Inspirational and good news.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has a neat list on their best partners for promoting green energy. Together the top 25 partners consumed 3.3 million megawatt-hours of green energy.
The top 25 Partners are Partners whose annual green power purchase is the largest, and whose green power purchase has been completed. Their actions are helping drive the development of new renewable energy sources for electricity generation.
Number one on the list will surprise you.
California is launching the United State’s largest solar incentive program. The incentives to get consumers to switch to solar power for heating, electricity generation, and even solar cooling, won’t be put into action until 2007.
“The money will be used for rebates for solar photovoltaics, solar water heating, and solar heating and cooling systems over 10 years, with 10 percent of the money slated for low-income customers and affordable-housing projects.”
Fuel cells are often said to be the next leap in power supplies for cars, busses, and other generally large consumers of power, but that is not where most consumers will first use a fuel cell. Methanol-based fuel cells are being used in MP3 players and other handheld electronics already. Using hydrogen, in a very controlled state, the batteries can last over 60 hours.
The catch is that these new batteries are expensive, but with more advanced consumer electronics coming out that require more juice, it seems that the time is rife for these longer-lasting and reusable batteries.
Governor George E. Pataki wants to help New Yorkers get more choice when it comes to what they put in their fuel tank. The Governor wants to reduce the state’s reliance on petroleum by getting biodiesel and ethanol to be distributed at petroleum stations that already exist in the state, as early as this year.
His budget plan also aims to encourage research and development of alternative fuels.
The planet’s seas come in different shapes and sizes, and notably, they have different levels of temperatures in each one. Now a company, Sea Solar Power Inc., is researching a way to use the power of the sun heating the ocean to power our civilization. They plan to put specialized ships around the equator that can generate energy from using what is basically a heat transfer.
The temperature difference form the surface of the sea to low depths is enough to power vapour turbines.