Latest Energy News | World News
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The US, China, and India Risk Severe Water Shortages
Research by the risk analysts Maplecroft has found that three global superpowers have vast regions that are at risk of drought as an unsustainable rate of water use is outstripping supply. The US, China, and India risk negative impacts on businesses and agriculture which could undermine economic growth. “Of the 168 countries covered by the newly released Water Stress Index, India, China and the US rank 34, 50 and 61 respectively in the list, while Middle-Eastern and North African nations make up the top 10.” Businessgreen.com The lack of water could heavily affect agriculture, industry, and the domestic sector in…
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An Analysis of Climate Change throughout the Ages
It has long been known that characteristics of the Earth’s orbit (its eccentricity, the degree to which it is tilted, and its “wobble”) are slightly altered on timescales of tens to hundreds of thousands of years. Such variations, collectively known as Milankovitch cycles, conspire to pace the timing of glacial-to-interglacial variations. Despite the immense explanatory power that this hypothesis has provided, some big questions still remain. For one, the relative roles of eccentricity, obliquity, and precession in controlling glacial onsets/terminations are still debated. While the local, seasonal climate forcing by the Milankovitch cycles is large (of the order 30 W/m2),…
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Explaining the Relationship between Stimulus and Spending in Economic Growth
Let’s say that private gdp is 100 and government spending is 100. Gdp then suddenly goes up to 200, so government spending as a percentage of gdp falls from 50% to 33.3%. This is not a contractionary event. It is fully possible to argue “government spending should go up too, to slot more public goods into the larger output,” but the initial change is expansionary, even though government spending as a percentage of gdp took a steep dive. Let’s say that private gdp is 100 and government spending is 100. Government spending stays the same in nominal terms but there is…
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Chinese Government to Close 1,200 Companies to Help Clear Beijing Smog
Beijing is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and as China follows its desires to become a leader in clean, renewable energies, it must also look to clean up the air quality of its capital city.Many complain about the heavy smog often found within the city. Smog so thick that sometimes planes can be grounded and trains going to and from the city be delayed due to poor visibility. Obviously the local residents also complain of health concerns, with many being forced to wear face masks to prevent inhalation of the dirty air.Zheng Zaihong of the city's…
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World's First Geothermal-Solar Power Plant opens in Nevada
Back in 2009, as part of Obamas goal to expand domestic renewable energy sources, the Stillwater geothermal power plant was built in Fallon, Nevada, one of several areas in Utah and Nevada identified for geothermal development.Initially the plant had a generation capacity of 33 MW, but just recently Enel Green Power, the renewable energy arm of the Italian, Enel Group, constructed 89,000 polycrystalline photovoltaic panels at the site adding an extra 26 MW of solar generating capacity. Stillwater is now the world’s first ever geothermal-solar power plant, with a combined capacity of 59 MW it provides enough clean, renewable energy…
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Turn Almost anything into a Solar Panel with Thermoelectric Paint
A researcher believes thermoelectric paint could bring affordable DIY solar energy to the market within five years."This weekend, dear, shall we clean out the basement or go solar?" This scenario may soon be a real possibility, using a back-to-the-future approach called thermoelectric paint.Despite their many benefits, solar photovoltaic panels are not a do-it-yourself delight. Installing them is complex and typically requires someone certified to do it. They're expensive too, and with payback times of 10 years or more, they require a real commitment.Now imagine a home energy system that, like solar PVs, harnessed the sun's power – but was something…
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How Large have European Spending Cuts Actually Been?
To be sure, there are particular small countries which have made serious spending cuts, in the Baltics most of all. But sometimes one hears it said that an anti-austerity strategy must be EU-wide as a whole, or that austerity is “a failed strategy for the eurozone,” or something similar. So perhaps it is worth looking at some numbers for the larger picture.First, I wish we would stop being surprised by what’s happening in Europe right now. Second, I wish anti-austerity critics would start acknowledging that taxes have gone up too–in most cases more than the spending has been cut. Third,…
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Using Lightning as a Source of Renewable Energy
As the entire planet looks for new renewable sources of energy to reduce carbon emissions, and to prepare for the day when traditional fossil fuels become too expensive, we must consider every single available option. With that in mind I propose lightening. It’s common, relatively, naturally produced, and harnesses large amounts of electrical energy.Each year about one and-a-half billion lightning flashes occur in the atmosphere, with roughly 25 percent striking the ground. Each lightning bolt that actually hits the earth averages about one billion joules of energy, more than enough to power a 60 watt light bulb for six months.…
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Indian Company Combines a PV Solar Panel with a Storage Device for Mobile Power
As we continue to develop improved renewable energy sources, and in greater volumes, the next problem will be storage of the excess energy produced.Researchers in India have decided to add their energy storage to the renewable power source. They have combined a supercapacitor (similar to a battery but with a much longer lifespan) with photovoltaic solar panels to create a mobile power unit which can be charged for free via the sun.After just four hours in the sun the Amrita Smart solar tile holds enough power to charge laptops and mobile phones in as little as two hours, and can…
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Nigerian Troops Capture 2 Tankers Carrying Stolen Crude
Many oil fields are situated in countries where poverty and crime are large problems. The locals see the oil as an opportunity to gain a bit of wealth and theft is common.Nigeria is Africa’s largest producer of crude oil, and oil is one of the largest revenue creators in the country, however oil companies must constantly battle with thieves in the production and transport of oil in the region. At least 150,000 barrels of oil are stolen, causing higher production costs, and therefore lower revenues, and also risking major environmental disasters as the thieves often break pipes in order to…
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