facility solely from renewable energy sources. The solar panels are expected to begin producing energy in September, two months after the 787 plant is slated to start airplane production.

Via: The Post and Courier, Baker Renewable Energy, Charleston Inspired

Images: Charleston Inspired, The Post and Courier, Baker Renewable Energy, SeattlePi