The algae powered house

Students from the University of Cambridge have designed a house which utilises algae and household waste to produce power.

More information here.

Around the world by chip fat

A trip around Europe in a biodiesel powered van was one of those plans I had that never came to fruition. Wired has an article about one man who is better organised than I and is on the road at the moment.

Global Cooling is a con

This won't be news to anyone who's been paying attention, but it needs to be shouted out and repeated often, because the American public and even the BBC are falling for the lie.

There are many quote worthy lines in this report. Almost at random, let's go with-

Saying there's a downward trend since 1998 is not scientifically legitimate, said David Peterson, a retired Duke University statistics professor and one of those analyzing the numbers.

Identifying a downward trend is a case of "people coming at the data with preconceived notions," said Peterson, author of the book "Why Did They Do That? An Introduction to Forensic Decision Analysis."

Hop aboard the biomethane bus

A team from the University of East Anglia has adapted a single decker midi bus to run on biomethane and diesel. The bus can run for at least 60 percent of the time on gas from landfill or special anaerobic digesters.

The coming energy gap

The government's new energy adviser has warned of a potential energy shortage by 2016, as old coal and oil power stations are taken out of use. He blames public opposition to new wind farms, nuclear plants etc. for slowing the building of renewable energy sources.

I've got a solution for this, which I have put forward before. It's partly a bribe, but it's also a way of cutting the national energy bill and promoting renewables. The government should extend its schemes for subsidising houseowners' efforts to cut consumption and begin microgeneration. As more people become eligible for insulation or solar grants they will see the benefits of lower consumption in their bank accounts. Not only will this go viral and convince ever more people that they need to work toward energy independence, it will make them more open to larger renewable energy schemes.

Paying out more, and larger, grants to homeowners will be more expensive in the long term than just trying to force through wind farms or nuclear against current levels of opposition, but it will also have more immediate positive effects. Those who take advantage of the schemes will see a benefit in their fuel bills within a quarter and a large proportion of the money paid out will go to small companies, keeping them afloat in the recession and finding its way back into the economy faster than a huge sum to a big construction conglomerate would.

Hair solar

A Nepali teenager has come up with a way to use hair to replace silicon in solar cells. The melanin in the hair is photo sensitive and a conductor, and can be bought for pennies a kilo. Panels could be made for £23, or less when production is scaled up.

There's no real explanation of what Milan Karki has done to the hair to take advantage of melanin's attributes. If I find them I'll investigate further.

Redesigning Farmers' Markets

GOODblog ran a competition to generate ideas for invigorating farmers' markets and has posted the winners and finalists.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Vertical Gardens

Wired takes a look at the wall mounted gardens of Patrick Blanc. Impressive. Next time I'm in London I'll try to visit the Atheneum Theatre to check out its eight story living wall.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Interactive flood maps

I may have linked to these before. See how your home, or anywhere else in the world, will be affected by rising sea levels. Both the places I consider home- in Manchester and the Lake District- are out of reach of even a 14 metre rise, for what little comfort that provides.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The rules for debating with climate change deniers

Climate change deniers have rules that they expect you to stick to when debating their latest weak attempt to disprove the theory. They look a lot like the ones posted here.

And please note, that when I say evidence, I mean:

1) Nothing that was recorded by instruments such as weather-stations, ocean buoys or satellite data. Since all instruments are subject to error, we cannot use them to measure climate.

2) Nothing that has been corrected to account for the error of recording instruments. Any corrected data is a fudge. You must use only the raw data, which is previously disqualified under rule #1. Got that? OK, moving along…

3) Nothing that was produced by a computer model. We all know that you can’t trust computer models, and they have a terrible track record in any industrial, architectural, engineering, astronomical or medical context.

4) Nothing that was researched or published by a scientist. Such appeals to authority are invalid. We all know that scientists are just writing these papers to keep their grant money.

I still occasionally interact with some folks online for whom the rules above aren't satire. A good response- which they'll still ignore, of course- is given by one of the commenters on the post-

Mole, you’ve also got to factor in the consequences of inaction into the assessment of data.

If, for example, despite the existing scientific evidence, you personally would ONLY be satisfied by a longitudinal study over the next 30 years – well, what if it turned out todays’s scientists were actually right, and waiting for that study took us through the tipping point?

Why would policy makers be wise to adopt your approach?

See – even if I am wrong, cleaning up carbon emissions will do no harm. Clean the air up a bit, less pollution, fewer illnesses among kids, etc. No problemo.

If you are wrong, however: life on this planet could well be reduced to a few green sites supporting half a billion people – instead of 6 billion – by next century.

You see why doubt-mongers are losing this debate? And that that is a good thing?

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

All new homes to be "zero carbon" by 2016

The Government has released a white paper that calls for all domestic buildings to be zero carbon by 2016. There isn't a definition for "zero carbon", however, though it's likely to mean buildings which are net-zero carbon over a year. New public buildings will be held to similar standards within a few years.

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The XR3 hybrid is ugly but efficient

The XR3 diesel electric hybrid three wheeler has a claimed consumption of 125 miles to the gallon (US gallon, I assume) and is soon going to be mass produced. The XR3 started out as a set of plans so you could build your own. I found it whilst browsing the designer's other creations such as the XR2 recumbent bike.

It's cool that such a car is going into production, but does it have to look like one of the background vehicles from a 1980's science fiction movie?

Technorati tag: Hybrid

The Armadillo- permaculture for the trailer park

The Armadillo started life as one of the thousands of trailer homes purchased to house families displaced by HUrricane KAtrina and other natural disasters. Now it's a mobile composting and permaculture centre, with water catchment and a vertical garden.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Global Warming Art

MAking climate change almost look pretty, Global Warming Art presents the data as clearly as possible.

Note I found Global Warming Art whilst researching a reply to this post. As I had comments deleted the last time I questioned the veracity of that particular graph, here's what I said-

Thanks for the links, but I couldn't find the graph in your post or the figures used in it. You should know that a number of the theories championed by Easterbrook have been examined and shown to be lacking.

For example- Mid century cooling- http://scienceblogs.com/illconsidered/2006/03/what-about-mid-century-cooling.php - CO2 isn't the only thing controlling the planet's temperature, during this period the global dimming effect of particulates overwhelmed it. Various other of his arguments, such as that it's a natural cycle or all down to sun spot activity- and several other points- are addressed in articles linked to on this page- http://scienceblogs.com/illconsidered/2008/07/how_to_talk_to_a_sceptic.php

But back to the graph at the bottom of your post. I wanted to address it because it just looks wrong. Not the numbers are wrong or it's wrong because I don't agree with your position, but wrong as a graph. Look at the red trend line. Before 2005 it's steady, the wild variations of individual data points don't make it jump around. After 2005 it's following the data points almost exactly. The red line is based upon average anomalies over a given period, but it looks like the averaging was done over a far shorter period post '05 than pre. If the average reacts that drastically to a dip in the recorded anomalies then it should also have kicked sharply up for the El Nino year of 1998 and less sharply down for 1985 (La Nina) and 1993 (Pinatubo volcano).

Basically I think someone has fudged the post 2005 trendline. Or, more bluntly, I think that graph is a lie. I'd recommend checking its provenance before using it again. For graphs of temperature change created from publicly available figures you could try http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Temperature_Gallery

Technorati tag: Climate Change

Eight home energy projects

After the build your own windmill projects, here are eight energy saving or generating projects you might like to try. It's unlikely many people will be won over by the human powered washing machine, but my parents have a stream on their land that would benefit so much from a water wheel.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Build your own wind turbines

Windmills aren't the best solution for urban microgeneration- nearby buildings tend to make the airflow too rough for them to run efficiently. But they are cool technology if you happen to live far enough away from your neighbours and can get away with erecting a mast. So, to inspire you, here is the Instructables page on DIY wind power.

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What should the US do with General Motors?

The United States government has bailed out General Motors and now holds a majority stake in the company. Should they use that power to demand some serious changes to the company's output and outlook? Michael Moore has a vision for a reconfigured GM that involves mass transit and renewable energy.

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Feed in tariffs for microgeneration start next year

I missed this when it was announced, but from next April homeowners with microgeneration systems will be guaranteed a payment for electricity they generate and feed into the grid. Exact details haven't been released, and this article in the Guardian has some suggestions on that front.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Dick Strawbridge on how it's easy to be green

Top eco-warrior Dick Sytrawbridge addresses some of the common misconceptions about making your home low energy and eco-friendly.

4) Most eco-renovation take decades to pay back the cost

Every time we decide to make an investment in an eco-project, the subject of payback comes up. It is possible to do the sums, and before we spend any hard earned cash I like to make sure that it's a good investment. For example, loft insulation can pay for itself in two winters, and with the 2010 feed-in tariff I would expect solar PV to pay for itself in about seven or eight years, and a DIY solar thermal system to heat your hot water should have paid for itself in four or five years. But surely this is missing the point: when it comes to environmentally friendly projects we seem unable to accept the fact that it can be an investment and will add to the value of the house. What is the payback time for a new bathroom or kitchen? If you install solar photovoltaic panels you can reasonably expect them to easily last 25 to 30 years. Everyone knows a new kitchen makes a house more saleable, but in the current economic climate, how much more saleable is a house that will cost the new owners very little to run or may even generate an income?

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Car free Times Square

Sections of Broadway in Manhattan, starting with Times Square, are going to have car traffic restricted to make the place friendlier for pedestrians and ease congestion.

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Anaconda wave power generators

Anaconda wave power could be available commercially within five years. One proposal would see shoals of the rubber tube devices tethered alongside offshore wind farms so they can use the same connections to shore.

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The electric Le Mans car

Joining the ranks of ever greener motor sports is Green GT, with their battery powered Le Mans prototype. Amongst their plans they would like to start a Green GT series, the races would be silent but for the squeal of rubber on the road.

Technorati tag: Electric Car

C,mm,n- the open source eco car

C,mm,n (pronounced common) is a Dutch project to design an intelligent electric car which can be built, and modified, by anyone. Some of the pages haven't been translated yet, so I don't know whether some of my questions have been answered or not. I'd like to know if they're working on a drivetrain that could be transplanted into other bodies, ripping out the fossil fuelled motor and putting an electric one in its place, or whether the car only really works as a whole.

And if you built one of these for personal use, would you still get the government's proposed grant for buying an electric vehicle?

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The Ampera, Vauxhall's electric car

Vauxhall have unveiled their planned electric car, the Ampera. It's actually a hybrid of sorts. The wheels are driven by electric motors and an overnight charge will be enough for a journey of around 40 miles, after which a petrol powered generator takes over.

It's certainly better looking than a Prius, in concept car mode anyway. What they really need to do is give it a felx fuel engine, or one of the multi fuel motors Lotus have been working on.

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Old meets new in an eco house

Few people can afford to spend £800,000 on a house, even one that's going to start paying for itself with the electricity it generates. Architect Richard Hawkes did, and the result is stunning. The timberal roofing is a modern take on an old technique, and will be planted for added insulation. Heat will be stored during the day to be released when it cools, a simple idea made more efficient with new materials.

Few of the technologies Hawkes uses could be affordable to the average housebuilder, but the principles can be adapted for the lower end of the market.

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TH!NK electric suburb to city car

Norwegians will do anything if you tell them they can't.

via Jalopnik

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I don't think climate change deniers understand economics either

Because the folks at Stop the ACLU have a habit of deleting my comments when I take their arguments apart with logic, here's the reply to this post. It's a simplistic argument, but they're simple people.

And next year the cap will be 49ppm, so you'll either have to waste more money so you can waste money. Or you could exhibit common sense and cut your pollution by cutting energy use, which a good businessman should have been doing anyway. Efficiency savings affect your bottom line, even without a cap and trade. So if you're not looking into them then you should rebrand Teach Enterprises as Company Pointlessly Wasting Money.

I don't understand your reasoning. You moan about government interference and the government taking your money when most governments are giving away money that you could use to become independent of them. Take the governmentgrant and invest in energy efficiency and microgeneration. Do it well enough to produce more electricity than you need and energy companies are becoming obliged to buy it back off you. Your paying less tax on the energy you use and the energy companies have less money and lobbying power. If you still don't want to admit that you're doing it for your children and a better environment just pretend you're doing it to be selfish. Whatever.

The polar bear cartoon is cutesy, it's good to see you've embraced recycling by repeating the Very Cold Winter meme endlessly. However, Australia is in the midst of the worst heatwave in at least 70 years. You haven't mentioned this. I guess you only want to point out the weather anomalies that seem to support your argument.

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Some interesting links on climate change

Behemoth of the blogosphere BoingBoing has a guest blogger on board this week who has posted a collection of climate change denial posts. Cory Doctorow has come back with a bunch of posts about the science of the subject. For instance-

The Discovery of Global Warming - a history, a hyperlinked text because there were/are so many pieces of research going on concurrently and independently that an attempt at a linear history of the subject wouldn't work.

What we've learned in 2008- discoveries in the field of climate change last year.

Climate Change Economics. This looks like heavy going, but it's all about the economics around cutting green house emissions and discussion of different incentives to do so.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Barrages or lagoons for the River Severn?

I'm not a fan of the proposed Severn Barrage. It's typical government grandiose thinking which will take longer to come online, cost more and be less useful than the alternatives. The main alternative is a series of artificial lagoons on the river, which won't interfere with shipping, have little or no effect on wildlife and provide power for a wider span of the day.

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The Solar Fridge

An English student has designed a solar fridge for use in Africa and elsewhere where power supplies are unreliable or nonexistent. It uses evaporation to keep its inner chamber at around 6 celsius and can be fashioned from scavenged materials.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Getting extra energy from natural gas

A company called 2OC is planning to install mini turbines in natural gas pipelines to generate electricity. The gas is at too high a pressure when it comes out of the ground for safe distribution so sites known as letdown stations are used to release the pressure. The turbines would be installed in these stations and could generate as much as one coal or nuclear power station.

2OC admits that this is an expensive way to generate electrity. But it is making use of energy that would otherwise be wasted. The letdown process also has a cooling effect- as the gas expands its temperature drops drastically- and the company are looking at ways to use this such as cooling data centres.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Turning off the lights

The phased withdrawal of incandescent bulbs continues, with 100 Watt and 75 Watt ones no longer being restocked by shops. The complaining classes, as usual, manage to find fault with something that will make them better off.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse