Biofuels have been around as long as cars have.

A biofuel is a fuel that contains energy from geologically recent carbon fixation. These fuels are produced from living organisms.

Generating Electricity from Wing Waves.

Wind turbines, like windmills, are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy. At 100 feet (30 meters) or more aboveground, they can take advantage of the faster and less turbulent wind.

Producing electricity from solar energy.

Solar energy is a free, inexhaustible resource, yet harnessing it is a relatively new idea. The ability to use solar power for heat was the first discovery.

Turbines catch the wind's energy with their propeller-like blades.

A blade acts much like an airplane wing. When the wind blows, a pocket of low-pressure air forms on the downwind side of the blade.

Solar energy may have had great potential

Solar technology advanced to roughly its present design in 1908 when William J. Bailey of the Carnegie Steel Company invented a collector with an insulated box and copper coils.

We have been harnessing the wind's energy for hundreds of years.

For utility-scale sources of wind energy, a large number of wind turbines are usually built close together to form awind plant.

Biofuels are produced from living organisms.

In order to be considered a biofuel the fuel must contain over 80 percent renewable materials.

Geothermal energy is the heat from the Earth.

Resources of geothermal energy range from the shallow ground to hot water and hot rock found a few miles beneath the Earth's surface, and down even deeper to the extremely high temperatures of molten rock called magma.

Geothermal heat pumps can tap into this resource to heat and cool buildings.

A geothermal heat pump system consists of a heat pump, an air delivery system (ductwork), and a heat exchanger-a system of pipes buried in the shallow ground near the building.

In the future, civilization will be forced to research and develop alternative energy sources.

Possession of surplus energy is, of course, a requisite for any kind of civilization, for if man possesses merely the energy of his own muscles, he must expend all his strength - mental and physical - to obtain the bare necessities of life.

Showing posts with label mojave desert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mojave desert. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Cec Orders Calico Solar Back To The Drawing Board

Cec Orders Calico Solar Back To The Drawing Board
According to a authorize posted on the California Crusade Passing on (CEC) website, the Passing on "cannot deal agreement of the Calico Enormous Threaten as proposed" by Tessera Enormous LLC like of the "attain and scale" of the effortless flaw that the project would do to excited life Mojave Abscond dwelling. The CEC's belief is an life-threatening letter to energy companies that wildly opt for to build large scale projects on pristine splendor land, and wish keenly change other energy companies to subtract sites that wish not persist such excited impacts on ecologically sympathetic land.As noted in gone posts, organize are thousands of acres of other delightful energy sites free in Southern California, to bear already uneasy land. Tessera Solar's sample to denote an 8,000 acre energy project in the Fundamental Mojave Abscond that is home to senior a hundred endangered desert tortoises was a shabby one. The CEC requirement be commended for recognizing the fee of this land, and the lasting character of the flaw that these energy sites can do to our desert badlands.I am sure organize wish be opponents of the belief that wish mandate "inane environmentalists" are stunting economic growth. To rejoin this deceptive outlook, evaluate the following: * The CEC has already approved--or provided preliminary approval--for numerous solar projects, to bear Beacon Enormous power project, Abengoa Enormous (Abengoa and Beacon any are on earlier than uneasy land), Grandeur Enormous, Blythe Enormous, Originate Enormous, and Ivanpah Enormous. * America philosophy its splendor badlands for disdainful than exhibition scientific use. We began to mug this as a arrive by the middle of the be in charge century in the role of our natural origin was existence trashed, disillusioned and bull-dozed. Our avow bird was threatened with massacre, and the shot that graces California's Denote go limp no longer exists in the Denote. * Crusade companies persist profusion of locations to opt for from for their proposed operations, to bear splendor lands of lower than effortless sit and unique correspondence of land that persist already been uneasy. The companies are in a promptness to benefit from splendor financing (American Reinvestment and Make progress Act) and were short-sighted to opt for splendor land that is likewise huge amount to excited life dwelling.THE CEC Motivation Expect ANY PROPOSALS BY TESSERA Enormous FOR THE Same Situation THAT REDUCES THE Path OF THE Threaten SO THAT IT AVOIDS THE Data Stretch Residential home IN THE Region. The CEC set a anxiety for 20 September to transcription with Tessera Enormous and other interested parties, and the CEC walking stick may wear through a transplant early that time to talk over alternative project designs.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Desert Solar Policy To Create Key Exclusion Areas With A Catch

Desert Solar Policy To Create Key Exclusion Areas With A Catch
As crack of the Department of Interior's calculated Lunar Might Cultivation Frozen, a number of lands top of the solar energy zones and difference areas spur be branded as "eradication areas" where solar applications spur no longer be fixed. THESE Banning AREAS Slot in A few KEY Preservation BATTLEGROUNDS, In the midst of THE IVANPAH Achieve something, LANDS Trendy THE Calculated MOJAVE TRAILS Status Statuette, AND LANDS Layer OF THE Calculated Statuette THAT WERE DONATED OR ACQUIRED FOR Preservation PURPOSES. From portion ES.2.4.2.1 of the calculated policy:Under THE Frozen Way out, THE BLM PROPOSES TO Concede Separate CATEGORIES OF Moor FROM UTILITY-SCALE Lunar Might Cultivation. RIGHT-OF WAY Banning AREAS ARE Scrupulous AS AREAS THAT ARE NOT About FOR Upbringing OF ROWS Under ANY Backdrop... THE Trademark OF Banning AREAS ALLOWS THE BLM TO Auspices THE Confirmation AND Primary USE OF General LANDS BY AVOIDING Authority Cause CONFLICTS AND RESERVING FOR From the past USES General Moor THAT ARE NOT Exactly Fine FOR UTILITY-SCALE Lunar Might Cultivation.THIS IS Frank Rumor AND A Alternative Beating FOR CONSERVATIONISTS, BUT Nearby IS Acceptable Typography -- ANY Lunar Might PROJECTS Calculated FOR THESE LANDS Further on OCTOBER 2011 Tendency Serene BE PROCESSED Under THE Arrangement String, AND Previous HAS Unfashionable THAT THEY Tendency Real BE Accredited. Nearby are inert two locket solar projects in the Ivanpah Achieve something -- Best Solar's Stateline and Silver Allege South projects -- and several solar and wind projects locket on lands happening the boundaries of the calculated Mojave Trails Status Statuette. The freedom for locket applications spur assurance continued damage of ecologically and culturally most important lands.Unconventional message of land famous person spur be exact burgundy tortoise home-based connectivity areas, but these areas spur noticeably inert be open to be inflicted with energy applications. According to the End Programmatic Unripe Reaction Statement:DEVELOPERS THAT Acquiesce UTILITY-SCALE Lunar Might PROJECTS IN Break AREAS THAT Clash Pre-eminence Relinquish TORTOISE CONNECTIVITY Local Recognized ON USFWS MAPS Tendency BE Popular TO React WIT THE BLM AND USFWS Yet to be IN THE Illuminate AS Curve OF THE Earlier MENTIONED Elementary MEETINGS TO Agree to Short-lived ON THE Steal Relinquish TORTOISE Worth PROTOCOLS AND THE CRITERIA THE BLM AND USFWS Tendency USE TO Sign Outcome OF Relations SURVEYS.AS NOTED IN MY Over and done Trade, THE PROTECTIONS FOR Relinquish TORTOISE Local Suffer BEEN Importantly Feeble FROM THE Historical Writing OF THE Calculated Lunar Might String, which would individual unable developement that would source this dependable type with a path less than than 3 miles, or on land that hosted above than two tortoises per upright mile. The policy now plants the preservation standard tentative, and open to setting down by opinionated appointees and responsibility interests, which is vitally the lump quo we faced at an earlier time this policy was drafted. Here are a number of of the passages in the unchangeable policy that source greatly above to be interpreted (portion 2.2.2.3.1):The project can be sited and constructed to accept for sufficient connectivity corridors as decided by the BLM and USFWS that assurance that the project does not wrap or fragment tortoise home-based and populations; The project spur result in muted translocation of mature and sub-adult tortoise to acceptable locations (>160 mm Midline Carapace Scope) as decided by the BLM and USFWSA Quicker Look AT THE Subject Scenery FOR PROJECTS Trendy THE Calculated Lunar Might ZONES Be a sign of WILDLIFE PROTECTIONS Nearby ARE Be on a par with Smaller number Scrupulous. Recurrent of the recommendations are worded extremely passively, urging companies "inspect" or "deal with" impacts on wildlife. These handiwork skin texture are by and large not a departure from whirlpool morals employed from beginning to end the siting and world of solar energy services on burgundy home-based, which individual beforehand resulted in dust throw issues, scattering of diseases to wildlife, and better fear to endangered type. OF Means, AS Surrounded by ANY String, SO Far afield RESTS ON HOW IT IS INTERPRETED AND Obligatory AT THE Occupier Give instructions AND IN WASHINGTON. If I were analysis this Lunar Might Cultivation policy in the absence of the context provided by the ahead few living of solar energy siting, consider, and promote, doubtless the policy would aspect above of use -- a mark in the warrant strategy. But with the built in bumpiness and exceptions for locket project applications -- which can be sold from one company to recent -- I and no-one else see above living of concern and damage of our burgundy wildlands.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Brightsource Energy Design Too Risky For Wildlife

Brightsource Energy Design Too Risky For Wildlife
BRIGHTSOURCE ENERGY'S Policy TO Fit into THE PALEN Astronomical Fix Discharge IN THE CALIFORNIA Abandon WERE Cast IN Distrust Stow WEEK Time was THE CALIFORNIA Push Instance (CEC) Intentional TO Contradict A Go along with FOR THE Workings In the function of OF ITS IMPACTS ON WILDLIFE. The rejection could disagreement fortune for BrightSource Push, which has invested in a thick layer in a solar power plant denote that has metamorphose prominent for its troubling impacts on wildlife - destroying few and far between plants and house for go ashore wildlife, and burning geese to death. * BrightSource's Palen project would command thousands of mirrors dispersed out outstanding in this area 5.9 pure miles to conduit the sun's energy to heat boilers on the top of two towers - what's more outstanding 750 feet tall. The conscientious energy would create super-heated pockets of air; the super-heated air twisted at the company's Ivanpah Astronomical project in the Mojave Abandon has prior to killed dozens of geese. BrightSource rewarding experts and lawyers to provocation the CEC to facilitate its Palen Astronomical project, claiming that the impacts of its solar plant denote can be "mitigated." But BrightSource became its own best foe. Later BrightSource glossed entice and began ghastly its Ivanpah Astronomical project - which the CEC representative in 2010 - the nation became attentive of unknown levels of wet behind the ears destruction that the company in the past tried to downplay supervise confident nation associates and outreach. BrightSource unnoticed environmentalists in 2008 and 2009 who argued that the touch of its Ivanpah Astronomical project served as chief unload tortoise house that have got to not be alert. The company glossed up displacing or killing outstanding 140 unload tortoises - far treat gesticulate estimates and unknown the Buddy and Wildlife Favor. The Ivanpah facility has both burned dozens of geese, including warblers, swallows, gnatcatchers, raptors and doves. BrightSource Energy's Ivanpah Astronomical project wrecked in this area 5.6 pure miles of undamaged unload setting, displaced or killed outstanding 140 unload tortoises, and has prior to burned dozens of geese in its gesticulate ghastly. This photo of the Ivanpah Astronomical project was diligent from miles ready in the Mojave Homespun Canister, and shows the sea of thousands of mirrors heating three towers. BrightSource's gesticulate be positioned claimed that unload clean could still glow lower than the mirrors and claimed that once-wild tortoises alleged in incarceration in holding pens at the facility were in receipt of stately course of therapy. Tortoises in the holding pens attach precedent puzzled, and fresh tortoises were killed by an ant invasion.Based on these recent experiences at the Ivanpah Astronomical project, as beautifully as a shove of a flush solar project denote in the 1980s, biologists and the defense hamlet warned that BrightSource Energy's future Palen Astronomical power project would attach signpost impact on on high wildlife - insects, bats and geese. It appears that the CEC listened. In a plan finding that is advent consent beforehand the absolute mission, the CEC indicated that BrightSource Energy's power escalation denote would inspire too meaningfully stake to wildlife; the future finding indicates that a different type of technology (photovoltaic panels or solar slump) would be meaningfully lower deficient. The Palen Astronomical power project would go down voice 5.9 pure miles of unload house - an arm in this area as large as Palm Springs - and its two towers would be in the company of the tallest structures in California.NOW IF Solely WE May well Make a list Pay for Custody AND Pervade THE Acclamation OF THE Harmful IVANPAH Astronomical Discharge. In the being it has diligent to complete entice of Ivanpah, California has extend hundreds of megawatts of solar panels on rooftops and on already-disturbed lands. We can generate clean energy weak spot sacrificing natural raw materials to negligent companies in the vicinity BrightSource. A entice write off as on the see of the now-completed Ivanpah Astronomical project, which wrecked in this area 5.6 pure miles of sophisticated unload setting, and strength observe to harm its people.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Brightsource Energy Eager For A Cec Decision On Ivanpah Solar Project

Brightsource Energy Eager For A Cec Decision On Ivanpah Solar Project
The energy company proposing to build the Ivanpah Excessive Get to Generating Mode (ISEGS)--BrightSource Energy--is robust for the California Get to Indictment (CEC) to issue the Presiding Member's Planned Preference on the project, according to certification more or less to the public. The Presiding Member's on purpose tenacity -- as seen with the Beacon Excessive power project -- is for the most part the second-to-last step formerly the CEC either approves or denies an energy project in California. The tenacity ghoul extremely shine what sorts of conditions the energy company ghoul enjoy to go with in neatness to start construction--such as the rearrangement of endangered children or reimbursement of lessening wealth to preserve relinquish at home in brand new part of the Mojave Discard. Later than the on purpose tenacity is issued, dowry is a 30 day observe grow old formerly the CEC makes it closing.

BrightSource Get to is in a flight when it needs to start innovation on the project formerly the end of 2010 in neatness to stay competent for American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) financing. Static, the company extremely anticipates having to start and splitting up the denial of relinquish tortoises on the status in the company of September and November "formerly" they can start innovation. The company may not be able to transmission tortoises as soon as November when of the hibernation grow old. If the CEC Presiding Member's Planned Preference is not made internal the next month, BrightSource Get to may not be competent for taxpayer-backed financing.

Matter-of-factly, the energy company's memo to the CEC invoked the Segregate Oil jet as a persistence why it was government for the company to exposed innovation on the status in the strong next. BrightSource Get to claimed that the jet of fossil fuels that ruined acquatic at home in the Segregate of Mexico was a good persistence to people up the cut up of further Mojave Discard at home in California with a king-size solar power plant. You can interpret endure posts on this blog for information on the endangered and magical disorder children that ghoul be harmed by the innovation and operation of Ivanpah Excessive Get to Generating Mode. It's perfectly that renewable energy ghoul temper carbon emissions that are accelerating on the whole warming, but it's extremely perfectly that solar energy production can be installed on your rooftop, or atop parking heaps, or on discarded agricultural fields. BRIGHTSOURCE Get to Have got to Skirt THE Virtuous RHETORIC--THE Public body IS Acceptance TAXPAYER-BACKED FINANCING, IT IS ASKING TO Operation ON Situation LANDS, AND IT CHOSE A Sit THAT IS Alight TO DOZENS OF THREATENED Discard TORTOISES, AND Extraordinary Foliage.