Source: http://www.alternativeenergyhq.com/alternative-power-sources-magnets-4-energy-reviews.php
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Alternative Power Sources: Magnets 4 Energy Reviews
There are many people today who have the same problem when it comes to electricity and that’s the high rising cost of the prices of power today. Some have even decided that learning how to economize is one way of beating inflation like turning on the TV and unplugging it instead of leaving it on [...]
Alternative Power Sources: Magnets 4 Energy Reviews
There are many people today who have the same problem when it comes to electricity and that’s the high rising cost of the prices of power today. Some have even decided that learning how to economize is one way of beating inflation like turning on the TV and unplugging it instead of leaving it on [...]
Source: http://www.alternativeenergyhq.com/alternative-power-sources-magnets-4-energy-reviews.php
Solar subsidy cuts: government offers compromise
Ministers say that if they lose the court case they will fund the higher rate payments for a further three months
About 3,700 homes and businesses could claim a higher rate of subsidies for solar panels after the government on Thursday offered a compromise deal in the row over cuts to the scheme.
Although there is a continuing legal battle over the announcement last year that the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) would cut solar feed-in tariff payments by half from 12 December, ministers said that if they lose the legal case they will fund the higher rate payments for any panels installed by 3 March.
A high court judge ruled in December that the cuts were "legally flawed", following a challenge by solar companies and green groups, which feared that the sudden decision would cause a plunge in demand and severely damage the industry. After a massive rush to fit solar panels following the government's announcement ? with about 80,000 installations in the six weeks to the original December 12 deadline ? demand has plummeted, with DECC expecting only 3,700 more from that date until March 3.
If the government loses its court appeal, millions of pounds will be added to the feed-in tariff's budget, which is already running over for this financial year.
Climate minister Greg Barker told the House of Commons, however, that if the government wins the legal challenge, it would stop paying higher subsidies for anything installed after 12 December last year.
In a repetition of his earlier arguments for cutting the subsidy, Barker added: "It is very important that we reserve this as an option because these 43p [higher rate] payments will take a disproportionate share of the budget available for small-scale low-carbon technologies. We want instead to maximise the number of installations that are possible within the available budget rather than use available subsidy to pay a higher tariff to a smaller number of installations."
The latest announcement that the government would fund the higher tariffs for installations up until 3 March if it loses the case was welcomed by groups which were angered by the October decision. The Renewable Energy Association said the "plan B" offered more certainty to consumers and businesses who made and installed the equipment.
Andy Atkins, the executive director of Friends of the Earth ? one of the three parties to take legal action against the government over the cuts ? said: "At last the government is taking steps to sort out some of the uncertainty that's crippling a thriving UK industry ? planned cuts will at last allow solar firms to start planning for the future. Solar payments should be cut in line with falling costs ? but by trying to rush through payment before the consultation closed ministers created a shambolic mess that threatens 30,000 jobs and the future of the industry."
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/19/solar-subsidy-cuts-government-compromise
Solar Power Goes Around the World
Planet Solar?s Turanor, the world?s largest solar-powered boat, is nearly finished with its mission to complete its loop around the Earth. The adventure started in 2010 and the vessel has travelled on solar power all the way, although backup diesel generators were required for insurance purposes. But they have never been used, said Atissun. The [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/4kGarWKngKA/
Monday, January 30, 2012
Obama begins 2012 push by talking about Solyndra | Paul Harris
This oddly defensive ad rebutting a Koch brothers-funded attack is hardly an inspiring start to Obama's re-election campaign
Who
It is high time to forget about the nastiness, race-baiting, ex-wives and tax-dodging that is dominating the Republican nomination scrap down in South Carolina and look at the man the GOP hopefuls are so keen to fight: President Barack Obama.
Obama's re-election team and its backers have been quietly plotting his re-election strategy, building up an organisation in key states and raising a gigantic war chest of cash that now tops $220m. Now, it has released its first ad.
What
The ad is a 30-second spot that is a direct response to a campaign by Americans for Prosperity, an organisation backed by the Koch Brothers, that is also a supporter of the Tea Party movement. AFP have been running a $6m ad campaign poking away at the Solyndra issue, where an alternative energy firm collapsed despite massive federal financial help. The Obama ad is called (rather prosaically): "The Facts About President Obama's Energy Record."
When
It is going up Thursday in a series of "battleground states" across America. For millions of Americans outside the early primary/caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, this ad will be the first sign that 2012 is indeed an election year and it is going to be a nasty one.
It is also fascinating to look at where the ad is running: Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina. Those are all states Obama won in 2008, including the grand prizes of Virginia and North Carolina, which represented the establishment of a blue toe-hold in the deep red South. But in the end, it is a defensive ad buy. The Obama team is sending the message that they want to try to hold their gains, but they have little sense they could extend them.
That is a fairly realistic assessment of Obama's prospects. But also ? this early in the race and with so much money on hand ? shows a lack of ambition.
Why
The ad is a remarkable one. But not in a good way.
Given that this is the first ad in Obama's re-election campaign, one might think the team behind Obama would want to stress a positive message, perhaps mentioning some of his achievements: ending the war in Iraq, staving off a Great Depression, saving the auto industry or ? if you are feeling militaristic ? shooting dead Osama bin Laden. Or perhaps, Obama could have gone on the offensive, feeling ordinary Americans' pain over joblessness and warning that no one should trust the rabble-rousing Republican party with being adult enough to make things better.
But no. To kick off the campaign, the Obama team chooses to mention Solyndra and engage ? not with ordinary Americans ? but with Charles and David Koch. The reasoning behind this has to be bizarre. One possible explanation is that the Obama team has been reading recent polling looking at his collapsing support among independents. Thus, they are assuming their base is safely secured and want to talk about issues, and fight opponents, likely to influence that middle ground.
Even so, this ad's subject matter still seems a distinctly odd choice. General elections, especially at this early stage, are about sweeping narratives and broad arguments, not the nitty gritty of individual issues. Leave that stuff until the last weeks of the fight.
How
The ad kicks in with the usual gravelly-voiced gentleman sounding serious. "Secretive oil billionaires attacking President Obama with ads fact-checkers say are not tethered to the facts," he says, in a rather confusing way. The secretive rich folks are not mentioned by name (but we know who they are!) and a screen shot of a Solyndra attack ad is shown. To this humble correspondent, this seems infuriatingly amateurish. If you are going to make the decision to devote your first ad of the campaign to the Kochs, then why not actually mention them.
And showing the Solyndra name (a company still largely unknown to the vast majority of American voters) is likely to do nothing but spark someone's interest. One can easily imagine a voter watching this ad, scratching their head and typing Solyndra into Google and running straight into the AFP campaign. Surely that is not what the makers of the Obama ad intended.
Next, we see a shot of Obama appearing presidential in an office (though he also looks a little like he's giving a one-arm fascist salute ? hmmm, poor picture choice). Then, the voiceover says that independent watchdogs have called Obama's record on ethics "unprecedented". Again, this feels like a mis-step. It's a defence to an attack that surely most people have not seen. Faced with this ad, it is again easy to imagine voters, not nodding in agreement, but suddenly wondering who exactly has been calling Obama unethical (and why).
Then, the ad claims clean energy has brought in 2.7m jobs. Which is great. Jobs and the economy are the big issue of the 2012 election and it's about time this ad talked about them. But again, it is framing the issue of jobs against a defence of environmental and energy policy. A couple scenes of people filling their cars with petrol and an oil rig at sea follow as the narrator claims America's dependence on foreign oil has been reduced (a ridiculous, amorphous claim that is virtually unprovable).
Finally, up pops Obama to tell us he approved this message. Which, no doubt, he did. But it is disturbing in some ways.
There is an old rule in politics that runs something like this: never wrestle with a pig, because you'll both end up in the mud ? but the pig will like it. In this case, Obama's team is deciding in the middle of January to kick off its campaign with a tussle with the Koch brothers over the issue of clean energy and Solyndra. In my view, that is not an argument that American people really care about yet.
First impressions count for a lot. This was an opportunity to put forward a strong vision and a firm argument for why Obama deserves a second term and why America needs him to win. It was a chance to reconnect with the voters, to look back at the last three years and explain what happened and why. That opportunity was comprehensively missed in favour of elevating an obscure spat with a couple of billionaires that the ad itself ? lacking the courage of its convictions ? does not dare name.
That cackling sound you can hear? That's a Koch brother laughing.
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Jan 5, How Does Solar Energy Work?: Solar Articles: Eco20/20
In the past few years, we have seen an increase in households using solar energy. It is indeed one of the best sources of energy. You can cut down your cost on electricity bills and contribute to the preservation of natural energy today. Don't let those UV rays go to waste. They can be used to light up your house, make your coffee maker work or help you watch television without worrying about the exorbitant cost of utility bills.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/How-Does-Solar-Energy-Work.html
Jan 16, Mergers & Acquisitions, Sustainable Energy Solar Energy, Construction
Trends Services offering advisory services, emerging markets, mergers & acquisitions, rail transportation, sustainable energy, rail infrastructure, solar
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/mergers-acquisitions-sustainable-energy-solar-energy-construction.html
The solar industry needs to know the UK government can be trusted | Caroline Lucas
If policy can be changed retrospectively, why should business believe that the UK is a safe place to invest?
This week, the government lost its appeal against a judge's ruling that its move to change the rates for solar feed-in tariffs before the official consultation has ended was "legally flawed".
The high court ruling is a real victory for the solar industry and for those households, businesses and community projects in my constituency who would have been left high and dry by attempts by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) to apply a retrospective change to the rate.
There has always been widespread acceptance that the tariff would need to be reduced as installation costs fell and economic realities shifted. But the focus of the cross-party and public campaign against the government's plans has been the speed and scale of the proposed cut, which has already caused huge disruption to the solar industry and the 25,000-plus jobs it has created.
The courts have now twice ruled that these actions were unacceptable. Importantly, the courts have also sought to uphold a key principle about the very nature of government investment policy.
The central question is this: if policy can be changed retrospectively, why should business believe that the UK is a safe place to invest?
Investors need to know whether a government commitment to support them can be trusted, or if retrospective changes can be made at any point after investments start.
A lack of trust is a huge disincentive to invest. The CBI describes the government's decision to slash subsidies for solar panels as an "own goal", stating that "moving the goalposts doesn't just destroy projects and jobs, it creates a mood of uncertainty that puts off investors."
In light of the court's decisions and the strong industry calls for certainty, you might expect Decc to want to bring the solar situation to a swift conclusion and do what it can to inspire investor confidence for the future.
But no, Decc has indicated that it intends to stubbornly forge ahead with its ill thought through plans, and take the appeal all the way to the supreme court ? wasting time and money in the process.
This means that the many solar PV installers and businesses I have spoken to remain completely in the dark about how they will be affected by the government's shambolic policy wrangles.
Further, it suggests that Decc doesn't understand that investors in Britain need to feel confident about the conditions of the market they are entering. They need to know those conditions will not be radically undercut on a political whim.
No wonder we are facing a double-dip recession if this is the message the government is sending out. I thought that Britain was meant to be "open for business". It seems that some government departments have not read that memo.
The case of solar has implications for all businesses that benefit from any form of governmental support. This could include grants for innovation, research and development, skills training and the establishment of networks.
If the government pursues its solar decision when an entire industry is at stake, why should business believe that government commitments to support research carried out by our universities and colleges will not be withdrawn if market conditions change unexpectedly?
If an appeal is allowed to go ahead, there is a risk that a dangerous precedent will be set.
And while it's certainly possible to point the finger at the previous Labour government to claim that the solar tariff rates were set too high ? that the policy was poorly constructed ? it's clear that, in the here and now, this goes much further than the solar industry.
So we now need to know if the government will accept the high court judgment and fulfil their previous commitments on solar tariffs. Crucially, we also need to know what the implications are for investment security across the whole the UK economy.
Using the courts to try to steam roller through a retrospective policy change that has already been ruled unlawful smacks of total disregard for the industry.
Decc should accept that ministers got it wrong on solar and pull the plug on this legal merry-go-round, which is putting UK jobs and future investment at risk.
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guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/27/feed-in-tariffs-appeal
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Oct 28, Supporting Green Energy on a Widespread Level: Eco Living Articles: Eco20/20
Green energy is undoubtedly great; however, without support from various place, it cannot prosper and continue to expand like it has recently. As an intelligent citizen who is currently concerned about the direction in which fossil fuels and other harsh energies that are not kind to the planet, you have sought out information on your own.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/Supporting-Green-Energy-on-a-Widespread-Level.html
Computer Monitors Transformed Into Community Trash Bins
A clever design idea takes old TVs and computer monitors and turns the outer shell into public waste bins to clean up neighborhoods.Source: http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/computer-monitors-transformed-into-community-trash-bins.html
Smart Software Adjusts Your Thermostat Based on Weather Forecasts In Your Neighborhood
EnergyHub's e5 home energy management software uses weather forecasts to program heating and cooling cycles and optimize grid response.
Lufthansa: Biofuels Could Be Aviation?s Standard in Five Years
Joachim Buse, Lufthansa airline?s head of aviation biofuel, last week said at an industry event in Washington, D.C. that biofuels could be the industry?s standard fuel in five to seven years. According to Air Transport World, the airline executive said his company?s burnFAIR project has shown that biofuels are a feasible proposition for commercial flights [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/Y3n7o1rjB_0/
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Oct 17, Sunrise, sunset, cloud and mist shooting skills
Every kind of creature on the air, water and soil living environment and provide survive needs. The three kinds of medium and maintain there with all kinds
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/sunrise-sunset-cloud-and-mist-shooting-skills.html
State of Green Business Report Takes Temperature of E-Waste, Energy Efficiency
GreenBiz has released their 5th annual report on what's shaking in cleantech. The long and short of it is, "Things aren?t going as well as we?d hoped."
Smart Grid Initiatives Address Cyber Security, Renewable Energy Intermittency
Securitizing renewable energy networks from cyber-attacks is not complicated by their oft-cited operational headache of intermittency, but rather by their separation from a utility's control system, said smart grid executives at the Gridwise Global Forum in Washington, DC in early November. Though renewable intermittency adds to the challenge of stabilizing a grid, the forum revealed new evidence of real-world smart grid load shifting that continues to chip away at the tired argument that renewable energy cannot successfully integrate into a legacy grid.
Friday, January 27, 2012
How Much Can You Really Save with Solar?
I just returned from the Solar Power International (SPI) show, an annual event for the solar industry, and there were a few things I kept hearing over and over. One was: ?It's simple: People can live better with solar.? The second was: ?The price of electricity will rise over the next decade.? Over the last 40 years, Americans have been fortunate to have largely consistent electric rates. But as utility providers need to replace...
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/green-energy-news/~3/F3rnQncJefI/
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sleek Portable Water Condenser Draws Drinking Water out of Humid Air
A portable version of a mechanical water condenser, which transforms humid air into drinkable water as the day goes by.
Dec 6, Green is the new black: Where We Stand on Energy and the Environment: Renewable Energy Articles: Eco20/20
The Democrats are seen working hard to protect the natural resources, including air, water and land to give a bright future for the coming generation in US. Therefore you will find Obama led administration taking various measures which includes restoring the Great Lakes and the damage control carried out at Gulf Coast to clear the oil spill.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/Green-is-the-new-black-Where-We-Stand-on-Energy-and-the-Environment.html
Thursday, January 5, 2012
What's The Real Cost of the World's Cheapest Tablet Device?
How might making the world's cheapest tablet change our planet, from manufacturing to recycling?Source: http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/whats-the-real-cost-of-the-worlds-cheapest-tablet-device.html
Latin America Report: U.S. Solar Company Looks to Mexico and Beyond
Latin America is revered for its solar resource. Concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) is seen as a promising technology because of its ability to further harness that solar power. Now, an American-based CPV company is working to bring large-scale developments south of the U.S. border.
Oct 17, Battery maintain knowledge
Battery maintain knowledge Rechargeable batteries maintenance-lithium battery article rechargeable lithium batteries due to it than ordinary nickel cadmium/nimh
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/battery-maintain-knowledge.html
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Solar subsidy cuts legally flawed, high court rules
The government's decision to slash feed-in tariff incentives for solar installations breached rules governing consultation exercises
Government plans to slash incentive payments for householders who install solar panels were on Wednesday ruled "legally flawed" by a high court judge. The ruling opens the door for a judicial review that could force the government to delay its plans, potentially allowing thousands more people to claim the higher subsidy.
The judgment comes after a challenge by Friends of the Earth and two solar companies who argued that the government's decision to cut the feed-in tariff from 43.3p to 21p with only a few weeks' notice was premature and unlawful, and had led to unfinished or planned projects being abandoned.
The judgment, made by Mr Justice Mitting after a two-day court hearing, comes hours before two powerful committees of MPs are due to release their report on the government's handling of the solar subsidy. The environment audit committee and energy committee are expected to add to government's humiliation by saying it was "clumsy" and had threatened the survival of a nascent industry promising thousands of jobs.
Many thousands of individuals, farmers, councils and community groups had applied to install solar PV to take advantage of the generous subsidy which had been set deliberately high when the scheme launched in April 2010, to encourage people to invest.
But the government announced in October that it would cut the subsidy with effect from 12 December. This was 11 days before the consultation ended.
The judge's decision was hailed as a major victory by green campaigners and the solar industry, after firms warned that the scale and pace of the proposed cuts would have a crippling effect on the sector resulting in thousands of job losses.
Mitting said the minister was proposing to make an unlawful decision.
Friends of the Earth's executive director, Andy Atkins, said: "These botched and illegal plans have cast a huge shadow over the solar industry, jeopardising thousands of jobs. We hope this ruling will prevent ministers rushing through damaging changes to clean energy subsidies ? giving solar firms a much-needed confidence boost.
Howard Johns, chairman of the Solar Trade Association, said the high court decision gives hope to the 29,000 people currently employed in the industry throughout the country.
"The feed-in tariff cuts are madness. The facts are clear, the public want to see more solar power, but politicians have signed off proposals to deliver a lot less."
"The government has acted unlawfully and it is right that they are held to account. Now they need to act to rectify the damage, raise the ambition and work with industry to get solar in the UK back on track. We are happy to have cuts but not if they kill the industry."
Lawyers for the Department of Energy and Climate Change immediately moved to apply for permission to appeal the judge's ruling.
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/21/solar-subsidy-cuts-legally-flawed
Oct 3, Digital camera to use the article summarized experience
Now, more and more people begin to use a digital camera, understanding, familiar with the current digital camera to use some of the canon eos 50d battery
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/digital-camera-to-use-the-article-summarized-experience.html
Oct 3, Use Wind to Blow Life into Light Bulbs : Wind Energy: Eco20/20
Not many people are aware that various countries use wind as an alternative for electricity. Renewable energy is becoming a new trend in society. People are looking for alternative means to save the planet from global warming and destruction. They take natural renewable resources like the wind to create power.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/Use-Wind-to-Blow-Life-into-Light-Bulbs.html
2012: International Year of Sustainable Energy For All
Alternative energy will be a major talking point in 2012, thanks to the UN?s decision to declare it as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. The decision was made back in December 2010 during a UN General Assembly. The initiative recognizes that access to ?modern affordable energy services in developing countries is essential [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/mW1av7c8O7g/
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Asia Report: Wind Tower Trade Case Sparks New Questions
In the solar industry's trade dispute, alliances have been formed and the conversation has become heated. In the wind industry, we're just getting started.
Renewable Energy Recap: Tunisia
Developers, manufacturers, investors and other renewable energy industry stakeholders need to know where the next big market is going to be so that they can adjust their business decisions accordingly.
Oct 18, Is Nuclear Power Clean Energy?: Nuclear Energy, Non Renewable Energy: Eco20/20
With the rising popularity and curiosity in green energy, informed people are becoming actively involved in debates over whether or not nuclear energy is actually clean, environmentally friendly energy. First and foremost, let's address what nuclear energy is. In the complex process of creating nuclear energy, scientists split uranium atoms in a procedure called fission, which is then used to generate heat and steam that will be utilized by multiple or single turbines to generate electricity.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/Is-Nuclear-Power-Clean-Energy.html
Nov 11, What is the Future of Green Energy: Renewable Energy Articles: Eco20/20
These days you are always hearing the term
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/What-is-the-Future-of-Green-Energy.html
Monday, January 2, 2012
Google Invests $94 Million in Solar Energy
Just before Christmas day, Google announced it has made a new $94 million investment in a portfolio of four solar photovoltaic projects currently under construction by Recurrent Energy near Sacramento, CA. ?This investment represents our first investment in the U.S. in larger scale solar PV power plants that generate energy for the grid?instead of on [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/Fc8LXQYM1Wo/
Dec 6, Green is the new black: Where We Stand on Energy and the Environment: Renewable Energy Articles: Eco20/20
The Democrats are seen working hard to protect the natural resources, including air, water and land to give a bright future for the coming generation in US. Therefore you will find Obama led administration taking various measures which includes restoring the Great Lakes and the damage control carried out at Gulf Coast to clear the oil spill.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/Green-is-the-new-black-Where-We-Stand-on-Energy-and-the-Environment.html
Solar Is Out of the Bag
At the mention of solar power, we often envisage an array of rooftop panels capturing sunlight and converting it to electricity. But there?s more to solar energy and it can take surprisingly small and stylish shapes as well. Harnessing the power of the sun from accessories is increasingly common, especially to power small gadgets that [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/G-dyej73Gvs/
Renewable Energy Recap: United Kingdom
Developers, manufacturers, investors and other renewable energy industry stakeholders need to know where the next big market is going to be so that they can adjust their business decisions accordingly.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Activists Launch Drones to Battle Japanese Whalers
The fight for saving whales is getting ever more high tech. Source: http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/activists-launch-drones-to-battle-japanese-whalers.html
Nov 7, Using Solar Roofs for Energy Efficiency: Solar Energy: Eco20/20
There is a huge buzz on the streets and throughout the media that is fascinated and curious about the great new solar technology produced by the green energy field. By gathering energy from the sun into special panels, the entire human race can power their homes, work places, or various other facilities.
Source: http://www.eco20-20.com/Using-Solar-Roofs-for-Energy-Efficiency.html
Black Silicon Solar Tech Comes Of Age
Is this the new wave for solar technology?Source: http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/black-silicon-solar-tech-comes-age.html
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