Random Updates

Good site for biofuels status in Africa - Lots of info and data in this site, not just for Africa, but for biofuels per se...lots of cost data, data on who is doing what, as well energy efficiency and more - http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=883&pageid=21&pagename=Energy

in Ethanol

Don't discount biofuels, says this interesting article - read on - http://ht.ly/5iQD0

How long does it take to construct a solar PV power plant? About 12 months?

in Solar PV

The new yeast is highly efficient at fermenting xylose, and is also highly resistant to fermentation-inhibiting substances like acetic acid. Toyota is also developing technologies for the various processes involved in cellulosic ethanol processing - http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/8202/toyota-develops-yeast-for-cellulosic-ethanol-conversion

in Algae Fuels

I personally feel that recycling is one of the most simplest steps that can be taken by a 'busy' individual in an effort to stay sustainably. Especially when it comes to plastic which is the most harmful for our environment. But is recycling plastic as confusing as this article makes it to be?
http://www.reducereuserecycle.co.uk/greenarticles/plastic_recycling_confusion.php

in Plastic Management Recycling

Details list of Authors working in Algal CO2 capture technologies.

in Global Warming and Climate Change

A detailed analysis on the properties of the algae strain-Nannochloropsis salina , that can thrive in a tropical environment has been discussed in this project.

in Algae Fuels

World Bank approves $1 bn loan to clean Ganga river

The World Bank has approved a $1 billion loan to India to help clean its river Ganga that accounts for one fourth of the country's water resources.

The river is facing extreme pollution pressures and threats to its biodiversity, the bank said in a statement Tuesday.

The Ganga basin is home to more than 400 million Indians.

Only about one-third of the sewage generated by the towns and cities along the river are treated, while a significant volume of untreated or poorly treated industrial effluents are discharged into the river

in Biodiversity

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it is providing funding for a group of energy organizations to perform a study that will assess the most promising sites for offshore wind production along all of the U.S. coastal regions.

The offshore wind interconnection study will be led by experts from ABB, AWS Truepower, Duke Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Pittsburgh. The team will investigate important technical and economic questions about the integration of offshore wind energy through a range of transmission technologies, ABB explains.

This team will determine the expected staging of offshore wind development in each of the coastal regions, develop expected wind generation production profiles, assess the applicability of integration study methods to offshore wind production, assess a variety of offshore wind collection and delivery technologies, and consider regulatory issues that may influence the selection of technologies or the implementation of systems.

Source: http://nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.8867

By looking to Mother Nature for solutions, researchers have identified a promising new binder material for lithium-ion battery electrodes that not only could boost energy storage, but also eliminate the use of toxic compounds now used to manufacture the components.

Known as alginate, the material is extracted from common, fast-growing brown algae. In tests so far, it has helped boost energy storage and output for both graphite-based electrodes used in existing batteries and silicon-based electrodes being developed for future generations of batteries.
The research, the result of collaboration between scientists and engineers at Clemson University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, will be reported Sept. 8 in Science Express, an online-only publication of the journal Science that publishes selected papers in advance of the journal. The project was supported by the two universities as well as by a Honda Initiation Grant and a grant from NASA.

"Making less-expensive batteries that can store more energy and last longer with the help of alginate could provide a large and long-lasting impact on the community," said Gleb Yushin, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Materials Science and Engineering. "These batteries could contribute to building a more energy-efficient economy with extended-range electric cars, as well as cell phones and notebook computers that run longer on battery power -- all with environmentally friendly manufacturing technologies.

read more - http://www.science20.com/news_articles/algaebased_polymer_may_boost_liion_battery_performance-82428

in Algae Fuels

Renewtech India 2011

"We are happy to inform you that for the 4th time in India TOTAL Wind Energy industry focus show viz. 'RENEWTECH INDIA 2011' from 10-12 November 2011 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai, India. With a concurrent conference.

Renewtech India 2011 is 4th edition organised by 'MCO Winmark' - an Indo-German Joint Venture - the support of this Foundation and Indo-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Third edition of Renewtech India witnessed more than 31 exhibitors and experts from Germany and Switzerland. And some 34 experts both from India and abroad - with high profile international experience - shared their knowledge and expertise in the field at this conference.

Renewtech India 2011 is expected to attract even larger number of overseas exhibits and speakers - besides some major players in the field from across India.

Renewtech India 2011 is supported by key industry players and leading industry associations and is slated to be the premium annual event in the world of Renewable energies and emerging technologies. The exhibition aims at bringing industry and business professionals on a common platform to a global event that not only attracts the who's who of the industry but also defines as to what the future will be. In short, this summit and expo will help accelerate the bridging of rapidly rising demand-supply gap by deliberating on steps to be initiated for attaining renewable energy for this country.

In view of your very significant association with Renewable energy sectors, we invite you to actively associate with this mega event - which is of the industry, for the industry and also planned by the industry - as follows:-

%u25AA By reserving exhibit display space in this exhibition for your pavilion or stand/booth, to 'showcase'

your contribution and/or expertise & products/services for the aforementioned sectors.
%u25AA By actively associating with the international conference to be held concurrently.
%u25AA By recommending participation of your Indian/overseas associates.
%u25AA By Supporting the event.

With best regards,

Trupti Singh
Project Co-ordinator

MCO Winmark Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd
Tel : 91 - 22 - 32180404
info@renewtechindia.com"

Use infinite avail of plastic, and reuse them to contribute to the Go-Green theme..

in Plastic Management

Open Source Cleantech - CleanTech Idea for Jan 5 2011

Open source has redefined the computing industry in the past 2 decades. Is it possible for this concept to contribute significantly to the growth of the cleantech industry as well?
Here are some interesting thoughts and initiatives on the same:
New Eco-Patent Commons aims to open source cleantech - this project was started by the likes of Nokia, IBM and Sony way back in 2008, so I am not the first to think about this :-).
"The Eco-Patent Commons provides free access to an online database of intellectual property maintained by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Any company with any patent is free to join the current four-company coalition and add their own patents.
Rules on how the patents may be used are simple — the donors essentially promise not to sue if anyone else uses their patent, as does the user, through a so-called “defensive termination” clause commonly used for open-source software. In theory, an entrepreneur could start an entire company based on freely available patents from the Commons."
(Source: http://venturebeat.com/2008/01/14/new-eco-patent-commons-aims-to-open-source-cleantech/ )
More on eco-patent commons from here - http://bit.ly/8g98lO
The State of Open Source for the Smart Grid - the bottomline seems to be, not a great state! - http://gigaom.com/cleantech/the-state-of-open-source-for-the-smart-grid/
Here's another initiative, this time from Europe, from the European Business Council for Sustainable Energy - http://bit.ly/37QaPh

in Global Warming and Climate Change

US far short of grass-based biofuel refineries needed for 2022 federal standard - It may be one of the biggest green gambles of the century: a national goal of converting wood, grass, corn stalks and garbage into 16 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels annually by 2022. No commercial-scale refineries exist, researchers have yet to agree on the best technology for fuel conversion and there is no distribution network to handle fuel once it is made. - http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081016/apfn_behind_on_biofuel.html

in Thin Film Solar Cells

Cogeneration decreases CO2 emissions - Cogeneration decreases CO2 emissions and increases efficiency by reducing the amount of fuel by as much as 50% -

in Global Warming and Climate Change

The Tough Realities of a Renewable Energy Business- http://bit.ly/ceBdkr

Check and fix any water leaks.


Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.


Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously.


Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.


Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.


Install a low-flow shower head.


Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.


Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.

Company that transforms garbage into ethanol attracts big investors

Enerkem converts garbage into ethanol in a process that combines waste gasification and catalytic synthesis.

For the past several years, Montreal-based company Enerkem has been working on a way to make ethanol from old utility poles and household garbage. Earlier this week, the company announced that they have received $60 million in new financing from the major independent oil refiner Valero and the trash-hauling company Waste Management. Total investment in Enerkem is now $130 million.

Enerkem is one of several companies working on transforming garbage into ethanol, a process that has often proven to be difficult and expensive. Ethanol made from garbage is a type of cellulosic biofuel, meaning it comes from cellulose, a non-food plant material. So compared to making ethanol from the starch in corn and grains, making cellulosic biofuels offers some advantages - most notably, it allows for a greater production of ethanol without using food sources.

Founded in 2000, Enerkem is currently operating a pilot plant and commercial-scale plant in Quebec. The company is also building commercial plants in Edmonton, Canada, with funding from the government of Alberta, and in Pontotoc, Mississippi, with a $50 million DOE grant. Each of those two plants would consume about 100,000 tons of garbage per year.

Enerkem's technology works by shredding municipal solid waste and then heating it to 400� C (750� F). The waste gives off a gas that includes hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which are trapped while carbon dioxide and other impurities are filtered out. The pure gas is then run over a catalyst, which converts it into methanol. The methanol can then be converted into ethanol or other chemical feedstocks.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-company-garbage-ethanol-big-investors.html

Living well in a compact space - compact studio houses; convertible kitchenettes -

in Sustainable Homes and Communities

in Algae Fuels

Save Greenery.........

Biopolymer of PBS and bamboo fiber for auto interiors - One more addition to the Japanese green auto initiatives is the joint research of Mitsubishi Motors Corp. with Aichi Industrial Technology Institute to develop a biopolymer of polybutylene succinate (PBS) and bamboo fiber for auto interiors. PBS is made from 1,4-butanediol (a petrochemical) and succinic acid (a product of fermenting sugar cane or corn). The fiber-reinforced material is said to provide greater rigidity and strength. - http://www.plastemart.com/upload/Literature/Biopolymers-in-Automotive-Interiors.asp

in Biomass Power Production

http://www.mrw.co.uk/news/ad-industry-not-meeting-customer-needs/8623993.article

Energy company plans algae farm in Wahiawa - http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2010/07/05/story3.html?b=1278302400^3600101

in Algae Fuels

How many gallons of water is required to yield a pound of algae biomass on average with a closed bioreactor?

How many gallons of butanol can be processed from one pound of algae using tested methods?

How much co2 is needed for one pound of algae biomass?

I understand these questions are hard to answer based on algae strains but I am just looking for the the best algae strain to produce butanol or the best algae strain to produce dense cultures.

in Biomass to Liquid

Offshore wind, with its incomparably high energy production per hour witnessed important developments during 2011.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/first-conferences/news/article/2011/12/offshore-wind-2011-the-facts

Bio-diesel is a fatty acid of ethyl or methyl ester made from virgin or used vegetable oils (both edible and non-edible) and animal fats. The main commodity sources for Bio-diesel in India can be non-edible oils obtained from plant species such as

In many parts of the world, yard / garden waste reportedly is second only to paper waste in municipal solid waste stream. Garden waste is the easiest to handle - just compost it and use it back in the - where else - garden! Why can't there be a composting revolution worldwide so that at least one part of MSW is taken care of!

in MSW

Using salvaged building materials like doors in your next building project is a good idea, but South Korean installation artist Choi Jeong-Hwa takes it to a whole new level. Using 1,000 recycled doors, Choi Jeong-Hwa transformed an otherwise nondescript, 10-storey facade into a eye-dazzling delight of colours and textures.

http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/artist-transforms-building-facade-1000-recycled-doors-choi-jeong-hwa.html?campaign=daily_nl

in Recycling

Iam so interested inyourwavesite
pleace invite me friends

in Wave Energy

Engineered Geothermal Systems from Groundsource Geothermal - GroundSource Geothermal Inc., of Redwood City, CA, which is developing shallow dry-rock engineered geothermal systems or EGS, at depths ranging between 250 and 400 feet. Unlike standard drilling, their borehole is elliptically-shaped rather than circular, reducing cuttings by 40%. - http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/05/unique-applications-of-building-integra

in Geothermal Power Production

Guelph's organic waste is once again being turned into clean, useful compost with the opening of the city's new Organic Waste Processing Facility. - http://www.solidwastemag.com/news/new-organic-waste-facility-opens-in-guelph-ontario/1000609693/

Syncrude Canada's Tar Sands Operation - Syncrude Canada operates the largest tar sand production facility in the world -

in Tar Sands

According to the author of this report, one of the major reasons for the growth in the US solar sector is the US administration's Treasury Grant Program and Loan Guarantee Program.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/08/solar-stunner-america-is-a-1-9-billion-exporter-of-solar-products

Every year, tons of plastic bottles are being produced around the world and a majority of them ends up in the landfills. There are many cool and interesting ways you can reuse or recycle plastic these plastic bottles and do your bit for the environment.
1 Water bottle citrus juicer
2 Lawn Sprinkler Made from Plastic Water Bottle
3 Plastic Water Bottle Vase
3 Plastic Water Bottle Vase
5 Make Beads from Recycled water Bottle

http://www.ecofriend.com/simple-ways-reuse-plastic-water-bottles.html

in Plastic Management Recycling

wish u happy dewali all of you

Obama Administration And Wildlife Advocates Strike Deal On Endangered Species Act Protections

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/12/obama-administration-wildlife-endangered-species_n_896215.html

in Biodiversity