New Year, New Resources!

So the year 2013 is upon us. What does this mean for America? What does this mean for the world? What does this mean for the renewable energy industry? One thing we can do is see how the year will play out in terms of RECs (renewable energy certificate credit). A tradeable commodity that represents 1 MWh (1,000 kWh) of energy produced from a renewable resource. A real time map of the United States wind resource shows the potential of North and South Dakota, Montana, and the eastern portion of the Mid-West.

This area being a large concentration of the best wind resource in the country however, isn't taken advantage of. There are no sufficient transmission lines available in these areas to move the wind power to where it is needed. However independent interests supporting efforts such as Rock Island Clean Line are acting to extract this untapped wind energy resource!

IKEA solar endeavors

Wow this is awesome... that's a MASSIVE  solar array and a huge power output!
I really like the idea of industrial renewable energy use because of the economical savings they receive. Those benefits can be put into R&D, social responsibility endeavors, or can help lower the price of their product, something that would be welcomed in this ever competitive global market.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ikea-powers-solar-energy-panels-110000638.html

Super Bowl Going Green!

Hey everybody it seems that the NFL this season will be going green next weekend with the onset of Super Bowl . The NFL Environmental Program now in its 18th year previously have developed projects each year to address solid waste, food waste, material reuse, the needs for books and sports equipment for children in need and the overall climate change impact of Super Bowl events. The company Green Mountain, will cooperate with the committee and help the reduce the load of electricity the Super Bowl will put on the  grid. 


The 15,000 MWH of electricity needed for the Super Bowl will be provided by wind farms in North Dakota (to Indianapolis, Indiana!)

Win Power Anyone?

Mitsubishi will be UNVEILING a massive 7 GW offshore turbine that will be used in the UK in 2013. This is hugely impressive for the wind industry because most have nameplate capacities at 2-3 MW nowadays. Will this mean a continued exponential rise for the industry over the past 5 years? Guess we'll just have to wait and see...

World's Largest Hydraulic Power Plant to be Built at 40 GW... and then some.

IN this ARTICLE, it explains the agreement between South Africa and the DRC agreeing to build, what would be world's largest hydro power plant in the world when it's completed in 2025, at 40 GW (that is more than twice what Three Gorges is). Expensive though at $80 billion.


AND THEN, HERE, is an article  reporting on the decision by courts to allow construction of a large 11 GW in Brazil that will be built in that country. 


The 40 GW power plant presented is absolutly massive to wrap your head around. It is more than twice what the current world's largest power plant which is the 18.3 GW plant at Three Gorges Damn.

However, as shown in the second article problems and sacrifices that have to be made by citizens with the massive 40,000 person displement that will occur with the construction of the damn in Brazil.


DO the good of many out weight the good of the few, or is this something that people will have to swallow to allow for cleaner energy production needs in the future.?

Peak Oil Evidence

One of the most sobering aspects of nonrenewable resources is that essentially they will run out sooner or later. They are a finite resource. How will that effect us in this lifetime? The fact is actually that it will affect us in this present lifetime. The resources will not 'run out' per se, but what will affect everyone is 'peak oil'. Peak oil  is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. This relates to global extraction which some researchers in the oil and sciences industries have estimated are happening from either currently or within the next 5-15 years.

The article from the Energy Information Agency that I found on Tuesday, September 21st, 2011, portrays interesting information regarding United Kingdom oil and natural gas production as well as consumption from 2000- 2010. The paths cross around 2004 with natural gas, and 2005 for oil. 

RENOVATIONS

Hi,

This post is a continuation of what it has been created for. This profile and therefore blog of information and ideas previously recorded and express was created for a class I had taken for a politics class called Public Opinion. Now I am not in this class.

I have been accepted into the Renewable Energy major at Illinois State University and will continue the blog in the same purpose but as a recreational perspective. This will not jeopordize the material however since I stay heavily involved in the current events of the material and will resume posting this material on my blog along wiht ideas, critique, evidence, etcetera. 

TDR