It basically runs on salt but nevertheless Crescent Dunes, the new 110 megawatt solar power and energy storage facility near Tonopah, Nevada, is billed as the “most advanced solar plant in the world” on top of laying claim to being the largest facility of its kind in the world. Now … [continued]
The startup Green Charge Networks is planning a big announcement for next week, so in advance of that we’re going to take a look back at what the company has been up to so far. Its GreenStation™ energy storage unit is a lithium-ion battery system designed to operate like an … [continued]
A new $2 million funding program from the Department of Energy is expected to add – yes, add – yet another 1,800 gigawatts of wind power to the already formidable wind resources of the US. That’s something to keep in mind as the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline review … [continued]
With the Chevy Volt highlighting its successes so far, the US Department of Energy announced yesterday a new round of $50 million in funding for new projects to bump the US auto industry up to more energy efficient and petroleum-independent technologies, including advanced batteries and other EV-related goodies. The new … [continued]
We’ve written before about the US Marines Experimental Forward Operating Base (ExFOB) project, and with a mid-May demonstration event for energy harvesting systems ahead this year, now is a good time to check in and see what they’re up to. The ExFOB Request for Information is available online and that … [continued]
The company NewLight Technologies first came across our radar last year, when it announced a system for making plastic almost out of thin air. Instead of using petroleum, the feedstock is the airborne carbon emitted by sewage treatment plants, landfills, power plants, and other industrial sites, so in addition to … [continued]
Into the trash can went $250 million worth of alternative energy and energy conservation projects for the US Army last year, thanks to the federal budget compromise of across-the-board cuts known as the “sequestration.” That’s really cutting off your nose to spite your face, since the Army’s energy projects are … [continued]
One of the world’s largest solar power plants is taking shape in Arizona, including a built-in solar energy storage feature that enables it to keep humming along after dark. The plant, called Solana, has just received an infusion of $300 million from the Liberty Interactive Corporation as it completes its … [continued]
A company called Proterro has come up with a super low-cost way to squeeze sucrose out of algae, and if its new pilot-scale facility shakes out successfully, don’t be surprised to hear the sound of garment rending and teeth gnashing from the algae biofuel doubters. That’s because a sucrose feedstock … [continued]
Mounting evidence of water contamination, air pollution and even earthquakes has been piling on to the natural gas drilling method known as fracking, while state and federal agencies have been scrambling to develop a platform for managing future impacts. They’ve been left far behind in the dust, partly because a … [continued]
