Hydrogen Village

One of the major complaints about wind power is that it isn't an "on demand" power source, you get electricity when the wind speed is within a certain range, which isn't always the time when the power is needed. A pilot scheme on Canada's Prince Edward Island may have the answer. It uses power from windmills to convert water to hydrogen, which can be stored and used as combustible fuel or in fuel cells. Though there are questions about the efficiency of conversion it does offer one possible solution. Possibly future wind farms could incorporate a small hydrogen power plant. When output is greater than demand hydrogen can be produced that would run the plant when output from the windmills dropped below a certain level.

Technorati tag: Wind Power, Fuel Cell, Hydrogen

Dry Ton

Biomass could provide up to one third of the US' fuel requirements, without requiring major changes in production methods, a scientific report has concluded.

Looking at just forestland and agricultural land, the two largest potential biomass sources, the study found potential exceeding 1.3 billion dry tons per year. That amount is enough to produce biofuels to meet more than one-third of the current demand for transportation fuels, according to the report.

Technorati tag: Biomass, Alternative Energy

It's only the future, no need to worry the voters with it

Greenpeace has attacked the three main parties for leaving the environment out of their election campaigns. I heard a bit about this on Today this morning and they kept coming back to the meme that the "average voter" didn't want to hear about having to reduce their living standards in order to tackle environmental problems.

There's a simple answer to that. Don't tell them they'll have to reduce their living standards. Because they won't have to, if the issue is tackled properly. Of course, when 50% of people think that saving energy is going to cost them money- because they have a stupidly short sighted outlook and can't calculate long term savings against upfront cost, it's going to be a hard sell. But that's one of the things I set up this blog for.

Technorati tag: Election, Environment

Shrinkage

A comprehensive study of the Antarctic Peninsula, using aerial photographs dating back to the 1940s and more recent satellite images, shows that most of the area's glaciers have been steadily retreating for the last 50 years. The rate of retreat has increased since the millennium. It can't all be explained by global warming, and some glaciers have grown (32, compared to the 212 that have shrunk), but man made effects have exacerbated natural climate variations.

Technorati tag: Global Warming

Fair trade mahogany

Following similar principles to those of Fair Trade coffee, a scheme run by the Rainforest Alliance hopes to make hardwood harvesting sustainable.

Technorati tag: Fair Trade, Forests

The people's solar house

Mother Earth News on the quest for cheap net-zero-energy houses.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Polysilicon

One knock on effect of the dot-com bust was an oversupply of polycrystalline silicon. The low prices gave a boost to the photovoltaic industry and increased margins and profits even as unit prices came down. Now, however, the price is on the way up again. The industry has two factors protecting it, the fact that a great deal of solar power installation is legislated for or subsidised and the increase in efficiency and systems that use no silicon at all.

Because of all the reselling, reprocessing, and recycling in the silicon industry, silicon producers don’t keep track of what happens to the silicon once they sell it, he said. “No one on the planet understands what is happening with the silicon supply,” [Rogol] said.

Technorati tag: Solar Power

If you happen to be on Fulton Street

No website for this, so, from the press release-

In an effort to promote environmental consciousness among NYC businesses, Habana Outpost is pioneering the use of solar panels as a primary energy source, and green products whenever possible (everything from eco-friendly detergents to environmental wood alternative wood benches).

(PRWEB) April 21, 2005 -- Cafe Habana is opening an outpost and new location on saturday, May 21, 2005 and run to Halloween from 12-8pm. Located at 755-757 Fulton Street in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, the Outpost will include indoor and outdoor spaces.

The launch of Habana Outpost: Brooklyn, a new venture by entrepreneur/restauranteur, Sean Meenan (owner of Nolita’s Cafe Habana), the Outpost’s patented and famous grilled corn and other Cuban favorites, will be served to you from the Habana food truck. You have your choice to eat inside, or on the spacious patio. In an effort to promote environmental consciousness among NYC businesses, Habana Outpost is pioneering the use of solar panels as a primary energy source, and green products whenever possible. Everything from eco-friendly detergents to environmental wood alternative wood benches.

Technorati tag: Solar Power, Environmental business

Earth Day bump

It's Earth Day tomorrow, so a number of mainstream sources are doing themed stories, such as this one- Christian Science Monitor on green technology- and this one- looking at encouraging Green trends.

Technorati tag: Earth Day

Electric Dream Machine

The perfect solution for medium length commutes (between 10 and 20 miles as far as I'm concerned)- an electric scooter with added solar panels so it can recharge during the day. The owner reckons the solar cells generate enough charge over the 9 hours he's in the office to half top up the batteries.

Technorati tag: Electric scooter, Transportation

I want to break free

Next week is National Downshifting Week. I don't think I was ever in a high enough gear, but the principles of making your life simpler and cutting down on unnecessary expenses is in tune with what this blog is all about.

via hippyshopper

Technorati tag: Downshifting, Lifestyle

Wind time

I'd prefer a solar mobile charger, but this wind up one is cool and a lot cheaper. You could give it to kids to restrict the calls they made on their mobile and get them to exercise.

Though with one arm much more pumped up than the other, people might start to talk.....

via hippyshopper, who have a far more sensible idea of using it at festivals and other occasions when you don't want to be caught in a field with no charge.

Technorati tag: Recharge

Ethel

I've been neglecting the other source of biofuel for vehicles. Micro Fuel Plants produce ethanol stills for anyone wishing to run their cars on alcohol. Currently only available directly in the US and Canada, they do have a contact e-mail for those of us in other countries.

For the full Dukes of Hazzard effect, they also make moonshine stills.

Technorati tag: Bio Fuel

Forage

Digest- the Spinneyhead food, diet and health blog- will be launching later this week. Amongst the planned features, my sister is going to be writing up her experiences of growing food in a small city garden and the urban opportunities open to the keen epicurean. In the mean time, Off Grid reviews books dedicated to "Wild foods".

Technorati tag: Wild food

Saving the Earth, one room at a time

Green Remodelling, a guide to improving your home and lowering your ecological impact in easy stages.

via Treehugger

Technorati tag: Books

A+

It's going to be a long time before I can afford to build my own eco-house, or own an ordinary one to make more efficient. Until then I'll have to get by trying to green up rented places. This is a tricky prospect, because some of the most power hungry equipment is the stuff the landlord includes in the deal. I've purchased a washing machine for a flat, but the real baddie in the kitchen, it would appear, is that whitest of white goods- the fridge.

Technorati tag: Energy efficiency

Green bags

Hippyshopper points us all to alotoforganics, their favourite source for all things green and ethical.

Technorati tag: Organic

Value for money, part two

In a similar vein to my rant about energy efficiency and property values, Worldchanging reprints an essay about the hidden benefits of greening.

Technorati tag: Energy efficiency, Green business

Pro and Con

The Independent assesses the cases for and against various organic foods. Organic milk, pork and chicken are definitely better, whereas with fruit and veg the important thing is to eat, or freeze, them as soon after harvesting as possible.

Technorati tag: Food

Value for Money

One complaint I heard a couple of times yesterday was that the inclusion of energy saving features in houses, whether they be new builds or refurbishments, doesn't enhance their value. It has to be time to do something about this. Other, sometimes ludicrous, "improvements" can do wonders for a house's price, so why not ones that save money?

I was looking at gas boilers and found a Powergen stand touting the WhisperGen micro Combined Heat and Power system which I've mentioned before. Take up the company's offer and you can have the CHP installed for around £3000, with a special deal whereby you sell excess electricity back to them. They estimate the system will write off the greater expense of its installation, in saved electric bills and power sold back, within 4 years. But what if you want to move out in 2 years time? You haven't fully recouped the costs and the new owner will inherit £150 a year (PowerGen's figures) in electricity savings. Surely that has to be worth something on top of all the other factors that affect a building's cost? Even after you've passed into profit the presence of such money saving tech should add to the value of your house.

Surely anything that makes a house cheaper to run, from insulation through to full energy independence, should make it more valuable. A green home that's off the grid for most of the year has to be worth more to a buyer than an equivalent sized muggle house whose occupants are being charged to damage the environment. I don't know where we go to increase the value of green choices, but I say we start here.

Technorati tag: Housing, Combined Heat and Power