Wicked-smart folks working with rudimentary materials to create "batteries" for the dirt-poor areas of Africa by harnessing the electrical discharges of bacteria in - ironically - dirt.
Cross post from The Fueling Station (alternative energy blog from the Tampa Tribune)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Designing and Installing PV workshops coming up at MDC
Miami Dade College Earth Ethics Institute is offering their Designing & Installing Photovoltaic Systems classes once again.
Participants can earn 7 CEUs for each of the 7-hour courses.
More info or to register:
Intro to Designing PV, Sept 25, 2009
Intro to Installation of PV, Sept 26, 2009
It also looks like the College is preparing to offer a new set of more advanced courses in the near future too. I'll post info about any course offerings when the information becomes available.
Participants can earn 7 CEUs for each of the 7-hour courses.
More info or to register:
Intro to Designing PV, Sept 25, 2009
Intro to Installation of PV, Sept 26, 2009
It also looks like the College is preparing to offer a new set of more advanced courses in the near future too. I'll post info about any course offerings when the information becomes available.
Electricity for newbies course offering at MDC
The Earth Ethics Institute of Miami Dade College is offering a course for novice electricians on September 19th (sorry for the late notice).
This is a 7-hour course that 'introduces basic electrical concepts for those who wish to obtain a basic understanding of electricity before taking more advanced courses in designing and installing photovoltaic systems." Sounds like a good idea for homeowners who want to be better consumers too.
For more info or to register for the course, visit www.earthethicsinstitute.org
This is a 7-hour course that 'introduces basic electrical concepts for those who wish to obtain a basic understanding of electricity before taking more advanced courses in designing and installing photovoltaic systems." Sounds like a good idea for homeowners who want to be better consumers too.
For more info or to register for the course, visit www.earthethicsinstitute.org
Friday, August 28, 2009
Cash for Clunkers "borrows" from Energy Dept Innovative Loan Program
From Solar Nation:
"The Obama Administration has diverted one-third of the $6 billion allocated to the DOE Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program to the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program, which has proved so popular that it was in danger of running out of money. The rationale of the Administration and Congress is that DOE will not be able to spend that part of its funds before the end of the year, so will not miss it in the short term. And White House staffers have assured concerned clean energy supporters that the Loan Guarantee Program fund will be replenished by that time."
As popular as the cash for clunkers program has been, pilfering the funds from the solar R&D fund seem a wee bit short-sighted don't you think? Why not raid funds set aside for the oil and gas industry or nuclear programs instead?
The way to fund this program so that it doesn't keep collapsing under the weight of its own success is to create a "fee-bate." Gas guzzlers - SUVs and trucks included - would pay a premium for the privilege of crapping up the planet and making us choke on excessive smog. That premium would subsidize purchases of highly efficient cars (and even SUVs and trucks if they are as fuel sipping as the top tier cars).
Not my idea by any stretch. The concept has been advocated by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute for decades.
"The Obama Administration has diverted one-third of the $6 billion allocated to the DOE Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program to the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program, which has proved so popular that it was in danger of running out of money. The rationale of the Administration and Congress is that DOE will not be able to spend that part of its funds before the end of the year, so will not miss it in the short term. And White House staffers have assured concerned clean energy supporters that the Loan Guarantee Program fund will be replenished by that time."
As popular as the cash for clunkers program has been, pilfering the funds from the solar R&D fund seem a wee bit short-sighted don't you think? Why not raid funds set aside for the oil and gas industry or nuclear programs instead?
The way to fund this program so that it doesn't keep collapsing under the weight of its own success is to create a "fee-bate." Gas guzzlers - SUVs and trucks included - would pay a premium for the privilege of crapping up the planet and making us choke on excessive smog. That premium would subsidize purchases of highly efficient cars (and even SUVs and trucks if they are as fuel sipping as the top tier cars).
Not my idea by any stretch. The concept has been advocated by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute for decades.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Miami-Dade to fast-track solar installation permits
As a result of the Building Code meetings with industry representatives, Miami-Dade County got the Board of Rules and Appeals to agree to a number of changes that will benefit solar.
For one, solar equipment will be considered "green" for the purposes of qualifying for the free "fast-track" of building permits in the unincorporated county. I hear the County is in talks with interested cities to get them to adopt similar fast tracking for green buildings and solar.
Another biggie is that the County will now consider solar panels as being "non-permanent" equipment so they can be installed as designed instead of being treated like air conditioning equipment and other "permanent" rooftop equipment.
Now if we could get a couple more products through code approval. The County may have a plan for that too. We'll have to wait and see if the Department of Energy approves the recent energy efficiency block grant program list, but there's a strong chance that the County may get the green-light on a project to reduce "market barriers" and help companies with the cost of getting product approval.
For one, solar equipment will be considered "green" for the purposes of qualifying for the free "fast-track" of building permits in the unincorporated county. I hear the County is in talks with interested cities to get them to adopt similar fast tracking for green buildings and solar.
Another biggie is that the County will now consider solar panels as being "non-permanent" equipment so they can be installed as designed instead of being treated like air conditioning equipment and other "permanent" rooftop equipment.
Now if we could get a couple more products through code approval. The County may have a plan for that too. We'll have to wait and see if the Department of Energy approves the recent energy efficiency block grant program list, but there's a strong chance that the County may get the green-light on a project to reduce "market barriers" and help companies with the cost of getting product approval.
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