Archive for the ‘International’ Category

Grid-Scale Metal Liquid Batteries Could Revolutionize Renewable Energy Use

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

Most Exciting Development Ive Seen in Ages! Almost every week, I see some R&D project or lab prototype that makes me go “ooh, thats interesting!”. But its rather rare that I encounter something that makes me rethink my whole vision of the future! It happened to me when I saw the video below, which is a presentation by a MIT professor on how he designed grid-scale liquid metal batteries.

via Grid-Scale Metal Liquid Batteries Could Revolutionize 

Worlds largest CO2 capture test facility inaugurated Norway

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

“This is a true milestone and we are excited to participate in the demonstration plant for the Chilled Ammonia Process at Mongstad. It is of outmost interest, that at TCM, our technology can be tested on flue gas both from a gas-fired power station as well as on industrial off gas from the nearby refinery.

via Worlds largest CO2 capture test facility inaugurated Norway.

Mr Cameron sees North Sea as green energy hub

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Mr David Cameron PM of British as saying that Britain’s North Sea has the potential to lead the world in offshore wind and carbon capture and storage technology as over 20 companies signed a deal to turn the region into a major renewable energy hub.

Major utilities such as Britain’s Scottish Power and Norway’s Statoil, manufacturers ranging from Siemens to Gamesa and supply chain companies are supporting a plan to develop the offshore wind potential of the North Sea, provisionally named Norstec. Further details about the operations of the network will be revealed at an offshore wind conference in London in June.

via Mr Cameron sees North Sea as green energy hub

Kwik Trip Sets Up 3-State Natural Gas Fuelling Infrastructure

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

Kwik Trip’s ownership and management holds a strong belief that Natural Gas is the vehicle fuel of the future. The company currently operates over twenty natural gas vehicles ( NGVs), from light duty vehicles to heavy duty class 8 vehicles.

Through Kwik Trips own anchor fleet, they will test, promote and educate Kwik Trip consumers about the benefits of Natural Gas as a vehicle fuel. It’s goal is promote and market to the public the knowledge that it acquires from purchasing, operating and maintaining its own NGV fleet.

via Kwik Trip Sets Up 3-State Natural Gas Fuelling Infrastructure | NGV Global.

Solar Cells with 40% efficiency

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

New solar cell technique could more than double efficiency.

A joint Australian/German research team have developed a way to boost efficiency of solar cells up to a record breaking 40% efficiency. Current panels have around 12-17% efficiency.

Called photochemical upconversion, the process captures energy that is normally lost in solar cells.

“We are able to boost efficiency by forcing two energy-poor red photons in the cell to join and make one energy-rich yellow photon that can capture light, which is then turned into electricity,” Associate Professor Schmidt said.

via Emergent Futures Tumblelog.

Hydrogenics and Enbridge to Develop Utility Scale Energy Storage

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Hydrogenics Corporation has announced it has entered into an agreement with Enbridge Inc. to jointly develop utility scale energy storage in North America. Enbridge is Canada’s largest natural gas distribution company and plans to use its existing infrastructure as a ‘Power-to-Gas’ storage system.

via Hydrogenics and Enbridge to Develop Utility Scale Energy Storage in North America.

Chart Ferox to Build LNG Fuel System for Incat Ferry

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

The boat will be the first catamaran powered by 27,000 HP gas turbines fuelled by natural gas. Cahrt Ferox says the catamaran, measuring 99 meters length, will be the world’s fastest, environmentally cleanest, most efficient, high speed ferry and will be operated in Latin America.

via Chart Ferox to Build LNG Fuel System

Maxximus World Records Highlight Power of LNG

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

Maintaining the crown as the world’s fastest street-legal car, the Maxximus LNG 2000, the brainchild of financier Bruce McMahan and Indianapolis-based designer Marlon Kirby, has now set world records for both LNG liquefied natural gas and LPG propane.

via Maxximus World Records 

Japan examining wind potential for replacing nuclear

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

With the national government still debating the permanent closure of its nuclear generation capacity, Japan has begun to turn to wind power, according to Bloomberg.

A new project is looking to develop the largest offshore wind plant in the world, just off the coast of Fukushima, where one of the country’s nuclear power plants failed last year.

Because of the deep waters around Japan, the project intends to make use of floating turbines, attached to large barges rather than secured to the ocean floor.

This technology is still in the relatively early stages of development, but it holds some hope for countries like Japan, which boasts extensive coastline but few places where the ocean floor is shallow enough for wind turbines.

via Japan examining wind potential for replacing nuclear.

Floating wind turbines to produce low cost renewable energy

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Altaeros Energies has announced the first testings of its Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) prototype that resembles a sort of blimp windmill. The test took place at the Loring Commerce Center in Limestone, Maine, USA where the AWT floated 350 feet (107 meters) into the sky and successfully produced power, before coming back to earth in a controlled landing. The turbine was deployed into the air from a towable docking trailer, while demonstrating that it can produce over twice the power at high altitudes than generated at conventional tower height. There are hopes to energy costs can be reduced by up to 65 percent by harnessing stronger winds that occur at and above an altitude of 1,000 feet (305 meters).

via Floating wind turbines to produce low cost renewable energy.