Author Archives: SolarFeeds
Solar on Breweries Across the U.S
What can solar do for our tastebuds? Some brewers are posing this question as they offset their energy costs and integrate solar into the meticulous beer making process. Anyone who has tried to home brew knows there is a definite art to brewing, yet more brewers are trusting solar technology to produce thousands of barrels [...]
How Green Windows Provide Energy Efficiency
Have you ever put your hand next to the window on a cold winter night and felt a draft? All the drafts that you feel, and many that go unnoticed, are not only compounding your electricity bill each month but are also increasing your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is a measure of the amount [...]
Solar + Cloud Computing: Google’s Project Loon
We call it the cloud and cloud computing—the use of servers distributed across the world to backup documents and data, host websites, and all manner of information. But now Google is taking WiFi sky high, actually using balloons to keep WiFi antennas aloft and solar panels to power the antennas. The Internet giant has launched [...]
Wood as a Green Material
Man-made materials – glass, steel and concrete – carry the day in modern building design. Architects are fascinated by the possibilities offered by these material, we can build what was never possible before: structures of fantastical shapes, great heights, colossal spans. And in all the excitement, we let fall by the wayside one of the [...]
In Focus: Green Engineering Advancements
As social interest increases worldwide on the path towards more environmentally friendly and green options, the next big challenge in the field of engineering is to concoct green alternatives to the fundamentals of daily life. Governments are getting in on the act as well as they push for more environmentally friendly legislation and increase support [...]
The Electric Vehicle Market in 10 Years
While the electric car is commonly seen as a future technology, the late 19th to early 20th century saw peak popularity for this mode of powering engines. At the time, electricity was easier to use, and electric cars easier to maintain and operate, than the gasoline-powered cars of the era. Once advances were made in [...]
Panasonic: 100M Li-Ion Tesla Batteries Ship This Month
According to Panasonic, shipments of its automotive-grade lithium-ion battery cells for Tesla Motors’ Model S will exceed 100 million units by the end of this month. Retail deliveries of Teslas Model S started in the United States in June 2012. The electric-powered car has been praised for its innovative design and outstanding performance, including long [...]
In Focus: India’s Energy Ties with Iran
India’s relentless search for hydrocarbons to fuel its booming economy has managed the rather neat diplomatic trick of annoying Washington, delighting Tehran and intriguing Baghdad, all the while leaving the Indian Treasury fretting about how to pay for its oil imports, given tightening sanctions on fiscal dealings with Iran. On 7 June the US State [...]
New Renewable Energy Projects Approved by Obama Adminstration
In a June press release issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, new Interior Secretary Sally Jewel announced the Obama administration’s latest steps in its “all-of-the-above” energy strategy. The release announced the approval of three renewable energy projects and a crucial first step in development of the massive potential of U.S. offshore wind power. [...]
The Solar Robots are Coming!
They call the robotic panel installer Rover and they call the robotic panel cleaner Spot. Here’s how Alion Energy CEO Mark Kingsley said the automated project construction and maintenance system will work: After the ground is prepared, a mixing truck and concrete slip extruder fill pre-designed molds to form a non-penetrating, ballasted foundation rack that [...]
Florida Has Spoken: More Renewable Energy!
After glancing over the distribution of renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in the U.S., we can see an overwhelming trend: the Southeast. With a majority of states creating RPSs to incorporate renewable energy into their utility mix, we would assume these states would jump on the bandwagon, especially with their potential for renewable energy. When assessing [...]
Bloomberg Announces Insane NYC Climate Plan
Yesterday, NYC Mayor Bloomberg presented a creative, thoughtful plan to protect the city from the inevitable impacts of climate change, setting a precedent for other cities to follow. The $20 billion plan, “A Stronger, More Resilient New York,” includes a wide range of projects, from restoring dunes and wetlands to vegetating streets and rooftops to absorb water, [...]