Scientists at Lehigh University are proposing modeling wind turbine blades on owls’ wings to mimic their stealth properties. “If the noise-reduction mechanism of the owl down can be established, there may be far-reaching implications to the design of novel sound-absorbing liners, the use of flexible roughness to affect trailing-edge noise and vibrations for aircraft and wind… Keep reading →
Much has been made about natural gas serving as a bridge fuel until more renewable energy can be fed into the US power grid. While that’s a somewhat controversial concept – with hard-core environmentalists preaching zero fossil fuels and hydrocarbon industry folks pooh-poohing renewables for multiple reasons – this National Journal piece explains the wind-to-gas… Keep reading →
Iran has agreed to an initial nuclear deal that will involving the country dialing back its nuclear program in exchange for six months of sanctions relief. Iran will gain access to over $4 billion in frozen oil revenues, as well as a suspension of sanctions on petrochemical exports. [Bloomberg] The deal will also “eas[e] of the… Keep reading →
Devon has agreed to pay GeoSouthern Energy $6 billion for assets in the Eagle Ford shale that currently produce 53,000 barrels per day of oil equivalent and hold recoverable resources of 400 million boe, most of that proved reserves. [Devon] Oil and gas producer Cabot will pay a $975,000 civil penalty and spend an estimated… Keep reading →
Quick Take: Bioenergy entrepreneur S. Michael Holly has posted on Energy Trends Insider to claim that special interests including electric power utilities and the wind industry are “misrepresenting wind power costs.” As a result, he claims, they are wrongfully rejecting renewables such as hydropower, geothermal and bioenergy that are actually lower in costs. – By… Keep reading →
In BBC News’ Ten Things We Didn’t Know Last Week, we discovered the following: A study has found that zinc oxide-based solar cells – which are less efficient than silicon-based cells – convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently when rock or pop music is being played, and while much of the debate about wind power’s effect on… Keep reading →
Microsoft’s announcement yesterday that it had signed a 20-year agreement to buy all of the 110 megawatt Keechi wind farm’s electricity production marks a big step for the company in going “carbon neutral” through the purchase of wind and solar power. Its rival Google is way ahead, having invested more than $1 billion in wind and… Keep reading →
On September 13, 2013, Google announced that it had signed a contract to buy the entire output of the 239.2 megawatt Happy Hereford wind farm that is being developed by Chermac Energy near Amarillo, Texas. The project is expected to begin operation in late 2014. Undoubtedly, the developer of the facility, Chermac Energy* is pleased to have… Keep reading →
The production tax credit may still be critical to the continued development of wind power in the US. But as the price of generating wind power keeps falling, justification for renewing it could lose steam, and if lawmakers do prevent it from lapsing at the end of this year, the question may soon become how… Keep reading →
With long development timelines, it’s not apparent yet in new installation capacity, but there was another strong signal on Monday that the wind power manufacturing supply chain is coming back in the United States. The question is if the growth will be sustained. First the news: Big turbine blade manufacturer LM Wind Power put out… Keep reading →
