Message to Obama: Put Solar Panels Back on the White House

It's time solar panels returned to the White House. The Carter administration installed solar panels to power the White House; however, Republican president Ronald Reagan promptly removed the panels when taking office. It's time for Obama to restore renewable energy to the White House. Renewable Energy World writes:

I have no idea why the President has not acted to put solar back on the White House proper. The last news source I can find says he was "considering it." Clearly, he and Energy Sec. Chu are supporters of renewable energy. Nevertheless, as Stephen Lacey noted in his excellent podcast, the German parliament's Reichstag building now uses passive solar, solar PV, solar thermal and other RE technologies to offset almost all of its energy needs. What's taking so long with the relatively smaller White House?

Copenhagen's Famous Tivoli Amusement Park Will Be Wind-Powered

It is fitting that the city hosting important climate talks would move towards powering one its most famous attractions with wind power. Tivoli Amusement Park has been open since 1843, and now an offshore wind turbine will power the park. Eco Friend reports:

The park has already made strong efforts at recycling and energy efficiency, and is now looking for ways to go carbon neutral.

Tivoli Amusement Park has partnered with Danish Oil and Natural Gas, and the partnership has resulted in an agreement to install an extra wind turbine off Copenhagen's coast. The turbine is undergoing final tests now, and when installed next year, it will be able to provide all the electricity the park needs.

Earlier this fall, the idea to turn a closed Ford plant in Michigan into an amusement park was scrapped in favor of renewable energy manufacturing plant. Perhaps the park would have won favor if it had been powered by wind like Tivoli Gardens.

England Names 10 New Nuclear Sites

England aims to increase its nuclear power to 40% of energy production by 2025. Ten new sites have been named demonstrating the government's commitment "nuclear electricity generation". Renewable energy will account for 30% of England's energy by 2020 under the new policy. The Telegraph explains:

Mr Miliband said: "The threat of climate change means we need to make a transition from a system that relies heavily on high-carbon fossil fuels to a radically different system that includes nuclear, renewable and clean-coal power.

Similar moves to approve new nuclear sites are occurring in the United States with Florida endorsing its first nuclear power plant in 33 years.

Florida Approves First Nuclear Power Plant in 33 Years

Bad news for opponents of nuclear power: the state of Florida has just approved its first nuclear power plant in 33 years. The Miami Herald describes criticism of the project:

Critics have complained about the site the company picked. In many places, the water table on the site is above ground for half the year or longer, according to documents the company filed with the NRC. Most of the site lies in the 100-year floodplain, meaning after heavy rain, it is likely to remain inundated for some time...The board also found that the utility may have underestimated the impact of building the plant in a floodplain. That will require filling in and paving over hundreds of acres of wetlands, which may hurt both the underground aquifer and the Withlacoochee River, not to mention the wildlife species that depend on them, the board found.

The nuclear power plant would not be up and running until 2018, but taxpayers have already begun footing the bill. Ironically, Florida is the number two producer of solar energy in the United States.

Renewable Energy Output Exceeds Nuclear Power in the US

The July 2009 "Monthly Energy Review", issued by the US Government Energy Information Administration, states renewable energy output has exceeded nuclear power accounting for 11.1% of domestic energy production. The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) reports:

For the first four months of 2009, U.S. renewable energy production was comprised of hydropower (34.6%), wood + wood wastes (31.2%), biofuels (19.0%), wind (9.3%), geothermal (4.7%), and solar (1.2%). Most of these sources grew compared to the first third of 2008 with wind expanding by 34.5%, biofuels by 14.1%, hydropower by 8.2%, and geothermal by 2.6%. The contribution from solar sources remained essentially unchanged while wood + wood waste declined by 4.9%.

The report also states energy usage in the US has declined by 5.7% compared to 2008.

Green Blog Recommendations: Ecofriend.org

We've discovered a new green blog we'd like to recommend to you! Ecofriend.org features many great posts on environmental trends. From Eco Homes to Eco Cars, Ecofriend has you covered. Recent posts include:

• Eco Homes: Solar-powered houseboat can survive the harshness of the ocean
• Eco Cars: Hydrogen-powered Circulus can turn 360-degrees on a dime
• Eco Tech: Toyota installs solar energy generating flowers to promote Prius

Ethanol-Based Charcoal Reduces 99% Carbon Monoxide Compared to Charcoal

Warm weather and the upcoming Memorial Day weekend means it's outdoor barbecue time. On the Fourth of July alone, Americans burn enough charcoal to power 20,000 households for a year! There is a cleaner alternative to traditional charcoal: ethanol-based charcoal. FlameDisk Charcoal Alternative reduces 99 percent of carbon monoxide and has 91 percent lower VOC than regular charcoal. Ethanol-based charcoal alternative is an eco-friendly option for all your grilling needs.

Energy Costs More to Blame than Ethanol for Rising Food Costs

Ethanol has gotten a bad rap for causing the price of food to rise but also to blame is the rising cost of energy. Ethanol is not without fault, as a Congressional Budget Office report stated that ethanol production was responsible for 10 to 15 percent increase in food prices between April 2007 and April 2008; however, between 22 and 36 percent of the increase in food prices are due to the increase in the cost of energy sources. Tom Buis, chief executive of Growth Energy, an ethanol-industry association, explains:

The report released by the Congressional Budget Office confirms what we've known for some time - the impact of ethanol production on food prices is minimal, and that energy was the main driver in the rise of food prices

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, the American Meat Institute, the National Turkey Federation and the National Council of Chain Restaurants responded in kind:

Today's Congressional Budget Office numbers once again remind us of the unintended negative consequences associated with our nation's current policies which promote and mandate the conversion of massive amounts of corn and other food crops for biofuels production.

Whomever is to blame, rising food costs have hurt Americans during this economic recession.

Via: San Francisco Chronicle

Solar Panels in the Sahara Desert Could Power ALL of Europe

All of Europe's energy needs could be provided by a very large solar array in the Sahara Desert, according to researchers. Dr. Anthony Patt, a research scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, explains:

It [North Africa] could supply Europe with all the energy it needs. The Sun is very strong there, and it is very reliable. There is starting to be a growing number of cost estimates of both wind and concentrated solar power for north Africa... that start to compare favorably with alternative technologies. The cost of moving [electricity] long distances has really come down.

How large a solar array would be needed to provide Europe's energy needs? Dr. Patt estimates the array would be the size of a small country (a fraction of the size of the Sahara Desert) and it would cost approximately $70 billion.

Via: Consumer Energy Report

China Installs Talking Solar Trash Cans

Ten solar-powered trash cans have been installed in People's Square, Shanghai.

Why would trash cans need solar power? These trash cans talk! The refuse receptacles tell people where the nearest bathrooms are and illuminate a map at night. Eventually, the city plans to install 480 solar-powered talking trash cans.

Via: CleanTechnica

Toyota Makes Big Annoucement: Plug-In Prius in 2009, EV in 2012

The plug-in Prius is coming a year early! Toyota has announced the plug-in Prius will be released in 2009, and they are rolling out 10 other hybrids by 2010. Even more exciting, Toyota will be debuting an all electric car at the Detroit Auto Show that will be on the market in 2012. Gas 2.0 explains Toyota's exciting annoucement:

Along with the announcement of the electric concept, Toyota has reiterated that, although the fully electric car will be a part of their overall strategy, the company sees conventional non-plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, like the current Prius, as their core long-term powertrain technology...And, in a new development, Toyota says they are moving up the roll-out schedule for the upcoming plug-in hybrid Prius from 2010 to late 2009. Initially only available to fleets, the car will sport a lithium-ion battery. Toyota says that the new generation Prius was engineered to be able to accommodate either a NiMH battery for the conventional gas-electric hybrid or a lithium-ion battery for the plug-in version.

I hope one of the new hybrids is a real 4wd for mountain people like me!

Japanese Airport to Store Winter Snow for Summer Air Conditioning

New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, Japan plans to start storing winter snow for summer cooling in 2010. The winter snow will provide 30% of the summer cooling needs. EcoGeek explains this clean technology:

The snow will be covered by heat-insulating materials, which should retain about 45% of the snow collected. The remaining snow will then be used to chill the liquid of the building's cooling system. According to Japan Today, the practice could result in a 2,100 ton reduction in CO2 emissions per year.

Hokkaido's annual snowfall is between 20 to 30 feet. Hopefully this innovative technology will catch on in other snowy cities around the world.

Used Coffee Grounds Can be Made Into Biodiesel

I am an organic, biodynamic coffee junkie, and my used grounds end up in the compost pile. New research done in Nevada has revealed that wasted coffee grounds can be used to make biodiesel. 16 billion pounds of coffee are grown worldwide annually (so apparently I am not the only addicted to morning soy lattes). The used grounds contain 11 to 20-percent oil by weight, and its high level of antioxidants makes coffee more stable then other biodiesel blends. Researchers estimate that coffee grounds could add another 340 million gallons of biodiesel to the world's supply. If SVO cars smell like french fries, I wonder if coffee biodiesel will have that delicious roasted aroma when burned.

Lightdrops Umbrellas Harnesses the Power of Raindrops

This umbrella is ingenious! The Lightdrops umbrella uses the energy of rain to power LEDs.  CleanTechnica explains how the umbrella uses the energy in rain:

The polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) umbrella features a "collective membrane" that powers its LED lights with energy from the rain.  The PVDF material actually harvests kinetic energy-- the heavier the rain, the brighter the umbrella's LED light becomes.

This cool alternative energy gadget just makes me want to sing: Nothing's worrying me because my umbrella's LEDs are lighting the way!