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| Energy : Wind |
Topic : Storage |
Posted : Jan. 2009 |
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Really Big Batteries
A company has introduced a utility scale battery capable of storing 7.2 mega watt hours of electricity. The battery is rated at 1 megawatt. To put that into perspective for our community, during a hot summer day, our electric load is about 680 megawatts.
The benefits include :
Wind power generated at night can be stored for use during peak times, often 2-6 pm.
The units can be installed incrementally. As compared to a wind farm of 100 megawatts or a coal plant of 300 megawatts, these can be placed as utility officials determine that one or two might help with increasing daytime peaks.
Battteries can be installed in a distributed or concentrated manner in small buildings without the 'industrial look'.
source : North American Windpower, Jan. 2009
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| Energy : Diesel |
Topic : Efficiency |
Posted : Jan. 2009 |
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Better fuel delivery into engine
Save the World Air, Inc. has introduced a fuel conditioner for diesel engines that can increase mileage 10%. The device thins the fuel (which can be as thick as jelly when cold) so the fuel atomizes better in the combustion chamber.
source : Popular Science, Feb. 2009
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| Energy : Solar |
Topic : Efficiency |
Posted : Jan. 2009 |
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Thin film focuses sunlight on photovoltaic panels
A new film developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will reduce the light that reflects off any PV panel and instead focus that light down into the absorbing layers below. For many PV panels, the sunshine (insolation) that hits the panel straight on produces much more energy than insolation that hits at an angle. For PV panels that do not track the sun, this could improve output by 20% by collecting off-angle sunlight rather than it reflecting off the surface. This film can be applied to most PV panels.
source : Popular Science, Feb. 2009
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| Energy : Wind |
Topic : Environmental Impacts |
Posted : Jan. 2009 |
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Bat Mortality
Bats have become a significant concern along with bird deaths from wind turbines. Bird deaths became a hot topic after thousands were killed around the country. Recent studies have found that whereas birds are struck by the turbine blades, bats aren't hit by the blades but instead the abrupt change in air pressure after passing through the arc of the blades results in the collapse of their lungs. Bats being mammels, don't have the same lung structure that birds do which are more resistent to changes in air pressure.
Some of the solutions being tested include ultrasonic sound 'warning' systems near wind farms.
source : North American Windpower, Jan. 2009
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