A Solar Fridge for Fresh Food in Hot Climates

 Retirado do site TriplePundit:

"June 6th, 2013

By Ian Randall

The University of Cincinnati responds to food shortages with solar-powered cold storage for farms.

Food shortages in India are compounded by a lack of cold-chain storage facilities, but a new solar-powered cold storage device, developed by the University of Cincinnati in partnership with industry, could put this problem on ice.

FEUP lidera projeto europeu em energias renováveis

Retirado do site da Notícias UP:

"Quinta-feira, 6 de Junho, 2013

Marina Bertoncello / FEUP |

A Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP) lidera um projeto do 7º Programa Quadro da Comissão Europeia dedicado ao desenvolvimento e disseminação de tecnologias de geração de eletricidade usando fontes de energia renováveis. O projeto REnewable ELectricity COOPeration (REELCOOP)  terá em foco cinco áreas diferentes: eletricidade fotovoltaica, centrais solares de concentração, eletricidade solar térmica, biomassa e integração de eletricidade renovável na rede.

Investigadores vão conceber e testar três protótipos inovadores de sistemas de geração elétrica.

Fábrica do Sol, a energia eficiente debaixo dos pés

Retirado do site Portal das Energias Renováveis:

"29-05-2013

Um velho edifício em Barcelona, renovado há uns anos, foi transformado no perfeito exemplo de energia eficiente. O edifício, apelidado de Fábrica do Sol, utiliza energia geotérmica vertical associada a um sistema de ar condicionado que aquece no inverno e refresca no verão, sem necessitar de ter um vulcão por perto.

“Normalmente, quando se pensa em recuperar calor do subsolo para aquecer a casa, para ser usado como aquecimento, não necessitamos de ter um vulcão junto aos nossos pés. Utilizamos um outro sistema, que requer uma profundidade de apenas 100 metros, e é mais barato, e implica termos uma bomba de calor que usamos como se de um sistema de ar condicionado se tratasse”, explica Aniol Esquerra Alsius.

Hydropower Energy Harvesting

Retirado do site Engineering:

"Tom Lombardo posted posted on May 27, 2013 |

Hydroelectric power is the oldest large-scale system for generating electricity, dating back more than one hundred years. Hydroelectric power is considered “clean” because it doesn’t emit carbon or other pollutants. But no technology is entirely clean; large-scale hydroelectric plants are usually created by damming a river, which drastically alters the local ecosystem and affects the water rights of those downstream. A joint project between researchers at New Mexico State University and Ho Chi Minh University of Technology is proposing small hydroelectric power plants that don’t rely on dams, but instead use existing natural or man-made water flows.

Sapatilhas transformam movimento dos pés em energia elétrica

Retirado do site Portal das Energias Renováveis, referido pelo Pedro Fonseca.

"25-05-2013

Estudantes de engenharia da Universidade de Rice, em Houston, no Texas desenvolveram, como projeto de conclusão de curso, um par de ténis que é capaz de aproveitar a energia mecânica do movimento dos pés e gerar uma corrente elétrica para abastecer pequenos aparelhos eletrónicos, como telemóveis.

"Tidal stream power with Alstom"

Um pequeno vídeo promovido pela empresa Alstom sobre o aproveitamento da energia das marés, referido pelo Pedro Fonseca.

Building sector slowly getting smarter about efficiency

Retirado do site FierceEnergy:

"May 14, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Intelligent efficiency is changing the way companies integrate and operate equipment, according to GTM Research.

Energy-efficiency opportunities in the building and commercial and industrial sectors are vast, and utilities can get involved in a number of technology areas - the most lucrative being lighting, HVAC and energy storage.

Off-Grid Street Lighting

Retirado do site Engineering:

"Tom Lombardo posted on May 12, 2013 |

It costs a lot of money to build a road … even more if you want to add wires to power the streetlights from the grid. Urban Green Energy (UGE) has a solution: an off-the-grid streetlight.

Torres Vedras pode tornar-se autossustentável em 2015

Retirado do site Portal das Energias Renováveis:

"19-05-2013

O concelho de Torres Vedras, onde residem 80 mil pessoas, produz mais de metade da eletricidade que consome e pode tornar-se autossustentável em 2015, devido à existência de fontes de energia renováveis.

Dados da Direção Geral de Energia e Geologia (DGEG), disponibilizados pela autarquia, revelam que as várias fontes renováveis existentes no concelho já contribuem com a produção de 250 gigawatts (GW) para as necessidades anuais de consumo, que são de 336 GW.

Georgia Set To Increase Solar Energy With New Legislation

Retirado do site IndianaDG:

By Tim Tyler

A new solar energy bill in the US state of Georgia has been submitted, “Rural Georgia Economic Recovery and Solar Resource Act of 2014.” This bill would create a new model for generation and distribution of electricity, allowing the Public Service Commission to authorize and establish a rural community solar initiative and oversee and manage the expansion of solar energy in the state.

One of the key backers of the bill is Georgia Solar Utilities, who, like other third-party companies, will be able to submit proposals to the Public Service Commission for financing and aggregating solar.

Image Credit: Solar Panels via Shutterstock

HVDC breakthrough heralds a new era for renewables

Em continuação a um post anterior que introduzia o conceito de HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current).

Retirado do site RenewableEnergyFocus:

"29 April 2013
Gail Rajgor

Power technology group ABB says it has made a breakthrough in the ability to interrupt direct current (DC), solving a 100-year oldelectrical engineering puzzle, and paving the way for a more reliable electricity system.

SOCCKET, the Energy Generating Soccer Ball, Ramps Up Production On Kickstarter

Em continuação de um post anterior (link), retirado do site StumbleUpon:

"by Kristine Lofgren, 03/15/13

A few years ago we introduced SOCCKET, an energy generating soccer ball that can provide light for children in developing nations.”Much more than a normal soccer ball, the SOCCKET is a portable generator that provides fun and power to those who play with it.” The invention has made the leap from innovative idea to reality with an improved prototype of SOCCKET that is already helping people around the world. The ball, which harnesses energy as it is kicked around, can light an LED lamp for a few hours at a time. That means that a child who was forced to study by candle or kerosene light may now have a safe alternative for illumination – and he/she can have a ‘ball’ and get exercise while charging up too! Currently, SOCCKET developers are aiming to ramp up production and make more balls available across the world. Learn more about this inspiring toy/generator hybrid after the jump!

Noruega vai importar lixo para aquecer as suas cidades

Retirado do site GreenSavers:

Publicado em 04 de Maio de 2013.

Numa época em que cresce a necessidade de encontrar alternativas aos aterros sanitários e de reduzir a produção de lixo no mundo, Oslo, capital da Noruega, está a atravessar um problema invulgar com o seu lixo: ele não existe em quantidade suficiente.

Dupla GreenSpark na final dos Ericsson Application Awards

Retirado do site Computer World:

"Poan Shen e Joel Rodrigues propõem a utilização de dispositivos personalizados e de serviços de cloud computing para resolver problemas de segurança e sustentabilidade em sistemas de painéis solares.

HVDC transmission from energy source to consumer

Excerto retirado do site RenewableEnergyFocus:

"01 November 2007

Peter jones, Bo Westman

Finding efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways of transmitting electricity generated can be almost as important as generating the electricity in the first place. Peter Jones and Bo Westman look at HVDC Light.

CNC instala um dos maiores sistemas fotovoltaicos de auto-consumo do país

Retirado do site Jornal de Negócios:

"A instalação do sistema fotovoltaico vai permitir à empresa do sector agro-alimentar produzir 25% da energia total consumida.

A Companhia Nacional de Carnes (CNC) instalou um dos maiores sistemas fotovoltaicos de auto-consumo em Portugal, que vai permitir à empresa produzir 25% do total de energia consumida. A instalação foi feita em parceria com a Ceasa e a Donauer.

“Uma vez que este sistema não acumula energia, concebemos uma solução que assegura todo o consumo constante da empresa, o que faz 25% do total, enquanto a energia necessária para os picos continua a ser comprada à EDP”, explica José Luís Herrera, director do Grupo Ceasa Portugal, em comunicado esta quinta-feira, 2 de Maio.

O novo sistema fotovoltaico de auto-consumo, que conta com 268 painéis, vai assegurar o consumo constante da produção e das três câmaras frigoríficas, revela a CNC no comunicado. A empresa estima o retorno do investimento, que teve um custo de 100 mil euros, no prazo de cinco anos. O investimento foi apoiado por fundos comunitários, como o QREN e o PRODER.

A CNC emprega actualmente 50 funcionários e em 2012 facturou cerca de 5,5 milhões de euros."

Londres: resíduos de cozinha vão gerar energia para 40 mil casas

Retirado do site GreenSavers:

"11-04-2013

Publicado em 09 de Abril de 2013.

Todos os dias, cerca de 30 toneladas de gordura proveniente de fritos e outros alimentos serão recolhidas dos restaurantes, bares, cafés e empresas de Londres e encaminhadas para aquela que será a maior central de energia de resíduos de gordura do mundo.

"Before 2015 a household will profitably cover half of its consumption from the roof without feeding into the grid"

Retirado do site Solarplaza:

"March 25, 2013, 14:40 (CET)

Solarplaza interviews Ruggero Schleicher-Tappeser, a freelance renewable energy consultant and energy grid expert advising governments, industry associations, foundations, NGOs and single companies on strategies to enable the transation towards a fully renewable energy system.

Ruggero Schleicher-Tappeser is working as freelance consultant for renewable energies and sustainable strategies in Berlin since 2008. Born in 1952, he grew up in Italy. After his degree in physics at the University of Bern/Switzerland, he first worked as journalist and consultant on energy issues and was member of the board of directors of the Swiss Energy Foundation since 1976. Later, he turned to research on technology policy, regional development and European environmental and transport policies. For fifteen years he was founder and director of the EURES Institute for Regional Studies in Europe in Freiburg/Germany. More recently he served as Acting Secretary General of the Alpine Convention, an international treaty for the sustainable development of the Alpine area, with offices in Innsbruck, Bolzano and Chambéry. Back as consultant in the energy debate, today he mainly focuses on renewable energies and photovoltaics: foundation process of IRENA, European Alliance for 100% Renewable Energy, foundations, industry, associations.

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Electric car drivers could overload power grid, admits French energy chief

Retirado do Daily Mail:

"Warning comes after Renault launched electric car with mass potential
Government has been encouraging technology with generous subsidies
French grid already sensitive to demand spikes due to electric heating

By LEON WATSON

PUBLISHED: 14:14 GMT, 26 March 2013 | UPDATED: 07:35 GMT, 27 March 2013

France's under pressure power grid could struggle to cope if growing numbers of electric car owners all recharge their batteries when they sit down for dinner, the industry said today.

The warning comes after French car-maker Renault launched its long-awaited electric car Zoe this month at a price on a par with petrol models, making it the first electric vehicle with mass-market potential. 

Renewables are now a major contributor to UK energy

Retirado do site Renewable Energy Magazine:
"Robin Whitlock

Friday, 29 March 2013

Government figures reveal that 11.3 percent of UK electricity demand in 2012 was generated by renewable energy

Renewable energy generation in 2012 was up by 20 percent on the previous year according to government figures, thereby confirming the strong performance of renewables within the wider UK energy network. 11.3 percent of the country’s electricity supply was generated by renewables last year and 12.5 percent in the fourth quarter.

Much of the growth in the sector has been achieved by new on and offshore wind farms in spite of lower than average wind speeds over the course of the year. 2012 was also fairly dry which acted to reduce the output from hydro, however biomass generation increased by 17 percent, thanks largely to Tilbury’s conversion to biomass, while solar PV capacity increased by 70 percent to 1.7GW. The total UK renewable energy power capacity now stands at 15.5GW.