SmartEnergyViews

The main work of wind turbines is to utilize the energy of wind and convert it into electricity; stronger wind is considered good for electricity production. But the speed of wind should not be too strong because it makes turbines spin too fast and in this process it commits suicide! Why is it so? Because turbine blades get ripped off by stronger winds – excessive heat damages the alternator. Turbine tower too can’t remain unaffected by the strong wind. To prevent all this damage a mechanical breaking system furling is generally used. This method prevents wind turbine from spinning too quickly by turning the blades away from the direction of the wind. Furling can be manual or automatic with same goal i.e. turning the turbine blade edges into the wind when the wind is dangerously strong and stormy. (more…)

DOE will open a competitive solicitation for five more venture capital firms to participate in the Entrepreneur in Residence program, which places entrepreneurs in DOE's national laboratories to identify potential technologies and accelerate them for commercialization.

Next year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require most U.S. refiners, importers, and blenders of gasoline will need to displace 10.21% of their gasoline with renewable fuels such as ethanol. The percentage increased significantly because of the expected drop in gasoline demand.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an executive order that will expedite the approval of renewable energy projects in the state. The governor also put the wheels in motion to require utilities to draw on renewable energy for 33% of their electricity supply by 2020.

Wind power capacity in the United States is expected to increase several-fold over the next decade, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation is concerned that utilities won't build transmission lines fast enough to meet the growing energy supply.

Utah, Idaho, and Oregon have significant geothermal energy resources, even though only three geothermal power plants have been built in the three states. To encourage more development, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer nearly 200,000 acres for lease in December.

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The slumping economy has caused oil prices to drop off significantly since this summer, and consumers will benefit not only at the pump, but also when they pay this winter's heating bills. The decrease in energy demand will also help to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have released an updated version of the

Construction of new coal-fired power plants in the United States is in danger of coming to a standstill. MIT analysis suggests an intermediate step that could get construction moving again.

To prevent global warming, researchers and policymakers are exploring a variety of options to significantly cut the amount of carbon dioxide that reaches the atmosphere.

Under the terms of a new agreement between DOE and LG Electronics, the company will voluntarily suspend 10 LG refrigerator models and Kenmore-brand "TRIO" French Door models from the Energy Star program and will offer a free, in-home modification to make the models more energy efficient.

We all want to live in a clean and green environment and leave this planet in a livable condition for future generations. Scientists are continuously trying to find alternative clean and green fuel for our daily use. These days we hear and read about ethanol and biobutanol as alternative fuels. Biobutanol seems to have several advantages over ethanol. New pipelines are not required for transportation of biobutanol – existing pipelines will do. Biobutanol is less corrosive compared to ethanol. Biobutanol is less prone to water contamination. Biobutanol can be used alone in internal combustion engines or it can be mixed with gasoline. Biobutanol provides more energy per gallon than ethanol. (more…)

A panel of experts at an MIT Energy Initiative research conference Thursday tried to assess the likely impact of the ongoing financial crisis on energy issues, and found no simple answers as to what can be expected.

Researchers at MIT's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research have produced a report concerning "cap-and-trade" programs that are under consideration in the United States as a way of curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

Automobiles companies are on the lookout to manufacture tomorrow’s car. They want to minimize the disadvantages of the today’s hybrid cars and capitalize on its positive features. Mechanical and electrical engineers at DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and BMW are jointly making an effort in this direction. They want to roll out a tomorrow’s car equipped with technology that shuts off the internal combustion engine on its own when the vehicle is not moving. This car will work well within the city where traffic is characterized by stop and start again. But you can safely drive this car on highways too where you can speed up and enjoy a smooth ride. This car will be 100-percent electric. “It takes the combination of hydrogen and oxygen to form water, and at the same time produce electricity,” says Doanh Tran, an advanced vehicle engineer with DaimlerChrysler’s Fuel Cell Vehicles & Technologies. The exhaust pipe of the car will emit water vapor. (more…)

Missouri's investor-owned utilities will have to draw on renewable energy for 15% of their electricity supply by 2021, after the state's voters approved the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative, or Proposition C. The proposition gained approval from two-thirds of the state's voters.

Voters in California have approved a measure to issue nearly $10 billion in bonds to help finance a new high-speed electric rail system, which will connect such far-flung cities as San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Across the country, voters passed more than 20 transportation measures.

Boulder County, Colorado, will soon offer financing for homeowners and businesses that want to install energy efficiency improvements or renewable energy systems. The measure mimics a similar program in Berkeley, California, that is now being launched as a pilot program.

The California Public Utilities Commission is providing nearly $1 billion over the next three years for the state's largest utilities to install energy efficiency improvements in the homes of low-income families. The state's goal is for every eligible customer to be given a chance to participate by 2020.