Clever Glass

Vanadium dioxide coated glass can switch from transparent to reflective (of infra red) at a set outside temperature. Thus on a winter day it could allow all light through, for as much warming and SAD treatment as possible, whilst on a summer day it could reflect IR as soon as it reached 25C. This could lead to huge savings on air conditioning. Coupled with planned ventilation, it could do away with it all together.

Technorati tag: Glass

Harnessing the power of waves

Another report about plans to create tidal power systems. San Francisco and New York seem well placed for such stations, but the testbed has been running in the Orkneys.

Technorati tag: Tidal Power

EPRI

The Electric Power Research Institute.

via Slashdot (which has a few interesting wave power links.)

Technorati tag: Renewable Energy

Sustainablog

A quick reciprocal link to Sustainablog. I really need to get an EcoHouse specific blogroll going.

Technorati tag: Eco Blogs

Targets

The NAtional Audit Office says that the Government is well on its way to having 10% of energy produced by renewable sources by 2010, but at a cost to consumers that could be reduced if it put as much effort into reducing consumption. Of course, the best solution would be to concentrate on both. All new build houses should be required to hit energy efficiency targets and have solar tiles on their roofs.

Technorati tag: Renewable Energy

Biodiesel wars

Biodiesel is on its way to becoming a mainstream fuel in the US. However the plans for mass production are alienating some of the pioneers

Technorati tag: Biodiesel

Micro Hydro

Small villages in the Philippines are becoming electrified thanks to micro hydroelectricity systems that they have sorted out for themselves.

via Alternative Energy blog

Technorati tag: Renewable Energy