http://www.greentechgazette.com Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:31:15 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en When it comes to renewable energy solar has to be the star, so to speak, followed by wind and then it’s a toss of between geothermal and hydro power. But, even within hydro power, the most often overlooked area is small hydro which is capable of rapid expansion if the ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/hydro-power/small-hydro-often-overlooked-in-renewable-marketplace/ On Friday, June 26, 2009 the U. S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, which some are calling the “Cap and Trade Bill.” So, what this means is that there will be a cap on how much pollution such as coal-fired power plants ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/alternative-energy/cap-and-trade-bill-passes-house/ About 10 days ago I talked about smart metering in Indiana and other places (like my home in Southern California) where the electric companies are stepping up to bat and installing the necessary infrastructure so that they and homeowners can take more control of electricity use. Now, besides the electric companies ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/energy-conservation/google-your-refrigerator-it-could-happen/ The Carnegie Institution and California State University have identified New York City as a prime location for high flying wind turbine kites. The turbine kites would fly between 20,000 ft and 50,000 ft above the ground, harnessing the winds’ power to create electricity. The reason that the kites need to fly ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/wind-energy/wind-turbine-kites-could-power-parts-of-new-york-city/ A scientist named Jared Potter has created a couple of prototypes for deep drilling for geothermal energy. Right now, companies are using diamond drill bits for grinding through granite and other compact rocks in order to tap into geothermal energy far below the Earth’s surface. The first prototype is called a ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/geothermal-energy/hydrogen-rocket-bores-through-granite-for-deep-geothermal-wells/ Duke Energy Corporation will be rolling out smart meters to consumers in a new initiative. This new initiative also includes rolling out solar panels, wind turbines and solar thermal water heaters to some homes. The installation of the smart meters will affect around 800,000 homes in Indiana. Duke Energy is also ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/energy-conservation/smart-metering-hits-indiana-and-other-states/ Reuters is reporting that methane could be the solutions for storage of extra electricity produce by wind and solar power. Scientists have discovered a microbe, Methanobacterium palustre, that can convert electricity directly into methane as long as you add a little hydrogen to the mix. The problem is that methane is ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-could-create-methane-as-storage-but-should-it/ The New York Power Authority has reversed an earlier decision regarding a potential Yahoo data center considered for the western part of the state. One of the points of contention has been Yahoo’s desire to acquire low cost hydropower from Niagara Falls for its new facility. The new Yahoo data center ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/hydro-power/yahoo-its-low-cost-hydropower-in-western-new-york/ Once the cost of solar energy reaches the same price as electricity from the grid, then the state of “grid parity” will exist. California is close to grid parity now as it is one of the sunniest states with some of the highest utility bills. At this point consumers may see ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/solar-energy/grid-parity-will-change-solar-energy-landscape/ President Obama this week toughened the CAFE standards for cars and light trucks beginning in 2016 giving automakers the 7 years they need to develop a whole new line of fuel efficient vehicles. The present CAFE standards are 27.5 MPG for cars and 24 MPG for light trucks. The light ... http://www.greentechgazette.com/index.php/news/obama-toughens-cafe-standards-as-some-groups-smile/