Nathan, Author at CleanTechnica

About Nathan

For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts; for all is vanity. - Ecclesiastes 3:19

1st Renewable Energy Project In Republic Of Seychelles — 6 MW Wind Farm

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Nathan

The 6 MW Port Victoria Wind Farm just launched on Mahé Island in the Republic of Seychelles. The wind farm consists of eight turbines provided by Masdar and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). It is the first large-scale renewable energy project in the Seychelles. The 6 MWs provided by the wind farm represent a full 8% of Mahé Island’s total energy capacity — and it will displace an estimated 5,500 tons of carbon … Read More

ElectriCity — Ultramodern Electric Bus Service Launching In Gothenburg In 2015

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Nathan

Editor’s Note: Volvo and the city of Gothenburg in Sweden, as well as several other partners, are developing a pretty wicked electric bus and renewable energy initiative. Check it out in this EV Obsession repost: Buses that are silent, energy efficient, and don’t release exhaust — sounds good, doesn’t it? Just such a bus service is now in development in the Swedish city of Gothenburg — it’s currently set to launch in 2015. The new “ultramodern” … Read More

3 GW Of New Solar Photovoltaic Plants Being Developed In China By Yingli

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Nathan

Editor’s Note: Yes, 3 GW (3,000 MW)! Yingli has apparently landed some huge solar power projects in China. Here are a few more details from this Solar Love repost: 3 GW of new solar photovoltaic power plants are now in the works in the Yunnan province of Southern China — thanks to an agreement between solar manufacturing giant Yingli, the Qujing city government, and the Honghe state government. During the recent announcement of the project, … Read More

Global Carbon Emissions Reached Record High In 2012

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Nathan

Image Credit: Climate Change via Flickr CC

Global carbon emissions reached a new high in 2012, rising by 1.4% to 31.6 billion tons, according to the International Energy Agency. The large rise in emissions was led by China, which released 300 million more tons in 2012 than it did in 2011. As well as leading the pack with regards to increased rates of emissions, China was also the leader with regards to total emissions. It’s worth noting, though, that the rise was … Read More

Cattails As Building Insulation — New Research Brings To Light The Great Advantages Of The Material

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Nathan

Cattails — Typha sp — are a very useful material, one that can be effectively employed for a variety of very different purposes. Throughout history, they have served as a nutritious food source, a source of downy material for bedding, a raw material for wickerwork, a means of cleaning wastewater at sewage treatment plants and of removing toxins from soils, and as a medicinal plant. And now, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics … Read More

5 MW Lithium-Ion Energy Storage System Unveiled In Oregon — Will Provide Storage For Intermittent Renewable Energy Sources

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Nathan

A new, state-of-the-art, 5 MW lithium-ion energy storage system was recently unveiled in South Salem, Oregon. The new energy storage system — which is a demonstration project — will allow the storage of the excess electricity occasionally produced by some intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, as well as providing other services. The energy storage system is integrated with a localized power zone — a microgrid — which means that about 500 … Read More

New Light Rail Vehicle — The Citadis Spirit — Unveiled By Alstom, Designed For North American Market

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Nathan

The Citadis Spirit — a new light rail vehicle that was designed for the North American market — was recently unveiled by Alstom during the 2013 American Public Transportation Association Rail Conference in Philly. The new light rail vehicles feature a number of unique design elements, chosen with the North American market in mind. As Alstom notes, there are now more than 30 cities in the US and Canada which are currently developing new light … Read More

Biofuels From Waste — Enzyme From Tiny Marine Wood-Borers May Provide Cost-Effective Means To Produce Biofuel

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Nathan

Image Credit: Laura Michie, Portsmouth University, with assistance from Alex Ball from the Natural History Museum

A new enzyme — capable of aiding in the cost-effective conversion of woody-waste into liquid fuel — was recently discovered during research on the tiny marine wood-borers known as ‘gribble’. The extremely small animals are well known for their ability to completely destroy seaside piers, primarily as a result of the powerful enzymes that they use. By utilizing advanced biochemical analysis and X-ray techniques, the researchers — from the University of York, University of Portsmouth, … Read More

New Alga Discovered In Colorado — Will Possibly Extend Biodiesel Production Northwards

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Nathan

Image Credit: Rocky Mountains via Wikimedia Commons

Researchers have discovered a new type of yellow-green algae — heterococcus sp. DN1 — that could potentially be a good source for biodiesel production and allow biodiesels to be produced much further north than they are now. The new strain was discovered living in the snow fields of the Rocky Mountains. H. sp. DN1 is apparently able to grow at very-low temperatures — near freezing — all the while accumulating large stores of lipids. It … Read More

National Dump The Pump Day On June 20th — Take Public Transportation!