Quantum computers have the potential to fly past Moore’s Law and give us a new generation of ultra powerful supercomputers. The new technology is based on the behavior of photons, the smallest particles that make up light, which could mean the potential for packing that power into smaller, more energy efficient devices than anything known today. However, there is one little problem…
QUICK NEWS: Facebook and Opower are working with the Natural Resources Defense Council to develop a Facebook app that will encourage more people to pay attention to their energy consumption and energy efficiency. The social energy app will allow people to compare their energy use with the energy use of an average U.S. home of a similar size, and with the energy use of their friends’ homes. In addition, the Facebook app will allow people to share energy saving tips with other app users. And, of course, there will be energy-saving competitions.
If successful, FuelCell Energy’s system will separate and capture 90% or more of the CO2 emitted from a coal-fired power plant’s flue stream. The CO2, along with hydrogen ‘reformed’ from natural gas, will be used to drive a fuel cell that produces clean electricity that will add to the plant’s energy output. Nitrogen oxides (NOX), another potent greenhouse gas, will also be captured, but destroyed in the process. Emissions from the fuel cell system: water.
Today is Blog Action Day, with the topic being Food this year, and our network is participating. So, what’s cleantech got to do with food?
Well, while we don’t write about it a lot. Clean energy and cleantech, in general, have a ton to do with food.
In the same year as Tennessee Williams play was first produced Streetcars were disappearing from the American scene. New investment funds are bringing about a renaissance in streetcar technology. We are cautioned to use the funds wisely.
After six years of tax breaks for buying energy efficient appliances, the federal door is closing. They’re done trying to thank consumers for some sense of responsibility. The incentives are over at the end of 2011 – any applicable items must be not only bought but installed by December 31st in order to still be eligible.
Increasingly, red states are also benefitting from the development of local renewable energy to meet renewable energy standards (RES) in blue states.
A legislative task force in very red state South Dakota recently proposed changes favoring wind farm construction (tip from regular reader Bob Wallace). Coal rich and empty, South Dakota has no RES requiring renewable energy, and little local demand for new energy, but the task force was concerned that much lower taxes on wind farms, to encourage renewable energy development in neighboring windy states led to South Dakota being out-competed for wind farm development.
“A new type of thinking is essential if mankind is to survive and move towards higher levels.”- Albert Einstein
Our nation’s economic success has always been based on our technological superiority coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit: In the 1940’s, it was our superior infrastructure and distribution capabilities. In the 60’s and 70’s, we had an explosion of scientific revolutions through the “space race.” And in the late 80’s and 90’s, the technological revolution turned into the internet revolution.
Enlighted inc., a building sense and control company, announced the closing of a $14 million round of funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Draper Fisher recently.
There is a growing interest in Electric Vehicles with many vehicles being offered and planned for future release. The uninspired and those who may be in the employ of the Koch Machine will long and loudly rail against the EV for its status as a ZEV. But at ground level, especially in difficult economic times it is the vehicle’s cost that will motivate mass adoption of electric cars.
