Alternative Energy HQ solar power for homes, wind energy, and bio fuel issues

SuperiorMind asked: Just showing off some of the cool new electric cars and putting to rest some of the myths out there. When people think of electric cars, typically they think of older ugly slower models, lead-acid batterys, and BS propaganda they’ve read slamming the “electric cars”(as though they all carried the exact same attributes) The battery technology has changed(and …

By Elisa Wood Why do some states avoid creating policies that encourage consumers and businesses to save energy? What’s the psychology of the laggards? A new report by the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy sheds some insight as it examines the states that consistently fall behind in the organization’s annual energy efficiency ranking. The bottom states are: Alabama, …

Notice how they installed the solar panels on the side of the roof? Winter snows dont cover them up and they can still provide energy to heat the airport building. Chosen as a project because of its public use and higher profile, the solar thermal heat now part of the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport is hoped to be a model …

Solar News Roundup (via Clean Technica)   Some more solar energy news from around the net to wrap up the week: SolarCity & Clean Currents have teamed up to offer fixed-price Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) for solar power with as little as $0 down and long-term electricity discounts/savings. The largest city-sponsored solar financing…

Renewable Energy via Fuel Cells: Part 2 – Solid Oxide Comes of Age (via Work-Bench.Org) Part 2 of 2. Part one is found here. In our previous post, we outlined some of the ways that the Hydrogen Fuel cell is slowly making its way into the transportation energy mix. It’s benefits seem manifold: Hydrogen Fuel Cells release only water vapor, and once …

U.S. Sets Preliminary Anti-dumping Duties on solar cells, Taiwanese Makers to See Improved Spot Market Prices Next Week On May 17, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its preliminary decision regarding anti-dumping charges against China’s solar cell and module makers. Anti-dumping duties imposed on China’s major solar cell manufacturers average 31.18%, with Suntech and Trina Solar receiving 31.22% and 31.14%, …

Pretty much everyone wants to save the environment. At least no one is out there advocating that we have a free-for-all with toxins and pollutants. The problem occurs from the choices we have to make: do it green or do it cheaply? Or more easily? I wrestle with that every time I grab a paper towel off the roll. But …

Renewable Energy to go: Fuel Cells (via Work-Bench.Org) (part one of a two-part post) Renewable energy offers much promise, and acceptance is growing: Two thirds of Americans (67 percent) think that “political leaders should help to steer the U.S. to greater use of cleaner energy sources – such as increased efficiency, wind and solar – that result…

This seems like a big development in the fuel cell energy market. South Africa is launching a fuel cell powered Locomotive. I love to find news like this about alternative energy development. I say a big hurray for SA for making this step towards renewable fuels for industry. South Africa’s Anglo American Platinum (Angloplat) has launched the prototype of the …

India is looking to fortify their energy needs and they are looking to the USA for large scale importation of liquified shale gas. This has some very positive implications for foreign trades concerns but how does it play out with our own energy policy and development? India is looking at the possibility of importing liquefied shale gas from the US, …

This year ethanol prices are going up due to foreign market pressures, loss of subsidies and other factors. But last year according to this study ethanol had a positive effect on US gas prices. America’s growing use of domestically-produced ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by an average of $1.09 per gallon in 2011, according to updated research conducted by economics …

Scientists at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s FOLIUM Project, funded by ARPA-E, use light to convert the carbon in tobacco leaves into biofuels. This is a most interesting approach to converting carbon into useable energy again through the use of light and tobacco plants. And this energy should not cause you to have cancer in then end. Or …

— FuelCell Energy Solutions, GmbH Acquires Select Assets from MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH — European Joint Venture With Fraunhofer IKTS to be Finalized by June 30,2012 FuelCell Energy, Inc. a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, today announced that its German subsidiary, FuelCell Energy Solutions GmbH, is acquiring select assets from MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, a subsidiary …

Wind, Solar…Coconuts: Small Island Developing States Commit to Renewable, Sustainable Energy for All (via Global Warming is Real) Typically heavily reliant on the cost of high and volatile diesel and fossil fuel imports, small island developing states are also on the front line when it comes to having to cope with climate change. Now they’re realizing there’s a lot in …

What will the instabilities in the Europe economy have on solar installs this year? Will subsidies being reduced have a major impact on the solar market? These are questions on many minds as prices for solar panels remain low, while European economies struggle to find a footing. Subsidies had a massive impact in Europe last year and meant that solar …

According to EnergyTrend, the green energy research division of TrendForce, the announcement of Italy’s solar subsidy cut scheduled to take effect by late July has driven the installed solar capacity to surge, and most Chinese solar companies are packed to capacity in order to supply the climbing demand. Taiwanese solar companies’ shipments remain stable due to the OEM orders from …

Wind energy has been picking up lots of attention lately for both good and bad reasons. This report seems to be one of the good indicators that wind energy is a good part of the alternative energy puzzle we need to assemble in our country to have a diversified energy portfolio. Wind power ten times cleaner than coal, Colorado NREL …

Here is an interesting story about churches working with solar installers to put solar power on church properties to save energy and money for the faithful. Seems like a nice partnership arrangment. Energy Star helps faithful witness energy stewardship, save money by Charles Morris Solar stewardship: In 2001, St. Elizabeth parish, in Wyandotte, Mich., won the Energy Star for Congregations …

TIME, PLACE AND HOW WOOD IS USED ARE FACTORS IN CARBON EMISSIONS FROM DEFORESTATION A new study from the University of California, Davis, provides a deeper understanding of the complex global impacts of deforestation on greenhouse gas emissions. The study, published May 13 in the advance online edition of the journal Nature Climate Change, reports that the volume of greenhouse …

There are more and more electric car options for the consumer this year. But sales may not be happening. Why is that? bill asked: Americans are just not buying into the idea that was supposed to relieve pain at the pump. The electric car was meant to be a breakthrough in the automotive world, but as 11 News reporter Chris …