Looking for a new way to charge your cell phone? Then look no further than the sun. Solio has released an improved universal Solar Charger for all electronic devices, including your phone, that stores power for up to one year and never overcharges. This device sounds perfect for places that are lacking outlets, like airports, airplanes and restaurants three of …
America’s Slippery Slope of Support for Renewable Energy
Our country is quickly sliding down a slippery slope. Not too long ago, we were the leaders in renewable energy – wind, solar, biofuels. Today, not only have the major technological advancements come from overseas, our manufacturing facilities, entrepreneurs and investors are going, or have gone overseas as well. Where are they going? Brazil. India. China. Why? Because these countries …
Solar Powered Plane Completes 26 Hour Flight
The world’s longest solar flight landed safely today. The solar plane, HB-SIA, dubbed Solar Impulse, completed a 26-hour test flight above Switzerland this morning and now holds the record for the longest solar-powered flight ever. However, what might be the coolest thing about the journey – the plane took off at night. Solar Impulse took off from the Payerne airbase …
Obama Announces $2 Billion for Solar
The solar industry in this country could be getting quite a boost, as Pres. Barack Obama announced over the weekend $2 billion in conditional commitments The President says the money for two companies will come from the Stimulus Bill: The first is Abengoa Solar, a company that has agreed to build one of the largest solar plants in the world …
25x’25 Shows Progress Toward Renewable Energy Goal
The nation is moving slowly but surely toward greater energy independence, according to a new progress report from 25x’25. Renewable energy produced in the United States between 2004 and 2009 grew by about 23 percent, according to the report, Meeting the 25x’25 Goal: A Progress Report. The 32-page analysis details advances made by the renewable energy sector since the Alliance …
Possible Future World Cup Site to Use Solar Power
In light of the dramatic American soccer victory at the World Cup in South Africa (and moving on to the next round), I thought you’d be interested in knowing that the power of the sun could help run some of the venues at one country’s bid to host the event in the future. While seems a long way off, inhabitat.com …
Survey Shows Wide Support for Alt Energy Tax Breaks
If Congress is wondering if there’s enough public support for the U.S. Senate to support the $1-a-gallon federal tax incentive (which, could come to a vote this week), a new survey shows Americans do favor these types of tax breaks. This National Biodiesel Board press release says a new Stanford University poll finds that 84 percent of respondents favor federal …
East Coast States Form Offshore Wind Consortium
A group of 10 states along the U.S. East Coast have signed an agreement with the the Department of the Interior to form the Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium. CalFinder.com says the group will also promote solar and biomass power: Federal approval of Cape Wind, the United States’ first offshore wind farm near Cape Cod, essentially gave offshore wind the …
Underwriters Laboratories Introduces Solar Certification
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a US-based provider of safety testing and certification services, has just launched its latest UL-Europe (UL-EU) mark for the European photovoltaics market. The mark is based on the applicable EN safety standards for photovoltaic products. In the U.S. and among the biofuels industry, UL is most well known as the organization that has yet to approve an …
Book Review – Powering The Future
This week I read “Powering The Future,” by Daniel B. Botkin. I was motoring along learning about our current energy mix (fossil fuels, fossil fuels, fossil fuels) and then moved on to the section about alternative energy and his evaluation of the viability of wind and solar. Then I got to the biofuels section and this is where in most …