WEEDS FOR FUEL? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!
No, I am not kidding you. There’s a weed (well known in other parts of the world) that some day may solve all our fuel problems. One way or the other, we in the civilized world have simply got to get off oil for fuel, and among the many solutions out there is a little-known grass called Miscanthus x giganteus. You can just call it “miscanthus” if you want to, but it has been around on this earth for a very long time.
Back in the colonial days when our forefathers were first forming this country of ours, miscanthus was used as a flower around the colonial homes. It was hardy. It had a lovely bloom. It withstood harsh winters and I daresay, some ancestors of these colonial miscanthus can still be found near or around some of those lovely old colonial homes which are standing today and have been preserved as National Monuments.
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Nikola Tesla, when power came to Colorado
Nikola Tesla
Something happened near Telluride, Colorado, in the late nineteenth century that is forgotten to all but a few of the most committed seekers of historical fact, an event of such magnitude it would change the society of our world forever; and it was brought about by a simple need for a better and less expensive way to do business. Oh, I’m not talking about the Hole in the Wall Gang and Butch Cassidy’s first heist of $24,580 from the local bank, I’m talking about the advent of commercial Alternating Current power that took place high in the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Colorado. In 1891, from a wooden shack in the short-lived mining camp at a place called Ames, high above Telluride, modern electrical Alternating Current was first generated and transmitted for commercial use. Read more
New Darrieus Wind turbine
Mariah Power of Reno Nevada has introduced a new wind generator called the Windspire. Standing at only 30 foot and with a footprint of 2 foot in diameter, makes this wind generator an attractive option for those living in a more confined area. The big plus for me is it doesn’t take a crane to put the Windspire up nor does it require guide wires. The Windspire is hinged so you can assemble it on the ground then raised with the use of a hand winch.
The Windspire design is not new. It is referred to as a “Giromill or Darrieus” Wind turbine and was first used by the Egyptians to grind wheat. When it comes to looks though, the Windspire is a far more attractive Darrieus turbine then most. In fact, I think it is quite attractive.
Darrieus Turbines come in a few varieties. Some have rotors with curved blades that look like an eggbeater and rotate about a vertical axis. Another variation uses straight-sided blades (airfoils) and is called a Giromill. Darrieus turbines, as with all vertical axis turbines, do not need to orient themselves with the changing wind directions and they readily capture wind energy from any direction. Read more
Sharp Solar
Sharp Introduces New Generation of Thin Film Solar Cells in U.S.
Electronics Corporation has announced that it will shortly introduce a
new generation of thin film solar cells in the U.S. market. Read more
Cheap Solar Cooling
A startup based in Cambridge, MA, has developed a new solar-powered refrigeration system for food storage in Indian villages that are off the grid. Promethean Power Systems‘ design is a hybrid of conventional compressor-based refrigeration and thermoelectric materials–semiconductors that convert electricity into cooling and vice versa. Read more
Solar Panel Theft on the Rise
Solar is a hot item “For Thieves!” All across the country, the theft of Solar Panels is on the rise. Individuals and businesses alike are reporting some pretty amazing things; like, $75 000.00 worth of solar taken off the top of a San Jose, CA business. Read more
Enphase Energy Micro-Inverter
Enphase Energy announced that it has raised $15 million to ramp up production of its microinverters, a design that they claim significantly boosts the power output and reliability of solar panels.
Enphase Energy has designed a Micro-Inverter for residential and commercial applications. A DC to AC inverter for each module? Solar panels are already way too expensive, so what is the benefit to having an individual inverter? Read more
