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Category Archives: Energy Tough Love Blog
Steam Could Replaced Coal – In the most coal maligned place
It’s Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ1dPJt1K1g
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http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/10/07/google-warms-west-virginias-vast-geothermal-potential
Google Warms to West Virginia’s Vast Geothermal Potential
Published October 07, 2010
The researchers calculated that if 2 percent of the available geothermal energy could be harnessed, the state could produce up to 18,890 megawatts (MW) of clean energy.
The study was conducted with more detailed mapping and more data points than had been used in previous research. For example, 1,455 new thermal data points were added to existing geothermal maps using oil, gas and water wells.
The research team found that most of the high-temperature points are located in the eastern part of the state.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jne9t8sHpUc
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“The presence of a large, baseload, carbon-neutral and sustainable energy resource in West Virginia could make an important contribution to enhancing the U.S. energy security and for decreasing CO2 emissions,” the report concluded.
Western Virginia is not a tectonically active zone, which has traditionally been seen as a requirement for economically viable geothermal power production and has resulted in most existing geothermal sites in the U.S. being located in the west of the country.
However, engineers reckon that emerging techniques could be used to harvest geothermal energy locked in tectonically stable regions. For example, pioneering technologies could be used to harvest hot geothermal fluids, along with oil or gas from the same well. Enhanced geothermal systems are also increasingly being used, in which fluids are injected into rock, replacing natural hydrothermal convection.
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More Next Week.
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Army Deploys Alternative Energy In The Field – Funny cause the fight is over an oil pipeline
The irony of this amazing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/science/earth/05fossil.html
U.S. Military Orders Less Dependence on Fossil Fuels
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Published: October 4, 2010
With insurgents increasingly attacking the American fuel supply convoys that lumber across the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan, the military is pushing aggressively to develop, test and deploy renewable energy to decrease its need to transport fossil fuels.
Last week, a Marine company from California arrived in the rugged outback of Helmand Province bearing novel equipment: portable solar panels that fold up into boxes; energy-conserving lights; solar tent shields that provide shade and electricity; solar chargers for computers and communications equipment.
The 150 Marines of Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, will be the first to take renewable technology into a battle zone, where the new equipment will replace diesel and kerosene-based fuels that would ordinarily generate power to run their encampment.
Even as Congress has struggled unsuccessfully to pass an energy bill and many states have put renewable energy on hold because of the recession, the military this year has pushed rapidly forward. After a decade of waging wars in remote corners of the globe where fuel is not readily available, senior commanders have come to see overdependence on fossil fuel as a big liability, and renewable technologies — which have become more reliable and less expensive over the past few years — as providing a potential answer. These new types of renewable energy now account for only a small percentage of the power used by the armed forces, but military leaders plan to rapidly expand their use over the next decade.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, the huge truck convoys that haul fuel to bases have been sitting ducks for enemy fighters — in the latest attack, oil tankers carrying fuel for NATO troops in Afghanistan were set on fire in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, early Monday. In Iraq and Afghanistan, one Army study found, for every 24 fuel convoys that set out, one soldier or civilian engaged in fuel transport was killed. In the past three months, six Marines have been wounded guarding fuel runs in Afghanistan
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More Tomorrow.
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Buy Solar With Your Family And Friends – Great way to bust the cost of solar energy
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/solar-community-garden
Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley is sowing some palatable solar insights in the communities of Carbondale, Aspen, Vail and Eagle this weekend. The region’s Clean Energy Collective (CEC) is showcasing the nation’s first community-owned solar garden, the Mid-Valley solar array.
Sited on otherwise unusable land owned by the Mid-Valley Metropolitan District, the Mid-Valley solar array features 340 solar modules that collectively boast 77.7 kW of available renewable energy production capacity to offset the energy demands of those in neighboring communities who buy into the program.
Colorado is on the front lines of legislation and execution of the ground-breaking solar farm model, which began delivering power to members in El Jebel, Colorado in August. The Clean Energy Collective is a member-owned cooperative venture that builds, operates and maintains large-scale community-based facilities that deliver clean, renewable energy to community-based owner/members within specific utility service territories.
Both year-round and seasonal residents of the Roaring Fork Valley are qualified to buy individual portions of the array for as little as $725 per panel, or $3.15 per kW. Local utility coop Holy Cross Energy will then credit members’ utility bills directly each month at the rate of $0.11/kWh. Compensation is commensurate with how many solar modules each member owns in the community garden array. The owners of this community owned solar garden have essentially turned grey dirt into pay dirt as they create a more sustainable energy future.
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More tomorrow.
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White House Goes Solar – Finally after they refused earlier efforts
There answer in September was NO!
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/white-house-spurns-solar-panel/
September 10, 2010, 11:54 am
White House Spurns Solar Panel
By JOHN M. BRODER:}
The answer in October is YES! Wonder what changed?
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/122559-solar-panels-heading-to-white-house-roof
White House roof to get solar panels
By Ben Geman – 10/05/10 10:06 AM ET
The Obama administration on Tuesday announced plans to install solar panels on the White House roof.
“This project reflects President Obama’s strong commitment to U.S. leadership in solar energy and the jobs it will create here at home,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu in a statement. “Deploying solar energy technologies across the country will help America lead the global economy for years to come.”
The action highlights Obama’s support for low-carbon energy at a time when environmentalists are smarting from the collapse of climate legislation — a bill that was not the top White House priority.
Chu and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley announced the plan Tuesday at CEQ’s GreenGov symposium hosted by George Washington University.
The Energy Department-led project will install two White House solar systems — one that converts sunlight into electricity, and a solar hot water heater for the White House residence.
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More tomorrow
Energy Conservation According To Google – Mixed record
Google has this Feeling Lucky button that just sucks when it comes to energy issues. The company itself has a mixed bag. They helped push an energy fuel cell of a dubious nature by installing 3 of them on their main campus. They do like solar and wind and have both in operation or have bought energy from those sources. But this button is just rotten. I am usually bored with posting when I do this now, but in the beginning I was excited. I know you say, “How could Doug be bored with the exciting field of residential conservation”? I guess I want another oil spill or maybe Russia to catch fire again. Sick isn’t it. The first three you get if you used the regular search are not much better:
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Residential Energy Efficiency
www.ServiceMagic.com Get an Energy Audit For Your Home. Free Auditor Listings. Search Now!?
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Residential Energy Efficiency
www.Dow.com/HealthyHome Show Us How By Sharing a Video. Win A Renovation Makeover Package!
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Energy Efficient Building
www.energyefficientbuilders.com Green construction & contracting Save 50-80% on heating and AC
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I mean DOW?
And too my surprise you can not even use the get lucky button anymore. Really? Why do they even have it up there. Apparently the “read your mind” algorithm they just introduced broke the get lucky thingie because as soon as you type in a single letter that option goes away. But when you just click on it empty it thinks you want to get lucky about the google LOGO. These people are dorks.
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-just-effectively-killed-the-im-feeling-lucky-button-2010-9
Google Just Killed The “I’m Feeling Lucky Button”
Nicholas Carlson | Sep. 8, 2010, 1:35 PM
Google just effectively offed one of it’s oldest, quirkiest features – the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button.
The good news is that in the process, Google added at least another hundred million dollars in revenue.
It used to be that you could go to Google.com, type a search query into the search box and then, by clicking “I’m feeling lucky,” go directly to the page that would have been listed as the top search result.
But then today happened, and Google announced “Google Instant.” Now, when you go to Google.com and start typing a search into the search bar, Google instantly begins showing search results. Users no longer have a chance to click the “I’m Feeling Lucky Button” before they begin seeing search results. Yes, the button is still there on Google.com – but essentially, the feature is dead.
So, how does killing the “I’m feeling lucky” button gain Google more than $100 million?
In 2007, Google search boss Marissa Mayer estimated that 1% of all Google searches go through the I’m Feeling Lucky button – skipping Google’s search results pages entirely
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More Tomorrow
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Alternative Roofs – The idea spreads
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/blog-5602-the-green-alternative-to-asphalt-roofs.html
The Green Alternative to Asphalt Roofs
In Section: Green Life Posted By: Kathleen Wills
For centuries, it hasn’t seemed like much of a problem to dig out the earth, erect structures and cap them with impervious asphalt roofs. But with population growth and ensuing urban development, it has become extremely problematic. Storm-water runoff, flooding, polluted watersheds, violent temperature contrasts, increased heating and cooling energy consumption and costs, gusting winds and stripped habitats are all by-products of the replacement of earth with concrete.
Of these complications, storm-water runoff has been the most challenging. When rain falls on our waterproof concrete jungles it picks up pollutants as it flows off roofs, walls and gutters and runs straight into storm drains and on to its final destination – our lakes, rivers and oceans. With nothing to slow down heavy downpours, wastewater systems flood, dumping raw sewage into local bodies of water.
The other major problem to contend with is the urban heat-island effect. Asphalt rooftops can reach 150oF, contributing to warmer temperatures in cities than their surrounding regions – a 10o difference in some areas. This translates to higher energy consumption and costs to cool buildings.
How to mitigate these environmental extremes is something city planners and architects worldwide have been grappling with for years. The solution? Green roofs!
Green roofs, also called living roofs, solve the flooding and water pollution problems by mimicking meadows. Soil composites and vegetation absorb water, filter and cleanse it, slow it down, and even store some of it for use during dry spells. They help the energy consumption quandary by acting as insulation thus reducing energy costs by as much as 20%. They even improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide. Water savings also come in to play in buildings where rainwater is collected and reused for watering exterior plants or flushing water for toilets.
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More next week.
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Living Roofs Are Possible Even On Smaller Roofs – Try it on an outbuilding
http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/alternative-waterproof-membranes-for-living-roofs/
Alternative Waterproof Membranes for Living Roofs
July 12, 2010 by Owen Geiger
There’s growing interest in living roofs or green roofs. The difficulty is deciding on the waterproof membrane. Rubber pond liner (EPDM) is the most waterproof and durable material, and the most common choice due to proven performance, but it’s also very expensive and made from nasty petro chemicals.
Living roof at Heartwood Homesteads
I think a number of less toxic, more affordable materials are possible, including recycled materials in good condition. One reader suggested pool covers. Heavy duty trucker tarps are another option. You could add 6 mil poly (plastic sheeting) underneath and/or above these other materials for extra moisture protection.
For my dome, I used 2-1/2 layers of 6 mil black poly and have had no leaks so far after about three years in a rainy climate. (The half layer is a small piece on the very top.) You need to cover 6 mil poly carefully to avoid punctures. Some use old carpet or cardboard against it while adding soil. (Screen out rocks.) In our case, we simply packed soil on the plastic, starting at the bottom and working up, with no protective cardboard, etc.
Recycled vinyl billboards are another possibility, but I wouldn’t use them because of the health hazards of leaching chemicals into the soil around the house.
Roof pitch is another consideration. Steep roofs shed water faster and are less prone to leaks. But you need to strike the right balance or top soil and nutrients will wash away, and your roof will dry out too quickly.
Another consideration is the value of the structure. It’s no big deal experimenting with alternative waterproof membranes on a simple $2,000 guesthouse. But you might want to use better materials or multiple layers on expensive homes.
Photo credit: Heartwood Homesteads
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More Tomorrow.
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Time Out For LEAN – Update on Dead Bird Island
I post stuff from LEAN when it seems pertinent.
View alert on Leanweb.org or lmrk.org
“Dead Bird Island” Testing Results
Report by: Wilma Subra
Results of sampling performed by the Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper in Terrebonne Bay on August 19, 2010
On August 19, 2010, in Terrebonne Bay south of Point-au-Chien, Modato Island was covered with vegetation, bare areas, and a large number of dead shore birds. The area was designated by the Lower Mississippi River Keeper as “Dead Bird Island.” The area also contained a number of shore birds in distress, nests containing eggs and a seagull that died shortly after sampling was complete. Samples were collected along the shore of the island, 10-12 inches deep, under the vegetation matted material washed in by the tide. The soil/sediment sample was contaminated with 48.4 mg/kg of Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 10 Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (0.039 mg/kg).
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| A dead gull found on “dead bird island” from which samples were taken |
The internal organs from a gull, found dead, on the island contained 23,302 mg/kg Petroleum Hydrocarbons (2.3%). The Blue Crab and Hermit Crab contained 3,583 mg/kg Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 4 PAHs (0.162 mg/kg).
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| Taking soil samples in the marsh |
At the southwest end of Modato Island the sediment/soil was contaminated with higher concentrations of Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), 68.3 mg/kg Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 14 Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (0.051 mg/kg).
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| A hermit crab in a welk shell on Modato island |
On the north shoreline of Lake Chien, a boom was located 40 feet in from the shore in wetlands vegetation near the high water debris mark. In the wetlands vegetation near the high water debris mark, the soil/sediment was contaminated with 0.039 mg/kg of 18 Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons. The Fiddler Crab and Snail from this area contained 6,916 mg/kg Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 1 PAH (0.012 mg/kg).
The marsh grass along the shoreline of Lake Chien contained 3,946 mg/kg Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 10 PAHs (0.326 mg/kg).
Visit SaveOurGulf.org to get more information about the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster from Waterkeeper organizations across the Gulf Coast and donate to Save Our Gulf!.
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More tomorrow
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Environmental Cartoons – Funny man..not so funny topic
I love Dan’s work for many many many years…and big thanks for letting me put this up here. I have included part of his blog post too…he can be funnier in print more than pictures.
http://bizarrocomic.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Eternal Life?
Bizarro is brought to you today by Reclaimed Souls.
To my surprise, there were quite a few readers who didn’t understand this cartoon. I didn’t get into a lengthy discussion with them so I don’t know if it was because they are so unfamiliar with recycling that they don’t recognize the triangle symbol, or if their minds were so anthropocentric that they could not make the leap between reincarnation/eternal life and recycling.
This cartoon idea came from my dandy buddy, Richard Cabeza, who has contributed some dandy ideas to Bizarro before. As I’ve mentioned on this blog in the past, my work is also offered in a strip format and since they usually don’t entail much extra art – just a reconfiguration of the panel version – I don’t bother posting them. This one, however, adds some punch to the church atmosphere, so I’m sharing it with you. Click it for a better view.
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More tomorrow
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