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Mon, 2011-07-11 15:31 — mdmcdonald
This collaboratory is focused on discussions about Sustainable Energy.

This mission of this collaboratory is to focus on discussions about Sustainable Energy.

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Kathy Gilbeaux Katie Rast Maeryn Obley mdmcdonald
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Municipal Solid Waste Plants Convert Garbage to Electricity

Sun, 2012-09-23 22:11 — Kathy Gilbeaux

submitted by Al Cisneros

               

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Electric Generator Report, Early Release 2011

eia.gov - September 17, 2012

Waste-to-energy plants burn municipal solid waste (MSW) to generate electricity or heat. At the plant, MSW is unloaded from collection trucks and shredded or processed to ease handling. The waste is fed into a combustion chamber to be burned. The heat released from burning the MSW is used to produce steam, which turns a turbine to generate electricity.

In 2011, there were 75 waste-to-energy plants operating in 20 states, with a total electric generating capacity of 2,238 megawatts. During the same year, waste-to-energy plants generated approximately 14 million megawatthours of electricity from MSW, or about 0.3% of total U.S. generation, which was roughly the same as geothermal electricity generation in the United States.

New app provides green fuel map for the U.S.

Thu, 2012-09-13 01:58 — Maeryn Obley

Green fuel map application in action.Image: Green fuel map application in action.

submitted by Samuel Bendett

gizmag.com - September 11th, 2012 - Antonio Pasolini

Switching to a vehicle running on alternative fuel presents a clear challenge - where do you fill it up? Designed by Leonardo Academy, Cleaner and Greener Fuels is a free app that gives users interactive maps to help them find the nearest alternative fuel stations all over the U.S.

Available for both iPhone and Android devices, the app caters for electric cars as well as vehicles running on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), Biodiesel, LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), E85, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as propane) and hydrogen.

(VIEW COMPLETE ARTICLE)

Renewable Energy Sees Explosive Growth During Obama Administration

Tue, 2012-09-11 21:35 — Maeryn Obley

renewableenergyworld.com - August 29th, 2012 - Kenneth Bossung
 
Two recently-issued federal studies underscore the dramatic growth in electrical generation from geothermal, solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources during the first three and one-half years of the Obama Administration.

According to the latest issue of EIA's "Electric Power Monthly" with data through to June 30, 2012, non-hydro renewable sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) provided 5.76% of net electrical generation for the first half of 2012. This represents an increase of 10.97% compared to the same period in 2011.

(VIEW COMPLETE ARTICLE)

Record Heat, Drought Pose Problems for U.S. Electric Power

Tue, 2012-08-21 23:14 — Maeryn Obley

One of the reactors at the Millstone nuclear power station had to shut down when temperatures in the Long Island Sound, its source of cooling water, became too warm. (Roger Ressmeyer, Corbis)

Image: One of the reactors at the Millstone nuclear power station had to shut down when temperatures in the Long Island Sound, its source of cooling water, became too warm. (Roger Ressmeyer, Corbis)

news.nationalgeographic.com - August 17th, 2012 - Joe Eaton

Record heat and drought conditions across the United States this summer have plagued power plants that require cool water to produce electricity.

From Connecticut to California, high water temperatures and diminished access to water caused by drought have forced a number of power plants to ramp down production or acquire waivers to operate with cooling water above regulated temperatures. At least one plant has suspended operations.

Evacuation Ordered for Bayou Corne Community

Tue, 2012-08-14 23:14 — Kathy Gilbeaux

              

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- This is an aerial view of the 422-foot- deep sinkhole that emerged recently near Bayou Corne. The Texas Brine Co. LLC facility well pad for a plugged and abandoned salt cavern is at right; Crosstex Energy LP facility is in upper left, while the pipeline corridor is at far lower left.

fox8live.com - August 3, 2012

NAPOLEONVILLE, La. (AP) - Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency Friday in Assumption Parish after officials ordered an immediate evacuation of the Bayou Corne area because a slurry area appeared to be expanding.

"The fear of the unknown prompted the evacuation order," said John Boudreaux, director of the parish's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. "The fear of it possibly compromising either the nearby pipelines or cavern storage areas, that could cause a risk to the community."

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

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Conflict of Interests Charges Surround Two Pro-Fracking Studies

Sat, 2012-08-11 00:03 — Kathy Gilbeaux

submitted by Luis Kun

      

Schematic diagram of hydrofracking operation // Source: savingwater.co.za

Homeland Security News Wire - July 30, 2012

Two recent studies — by research institutes at  the University of Buffalo and the University of Texas — on the relationship between fracking and the contamination of groundwater, offered what was claimed to be scientific, peer-reviewed research which concluded that fracking does not contribute to such contamination; an examination of the two reports reveals that they were not properly reviewed according to accepted academic standards, and that their authors, and the research institutes which sponsored them, are heavily involved with companies which conduct fracking operations; the author of the University of Texas report sits on the board of a leading fracking company, where his compensation is more than twice as large as his UT salary; he did not disclose this fact in the study — or inform UT of this connection; UT is investigating

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

US farmers urge Obama administration to suspend ethanol quota amid drought

Tue, 2012-08-07 10:59 — Maeryn Obley

Keith Beall harvests drought-stressed corn beyond the reach of the field's irrigation system, in Eatonton, Georgia. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

guardian.co.uk - July 30th, 2012 - Suzanne Goldenburg

The Obama administration was urged on Monday to stop diverting grain to gas amid warnings of an "imminent food crisis" caused by America's drought.

US government forecasts of a 4% rise in food prices for US consumers because of the drought have sharpened criticism of supports for producing fuel from corn-based ethanol.

Meanwhile, research published last week by the New England Complex Systems Institute warned of an "imminent food crisis" because of the diversion of corn stocks to ethanol.

(VIEW COMPLETE ARTICLE)

Triple Win for Biofuels on Capitol Hill; $$$ for Military Biofuels; Tax Extenders Package; Algae wins tax credit parity

Mon, 2012-08-06 22:52 — Maeryn Obley

biofuelsdigest.com - Jim Lane - August 3rd, 2012

In Washington, the US Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Finance Committee handed the advanced biofuels industry three of its most significant wins on Capitol Hill this year.

The Senate Appropriations Committee, in approving the 2013 Defense budget, appropriated $70M for the Navy biofuels program, and added $100 million to the Defense Production Act “to build production capacity for critical defense-related initiatives,” which reflects potential funding for the Navy’s proposed military biofuels program.

The House bill did not fund the $70 million requested by the Administration for the Navy biofuels project, but did add an appropriation $50M in general funds for defense-related initiatives. The differences between the House and Senate versions will be worked out in conference.

(VIEW COMPLETE ARTICLE)

Industry Money and Questionable Ethics Contaminate UT Austin Fracking Study

Mon, 2012-07-30 22:53 — Kathy Gilbeaux

Scientific American - by David Wogan - July 24, 2012

Remember that study out of The University of Texas last February that concluded there wasn’t a direct link between fracking and groundwater contamination? It caught flack for seeming to being too easy on the fracking industry by suggesting that there wasn’t a direct link between cracking shale and groundwater contamination. The study was great news for an industry fighting a PR battle over a politically-charged issue.

However, financial ties to the fracking industry were never mentioned in all of the announcements about the study, and not known until a new study put out Monday by the Public Accountability Initiative. The study’s leader, Dr. Charles “Chip” Groat has significant financial ties to the fracking industry, to the tune of a couple of million dollars.

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ELECTRIC CITY - Tom Hanks produces animated series about a grid operative in post-apocalyptic future

Wed, 2012-07-18 18:49 — Maeryn Obley

submitted by Samuel Bendett

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