Alternative Energy Hub

Company Working To Develop Solar Energy Windows

March 30, 2011 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Solar

New Energy Technologies, Inc., together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a developer of Among the Company’s technologies under development are: * MotionPower(TM) roadway systems for generating electricity by capturing the kinetic energy produced by moving vehicles – a patent-pending technology, the subject of nine patent applications in the United States and two international patent filings. An estimated 250 million registered vehicles drive more than six billion miles on America’s roadways, every day; and * SolarWindow(TM) technologies which enable see-thru windows to generate electricity by ‘spraying’ their glass surfaces with New Energy’s electricity-generating coatings. These solar coatings are less than 1/10th the thickness of ‘thin’ films and make use of the world’s smallest functional solar cells, shown to successfully produce electricity in a published peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy of the American Institute of Physics. Through established relationships with universities, research institutions, and commercial partners, we strive to identify technologies and business opportunities on the leading edge of renewable energy innovation.

For additional information, visit: www.newenergytechnologiesinc.com.

The New Role of Microbes in Bio-fuel Production

March 28, 2011 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Biofuels

This special protein can be refined in The task is to make the microbes produce only this kind of protein rather than utilizing it for their own growth and growth related activities as they otherwise do. Different from prior practice This kind of biofuel production is different from the traditional behavior of microbes where they use the protein only for growth. This is like tricking the microbes to deviate from that and produce fats or material that can be converted to biofuel. In the words of UCLA postdoctoral student and lead researcher, Yi-xin Huo -“We have to completely redirect the protein utilization system, which is one of the most highly-regulated systems in the cell.” First attempt at protein utilization This has been claimed as the first ever attempt to use the proteins as a source for generating energy. Until now the biofuel-producing algae has not made use of the protein like a carbon supply for biofuel.

Bacteria Into Butanol Biofuel Factories

March 2, 2011 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Biofuels

University of California, Berkeley, chemists have engineered bacteria to churn out a gasoline-like biofuel at about 10 times the rate of competing microbes, a breakthrough that could soon provide an affordable and “green” transportation fuel. The advance is reported in this week’s issue of the journal Nature Chemical Biology by Michelle C. Y. Chang, assistant professor of chemistry at UC Berkeley, graduate student Brooks B. Bond-Watts and recent UC Berkeley graduate Robert J. Bellerose. Various species of the Clostridium bacteria naturally produce a chemical called n-butanol (normal butanol) that has been proposed as a substitute for diesel oil and gasoline. While most researchers, including a few biofuel companies, have genetically altered Clostridium to boost its ability to produce n-butanol, others have plucked enzymes from the bacteria and inserted them into other microbes, such as yeast, to turn them into n-butanol factories. Yeast and E. coli, one of the main bacteria in the human gut, are considered to be easier to grow on an industrial scale.

Solar Powered Wheelchair Sets World Records

January 25, 2011 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Transportation

Haidar Taleb, a 47 year old man from UAE, displayed a rare combination of human spirit and willpower when he took up a 200-mile long journey on a wheel chair that he has built for himself which runs on solar power. Being a person with polio since the age of 4 has not stopped him from taking up this challenge on this wheelchair, a piece of technological innovation. World Records In Haidar’s Name. Since this is not the first time Haider has taken up such journey on his solar powered wheel chair, he will have more than one record in his name once he finishes this tour. These include, Entering Guinness Book of World Records by traveling 80 miles during a 14-hour trip from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah at a speed of 12 mph on a solar-powered wheelchair. Making his own record better by 200 miles, mentioned above on the same wheel chair.

Best Green Car Of 2011: Chevrolet Volt

January 24, 2011 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Transportation

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt became the first electric car to be chosen as the Green Car of the Year 2011. Chevrolet Volt received this honor at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which is held every year by the Green Car Journal. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt electric car was chosen as the electric car of the year by an eminent jury, which consisted of the editors of Green Car Journal, Jean Michel President of Ocean Futures Society, Carl Pope Chairman of Sierra Club, and the host of Tonight Show Jay Leno, who happens to be a big fan of cars. The competition for the Green car of the year was tough. In the finals 2011 Chevrolet Volt had to compete in this category with other big names in the field of electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, the Lincoln MKZ, Hyundai Sonata, two hybrids and a Ford Fiesta subcompact. So what makes 2011 Chevrolet Volt, run on electricity a green car?

Facts About The German EEG Program

January 16, 2011 Cassandra Milligan Featured

Thus the national average consumer pricewas 4.20/0.16 = 26.3 eurocents/kWh. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz http://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/files/pdfs/allgemein/application/pdf/ee_in_deutschland_graf_tab.pdf http://www.ag-energiebilanzen.de/viewpage.php?idpage=65 . Notes: - In 2011, Germany had the 2nd highest household electric rate in Europe, Denmark was No.1 at 30.5 eurocents/kWh. - The 2011 EEG apportionment reflects the energy production of the renewable systems installed PRIOR to 2011. Renewables Build-out: As the phase-out of the nuclear plants proceeds and to meet Germany's self-imposed 2020 CO2 emissions targets, the following will need to be installed during the next 9 years to augment the renewables energy production from 101.8 TWh in 2010, or 16.8% of production, to 344 TWh in 2020, or 57% of production. - About 53,300 MW of NEW offshore and 696 MW of NEW onshore wind capacity (about 2 times existing, buildrate about 6,000 MW/yr) - About 64,680 MW of NEW solar capacity (almost 4 times existing, buildrate about 7,000 MW/yr) - About 1,400 MW of NEW biomass capacity (about 0.3 times existing, buildrate about 150 MW/yr) This reference shows how the above renewables capacities were calculated. http://theenergycollective.com/willem-post/67528/german-nuclear-phase-out-and-renewables-build-out Renewables investments, subsidies, and EEG apportionments will increase, even though the feed-in tariffs for later solar installations are less/kWh than for earlier installations. EEG Subsidy Projection: In this study the subsidy was calculated using the following assumptions and conditions; - The annual production remains constant at 603 TWh in 2010 through 2020 due to increased energy efficiency. - The renewable energy is 16.8% of production in 2010, or 101.8 TWh, and 57% , or 344 TWh in 2020. - The build-out starts the beginning of 2012 and ends the end of 2020, i.e., 9 years, for calculation purposes. - The EEG percentage remains at 79% of renewables production. - The EEG subsidy remains constant at 15.85 eurocent/kWh from 2012 to 2020; a conservative value because it should be rising due to the more expensive offshore build-out being added to the renewables mix. - The EEG apportionment increases at a constant 1.25 eurocent/kWh each year from 2013 to 2021; a conservative value

It may become 6.5 - 7.5 eurocent/kWh in 2014. http://www.germanenergyblog.de/?p=7846 Based on the above assumptions and conditions, the EEG subsidy are estimated to rise from 12.8 bn euros in 2010 to 43.1 bn euros in 2021, for a total of 321.67 bn euros for the 2012 - 2021 period. The revenue from selling the EEG energy is estimated at 101.45 bn euros for the 2012 - 2021 period. The net cost

They act as a steadily-increasing regressive tax that will affect lower income households more than higher income households, many of which receive feed-in tariff benefits from having solar systems; an inequitable condition. http://thebreakthrough.org/blog//2011/06/analysis_germanys_plan_to_phas-print.html http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-31/merkel-faces-achilles-heel-in-grids-to-unplug-german-nuclear.html http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/829664/revealed_how_your_country_compares_on_renewable_investment.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_Germany http://www.diw.de/sixcms/media.php/73/diw_wr_2011-06.pdf http://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/19388/1/358.pdf http://www.bmu.de/files/english/pdf/application/pdf/ee_in_zahlen_2010_en_bf.pdf http://www.polderpv.nl/EEG_impact_BRD.htm http://www.polderpv.nl/PV_weltmeister_2010_II.htm http://www.welt.de/dieweltbewegen/article13506987/Energiewende-kostet-335-Milliarden-Euro.html SUMMARY OF ESTIMATED CAPITAL AND OTHER COSTS This is a summary of my estimate of the capital costs and other costs for phase-out the nuclear plants, restoring the sites, adding fossil plants to replace nuclear plants, building out renewables to replace nuclear energy, adding wind and solar energy balancing plants, reorganizing electric grids and increased energy efficiency over 9 years to satisfy Germany's self-imposed 2020 CO2 emissions targets

The capital cost estimate appears too low, the cost savings, much more difficult to estimate, appear much too great. Example showing EIA capital cost estimates are much too low: Siemens estimates the total price tag of meeting Germany’s renewable, energy efficiency and CO2 emissions goals at about 1.7 trillion euros ($2.26 trillion) by 2030; the estimate includes decommissioning nuclear plants, energy storage and CO2 sequestering systems. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/17/us-siemens-energy-idUSTRE80G10920120117 Remember that does not get Germany to its energy and CO2 emission goals by 2050, which would be about another 1.7 trillion euros ($2.26 trillion), for a total of $4.5 trillion by 2050. If the US were to follow Germany's course, the cost would be about ($14.5 trillion, US GDP)/($3.5 trillion, German GDP) x $2.26 trillion = $9.36 trillion, plus about another $9.36 trillion for 2050 emission goals, for a total of about $18.7 trillion by 2050. The US cost likely would be even greater as it is more spread-out than Germany and more of its aging electrical systems would need to be upgraded and replaced. It is 100% sure, the US will NOT follow on that course anytime soon, if ever, and almost all other nations will not either. Additional estimates of capital and other costs are in these URLs. http://theenergycollective.com/willem-post/67528/german-nuclear-decommissioning-and-renewables-build-out http://www.welt.de/dieweltbewegen/article13506987/Energiewende-kostet-335-Milliarden-Euro.html IMPACT OF NUCLEAR PHASE-OUT ON THE GERMAN ECONOMY The existing power generation system is based on 60% fossil, 23% nuclear and 16.8% renewables

Will Oil Run Out Before We Get Enough Alternative Energy Online?

November 9, 2010 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Energy

NEW FORECAST WARNS OIL WILL RUN DRY BEFORE SUBSTITUTES ROLL OUT At the current pace of research and development, global oil will run out 90 years before replacement technologies are ready, says a new University of California, Davis, study based on stock market expectations. The forecast was published online Monday (Nov. 8) in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. It is based on the theory that long-term investors are good predictors of whether and when new energy technologies will become commonplace. “Our results suggest it will take a long time before renewable replacement fuels can be self-sustaining, at least from a market perspective,” said study author Debbie Niemeier, a UC Davis professor of civil and environmental engineering. Niemeier and co-author Nataliya Malyshkina, a UC Davis postdoctoral researcher, set out to create a new tool that would help policymakers set realistic targets for environmental sustainability and evaluate the progress made toward those goals.

Selling Biofuels On Open Exchange

October 28, 2010 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Biofuels

The World’s Only Web-Based Biofuels Exchange Opens Today Denver, CO (10/28/10). The US Biofuels Exchange, “the US-BX”, has opened today for live Ethanol and Biodiesel trading and will offer free trading on all listings posted before January 1, 2011. The US-BX’s web address is www.us-bx.com. The US-BX’s proprietary “two-sided” trading platform was designed with direct input from Biofuels industry professionals, including Ethanol Producers, Biodiesel Producers, Biofuels Brokers and Petroleum Marketers. It is the most exciting, efficient and cost effective way to buy and sell Biofuels worldwide. Allowing registered users to Post, Buy, Sell and Make Offers on and to both “Lot For Sale” and “Lot Wanted” listings, certifies that the US-BX is truly a disruptive innovation that will forever change the way Biofuels are bought and sold; the ultimate sales and procurement tool, bringing unmatched efficiency and cost effectiveness to a traditionally limited and outdated trading method. And since the US-BX is web-based and utilizes “Cloud Computing” standards, no software needs to be purchased, downloaded or installed on the user’s computer.

Cheapest Green Car – Honda Fit Hybrid

September 27, 2010 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Transportation

In tune with its focus on continuing with combining hybrid attempts and smaller size, Honda is offering another hybrid – the smallest and cheapest. This fall, Honda’s Fit will be on sale in Japan priced at 1.6 million yen hoping to become an instant hit. Honda will be launching the cute little car in the 2010 Auto Show at Paris in October under the name Honda Fit Hybrid. Its petrol version, called Jazz/Honda Fit is already in the markets. The Hybrid Fit will have the distinction of being the first hybrid subcompact car model marketed by Honda. The new hybrid from Honda stable: Honda Fit is the third of the hybrid series Honda has added to the CR-Z hybrid cars. The neat little line-up includes Civic, Accord and Honda Insight. The economical Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) setup used in the Insight would be incorporated in the Honda Fit Hybrid as well Electric & petrol Unit in tandem: Reports indicate that Fit will be fitted with Honda’s 1.3 litre/4-cylinder petrol unit to work in tandem with a 9.7kW electric motor and is expected to generate about 97hp.

Ten Million Solar Roofs Bill Moves Forward in Senate

July 24, 2010 Cassandra Milligan Alternative Energy, Solar

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ Ten Million Solar Roofs bill was approved this week by the Senate Energy Committee and now can move forward to a full Senate vote. With the Committee’s approval, Sen. Sanders has asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to include the bill in the comprehensive energy legislation that Sen Reid is trying to get passed this summer. The Sanders bill would give rebates for smaller solar projects – under two megawatts in capacity. It’s designed to push individual and smaller localized solar power, create jobs, reduce the cost of solar power technology, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill proposes rebates for these smaller solar projects, in the amount of $1.75 per watt in 2010 and 2011, with lower rebates going forward. The rebates would cover about half of the project costs that would remain after current federal and local incentives are taken into account.

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