Tag Archives: energy

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Fuel … Bio-fuel Algae

07/25/2014 Nativegrl77

Fuel – A different way of thinking?

Posted on 23. Jun, 2010

by friends

As you may or may not be aware, I don’t feel that Carbon Dioxide is the the villain at the centre of the world’s problems .

I personally believe that is a convenience for Governments to generate revenue amongst other things, a distraction from other more important matters. What I do believe, is that we are extremely wasteful of dwindling resources and are polluting our planet at an alarming rate… More kids are suffering with asthma than ever before. More people have respiratory illnesses than ever before.

We are killing ourselves and the planet with pollution and waste in a thousand different ways.

So I was pleased to find The Fuel Film website

A few pollution information gems to consider:

• The levels of toxic diesel fumes inside school buses are 4 times higher compared with outside the buses.

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 2 million premature deaths are caused each year due to air pollution in cities across the world

• A Scottish study has shown that jogging with traffic around results in reduced blood flow to the heart. This is particularly dangerous for people with stable heart disease, because it can trigger off cardiac arrhythmia or even a heart attack

• Every year 335,000 Americans die of lung cancer, which is a direct result of air pollution

And we are not talking CO2 pollution here, just all the other nasties that get pumped into our atmosphere for us to breath.

http://www.thefuelfilm.com

The Fuel Film… Educational, Informative and surprisingly entertaining

The Big question from sceptics is: … That crops for bio-fuel takes away the ability of the world to feed it’s growing population, this is answered in a couple of ways in the film.

One solution of several is in using marginal land, another is algae
For those that don’t know: Marginal land is land that is difficult to cultivate and is not being used for food crops. This land could be used to grow biomass crops to be used for bio-fuels. California has apparently 1 million acres of marginal land that could generate 5 billion gallons of bio-fuels per year.

Now, while not 100% convinced that it is possible to ‘grow’ all our fuel requirements, it nice to know that there are alternative possibilities and people willing to fight to get them heard.

All it needs now is the desire from Government and vested interests to make it happen… Having said all that what is happening in the Gulf is a wake-up call for the world….

But is anybody listening? Because as sure as death and taxes we are not going to give up our love affair with the car easily

For more information click here

Photo courtesy: U.S. Department of Energy. Pretty, isn’t it? …. In case you’re wondering it’s Bio-fuel Algae

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Congress ACTION ALERT! Support a Level Playing Field for Clean Energy

11/28/2013 Nativegrl77

Union of Concerned Scientists

Urge Congress to support tax benefits that will unleash the power of private investment to make renewable energy even more competitive and create clean energy jobs.

Level the Playing Field for Renewable Energy

It is time for Congress to unlock billions of dollars of low-cost financing for clean energy by allowing renewables to be eligible for an important tax benefit that the oil, natural gas, and coal industries have had for decades.

Take Action Today!

A few months back, we wrote to ask for your support in leveling the playing field for clean energy. More than 27,000 UCS supporters like you responded by sending messages to Congress. Policy makers heard you and took action, adding their names as co-sponsors to bipartisan legislation that will give renewable energy access to the low-cost financing available to the fossil fuel industries. Now, the lead co-sponsor of the bill is asking for your help once again.
Urge Congress today to support a level playing field for clean energy.
Renewable energy has long been denied access to certain tax benefits and low-cost financing made available to the fossil fuel industry for decades. Bipartisan legislation now before the U.S. House and Senate will finally give renewable energy projects access—unlocking billions of dollars of low-cost financing for clean energy.
Let’s make sure Congress does not fail to seize this opportunity to ensure renewables compete on more even ground with fossil fuels. This should be a clean energy bill Congress can agree on.
Take Action Today!

Sincerely, Megan Rising Energy Campaign Manager Climate & Energy Program Union of Concerned Scientists

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What Renewable Energy can DO … Power the World

11/22/2013 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

by RAN … Rainforest Action Network

renewables

Fossil fuels are finite, dirty, and dangerous. In 2010, the investment bank HSBC published a white paper that speculated that even under the rosiest scenarios, the world only has 50-year supply of oil left. That’s why oil companies are drilling offshore and in the Arctic—the easily accessible oil is already used up.

Fortunately, we have the technologies right now to begin our transition to an energy system powered by a green energy—one that is powered by renewable energy source like wind, solar, and geothermal. The transition to these solutions, coupled with improved energy efficiency, will create new jobs, decrease our exposure to toxic pollutants like mercury, and help to solve the climate crisis.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a report in 2010 that examined 164 different energy scenarios and found that with the right policies in place, renewable energy can supply up to 43% of energy in 2030 and 77% in 2050. Togehter with improved energy efficiency, we would be well on our way to a zero carbon world.

We are already making significant progress, but there is so much work left to do. In the U.S. in 2010, renewable energy accounted for just 10.9% of U.S. domestic primary energy production, but that is an increase of 5.6% over 2009. In the same period, China added 29 gigawatts (GW) of grid-connected renewable capacity, for a total of 252 GW, an increase of 13% compared over the previous year.

To make a world powered by renewable energy, we need the right policies in place to incentivize the use of clean energy. Policies such as renewable energy standards (only 30 states in US have one now), feed-in tariffs, and a true price on carbon will speed up the transition. We also need the corporate sector to help lead by cleaning up their carbon footprints and by championing strong governmental to help move us forward.

Solar: The Power of the Sun

Solar works in multiple ways: Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight directly into electricity; and concentrated solar power (CSP) uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the solar energy and convert it to heat energy that powers a steam turbine.

Globally, solar PV capacity has increased by a factor of seven in five years. As an example of change look at California, where a mix of policies is making renewable energy the standard. The California utility Southern California Edison requested in June 2010 approval for 20 solar PV projects. The project would generate approximately 567 GWh of energy in all – and would do it for less than the cost of natural gas!

Change is in the Wind

Wind turbines, some of which stand as tall as 300 feet, create electricity by using the wind to turn their blades which power an electric generator. The US Department of Energy estimates that wind alone can power 20 percent of the US grid with 10 years.

China is leading the world in the installation of wind turbines, and at the end of 2010 it had installed an amazing 41.8 GW of wind energy. The US is scaling up its use of wind as well, with project springing up in the MidWest and Texas at record speed. In 2010, the Department of Energy approved an offshore wind project that will power an amazing 1.9 million U.S. homes.

Geothermal

Geothermal power plants naturally heat water and create steam to drive a flash steam plant to make electricity. The steam can be as hot as use 360°F (182°C)! The US is the world leader for installed geothermal electricity capacity and generation, but the country has just scratched the surface of what geothermal can provide. In past two years in the U.S. geothermal capacity has growth more than 3%, and the Department of Energy estimates that geothermal can power the grid with 15,000 MWs of new capacity within the next ten years.

Using Energy More Efficiently

Part of solving the energy puzzle is using the energy we already use more efficiently. Insulation, painting our roofs white, passive solar design, and compact fluorescent lights, which use two-thirds less energy and may last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent lights, are just a few examples of technolgies that can save energy. In fact, the International Energy Agency has said that improved energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and transportation could reduce the world’s energy needs by one third by 2050, putting us far down the path to a saving the climate.

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The Dirty Dozen?

11/22/2013 Nativegrl77

We know that you try to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle, but could your utility company be harming the planet? Please read this important message from our friends at Pear Energy to learn how you can support clean energy. Thank you for all you do.
-The Care2 Campaign Team

Is your utility in the Dirty Dozen?

Find Out Here

Here’s a wild guess for you: your utility company does not share your environmental and social commitments. And another guess: we do share your values at Pear Energy. That’s why I’m inviting you to sign up with Pear now.

Pear Energy released the Dirty Dozen Report, detailing the worst utility emitters. Did your utility make the list?

Even if your utility is not among the rock-bottom losers of the lot, it is still certain that it relies on burning coal, fracking for natural gas, or operating unsafe nuclear plants to supply you with electricity. If we are going to win the fight to control climate change, your utility is simply part of the problem.

By Contrast:

Pear Energy is an easy way to have clean wind and solar energy produced and addedto the grid for the exact amount of your energy usage;

We only deliver friendly, efficient and reliable customer service;

We stick to our Fair Price Promise of transparency and reasonable prices.Buying clean energy does cost a little more, but just a little more — around the cost of a cup of coffee per week;

Pear Shares — We contribute to organizations that share our dedication to ecological sanity and full employment;

We have a no-hassle satisfaction policy — if you are unhappy, we’ll switch you back with no switching costs and no service interruptions.

Because your current utility owns the power lines to your home, it will continue to read your meter and deliver your electricity. With Pear Energy, you’ll get the same reliable service, but with the knowledge that you are buying into the solution, not the problem.

Signing up for Pear Energy now is one thing you can do right away. Just click here to visit our website and your efforts will be almost complete.

Bob Pollin

Founder and President, PEAR

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Tips for Saving Energy During the Winter

11/22/2013 Nativegrl77

Seal of the United States Department of Energy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the winter, when many people turn on their heaters and put up holiday lights, gas and electric bills can be much higher than usual.
According to the Department of Energy, a family spends more than $1,900 a year on electricity bills and other utilities. A big part of those costs come from wasted energy during those cold months.
However, you can save on winter energy costs if you make some changes in certain areas of your home. Get tips to save energy and money this winter.