4Nov

Wind Energy & Wind Turbine Market Booming Globally (1,750,000 MW Projected by 2030)

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Wind energy is growing in use across the U.S., both small and large wind turbines are getting installed at record rates. And the trend is similar across the world. A new report by Transparency Market Research, ”Global Wind Energy & Wind Turbine Market (2011 – 2016),” finds that there’s been a Compound Average Growth Rate (CAGR) of 25% over the last 5 years.

As previously reported, total installed wind power around the world reached 197, 039 MW by the end of 2010. That is expected to reach a tremendous 1,750,000 MW by 2030. The wind turbine market is projected to reach $93.1 billion by 2016.

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31Oct

Facebook Faces Down Google for Title of Most Energy Efficient

Categories: Green Technology & Efficient Solutions Web 2.0 Technology
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Facebook and Google seem to be in an all-out war to see which company can come up with the best energy efficiency solutions for power-gobbling data centers. This round probably goes to Facebook, which just announced two new green data center strategies on two distinct tracks. One is the use of ambient air and renewable energy to power its own data centers, and the other is an open-source project to improve the energy efficiency of computer hardware across the board.

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29Oct

China Now World Leader in Wind and Hydro

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With 42.3 GW of wind power installed, China has now become the new world leader in wind power, having overtaken the US, with 40.2 GW, which itself bypassed the longtime world leader Germany in 2008.

After four years of doubling its installed wind power capacity annually between 2006 and 2009, China added a record 16.5 GW in 2010. According to a detailed report(pdf) from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, nearly 20% of all net additional power generation capacity in China is now wind power, nearly on par with its hydro. China now leads the world in large-scale hydropower with 21% of global production.

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28Oct

Google-Funded Study Finds US Geothermal Power Capacity is Ten Times the Current Coal Power Supply

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A new study shows that the United States has a geothermal power capacity that is ten times greater than the amount of energy produced by our current working coal-fired power plants. The study was funded by Google and conducted by Southern Methodist University’s Geothermal Laboratory where students and professors completed an in-depth map of the nation’s geothermal resources and found they aren’t just relegated to the areas in the west known for tectonic activity. The report revealed that even under the state of West Virginia, there is enough geothermal energy to immediately replace all of their coal-fired power plants.

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27Oct

Geothermal potential reaches coast to coast

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By sifting through oil and natural gas drilling data, a Google-funded study found that geothermal power in the U.S. could produce ten times the capacity of coal plants today.

The Geothermal Laboratory at Southern Methodist University yesterday revised estimates for the country’s potential to use underground heat to make electricity. Drawing on geological data from some 35,000 sites as deep as 31,000 feet, the study concludes that geothermal could supply a large portion of U.S. electricity needs in the future.

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5Oct

Strength in Numbers: 5 Partnerships That Could Expand Renewable Energy

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Today, there is no perfect form of energy. Fossil fuels are abundant but dirty. Solar and wind are clean but intermittent, and geothermal is cheap once its running but difficult to get started. Yet, as technologies evolve, so do creative partnerships that maximize an energy’s potential while hedging against its shortfalls.

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4Oct

Pike Research forecasts global geothermal power capacity could more than double by 2020

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Escalating investment in geothermal power could result in a 134% increase in global geothermal capacity between 2010 and 2020, from 10.7 gigawatts (GW) to 25.1 GW, under a high-growth forecast scenario, according to a report by Pike Research. Under a more conservative business-as-usual forecast scenario, Pike estimates that geothermal power capacity could increase 34% to 14.3 GW by 2020.

The current installed capacity of 10.7 GW is spread across 26 countries with a combined output of approximately 67 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity. Currently, the United States is the global geothermal leader with 3.1 GW of installed capacity, and seven countries represent 88% of the world market. While conventional geothermal resources account for nearly all online capacity today, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) and co-produced wells both offer opportunities for expansion outside of rift zones or volcanically active regions throughout the world, according to the study.

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30Sep

Nevada to up geothermal production by 25 percent

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Nevada, already the second largest producer of geothermal-generated electricity in the U.S., is set to increase its power production by 25 percent.

The state is getting three new geothermal plants thanks to a $350 million 20-year loan guarantee from the Department of Energy to geothermal company Ormat Technologies.

The Ormat Geothermal Project will consist of three separate geothermal power-generation facilities–one each in Jersey Valley in Pershing County, Tuscarora in Lander County, and McGinness Hills in Elko County.

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26Sep

Geologically Active Japan as an Energy Resource

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Geologically Active Japan as an Energy Resource

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Only about 16% of Japan’s electricity is produced domestically, but Japan is located on the ring of fire and is rated as the third most geologically active country in the world. This threatens nuclear power with earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, but is ideal for geothermal energy development. Japan Geothermal Developer’s Council has announced that six Tohoku prefectures could develop a generating capacity of 170 MW and a total of 740 MW in those prefectures, if including sites in national parks, where geothermal plants are presently restricted.

The recent massive earthquake in Japan caused 6800 MW of electricity to go offline. It is estimated that conventional geothermal in Japan may have a combined capacity for 85,000 MW, more than enough to entirely replace its nuclear energy power plants.

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24Sep

Skipark 360°: C.F. Møller’s Slope-Shaped Indoor Ski Resort Will Be Powered By Green Energy

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Skipark 360° C.F. Møller’s Slope-Shaped Indoor Ski Resort Will Be Powered By Green Energy

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Skipark 360°, the world’s most complete indoor ski resort, will soon rise up from the forests outside of Stockholm. The resort will be a man-made ski hill with a vertical drop of 160 meters (525 ft) and will be the only facility of its kind to meet the requirements of the World Cup. In addition to the downhill run, the complex will contain a 3.5 km cross-country skiing tunnel, an arena for biathlons, ice hockey, bandy and figure skating, a snow park for snowboarding and a resort and spa. The fun doesn’t stop there though. Designed by C.F. Møller, the entire resort will be powered by geothermal, solar, wind and hydropower and when it is completed it could be the greenest ski resort in the world.

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