Clean fuels are becoming a priority for the United States Alternative fuels are becoming more important in the United States. Beyond the environmental benefits of these fuels, they also boast of potential economic benefits. A new report from Energy.gov suggests that alternative fuels could increase the number of options that are available to drivers. This would increase competition in the fueling sector, which would reduce price volatility. Per Energy.gov, alternative fuels are categorized as biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, propane, and hydrogen. Report highlights the growing role that alternative fuels are…
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United Kingdom launches Marine Energy Array Demonstrator project to fund development of wave energy
Alternative wave energy project moves forward. The United Kingdom has launched a new funding program for wave energy called the Marine Energy Array Demonstrator (MEAD). The project will fund two initiatives that are focused on developing wave energy systems and technologies that will harness the power of tides. These initiatives will split $31 million in funding and will be tasked with developing systems that will generate at least 7 gigawatts of electricity each year. MEAD receives funding from the Department of Energy and Climate change, which is currently pursuing alternatives…
Read MoreGeothermal Energy Association reports on growth seen in the U.S.
Geothermal energy being tapped in the United States Geothermal energy is experiencing strong growth in the U.S. according to the Geothermal Energy Association. Geothermal energy has been growing in popularity in the U.S. recently as an alternative to fossil-fuels. The country is focused on an “all-of-the-above” energy plan which has it pursuing various renewable fuels. Geothermal power is common in Japan, where the energy is used to heat homes throughout the country. The association has released a new report showing the growth of the geothermal industry in 2011. According to…
Read MoreSaab may be revived as a maker of electric vehicles
Defunct automaker Saab may soon be revived as a maker of electric vehicles if new investors have their way. Saab closed its doors in January 2012 after more than 65 years of business. The company had struggled financially for several years before it was closed down and hosted a sleuth of complicated, and sometimes tense, relationship with other automakers. General Motors purchased the company in 1990, but Saab was unable to live up to the larger automaker’s expectations. Saab closed its doors in January this year after a Chinese consortium…
Read MoreBMW unveils its electric-gas hybrid i8 Spyder concept car
Hybrid cars just got sexy BMW is looking to expand its portfolio of alternative energy vehicles and has begun branching off from its interest in hydrogen fuel cells. The automaker is one of the many in the industry that has been focusing on hydrogen recently. Fuel cells have become the primary focus for the industry due to the fact that they can match or exceed the performance of internal combustion engines. BMW believes that hydrogen will not be the only thing powering future vehicles and claims that gasoline will still…
Read MoreSan Francisco named as North America’s Cleantech Capital by the Cleantech Group
San Francisco, California, has claimed the title as “Cleantech Capital” of North America this week. The title is awarded by the Cleantech Group, a market intelligence firm focused on alternative energy and sustainability. San Francisco was chosen because of its exemplary commitment to alternative energies like solar, hydrogen and wind power. Cleantech noted that the city is also quite attractive to renewable energy groups looking to expand and attract investors. The Cleantech Group notes that San Francisco is home to more than 200 alternative energy companies and investment groups. These…
Read More2011 natural disasters spur renewed enthusiasm for alternative energy
The Munich Reinsurance Company, a reinsurance and ratings firm serving the global insurance industry, has released a new report concerning the economic losses of natural disasters in 2011. The report notes that last year saw more than 820 natural disasters, many of which were man-made. These catastrophes resulted in 27,000 deaths and more than $380 billion in losses around the world. In terms of casualties, 2011 was more lenient than 2010, but was much more damaging to the global economy. The report notes that one of the worst disasters of…
Read MoreDirect methanol fuel cells could lead to consumer acceptance of hydrogen energy
Alternative energy is becoming a popular subject as more people grow conscious of their impact on the environment. As such, more attention is being drawn to various types of energy systems that have, until recently, been ignored by the community at large. One of these energy systems is direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). These variants of the hydrogen fuel cell were first developed by the Caltech/NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory with the help of the University of California in 1990. Unlike their hydrogen counterparts, these fuel cells are well suited for…
Read MoreBill Gates trumps the importance of clean and accessible energy for developing countries
Bill Gates is well known around the world as the founder of Microsoft, the technology company of gargantuan influence. In recent years, Gates has been playing a larger role in the world of philanthropy, using his position as one of the world’s wealthiest men to help developing countries liberate themselves from poverty. Gates has long been a proponent of ending poverty and has been focusing his efforts on helping impoverished countries through the use of alternative energy. Speaking at the Wall Street Journal ECO:nomics forum this week, Gates expressed the…
Read MoreObama administration launches Green Button Initiative to make America more aware of its energy consumption
Last week, the Obama administration launched a new program it is calling the Green Button Initiative. Simply put, the Initiative is a website featuring a large green button. Clicking on the button allows U.S. residents to submit their energy consumption data, which will be converted into an easy to understand format. This data is meant to help people understand how they use energy and suggest ways to help them be more efficient about their consumption. The Green Button Initiative aims to provide consumers with access to their energy data on…
Read MoreKarabag launches world’s first nationwide electric vehicle service network in Germany
The auto industry is undergoing a bit of a technological revolution these days. Automakers are adopting new technologies to power their vehicles, such as hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries. While this may be a welcome change for environmentalists, many drivers are not very keen on the shift in technology. Drivers have long been capable of fixing any problem they may have with their cars themselves, if motivated enough to do so. Such do-it-yourself fixes are popular, allowing drivers to sidestep costly trips to mechanics. New technology, however, is not…
Read MoreEnergy Information Administration report shows oil imports are at their lowest point since 1999
A new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), a branch of the Department of Energy, shows that imports of crude oil have fallen since 2005. Several factors have contributed to the drop in imports over the years, including political tension with the Middle East and a new focus on alternative energy and efficiency. The report indicates that in 2011, oil imports hit the lowest point they have been since 1999. According to the report, oil imports have dropped by 12% since 2005. In recent years – 2009 and…
Read MoreNew Zealand on track to become an alternative energy powerhouse
Alternative energy is on the rise in New Zealand, according to Industrial Info, a market intelligence firm specializing in renewable fuel. The firm has been tracking the progress of alternative energy projects in the country for some time and notes that the country could be on the verge of becoming one of the world’s alternative energy powerhouses. New Zealand has been home to very ambitious sustainability projects, including wind and solar farms as well as hydrogen power installations. This year, the country will see several new energy projects taking root,…
Read MoreOriginOil looks to build urban algae farm to treat wastewater and generate heat for homes
Algae are getting more attention from the world of science for its possible uses as a source of alternative energy. These simple organisms are very easy to manage and have shown strong resilience to a variety of environments that would be somewhat hostile to other life forms. As such, Algae have become a popular subject for use as a form of organic power. OriginOil, a company that converts algae into fuel, is looking to show off the uses for the organism in a new pilot project that will be launched…
Read MoreMIT study indicates that the U.S. can store a century of carbon dioxide emission in underground aquifers
A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have released a new study that suggests the U.S. can store a massive quantity of its CO2 emissions in underground saline aquifers. Carbon capture and storage is a technological pursuit which attempts to prevent the release of harmful emissions generated by fossil-fuel power plants. This method has been gaining popularity in the realms of alternative energy and environmentalism due to its implications in mitigating or halting the progress of climate change. According to the study, the U.S. has the…
Read MoreStaten Island’s old landfill to be home to new alternative energy projects
New York City’s Staten Island is known for a great many things. Often called the “Forgotten Borough,” Staten Island is home to some of New York City’s largest marathons as well as one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, the Staten Island Ferry. Unfortunately, the Island is also known for its expansive garbage dump. The landfill houses a significant amount of the waste produced by New York City. The landfill was closed in early 2011 after having serviced more than two billion tons of garbage. Now, the dump could…
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