Energy – Page 108 – Things Are Good

Frog Power

The frog from Bullfrog power, which I am quickly assured has no praticular relevance to renewable energy, has quite a lot to boast about nowadays becoming the first 100% green electricity retailer in Ontario. Electricity consumers, including 100 businesses and homeowners that have already switched, pay a higher rate of 8.3 cents per KWH (Ontario rates are 5.0 cents per KWH) on their electricity to ensure their electricity comes from EcoLogo Certified energy sources. Monies collected go towards fostering increased renewable energy development in Ontario such as small hydro, wind, landfill gas, biomass and solar, minimizing green house gas emmissions from coal fired generation.

Other parts of Canada and many other countries already have green power purchase programs in place. To name a short list: Scottland, France, Australia, British Columbia (Canada) and Europe. Programs such as Power to Change contributing to forest creation and stewardship to eliminate all green house gas emmissions resultant from human activites.

Small Windmills, Big Power

Good form of power- wind Wireless technology has made small remotely-placed electronics more practical, but there was always a problem of how to power the electronics.

An inventor has found a way to make small windmills practical by using piezoelectric crystals. The crystals, when bent, produce a small electric current with more than enough power for a small device.

The breeze moves the fan which, in turn, compresses the crystals which, under pressure, release an electric current, then the power can be used for whatever.

Fuel Cells for Portable Devices Soon

Motorola has invested in a micro-fuel cell developer called Tekion. Banking on their ability to produce a fuel cell to power portable devices such as laptops, cell phones and music players, Motorola has taken a big step towards reducing the amount of batteries that hit landfills (and thus the water cycle) everyday.

$53 Million for Solar Power from DARPA

a good source of energy Slashdot has a need post on DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ) new project for solar power. The goal is to create solar cells that operate at about 54 percent efficiency in the laboratory and 50 percent in production

The discussion thread over there is not bad either.

Thanks, Benny

Zero-Energy Homes Become Practical for Rich

Previously shunned by the vast majority of people in the developed world, zero-energy housing is gaining in popularity. California (of course) is on the forefront of this trend. Newsweek has more to say about lowering the energy cost in new houses.

“Aside from the bright patch of solar modules on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, it’s clear why they save energy.”

The zero-energy home is also making headway in Canada has a housing developer recently announced a new green development in the Toronto area.