I mentioned this on hugg a while back-- I've just been floored, am totally in love with this and have great plans for the moment the ice thaws!! Woop Woop is all I can say-- this rocks my world. Say hello to THE eco-conscious extreme sport!
See two things; one is that I used to love water skiing like there was no tomorrow. When i was a kid i taught skiing, i ate skiing and dreamed about getting through the slalom course at 28mph so I could get my gold badge.. I actually loved the smell of gasoline in the morning because i had a Pavlovian association between that olfactory sensation and the feeling of a mirror-smooth lake at sunrise about to get shredded by me, the boat and my slalom skis. But as I grew an ecological consciousness i had to forgo that passion. You just can't justify the wastefulness.
So now, I live on the beach, about 40 minutes by bike outside of the downtown core, and while taking this most awesome bike path to the GreenLiving HQ-- i get mesmerized daily by these freaks in dry suits who are booking across the water, cutting 10 ft spray off the boards and basically shredding. And without a boat!!! I've dreamed of this.... So, after asking everyone I could about what they think it's called, I finally found it on wikipedia, and even better yet, have found this school right down the street from my house, and am signing up for classes, like i said as soon as it thaws. I can't wait! A new addiction!!! Wooo hooo!!
And that's why I was pleased as a peanut this morning to read the PR Release from Torrence CA's PacWind Technologies. as they announced today the availability of its patented, scaleable Vertical Axis Wind Turbine the Sea Hawk.
The SeaHawk, the first turbine in a series, has a power output of 1 kilowatt and a maximum power output of 3.4 kilowatts (retails for $4,495-- batteries not included). The SeaHawk measures 55 inches high by 30 inches in diameter. This PacWind VAWT is scaleable to megawatt class turbines. The compact SeaHawk design enables freedom of choice and flexibility for installations, and allows one or more units to mount on a single pole. The unit is also roof-top mountable, and can be set as high or low as the winds demand. Custom mounts are also available. It "incorporates PacWind's patented, permanent magnet, three-phase A.C. generator, containing the most powerful rare-earth magnets in the industry. This allows the VAWT to produce more power at lower wind speeds compared to propeller driven generators,"
Sure there are some questions about using AC and storing it (ok you wont need an inverter to run your house, and it's easier for grid connecting). And it isn't quite as hot as the Texan MagWind. But it does look like a winner. AC makes it about 1/2 price, and they are looking for distributors and dealers... so this is kinda a groundfloor opportunity for someone out there.... I am wondering though.. to me it looks a lot like Quebec's CataVent a 12 year old VAWT: what do you think?
The U.S. Department of Energy, NREL, and Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) recently signed an agreement for a "wind to hydrogen" research, development and demonstration project. Pretty cool. As the focus is electrolizing water into Hydrogen with air power :DDD
The new wind-electrolysis system will be at NREL's National Wind Technology Center, where hydrogen will be produced, compressed and stored to be used as a vehicle fuel or to generate electricity. The project will compare electrolyzer technologies and researchers will examine issues related to system efficiency, integration, compression, storage, cost and the use of a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas. "One unique feature of this system is the direct connection between the wind turbine and the electrolyzer, which will make the system more efficient," (yeah.... fairly unique... in Toronto on the lakeshore there's one of those that's been making H from wind for almost 2 years now). Still a good bigger-than-a-baby step!
ok you know me, you know i love vertical axis wind turbines so I'm happy to say that there seems to be yet one more design that is now getting some nice attention! yay!! it's from a show Globe2006 and they talk a bit about this groovy gyroscopically stabilized VAWT! it's the SRI and while it looks big, apparently they have a model that will do your home, and cost only $4,000 (thats canadian, so it's a little under $3,500 US). Not bad....
Fallsbrook Technologies and Valvoline announced today that they've entered into a trademark licensing and development agreement to design, test and market specialty fluids designed to optimize the performance of Fallbrook's NuVinci continuously variable planetary (CVP) transmission technology. The NuVinci technology is the most practical, economical and universally adaptable CVP for human-powered and motor-powered vehicles and machines. It is also ideally suited for applications in many major industries, ranging from bicycles, light electric vehicles (LEVs), and automobiles to trucks, agricultural equipment, and utility-class wind turbines, among others. CVPs use a set of rotating balls between the input and output components of a transmission. Tilting the balls changes their contact diameters and varies the speed ratio. I know it sounds complex but here's what it means to you: Seamless, instant shifting over an infinite number of gear ratios, up to a 400% ratio range with no steps or pulsation & no gaps between gears, and improved vehicle range, acceleration and hill climbing capability.
My old partner the lovely and talented dj semira just sent me this news bite:
It appears that Quebec's provincial utility company Hydro-Quebec has issued a call for tenders for 2 GW of new wind power generation. The new capacity is to be staggered in annual blocks of 300-450 MW. Individual wind projects may account for all or part of a year's block, while contracts between the project developers and the electricity distributors will range from between 15-25 years, depending on the regulator. By 2014 Quebec's total installed wind capacity will be 3500 MW, representing an investment of approximately 5$billion, and nearly 10% of Hydro Quebec's total installed capacity. The deadline for the submission of bids is 17 April 2007, with preference being given to projects that benefit local communities or native peoples in Quebec. Got a great idea for a wind farm? You still have some time to make it, as Hydro Quebec says, all bidders interested in submitting a bid must register for the call for tenders and pay the registration fee ($1,000) by 4:00 p.m. (Montréal time), December 15, 2006. Aiiiight! Get crackin!
welcome to the wacky world of Vertical Axis Wind Turines! treehugger has this super cute pic on their site today talking about The QuietRevolution; these really hot vertical turbines that light up at night! And, being the TH-junkie that i am, went to comment right away. And i was going to splather the comments with a bunch of links (like I often do- under my typekey pseudonym du jour) 'bout all of these different types of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines.. instead I simply wrote: "VAWTs ROCK THe HOUSE!!" and that was it(!) Besides, it was a really hot VAWT: Carbon fiber ...only one moving part... I may have a new winner in my favorite VAWT catregory. " There were others... I used to have a thing for that one up there-- still do. My first vawtlove, the Windaus (which BTW STILL has the best homepage for any vawt) was a local one. But like I said, there have been others.. See, here's the deal. They make no noise (ok the mega-huge 1.5MW turbines don't iether), and kill no birds or bats --again with most new mega turbines that isn't a problem, but if you live in the country and want to have a 2KW Bergy or SouthWest Windpower, you will have noise and you will have dead birds... and you don't go to the country to hear a windmill whine.. So again, VAWTs ROCK THe HOUSE!!
...and they have cool designs like mad!! ( Read more... )
more DayStar news more DaySTar news, more!! It appears that DayStar is getting new digs. If you've been here for a while you know just how much i love Day Star technolgies, and who couldn't love em?
But now heer's the new secret... it appears that the developer who's building their shiny new new factory just got the approval ($$$) and the building's coming up soon. And i still swear that within one year, Day Start is going to be a fairly common (if not household) name...
record year for clean power! WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. wind energy industry easily broke earlier annual installed capacity records in 2005, installing nearly 2,500 megawatts (MW) or over $3 billion worth of new generating equipment in 22 states, according to the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Instead of the slow year that has previously followed boom years for the industry, 2006 is expected to be even bigger, with installations topping 3,000 MW. The final tally of 2,431 MW boosted the cumulative U.S. installed wind power fleet by over 35%, bringing the industry's total generating capacity to 9,149 MW(1). The previous record capacity figure was set in 2001 when 1,697 MW of new capacity was installed.
Everybody's favorite natural food store goes green (energy)! Well wonderful news today! Whole Foods Market just broke the wind barrier, with the a purchase order for 100% more wind power generators than anyone has ever ordered. That's right they're 250+ stores are going to run 100% off wind energy! I'd write more, but there's no need to, remember i mentions a fellow named Shea Gunther a few days ago (green carnival)? Well turns out he was one of the founders of a company called Renewable Choice and they are the people who are actually going to make all of this happen. So that guy Shea Gunther has a blog and obviously the inside scoop, so what are you waiting for? go to his Musings of an Eco Entrepreneur and read all about it!
finally some class and poise in Atlantic City According to Renewable Energy Access the hottest new hybrid is a wind/solar system being installed in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The project is located at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) wastewater treatment facility on the coast in Atlantic City, New Jersey (have you noticed a trend here? I have. Its seems like people can't get enough green energy when it comes to lighting up their wastewater treatment plants. Why is this??). Community Energy (CEI) of Pennsylvania was in charge of the wind component while the multi-array solar component was a joint venture between WorldWater & Power Corp. and New Jersey-based Alternity Power, a new division of construction contractor, the Conti Group.
The 504 kW solar electric system uses Sharp solar modules and a variety of Xantrex inverters spread out over five different arrays including two rooftop arrays, a large solar carport structure, and two ground-mounted systems. Lat week they had a dedication ceremony to represent the completion of phase one, the solar carport, featuring 936 separate modules. They also announced at the cerermony that they will be installing several GE Ecomagination wind turbines!
While the whole system will produce around 1/2 MW of electricity, they say that that's about 3-5% of what the treatment facility uses on a daily basis. Still it's impressive. Why? Because the planners knew that they could get more from hybridizing the systems then they could from any one technology! And this is a big step (sure we know that they will get more bang for their buck if they got some poo-digestors and also invested in some living machine technologies to reduce their electricity needs, but hey, first things first...) so kudos to the entire Garden State team!
Ontario is about to leap ahead of the rest of North America with sweeping new all inclusive green energy deal! Big breaking news! Sometime in September they are going to announce it, and by years end they planning on implementing a renewable energy scheme that will most certainly help Ontario leapfrog into the 21st century in clean green style! Last week Dwight Duncan, Minister of Energy for the province, sent letters to the OPA (Ontario Power Authority) and the Ontario Energy Board instructing them to implement specific changes by December. These changes will facilitate this renewal, and that is pretty much what it is, a virtual renaissance (of green energy)!
This is how it breaks down; the province has decided that it will pay people a premium for green energy. Called feed-in tariffs, they are in use in Germany and Japan and being looked at seriously by several US states and some of our Provinces. So far Ontario is the first to step up to the plate,( Read more... )
... and this is genius genius!! Co-Operative Financial Services (and when they say co-operative they mean co-operative!) has not only just covered their CIS Building in Manchester with the largest vertical display of PV cells in the UK. They've gone WAY WAY better! They put 24 microturbine wind generators on the roof. This is the biggest urban wind farm yet. The company kicks ass! Gary Thomas, who's head of property and facilities at CFS says in this BBC Article, that he is so stoked by the progress that he's going to kick the plan down on another 200 of their buildings! oh and guess what? He says they are going to ammortize in three years! ok. no more excuses for ANYONE!
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