This bearing manufacturer continues its commitment to environmental leadership NSK Americas (NSK) has released the results of its 2012 sustainability initiatives, demonstrating the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental excellence. The year’s accomplishments show that NSK saved: 30,689 trees – equivalent to 379,134,000 sheets of newspaper 38,766 gallons of gasoline – enough to drive a mid-size
Trend analysis: Where the wind industry goes from here
April 25, 2013 : 0 Comments
The wind industry trends – in a nutshell – are moving toward larger turbines to take advantage of the economy-of-scale, along with greater reliability and efficiency to bring down the cost of wind-generated power. The wind industry’s goal is to rival the cost of electricity generated from natural gas. Launching larger turbines is almost a
Report: U.S. electrical grid could be reliable with much higher level of renewables
April 22, 2013 : 0 Comments
This scenario says it is realistic to consider that, by 2050, coal use ends and there is a reduced use of nuclear and natural gas. Lights would stay on even “when the wind doesn’t blow … and the sun doesn’t shine”. The executive summary is here. If the U.S. ceases to burn coal, shuts down
Bringing down the cost of wildlife surveys
April 19, 2013 : 0 Comments
Wind Energy is a relatively young industry which makes it difficult to anticipate potential impacts, especially regarding bird and bat mortality. Initially, state and federal agency guidelines for the surveys, such as those from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, required extensive data collection making them expensive, time consuming tasks. But according to Stantec Consulting
Think surge protection for increased system availability
April 15, 2013 : 0 Comments
On the basis of intensive fundamental research, Phoenix Contact is developing innovative arrester technologies, implementing the acquired expertise in powerful and application-oriented protective devices. The product range comprises protective devices for the power supply unit, MCR technology, information technology, as well as transceiver systems. With expert consultation for practical system solutions, Phoenix Contact is your
Laser-based wind measurements from Ecofys could reduce cost of energy from wind farms
April 12, 2013 : 0 Comments
Ecofys consultants recently initiated a study to help bring down costs for wind energy projects in the Netherlands. Results indicate that using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) can increase the value of a typical Dutch wind farm by over €1 million. These first-time results quantify how much targeted measurement campaigns help improve the value of
Reconsidering the upper limits of wind power
April 10, 2013 : 0 Comments
This article comes from EurekaAlert in which a Harvard researcher suggests a real-world limit to the generating capacity of wind farms and that it has been overestimated despite its enormity. “People have often thought there’s no upper bound for wind power—that it’s one of the most scalable power sources,” says Harvard applied physicist David Keith.
Energy-futures study reveals potential for cuts to petroleum use
April 9, 2013 : 0 Comments
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have released the Transportation Energy Futures (TEF) study, an assessment of avenues to reach deep cuts in petroleum use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. “Transportation is an engine of our economic strength, but it also
The Obama Administration’s second term carbon and clean energy agenda
April 3, 2013 : 0 Comments
Editor’s note: This article, from law firm Baker McKenzie, is authored by Richard M. Saines, Marisa Ann Martin Lewandowski, Daniel Rafeollo Design Deo, and Daniel Firger. Author page »Author page »Author page » Part I: Greenhouse Gas Regulation Renewed focus on GHG reductions a key priority in the Aministration’s second term impacts
Can the wind industry solve the world’s potable water shortage?
April 3, 2013 : 2 Comments
A shortage of clean drinkable water spans the globe. A recent TV program highlighted the worldwide scarcity of potable water with one scene in particular from India showing men standing in a well handing buckets of slightly muddy water considered drinkable to those outside. A lawyer from Israel remarked to me that most patents issued
