renewable

UK Gives Big OK to Massive Wind Farms

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

ure-2.pngThe UK is going to expand their wind farms so that half of their energy will come from wind. Interestingly, they are taking a purely economically-driven take on this. I hope that people like Harper and Bush will soon start to notice that saving the planet creates jobs and helps create an economy that can prosper; after all, the Brits are doing it.

“The UK is now the number one location for investment in offshore wind in the world and next year we will overtake Denmark as the country with the most offshore wind capacity.

“This could be a major contribution towards meeting the EU’s target of 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020.”

Hutton made clear the scale of the plans. The “first round” of offshore wind farms, in 2001, comprised a few small demonstration projects. The “second round” in 2003 limited development to the Thames estuary, the Greater Wash and the northwest.

And the BBC reports on the wind farm:

Business Secretary John Hutton says he wants to open up British seas to allow enough new turbines – up to 7,000 – to power all UK homes by the year 2020.

He acknowledged “it is going to change our coastline”, but said the issue of climate change was “not going away”.

Highways Have Potential for Wind Energy Generation

- Adam Clare 3 Comments

highway Over at Inhabitat, there are two posts on using wind created by traffic on highways to generate electricity. A student proposes horizontally placed wind generators over highways, much like road signs are placed now (pictured).

A proposal coming from New Jersey has the generators built into the highway that powers a light rail system. Awesome!

The design, a runner-up in the 2006 Metropolis Mag Next Generation Design Competition proposed the integration of wind-turbines into the highway barriers that divide the traffic. These turbines would generate power from the wind created by the vehicles that drive past them in opposite directions. Originally conceived as a single row of vertical-axis rotary turbines, it has now been redesigned to include two rows, one stacked on top of each other, with the end power being used to power a light rail system.

VENTURI ECLECTIC Vehicle Powers Itself

- Adam Clare

This car is entirely powered by renewable energy. The Eclectic uses solar power, wind power, and regenerative energy from braking. It is “the first autonomous vehicle in the history of the automobile.” Awesome!

Inhabitant has some pics and a short article:
“Eclectic produces energy from sources that already surround us, combining 2.5 square meters of photovoltaic cells, one or more wind turbines, and NiMH (NIV-7) batteries. Intended for driving in urban areas, it offers a range up to 50 km at a speed of 50 km/h (electronically restricted), while continually producing and storing energy, even when not in us”

In 2007 it’s Easy Being Green

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

MSNBC has collected ten simple things that you can you do to make the world a little greener and a little better.

These really are small, simple, and everyday things that you can do to make the world a better place, so I encourage everyone to give it a try!

Large English Windfarm

- Adam Clare

from the BBC

The BBC is reporting that the UK government has agreed to allow two huge windfarms to be built off the eastern coast.

“The £1.5bn London Array scheme will have 341 turbines rising from the sea about 12 miles (20km) off the Kent and Essex coasts, as well as five offshore substations and four meteorological masts.

The government said both schemes would make “a significant contribution to the aim of a five-fold increase in the UK’s renewable energy resource by 2020”.

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