Sunday, January 25, 2009

5th International Congress and 4th Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources

Upcoming Event:

5th International Congress and 4th Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources

April 6 through 8, 2009, National Palace of Culture (NDK), Sofia, Bulgaria

More information:
http://www.viaexpo.com/congress-ee-vei/eng/congress.php

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Barack H. Obama - New President for the U.S. - New Energy Ideas as Well?

We've turned a new chapter in U.S. (and World) history today. Barack Obama was sworn in and became our new President. He's going to be hitting the ground running--because he's inheriting a mess. An overseas conflict (aka "war"), economic crisis (not only on wall-street, but in the roads and streets of the U.S., where unemployment, closing businesses, and foreclosures are almost at every corner.

And, we have a looming energy crisis. Petroleum is a NON-RENEWABLE resource. What is going to be the future policy of the United States? The U.S. auto makers have been making bad decisions and judgement lapses for decades. Some, they accepted. Note--the demise of the "Studebaker" brand, or the "Edsel", and some of the other more obscure names. Many of the auto makers merged to form large conglomerates-- like Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge (and Jeep) and Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln (and Range Rover, Jaquar, and ...). Now there are talks about "spinning off" "unprofitable" brands. How about just retraining the auto workers to use their metal-working and manufacturing skills to build solar panels, solar containment devices, and so on?

Well... just some weird ideas... the coffee is kicking in... I've been watching the Inauguration Festivities all day. But I'm looking foward to our country's new directions in Energy Conservation and Alternate Energy Production Methods.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Silicon Valley Seminar: Energy Storage for E-Transportation

The Silicon Valley Technical Institute will be holding a class on:

Energy Storage for E-Transportation
System Level Technologies Opportunities and Challenges

It's a one-day seminar that addresses the system-level technologies for energy storage and future development through advanced Li-ion batteries, H fuel cells, and super and ultra capacitors for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles.

February 13, 2009
9am - 4pm


$350/fee
Register ASAP - Seats fill up early

Silicon Valley Technical Institute
1762 Technology Drive
San Jose, CA
408-573-0100
info@svtii.com
www.svtii.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

On the Bandwagon for Alternate Energy Use!

While spending 3+ weeks in the Philippines and some days in Hong Kong last month, I drove my family nuts looking for "alternate energy" that I could write about (and take pictures of, as well). You can tell that I was reasonably successful (because you can see some of the pictures in the previous two posts).

But I was surprised about how FEW alternate energy uses I found in these places. You really had to be searching intently to find any. Oh yeah, in the Philippines there was a solar water heater I saw along the NLEX (Northern Luzon Expressway) and a windmill (Multi-blade, U.S. Old-West Style) used for pumping water (again near the NLEX). In Hong Kong I saw the solar-powered bus-stop on Nathan Road, Kowloon, the windmill on a building near the Central District, Hong Kong, and the Liquid Propane tanks in the taxis... but I didn't see much else.

I searched for the electric jeepneys I posted about earlier -- but didn't see any to get a picture of. I *did* see a TV news item (on a Philippine channel) on the new electric "trikes".

Other than those above items, I didn't see much else. At my mother-in-law's place in Pampanga (about 100 kilometers north of Manila), we had no hot water. With all the sun this place gets, I'm surprised that the houses here don't ALL have solar water heaters on their roofs. Ah well... so no hot water, it was.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Solar Powered Bus Stops in Kowloon (Hong Kong, China)



While walking around on Nathan Road in Kowloon (across from Hong Kong Island, China), I noticed that the bus stops were Solar Powered (and even had the inscription on the bus stop to indicate this fact. The solar power provides for the lighting of the stops during the night. (I wonder if it could be used to power a fan during the hot part of the day?)

Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Company LLC in Seattle, WA

This just in:

The Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Company LLC of Seattle, Washington has filed seven federal permit applications for offshore wave/wind power projects in the USA that could eventually generate 7000MW of clean renewable energy. Each project has an estimated cost of $4 Billion and will generate an IRR of between 7 and 10% depending on financing and market assumptions. The Company has a unique business model based on ocean energy infrastructure technology that can support a variety of wind, wave, solar, and even natural gas power generation technologies. The FERC preliminary permits are expected to be issued in March 2009.

Details online at http://www.graysharboroceanenergy.com

The website is also a great portal to lots of independent info about ocean / marine renewable energy.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Back in the U.S. ... Found All Sorts of Interesting Energy Info When Out of the Country

Just got back from an almost month-long trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines. Although the trip was mostly for a holiday vacation to see relatives (birthday party and family reunion), I kept my eyes open for energy-related goodies for this blog.



While in Hong Kong, I saw a building near Hong Kong Island's Central District that had a windmill on its roof. Cool.



Also while in Hong Kong, I noticed that the taxis are all using Liquid Propane Gas--they have the big tanks behind the backseat and accessable from the trunk. (These are mostly modified Toyota Crowns.)

In the South China Morning Post, it was reported that the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology announced a plan to put 30,000 "clean-energy" vehicles on the roads of 10 Chinese cities by 2012. This includes 5,000 hybrid buses, 20,000 hybrid taxis, and 5,000 other hybrid vehicles. The project is slated to save more than 780 million liters of fuel and will also avoid generating 2.3 million tons of carbon dioxide.



In the Philippines, saw a windmill along the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) near the Mexico Offramp.



Then, just north of Manila off the NLEX, I glimpsed a Solar Water Heater on the roof of a home near the expressway.