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Not Science Fiction: Solar Power to be Zapped From Space By Lasers
November 9, 2009 10:59 AM - Huw Borland, Sky News Online , Environmental Health News
Japan is aiming to collect solar power in space and zap it down to Earth using laser beams or microwave.
Midwest Weather Looks Good for Harvest
November 7, 2009 09:45 AM - Reuters
U.S. Midwest weather is seen mostly dry through the next week, ideal for the corn and soybean harvest, a forecaster said on Friday. "This is outstanding weather. Considering the time of the year, this is about as good as you're going to get," said Mike Palmerino with DTN Meteorlogix.
Geoengineering Being Discussed in Washington
November 6, 2009 06:47 AM - Roger Greenway, ENN
Dr. Ken Caldeira, of the Carnegie Institution of Washington provided a balanced look at the potential benefits and also the costs and possible harm that geoengineering techniques could offer in our quest to find a “Magic Bullet” to counter global warming. Can global warming be mitigated by a technological fix such as injecting light-blocking particles into the atmosphere or chemically “scrubbing” excess greenhouse gases from the atmosphere? Department of Global Ecology scientist Ken Caldeira addressed this question in his testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology in a hearing titled “Geoengineering: Assessing the Implications of Large-Scale Climate Intervention” on November 5, 2009.
$30.6M in Stimulus Funds Give US Hydroelectric Projects a New Spark
November 5, 2009 09:28 AM - Renewable Energy World via, Matter Network
Up to $30.6 million in economic stimulus funds will be used to finance seven hydroelectric projects nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The additional funding means Voith Hydro, a manufacturer of hydroelectric turbines, will be able to retain 40 jobs at its manufacturing facility in York, Pennsylvania
Ethiopian Rift Shows How Continents Can Split, Create New Ocean
November 4, 2009 08:10 AM - Roger Greenway, ENN
A new study reported by the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and the University of Rochester sheds light on how the continents move, and oceans are created. In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open the desert ground in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial. Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world's oceans, and the rift is indeed likely the beginning of a new sea.
Margaret Thatcher, Lyndon Johnson were Right!
November 4, 2009 06:26 AM - Alister Doyle, Reuters
President Lyndon Johnson and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher made stark warnings about global warming decades ago, but convincing evidence for action only amassed in recent years, experts say. A 190-nation U.N. conference in Copenhagen in December is due to agree a new U.N. pact to curb greenhouse gas emissions to slow a rise in temperatures to prevent floods, droughts, wildfires or rising sea levels.
Turning Algae Into Bioplastic Could Slash Petroleum Use by 50%
November 3, 2009 09:53 AM - Andrew Williams, Cleantechnica via , Matter Network
California-based company Cereplast has revealed that it is developing breakthrough technology to transform algae into bioplastics, and predicts that it could replace 50% or more of the petroleum content used in traditional plastic resins.
Ohio State Glaciologist Team Gets Important Ice Cores in Andes
November 3, 2009 06:46 AM - Roger Greenway, ENN
Ice cores are important tools to identify Earth’s past climate. They enable us to peer back in time to identify species of insects trapped in ice as well as isotopes oxygen and dust particles that were deposited at various time in the past. The ratio of oxygen isotopes in the ice allows researchers to determine whether temperatures were warmer or cooler when the snow that eventually turned to ice was deposited on the glacier. The dust content gives scientists clues about the rate of precipitation at the site. The thicker the core (longer cores) the longer into the past we can see.
Green University: Saudi Arabia’s KAUST With Eco-Friendly Environment
November 2, 2009 10:45 AM - Green Prophet, Clean Techies
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may still be considered as one of the most conservative from a religious standpoint. But with the opening of the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, otherwise known as KAUST, a new era in academic learning, combined with new innovations in ecological architecture and design, has begun in which both men and women students will benefit jointly.
Using the Sahara Sun to Power Europe
November 2, 2009 09:58 AM - Vanessa L. Bourlier, ENN
A $400 billon plan to provide Europe with solar power from the Sahara desert moved a step closer to reality with the formation of a consortium to carry out the work. Known as the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DDI), the German-led consortium believes it can deliver solar power to Europe as early as 2015.