| |
 | Posted by admin |
|
|
|
Onshore wind energy supplied 16% of the total Spanish electricity demand by 2010. Marine parks would increase energy production in Spain, but for now there are only projects that are moving slowly. Experts expect that the future of Renewable Energies Plan (PER) from 2011 to 2020 the Government implement a final installation of the windmills at sea.
“With the energy dependence of 80% in Spain, the path of independence in this area should be strategic and even national security,” Elias explains to SINC Andres Feijoo, researcher in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Vigo.
According to provisional data from Network Power, wind power plants provided about 16% of total electricity demand of 2010 to transform the wind into electrical energy with large wind turbine blades. But not enough.
Alongside these ‘giants’ land mills, projects of wind turbines at sea have been raised but not yet materialized. “We have not made any progress,” laments SINC Jose Luis Garcia, head of Greenpeace’s Energy Projects Spain.
Although it is a matter of time. “The deployment of offshore wind in Spain begin with the development of pilot projects, which could be operational before 2015,” Emilien Simonot SINC tells the engineer for the technical department of the Business Association (AEE).
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
So far this month the Asco II nuclear plant in Tarragona, has seen two incidents. The day 1 time round failed to fire lookout in the auxiliary building, and today it has produced in Unit II a reduction of the maximum allowed power above 20%.
Those responsible for the Asco nuclear power plant (Tarragona), have informed the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), following the regulatory process, reducing the maximum allowed power above 20% in Unit II.
This decline is driven by the need for access to the containment building to carry out the repair of a refrigeration unit that is inside and increase security measures designed to protect personnel performing the procedure.
This event has not alleged risk to people or the environment, and has been preliminarily classified as level 0 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES).
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
One of the major problems facing mankind is the depletion of fossil fuels. The energy model, historically heavily dependent on oil and coal, has begun to look for sustainable alternatives such as renewable energy. Different research groups, such as the University of Burgos, have been established on hydrogen, a very present in the Earth and capable of becoming fuel.
“Solar energy is the main energy source of the planet,” says Gabriel Garcia Herbosa, coordinator of Amido research group at the University of Burgos. Since solar radiation can be captured directly by energy from the star, from panels, but is behind other forms of energy capture. The wind is caused by temperature change in the atmosphere produced by the action of the sun, the surf is also a product of the atmospheric circulation.
These activities are also useful for producing electricity. Even plants need this radiation to produce photosynthesis, through which solar heat is converted into chemical energy which will lead to biomass and wood, from which ultimately emerged the fossil fuels.
Over the past decade, says Garcia Herbosa, is known to convert hydrogen into electricity or burn as fuel. This is already used, for example, on ferries. However, there remain important chemical processes are unknown. “How can we break the water from the action of the sun? How can we separate the elements hydrogen and oxygen?” Asks the researcher.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
Tecnalia Research & Innovation has-been selected by United Nations for the redesign of the energy strategy of the Croatian city of Sisak. The Objective of this project is to convert this Municipality Into the Energy Smart City , For Which They Are Intended to Identify Those That Necessarily Mil Infrastructures in the city over the next 15 years. Will Develop a Methodology to Improve the Energy Infrastructure of the city in a Systematic long-term, and AIMS to Be A test case for the whole country, Which is in the process of Accession to the European Union.
The plan is the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategy for Implementing Energy Efficiency Measures for Sisak, Integrating Existing projects with new Initiatives. This strategy, multisectoral, Coordinated action on the built environment, industry, city services and Transport Infrastructure, in order to Achieve Drastic Reductions in energy consumption.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
A team of researchers from the Institute for Science and Technology Hokuriku (JAIST), and JSR Corporation, a company specializing in the production of rubbers and plastics, has succeeded for the first time ever, to make a photovoltaic cell with thin layers of amorphous silicon from silicon liquid.
Cells thin-film amorphous silicon represent a cheaper alternative to crystalline silicon cells that dominate the market (90% modules sold), but whose production cost is higher. However, their conversion efficiency is much lower (7% to 9% in industrial cons 15% to 20% for crystalline silicon cells). They are currently manufactured by chemical vapor deposition assisted by plasma (method for depositing thin films from a gas). The development of a production method by coating would reduce production costs and thus increase interest in technology.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
Researchers Universidad Complutense de Madrid working on developing new technologies for the production of intermediate band solar cells. This is one of the most promising concepts being developed within the third generation of photovoltaic devices, currently in full gestation.
In a Marx Brothers film, the actors boarded a steam train to reach their destination rather than “bad.” However, the train had no more coal, so for it to work, the Marx brothers were tearing up the wood with which the cars were manufactured. Throughout the scene, Groucho Marx kept shouting: “More wood, this is war!”. At the end of this fast-paced action scene of the 30 failed to reach the destination but the train is his only useless metal skeleton.
In today’s society, the train of technological development is enabling us to achieve higher quality and life expectancy, however, this development involves the use of many energy resources. The rapid growth being experienced the world’s population also leads to an ever increasing demand for energy.
Also, due to our current energy model we are faced with serious problems of environmental impact, such as desertification, reduction of the ozone layer or changing weather patterns, which could seriously threaten the welfare of future generations.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
The Irish company SolarPrint, based in Dublin, has developed an original technology based on a type of photosensitive pigment cells (“Grätzel cell”), which converts energy into any light source using the principle of artificial photosynthesis .
This technology has the potential to replace traditional solar cells based on silicon: it works all day in any environment, including internal-inclusive. The patent, filed by Michael Grätzel on behalf of the company, already has 3 years and is being SolarPrint patents around new photosensitive pigments that would increase the power produced in low light, and photovoltaic cells flexible.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
Further studies to assess the public health impact of different types of biofuels and percentages of mixture
A percentage of biodiesel up to 7 percent in the more common diesel fuel will probably not risk the health of the population of the use of pure fossil diesel. This is the main conclusion of a memorandum from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Climate and Pollution Agency sent to the ministry of health and the environment of that Scandinavian country. However, this is an assessment that can not be extended to other rates, as emphasized by the researchers.
“A higher content of biodiesel, up to 20 percent, require more research to assess the public health impact of different types of biofuels and percentages of mixture, as well as physical and technical factors relevant to the specific conditions of each country” said to Schwarze, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
Over the next few decades, renewable energy will be induced to take an important place in the U.S. energy mix. However, contrary to conventional energy sources based on fuel use, renewable energy sources like wind or sun are intermittent and are not always available. To ensure a reliable supply of electricity and the development of these energy sources, it is crucial to have a thorough knowledge of weather and climate changes may affect them.
To this end, the Department of Energy (DoE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the establishment of a framework agreement between the two agencies to expand their collaboration in this field. The agreement, signed Jan. 24, will strengthen the work of both agencies and to better understand weather patterns and climate may influence the effectiveness of renewable energy. This information will ultimately help manufacturers to optimize performance and reliability of their systems and to design more reliable equipment, more appropriate and less costly.
Click to continue »
| |
| Posted by admin |
|
|
|
The technology exploits the ability to produce microfibers able to keep that low-pressure hydride and release hydrogen at room temperature
Why can establish itself as an energy source, or rather as an energy carrier, hydrogen must still be overcome, as well as issues relating to its production, including problems related to its storage, particularly complex in that the automotive field that should be the preferred destination .
Currently it requires the storage of hydrogen or extremely low temperatures or very high pressure, which in turn require a strong energy expenditure and pose safety problems.
Now a company issuing the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK, the Energy Cell Ltd., announced a technology to be practical and economical way to store it, which does not require major changes compared to current systems: the hydrogen could be “served” by a similar of existing gas stations.
Click to continue »
