Helios Solar-powered Aircraft

This is a test flight for the Helios solar-powered aircraft, created by NASA. Sweet.

Geothermal Heating, Geothermal Cooling

From the Video: The earth stores heat from the sun. Temperatures in the ground remain high. A geothermal system can use this heat to provide heating, cooling. The geothermal heat exchange system is created underground. Hydronic tubing. Heat exchangers can be open-loop or closed-loop. Water, ofr a mixture of water and an environmentally friendly anti-freeze, flows through the pipes transferring the energy. Slinky coils can often be used to increase the pipe surface area. Another way to increase the heat exchange is to take advantage of the water heat transfer ability. Heat exchange pipe. Horizontal pond-loop system. Installing a geothermal heat exchange unit.

Landfill Gas at UC Davis

Landfill gas is an exciting new energy source. California is a huge polluter, but luckily they are starting to harness over 40% of their landfill waste to use it as energy. Originally the landfill gas system was designed and implemented to assuage certain safety concerns, but it turned out to be very economical as well, as a lot of precious energy is generated from the gas that the waste emits as it decomposes. The organic waste is covered and the anaerobic bacteria digest the material to make the gas. These landfills save UC Davis over $80,000 per year that the school would otherwise pay to PG&E.

Clean Solar Energy

Solar, wind, geothermal, plant matter, limitless resources. These are solutions ready now. The earth receives huge amounts of energy from the sun. Photovoltaics not discovered until the 20th century, but solar thermal technology has been used for thousands of years. Indians designed their buildings to face the sun. It's still a common design today. The Greeks laid out buildings to take advantage of sun during the winter, and hide them during the summer. The 19th century equivalent was the rooftop solar water heater. 30% of the homes in Pasadena used solar water heaters. This provides cheap hot water to millions. Heating water is the #1 user of natural gas energy. These don't use photovoltaic panels. Mirrors reflect the sun to concentrate. Never put your hand at the focus of a concentrated mirror. In hot dry areas, solarthermal plants create energy at prices typically lower than conventional grid power. Photovoltaic technology is surging ahead. Photons can be converted to electricity, said Albert Einstein. The first satellites' transistors went dead right away, then we switched to solar power. Our lifestyle is completely dependent on solar energy. The US Coast Guard powers its buoys with solar panels. One of the most valuable applications of photovoltaics is to provide drinking water to the rural poor. The most successful solar project is in Germany where there is less sunlight than in Seattle. The payback can be as little as 4-5 years. Rather than silicon, nanosolar. You use copper CIGSS. It absorbs sunlight readily so you can use very thin wafers. The foil moves slowly.

Reasons to use Solar Energy

From the Video: Californians have been on a flex alert. Instead of conserving energy, how about creating your own. Most homes suck energy from the grid. Marty Reed is off the grid. He had made the sun work for him. Follow that line to his power box. He is turning the tables on the power company. His solar panels provide 75% of the electricity in his home. The solar panels will pay for themselves in 11 years. Marty started Sequoia Solar. Most solar start-ups buy crappy office space. He wanted to make the clean energy commitment. Chevy and Ford will soon roll out electric cars. He has an electric car charging station ready to go.

Against Wind Farms

Embedding was disabled for this video, so I'm simply adding the link below. It's a video that is against windmills being constructed in the countryside in the UK. While I don't agree with most of what they say, it's always good to hear what the dissenters of wind energy might say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11DvaXSyra4

From the Video: They're too big, too ugly, too inefficient. They need to be proven safe. I know they don't work. The amount of power than comes out of wind farms that its not worth ruining the landscape for. It is dangerous for birds. It's about time wind developers go somewhere else or nowhere at all. I go to watch the birds, but I don't want to see these huge windmills. It's beautiful countryside, and to be blighted by a wind turbine, that is something that concerns me. The sight of 20 turbines in a place where you have a million birds coming in is dangerous. Because we already have 7 windfarms up and running, you'd think the wind companies would already go away. The wind company will receive 7 million pounds of subsidy for something that doesn't work. You can see how enormous these windmills are. Wind farms are built on perception. We have to make a difference. Anyone with any common sense will realize that this is wrong. We need to be careful with some of this modern technology that is setting out to destroy us. Wind farms.

The Geothermal Process

From the Video: Digging a well of of 4-5 km. Then, cold water is injected a high pressure down the well to fracture the hard rock. Then more cold water is injected into the fractured rock. The water is then heated and brought back up through other pipes. This water then becomes steam that creates electricity by running a turbine. The cold water is then pumped back down into the geothermal reservoir, going through this process again in an endless progression.

What is Geothermal Heating?

From the Video: Geothermal heating takes advantage of the fact that the temperature under the earth's surface remains largely constant, even when the temperature above the earth's surface fluctuates greatly. How does it work to heat a home? A huge hole is dug in the ground and filled with a series of pipes. A special heat-absorbing fluid constantly runs through those pipes. In the winter the fluid absorbs the heat from the earth and pushes it throughout the house. In the summer the process is reversed, where heat from the home is pushed into the pipes and stored in the earth. What are the benefits of geothermal heating? For one, it's economical. You can reduce your heating bills up to 70%. Also, it's good for the environment. Geothermal heating uses no fossil fuels of any kind (oil or gas) and is therefore 100% non-polluting.

What is Geothermal Energy?

From the Video: Geothermal energy gives us steady electrical power with minimal environmental impact. Here is how the process works: Water in underground reservoirs is heated to high temperatures by magma. Drills that go 10,000 feet below the earth's surface tap into this hot fluid. The fluid is brought up through the piping with its own pressure. As the fluid makes its way up to the surface some pressure is lost and some of the fluid turns into steam. When enough of the fluid turns to steam the steam is sent to a turbine. The pressure from the steam turns the turbine's blades, which then spin a shaft connected to an electrical generator. An electrical charge is created and sent to a transformer, which increases the charge. The electricity is then sent to home via power lines. Geothermal energy is a very clean and easy energy source to use.

Wind Farms of West Texas - Abliene

From the Video: The Wind Farms of West Texas. Electricity generation is the largest industrial polluter in the US, generated mostly by coal, the biggest greenhouse gas polluter of carbon dioxide. Horse Hollow, 15 miles south of Abilene, is the largest wind farm in the world, producing 735 megawatts. 1 megawatt is enough to power 250-300 average homes each day. Texas is the top wind power producer in the US, producing 4,500 megawatts, which is one third of the total wind power production. West Texas alone has over 45 wind farms. Wind farms have provided thousands of jobs for West Texans. Each farm requires at least 100 employees. Two thirds of wind energy growth will occur within the state of Texas.

West Texas Wind Energy

This guy is a little annoying, but he brings up an interesting point about the cost of building the transmission lines to take the wind energy from West Texas, which is sparsely populated, to the rest of the state. The electricity cannot be sent to other states because Texas is on its own grid. The transmission line project is apparently going to cost the energy consumers in Texas billions of dollars. I'd like to look further into this. Of course, even if the West Texas project is a total farse, wind energy is still a very real solution for our carbon-based energy woes.

Indian Wind Power

If you develop the wind resources across the Great Plains area, Native American lands could be worth millions, if not billions. Enough wind resources to provide 15% of America's energy needs. The results are ocurring with the meltdown of the polar region. The Sioux built the first commercial wind turbine. More turbines are on the way. The protection of mother earth. The tribe will sell carbon credits. Indians don't have the capital to develop these projects themselves. These projects make money and it stays locally. They can only earn 5% of the profits. Tribes want to be full participants in projects on their lands. Tribes pay no federal taxes.

Wind Energy in West Texas

What country do you associate with windmills? Holland, Spain? How about West Texas? The desire to conserve a way of life and resist change has changed. Wind turbines are sprouting as fast as Texas wildflowers. This thing is taller than the Statue of Liberty. Windmills and wind turbines popping up all over West Texas. this is as small windmill. Most ranchers had a hard time breaking even in the cattle business, but the money from wind power has given ranchers some breathing room. Sweetwater, Texas, a former oil and gas town. Wind consortium, he invested his retirement savings to invest in wind power.

Windmills are they aesthetically pleasing or are they eye sores?

I really don't understand why this guy has a problem with wind turbines. It's a small price to pay for energy independence and postitive environmental impact.

My name is Rod. I am for renewable energy, but I am against where this project is located. I will show where the proposed complex will be built. The square miles are 39, several times larger than we have for the city of Hanes. The Dinges addition. Those who are living along Noose Road, they will be looking at these towering structures. Most developers of wind energy accept there's no way to mitigate the aesthetic, visual impact of these windmill structures. There are other landmarks that while you're driving in Hayes you'll get an idea at Golf Course Road, there are two cell phone towers to be landmarks. To make things worse, the companies that put these up will also use them as billboards for advertising. Instead of seeing a Holiday Inn sign, we'll see these wind turbines. A number of fatal accidents have been blamed on windmills, which can be very distracting for drivers. This is going to be in all of our backyards, these windmills turbines. The tallest building in Kansas is the Epic Center in Wichita. These windmills will be the largest landmarks in our landscape.

Energy from the Wind: Wind Turbines

Mesmerizing video with a wind turbine. Far out.

Wind Power: Converting Bad Power to Good Power

Engineering Student explains how a home-built wind turbine create usable electrical power. Aliasing, the repressuring of the camera and the eye's ability. Bad power created by the windmill, turned into good power. The idea behind the green room is to have every consumer electronic device powered by wind power. Right now we're looking outside the green room at the wind turbine. The difference between good power and bad power. Bad power is very messy compared to good power. The high frequency is changing polarity very quickly. The amplitude increases, decreases. The only usable power is at 60Hz when the wind is at the right speed. The amplitude probably would not be correct. The amplitude is 120 volts, peak to peak about 240. A frequency of 60 Hz. There is a three-step process from bad power into good power, which you can use on a lamp or an alarm clock. Full-way bridge rectifier, which can take an AC signal with varying polarity and varying frequency. The DC battery, which can store power. There is no way to store AC power, voltage.

Biogas: What is it?

Biogas is the gas (mostly methane) that comes from the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials. These materials can be either plant or animal waste, although animal waste is more easily "digested".

Biogas is made in a digester or "biodigester", a man-made contraption that seals off the oxygen from what is typically a mixture of organic material and water. (Of course, biogas is often called marsh gas because this anaerobic process takes place naturally in wetlands.)

To see an example of a digester: check out this biodigester design in Costa Rica or learn more about the biogas project that the women of Santa Fe executed.

Assignment Earth: Tidal Power

In New York City a new age of renewable energy is dawning and the source of this renewable power is free. Deep under New York's East River divers are assembling one of the country's first tidal power plant that could revolutionize how our country gets its power. Verdent power is experiencing a new energy source with tidal turbines. The basic physics are similar to wind power: its the swing of the blade (the size of the rudder) and the speed of the current. New York City spends over $13 billion on energy. By 2030 New York will not be able to power itself without renewable energy sources. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. New York's first tidal power station is already making a difference for Roosevelt island on the East River. Experts say cities are responsible for 75% of carbon emissions. Tidal energy can help offset this. There are many tidal power projects all over the world, but this is the the first project to be hooked up to a grid to deliver energy to consumers. I'm Gary Stryker with Assignment Earth.

IBEW Wind Farm Hour Power Story

From the Video
I'm Marnie Brooks. It is a massive undertaking to power our homes and businesses. When Horizon Energy and PPM wanted to build a wind farm they called on the IBEW to make it happen. It's a $400 million venture. Expectations are high and the IBEW ready to be put to the test.

What is Biogas?

Biogas is generally considered the gaseous product of anaerobic digestion of organic materials. It doesn't really matter what the source is so long as it's organic; for example, you can create biogas by fermenting anything from cow, pig, or horse manure--to leaves, kitchen waste, or even human feces. The end result is a gaseous mix of mostly carbon dioxide and methane. The latter of these two gases, methane (CH4), makes up 60-70% of biogas and is generally what people would consider the biogas in this context.

Biogas, just as any energy source, has a wide variety of uses. It can be burned for cooking or heating, or converted to electricity.

Biogas is created in contraptions called digester or "biodigesters". Check out this biogas project in Costa Rica to get a better idea of how everyday peole are using biogas in their daily lives.

Build a Biogas Digester

Video from Vietnam about biogas digester construction and use.

Video Transcript (the English captions on the screen, revised)

Using a biogas digester. After fermenting for one month, biogas appears in the digester. We start using the biogas once the biogas bag is fully inflated. It is difficult to burn the biogas when the gas quantity is low. It is better to wait until the biogas bag is inflated once again. Biogas cooker use. For safety, please follw these instructions: open fan, open gas safety valve, light the burner, place pot on the burn, and turn up the biogas valve. Additional benefits. Contributes to cleaning the environment and provides gas for cooking. Biogas is also used as fuel for running other applications such as the generator, water heater...In addition, residues from biogas digesters can be used as fertilizer for agriculture. The DVD is published under Vietnam EASE Programme with the folowing partners: Research Center for Energy and Environment (RCEE), Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD), and Vacvina Chapters in Thanh Hoa Province.

Biodigesters by EARTH University Foundation

This is a video made by the EARTH University Foundation in conjuction with EARTH University in Guápiles, Costa Rica.

Transcript for "EARTH University Foundation - Biodigester"

At EARTH University students take advantage of the energy that is naturall present in animal waste and kitchen trash. As the waste breaks down, whether in the ground, compost heap, or landfill or biodigester--it releases methane gas. So, it gets in here and there it has around 25 days of retention where it ferments anaerobically and it produces the biogas. And this is the setup we use for measuring the quality of the gas and the amount of biogas produced. This is the volume meter and this is the setup we have made for measuring the concentration of the methane. And now I'm going to show you the flame. Converting to this recycled fuel will ultimately help to prevent reforestation. For the families who have to buy their fuel, a biodigester will result in huge cost savings. That's methane, it's energy. Apart from providing fuel, a biodigester is also a source of high-quality fertilizer that can be used on crops. During the deomposition process in the biodigester, the waste is also sterilized. This means that animal manure, which has caused many problems in developing countries when it is placed on fields of low-to-the-ground crops such as lettuce or cabbage, can be used without fear of causing sickness. Disease-causing bacteria such as e. coli are killed inside the biodigester and never make contact with the plants. Some studies have also shown that the fertilizer from a biodigester has a higher nutritional value than the raw material (manure) that is placed in. The biodigester stores the gas for use in heating, cooking, or lighting, which provides a sustainable substitute for the kerosene, propane, or firewood that many rural families in the developing world now use. Znk Media Productions. Unversity EARTH. earth.ac.cr. Foundation earth-usa.org.

Petrobras Green Energy: Speed Racer

From the Video
Petrobras Green Energy. A car made by Petrobras for the Speed Racer movie. I have no idea what this has to do with "green energy", as they say. To me, it seems like a way to have the brand placed within the movie rather than an actual promotion of the concept of "green energy".

Renewable Energy - Solar Electric

From the Video
Photovoltaic Cells. Electricity from the Sun. My name is Phil Coupe. Solar energy is clean and renewable. The solar cell. Direct Current (DC). Alternating current (AC). Coal-fired power plants are one of the main energy sources in the northeast. They're not clean energy sources. There is a lot of low-hanging fruit. Solar electricity is a zero-emission source. Solar energy technology has been around for about 50 years in the United States. With a solar electric system there is almost no maintenance. You just put up the solar electricity system and forget about it. You might not even think about the solar panels for 25 years. You can harvest solar energy all year round, even with a climate like Maine's. The best place for it in the US is Arizona. The upfront cost is substantial. The payback for solar energy panels is 12-15 years, currently. As energy prices go up and technology gets better these numbers will obviously change. 1 KW installed in main will give you $70 off your electric bill.

Daniel Kammen - Renewable Energy and Economies of Scale

From the Video
Daniel Kammen, Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at UC, Berkeley, says why renewable energy may take less time to see widespread incorporation that critcs have previously suggested. One thing out of the energy industry is that alternatives are great, but there are no ways to scale them up to be used widely in our society. How can we move from a coal-based energy portfolio to one that is more sustainable? Let's reduce our emissions 80%.