Heat from Commuters in Stockholm’s Central Station Serves Nearby Office Block

Swedish ngineers have found a way to recover the excess heat generated by commuters in Stockholm’s main train station and use that energy to heat a nearby office block.

The technology is not all that different from typical heat exchangers … this application is well suited to climates like Sweden where the winters are quite cold and the cost of petroleum based fuels is quite high.

Check out this video of more details … 

 

Waste to Energy -- Sustainable Waste Solutions

I saw a trailer in a parking lot with the Sustainable Waste Solutions and knew there would be a blog post there.  SWS is a local company with a Souderton, Pa  address that turns waste to energy (W2E).

" ... a landfill-free alternative for recycling, waste transportation, and disposal to companies ... throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley and Delaware. ... we generate enough electricity from waste to power tens of thousands of homes per day ..."

W2E burns waste material to generate electric and results in waste that is only 10% by volume compared to the starting amount.

Until we run out of trash (not too likely in the near term) this is a renewable energy solution!



Via:  Sustainable Waste Solutions  LINK

Kristianstad Sweden Uses Biofuels Not Fossil Fuels for Heat and Electricity

Kristianstad Sweden uses no fossil fuels for heating.  Instead they uses biomass from farming leftovers.  80,000 homes heated by biomass and not fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas!  And this is an area of the world where it gets VERY COLD !

Since solar and wind would not be effective in Kristianstad they worked with biomass.  " ... remains from farming ... manure, potato peels, pig intestines, and even cookies, .... to create biogas  ... a certain type of  methane, ... heat of the entire city, and to provide electricity for the city as well."

The driving force for the move away from fossil fuels was to protect their environment and they did not want to import fossil fuels from abroad.

   

Via:  Metrolic  LINK

Rentricity Uses Pressure in Pipes to Generate Electricity

Rentricity uses energy recovery techniques to get energy from " ...  excess pressure in water mains ..." and can generate " ... between 20 and 300 kilowatts of electricity..."

Somewhat similar to wave energy but not really renewable.
The power can be sent to the grid and used to offset electricity purchases.

Since this electricity can then be sold onto the grid, Rentricity gives its generating partners an additional source of revenue and a way to offset rising electricity rates.

" ... no environmental impact and represent a new class of clean, renewable hydrokinetic energy. ... will produce hundreds of megawatts in aggregate."
 LINK to see diagram of system.




Via:  Rentricity  LINK

World's Largest WindFarm Open off Kent, UK

Britain is set to open the world's largest wind farm off Kent (UK) on the English Chanel.  This facility will comprise 100 wind turbines each 300 ft tall; enough to power 200,000 homes.

" ... generate more energy from offshore wind than the rest of the planet put together ..."’s biggest ocean wind farm off Kent"

" ...  energy generated from offshore wind in the UK ... to 1,314MW,
compared to 1,100MW in the whole of the rest of the world."

The farm was built by Swedish energy giant Vattenfall.



Via:  Telegraph  LINK 

Arizona Public Services & SunPower Create Largest Solar Project on Federal Property

The 15 megawatt PV plant will be located at Luke AFB in Glendale, Arizona.  Comprised of 52,000 SunPower PV panels it will be the " ... largest solar installation on U.S. government property."

SunPower

"Arizona Public Service Co. will own and operate ... hired SunPower Corp. to design and construct the solar plant ..."

" ... will ... follow the sun ... 25 percent more energy than if the panels were stationary. ..."


Via:  Arizona Public Service LINK

Fuji Water is Carbon NEGATIVE

earthera carbon offset shipping

When buying Viva Terra products you have the option to purchase carbon offsets for the delivery of your order.

" ... reduce the environmental impact ... by selecting EarthEra® ...  For ... $1 per order, customers balance the carbon emissions associated with the delivery of their purchases ..."

" ... EarthEra is powered by NextEra Energy Resources, America's largest producer of wind and solar power."



Via:  Viva Terra LINK

EarthEra® - Carbon Offsets for Mail Ordered Goods

earthera carbon offsets

 When buying Viva Terra products you have the option to purchase carbon offsets for the delivery of your order.

" ... reduce the environmental impact ... by selecting EarthEra® ...  For ... $1 per order, customers balance the carbon emissions associated with the delivery of their purchases ..."

" ... EarthEra is powered by NextEra Energy Resources, America's largest producer of wind and solar power."



Via:  Viva Terra LINK

Philadelphia's Bourse Building Goes Solar !

Philadelphia's Bourse building is both historic and modern ... it was Philadelphia's first exchange and now has gone Solar.

The old Bourse Building on Independence Mall East has solar panels with mountiug systems from SolarDock of Wilmington, Delaware.  These roof panels are designed to not impact the integrity of the roof of the historic building.


" ... SolarDock system for mounting the panels without any penetration of the roof surface ... "

This allows mounting in locations where there is concern about leaks in the roof or a roof warranty that does not allow for through roof mounts.

Via:  Delaware Business Blog LINK

US States by Use of Renewable Energy

The map at the left - link to full size below - shows " ... the current state of renewable energy in America ... a large portion of the country is still dragging their feet in adopting more environmentally friendly means of generating electricity. ..."

Pennsylvania ranks 15th
New Jersey ranks 43 rd.

Check out the stats for your state.

Click for full size map ... LINK 


Via:  CoolerPlanet  LINK

 Wallenius Lines, a Swedish owned car carrier vessel is testing a fuel cell for auxiliary power.  Fuel cells are clean power sources - in this case fueled by methanol (alcohol).  Wallenius Lines has a major commitment to being green (using non toxic paint to reduce barnacle drag, handling bilge water carefully, reducing impact overall, etc.) and this is the next step in the journey.


"Wärtsilä’s WFC20 fuel cell ... onboard the ’Undine’,  ... is the first of its kind in the world ... during the test period provide auxiliary power to the vessel while producing close to zero emissions...."

Methanol can be made from biomass so can be a renewable fuel ... in addition to providing clean power.  The trails started in May 2010 and extend until November 2010.



Via:  Wallenius Lines  LINK

Kudzu - Possible Route to BioFuel (ethanol)

Kudzu is a very aggressive fast growing vine that is invasive ... if it could be turned into a source of ethanol ... it might kill 2 birds with 1 stone.  And it does not compete with food crops as a route to ethanol.

"... invasive weed called kudzu. ... grows all over the southern states at a rate of about one foot per day. ... literally covers ... anything in its path ... Agro*Gas Industries, LLC can use this undesirable plant to make clean burning, renewable fuel."

" ... otherwise useless pest can be kept in check and turned into a useful "renewable" environmentally friendly and cost effective fuel!"

" ... utilizing unwanted or currently useless plant and waste products we can produce a "Bio-Fuel" (ethanol) that can compete favorably with fossil fuels (petroleum). We do not use commodity crops, such as corn, currently grown for human or animal consumption! "


Via: Agro*Gas Industries, LLC LINK

While driving through Chester County, Pa to pick my son up from a camping trip I saw an Amerigreen gas station and thought I should check it out ... in addition to gas they sell diesel, propane and heating oil.  In addition to biodiesel and bio heating oil they have  E85.

"E85 Ethanol (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) is a clean fuel with superior performance characteristics. It burns cleaner than gasoline, is renewable, and environmentally safer."

 "... we became one of the first oil companies in the United States to provide our customers with 100% North American made fuel--drilled, refined, and sold exclusively in North America. ..."

"In addition ... every gallon of our heating oil contains 5% soy oil, a renewable American farm product. ..."

" ... your heating oil and propane purchases will benefit the American economy, American jobs, ... we urge other energy companies to do the same. Because, ... it's simply the right thing to do...."

Via:  Amerigreen  LINK

Springside School: Largest Solar Installation in Philadelphia

Springside School - Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia has the largest solar installation in the city of Philadelphia. You can see the solar progress with the monitoring station ... the system has the capacity of 92.4 kW DC.

As of May 15th, 2010 the system has generated 21,201 kWH - equivalent to powering 2 homes for a year. See the current operation / historical data at LINK.

Via: Springside School LINK

Floating Solar System @ Far Niente Winery

Check out this float-o-voltaic system at Far Niente Winery in Oakville, California.  Since land is so expensive / valuable they using an irrigation pond to "host" their solar system. 





Via: Far Niente Winery  LINK

Canvas Dreams Sustainable Web Hosting

Canvas Dreams is a green sustainable web host service based in Oregon.  They are green from their source of power to their business practices.

"... is a sustainable Web host based in Portland, Oregon. ...
first Web hosting company in the Pacific Northwest to use 100% clean wind energy, generated locally by Portland General Electric ... commitment to sustainable practices ... a sustainability program, including a reduction in waste and energy usage, responsible electronics and plastic recycling, telecommuting and carpooling, ..."



Via: Canvas Dreams Sustainable Web Hosting LINK

Considerations for a Green Building - Video

Check out this VIDEO from Forbes on Green Buildings.

Things to consider are ... a better building envelope, better mechanical systems, geoexchange systems, etc.  Options might include alternative energy sources like solar panels and wind mills / turbines. 



Via: Forbes LINK

The GSA is renovating the 18 story federal building in Portland, Oregon.  Green features include a vertical green wall and reduced water usage with low flow fixtures and recycled roof water.

"... part of a $133 million renovation, the General Services Administration wants to grow “vegetated fins” on the western facade of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building ... save energy year-round using one of Mother Nature’s own tools."

" ... will use 60 to 65 percent less energy than comparable buildings. That translates to an energy cost savings of $280,000 per year."

"Solar panels could also provide up to 15 percent of the building’s power needs. Energy use for lighting will be halved."

"... building in question was already slated for an energy efficiency upgrade, but funds from last year’s federal stimulus package stressed projects that were environmentally friendly."

Via:  SmartPlanet  LINK

Norway's Statkraft Looks at Power from Osmosis

Norway's Statkraft is looking at osmosis as a possible energy source.  Currently the output is minimal but it may be the way of the future.

" ... Norway's Statkraft says that its new, first-of-its-kind osmotic power plant could be producing as much energy as a small wind farm by 2015, ... when the process of osmosis takes place ... the pressure is apparently enough to drive a power generating turbine ... enough of those you have a power plant. A bit of effort, to be sure, but the process doesn't emit any greenhouse gases, is completely renewable, and it doesn't depend on the wind or the sun being out."

Via: Engadget LINK

Geothermal Power Systems

"Pratt & Whitney Power Systems, in conjunction with Chena Power LLC in Alaska and the U.S. Department of Energy, recently demonstrated a mobile geothermal power generation unit at the 2009 Geothermal Energy Expo in Reno, Nev. ... new mobile version of Pratt & Whitney’s PureCycle® technology allows customers to relocate valuable energy generating capability from one geothermal or waste heat resource to another as circumstances dictate ... "

" ... the PureCycle system can generate electricity from  various heat sources with temperatures between 190 and 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a mobile unit at existing oil and gas sites can expedite return on investment for geothermal power, as the majority of development cost is in exploration, drilling and infrastructure."

" ... self-contained cooling system that uses resource water to replenish the cooling tower water, thus eliminating the need for a separate fresh water source ... system demonstrates how low temperature geothermal technology that can diversify the nation’s energy supply with base load renewable energy while creating jobs and economic benefits ... "


Via: United Technologies Corp. LINK