Greenergy

Tesco has partnered with Greenergy to build the UK's largest biodiesel refinery. The refinery should be running by mid 2006, using rape seed oil from British farms. I reckon there's still a niche market for local recycling of oil from restaurants by co-ops, but amajor development such as this is great for raising the profile of bio fuels.

via Sustainablog

Technorati tag: BioDiesel

Way up high

A possible answer to all the NIMBYs who argue against wind farms- high altitude wind power. The platforms fly up to their working altitude under power, but stay up there operating like tethered autogyros, the blades spinning in the breeze.

via Treehugger and Sustainablog

Technorati tag: Wind power

Bad Accounting

The "services" of nature- pollination, air conditioning by wind, mixing of nutrients in the oceans, was estimated in 1997 to be worth the equivalent of $33 trillion to the world economy. These valuable resources have been squandered and up to two thirds of them have been used up by human activity.

Technorati tag: Biodiversity, Environment

2050

From yesterday's Guardian, an optimistic, but plausible, view of the energy efficient future.

Technorati tag: Sustainable Development

Green Steel

Two possible ways to make iron production less polluting- one method replaces coke with plastics, surprisingly this creates fewer noxious byproducts, the other involves electrolysis on a grand scale.

Technorati tag: Iron, Steel

Switch Off

The recent demise of my computer monitor raises a couple of green issues. One- why was I wasting so much energy leaving it on standby overnight? and two- how to get rid of it.

Technorati tag: Electricity

Green Mortgage

The Ecology Building Society exists to make it easier for builders/ buyers of green homes to get the money they require. Not only that, but they are determined to maintain their mutual status when so many of the larger BS's have converted to banks in the last decade.

via Treehugger

Technorati tag: Mortgage, Green Finance

Delay cycle

The Government has chosen to delay implementation of an EU law requiring recycling of computers and other coonsumer electronics. Apparently the suppliers and retailers won't be ready until next year, when the law is supposed to come into effect in August. How long have they had to prepare for this and are other countries having similar problems?

Technorati tag: Recycling, Computer Recycling

CHP

WhisperTech's micro Combined Heat and Power systems come in AC and DC configurations, for use on the electricity grid or away from it.

via Treehugger

Technorati tag: Combined Heat and Power, CHP

Bio-Beetle

If you go to Hawaii be sure to rent one of these BioDiesel fueled Beetles to get around the islands.

via Treehugger and Jalopnik

Technorati tag: BioDiesel

Score card

The Power Scorecard is limited in scope, covering a few US states and power suppliers, but the basics apply wherever you are.

Technorati tag: Electricity

Dirty Water

Hydroelectric power isn't as green as we all thought. With the carbon dioxide released when the land is cleared and methane produced by rotting vegetation covered by the water, it can actually be worse than equivalent traditional power plants.

Technorati tag: Hydroelectric

Home Grown

Green Fuels sell BioDiesel production units ranging from the domestic to industrial.

Technorati tag: BioDiesel

Law of Renewable Energy

One of the great spectres in debates about future power use and pollution is China and India's increasing consumption. China recently introduced a law requiring increased production of electricity from renewable sources. Electricity companies will be required to buy this electricity, balancing the costs against currently cheaper traditional forms of generation.

Technorati tag: Renewable Energy, China

TerraPass

A carbon trading scheme for drivers, TerraPass funds green energy programmes with money volutarily paid by car owners. The scheme charges more for larger, more polluting vehicles.

Technorati tag: Transport

Carbon Sham

Was it Reagan who said that trees caused global warming? Along similar lines, the US Government has started a scheme for farmers and foresters to track their CO2 emmissions and any sequestration they might also do. As pointed out, it's a con, because Monty Burns can claim that he'd be belching smog out of a coal fired power station if he weren't running a nuclear plant and get Brownie Points for it.

Technorati tag: Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Sequestration

Integrated Agriculture

The Centre for Integrated Agricultural Systems is "a sustainable agriculture research center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison."

Technorati tag: Agriculture

Primary Power

This is the sort of thing I hope Tony means when he goes on about "sustainable public procurement". Seaton primary school in Devon has installed solar and wind power generators, which not only cover the shool's own energy needs but can also feed power back to the grid.

Technorati tag: Sustainable Development, Solar Power, Wind Power, Education

40% House

Up to eighty thousand houses a year should be knocked down for the next decade as part of plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, according to a report. This is because a quarter of Britain's CO2 emmissions come from houses, so improvements in them will help the Government's aim of cutting output by 60% by 2050.

Technorati tag: Carbon Dioxide, Housing

Wear your solar

A new plastic that can be applied as a layer on fabric can convert up to 30% of sunlight to electricity. The inventor sees a way to power mobile devices with the clothes we wear.

via Imprinted

Technorati tag: Solar Power