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Ever volatile fuel prices, security of supply, renewable energy cost reductions and environmental-climate concerns are dramatically accelerating the demand for greener alternatives.

It has become a global imperative that we break our addiction to fossil fuels. Providing for the ever increasing energy and transportation needs of the planet is going to take a wide range of alternative energy sources, cleaner fuels, the smart grid and advanced storage solutions.

These technologies are finally establishing themselves in the energy mix and becoming mainstream .....an emerging multi trillion dollar market rapidly becoming one of the most significant industrial sectors this century. The future is bright for renewable energy sources and a greener sustainable world.

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A guide to choosing a solar water pump

01 04 10 - 12:37 A guide to choosing a solar water pump


AEN News




Washington - Research scientists with the Agricultural Research Service have published a guide to choosing a solar water pump for remote applications and has provided readers access to that valuable information.

For this guide, agricultural engineer Brian Vick and colleagues drew on the ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory's 31 years of testing stand-alone water pumps. The laboratory is located near Bushland, Texas.

Vick found that for pumps with motors rated less than 1,500 watts, solar is usually the best choice. With current technology and costs, wind power or a hybrid wind/solar pump is usually best for power needs of 1,500 watts or more. Vick and colleagues tested three major pump types: diaphragm, helical and centrifugal. Diaphragm and helical pumps can maintain almost the same maximum flow rate over a large range of pumping depths. Because maximum flow rate increases with increasing power, centrifugal pumps can pump more water than diaphragm or helical pumps, although a photovoltaic (PV) array rated at a higher power may be required, especially at deeper pumping depths.

Powered with a 160-watt PV array, most diaphragm pumps sold today can draw sufficient water from wells 100 feet deep or less to supply 75 head of cattle. Some recently designed diaphragm pumps can draw from as deep as 230 feet, but can only supply sufficient quantities of water for 30 head of cattle.

Research indicates that if more water is needed or a deeper well is required, a pump type other than a diaphragm--and a PV array of more than 160 watts--is recommended.

The researchers also recommend using a controller on all pumps. For irrigation, they recommend the centrifugal pump with a hybrid wind/solar power system.

Their guide offers case studies in the Bushland area, where wells are more than 230 feet deep. One example is a four-person household, for which they recommend a helical pump powered by a 500-watt PV array. To supply water to 150 head of beef cattle, they would use a helical pump powered by a 640 watt PV array.

The guide, published by the American Solar Energy Society in 2009, is available online at http://www.cprl.ars.usda.gov/REMM_Publications.htm Used tags: , , , , , , , ,

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Last chance for climate change legislation?

Thursday 29 April 2010 at 8:41 pm Last chance for climate change legislation?


By Brad Knickerbocker,


It's crunch time for climate change legislation on Capitol Hill, and the bill to be introduced Monday could be the last chance for passage before lawmakers face voters this fall.

The bill coauthored by Sens. John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts, Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina, and Joseph Lieberman (I) of Connecticut has as its main goal a 17 percent reduction in US greenhouse gas emissions (mainly carbon dioxide) from 2005 levels in 10 years and 80 percent by 2050.

It has easier requirements on emissions caps for power plants and other major contributors of greenhouse gases - easier than previous legislative proposals. It also has incentives to build new nuclear power plants. There are also provisions for offshore oil drilling.

The measure pleases no one entirely. more

Obama's gambit to marry US policies on environment and energy

Monday 19 April 2010 at 11:18 am By Mark Clayton


True, America is still guzzling fossil fuels. But since taking office just over a year ago, President Obama has quietly set the nation's energy policy on a new course.

Even as health care dominated the news, Obama energy czar Carol Browner - working with the departments of Interior, Energy, and Transportation - has established a new, unified energy-and-environment policy. But whether this focus on renewable power and energy security can succeed depends largely on whether Congress approves climate-energy legislation that puts a price on carbon emissions, energy experts say. more

Waste-hating freegans Dumpster dive for food

Sunday 18 April 2010 at 9:24 pm Waste-hating freegans Dumpster dive for food



By Megan McCourt




Washington - One night as Madeline Nelson was foraging through a Whole Foods Dumpster in Manhattan, a man gave her a look of pity and held out a dollar bill. That wasn't what she was looking for.

Nelson, 54, was searching for good-quality food that had been tossed from the store's stocks of slightly wilted produce, day-old bread and dented canned goods.

Nelson is a freegan - a mash-up of "free" and "vegan." more

Auto emissions: New greenhouse gas caps raise gas mileage standards

Friday 09 April 2010 at 03:59 am By Mark Clayton,




The nation's first-ever law requiring a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions goes into effect today, mandating that automakers progressively chop the amount of tail-pipe gases emitted from US cars.

The first cars to be affected by the law will be automakers' 2012 lines. By 2016, model year greenhouse gas emissions must not exceed an average of 8.8 ounces per mile - a 21 percent reduction from today's levels. To get there, vehicles' gas mileage will need to achieve on average 35.5 miles per gallon fleet wide - a 40 percent improvement from current levels. more

Impact of emission caps: costlier cars that will be cheaper to drive

Friday 09 April 2010 at 03:50 am By Laurent Belsie


The US government's new limits on cars' greenhouse-gas emissions represent a landmark for the environment. For consumers, they're more of a mixed bag financially.

Cars and light trucks will cost more starting in 2012. But what consumers pay up front, they'll more than make up in fuel efficiency, according to the government.

Here's how it adds up: Suppose you buy the average 2016 model, when the strictest emissions standards kick in. The extra technology needed to meet those standards will cost an average $869 for a car or $1,098 for a light truck. So your new vehicle will cost about $1,000 more than it otherwise would.

But that vehicle will be cheaper to drive. So at at average 35.5 miles per gallon, you would save enough in fuel over the first three years to make up for the extra up front cost, according to calculations by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). more

A guide to choosing a solar water pump

Thursday 01 April 2010 at 12:37 pm A guide to choosing a solar water pump


AEN News




Washington - Research scientists with the Agricultural Research Service have published a guide to choosing a solar water pump for remote applications and has provided readers access to that valuable information.

For this guide, agricultural engineer Brian Vick and colleagues drew on the ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory's 31 years of testing stand-alone water pumps. The laboratory is located near Bushland, Texas.

Vick found that for pumps with motors rated less than 1,500 watts, solar is usually the best choice. With current technology and costs, wind power or a hybrid wind/solar pump is usually best for power needs of 1,500 watts or more. more