Has our Planet had enough?

Is Mother Earth grinding her teeth, or rather, her tectonic plates at us?

There are always more such questions than answers when cataclysmic disaster strikes as it has in Japan, the latest victim in a world-ranging series of earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, floods, and landslides.

Is the mythical goddess Gaia reminding us puny humans that although we've been pretty good at causing death, destruction and despair throughout a history of racial, religious and political warfare and extremism, she can leave us for dead … literally?

Or is it the theoretical Gaia, the self-regulating, self-maintaining single organism that we call the Earth, warning us that if we take too much for granted, and mess with her too much, the price will be heavy?

It is hard to resist being weighed down by the images of tragedy on such a scale. Thousands swept to their deaths; and by the unimaginable anguish of those who have lost everything but their lives and now have to face the sinister perils of radioactivity, all this in bitter cold.

One question jumps right out at me from all this. Why did Japan go so enthusiastically down the road of nuclear power when it is so earthquake-prone?

And what now in South Africa, where the debate about resorting to “clean energy” nuclear power was just beginning to pick up a little steam?

The Fukushima disaster will probably put the issue on the back burner, which is where it should stay unless and until concerns about safe operation, and disposal of radioactive waste, are convincingly resolved.

For South Africans, another question arises from the reminder that nuclear power generation is no green bullet. Why have we been so slow to embrace the greatest, safest energy source of all?

Why, with our wealth of sunshine and open space, and with the chronically under-utilised skills of home-grown scientists, engineers and other professionals who often become unwilling expats, do we not lead the world in the utilisation of solar energy?

I wondered why Africa, is not the solar energy capital of the World.

Because of the cost, perhaps? I'm more concerned about the cost if we don't go boldly down the solar road instead of bickering about the best way to reduce Global Warming.

Nuclear Industry Shows Their True Green Cards

by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.10.11

The fallout from Fukushima has had ripple effects in the nuclear industry across the world, but nowhere outside of Japan has the impact been so significant as in Germany. Here the ensuing frenzy has resulted in a moratorium on nuclear power plant permit extensions and the closure of seven nuclear plants. Now the nuclear power plant operators have fired a shot across the political bow: they have stopped supporting green energy. Why is the German nuclear industry investing in green power? And why are they stopping now?

The story starts in 2005, when the German conservative party, the CDU, promised to overturn a law by the socialist-green coalition to close down all nuclear power by 2021. The CDU won the national elections. To calm public protest, they negotiated a deal with the nuclear industry: The nuclear operators would invest a good percentage of the windfall profits from extending nuclear power plant permits in funds for the expansion of alternative energy. The nuclear investment was expected to boost green energy funds by €16.9 billion (US$24 billion) in total, approximately 300 million euros in 2011-2012 alone.

On Saturday 9 April, all four nuclear operators -- RWE, EnBW, Vattenfall and E.ON -- announced that they were stopping payments into the green energy fund. It is particularly interesting that the nuclear operators are not keeping a low profile during what was announced as merely a three month moratorium to review the planned permit extensions.

On the one hand, the nuclear operators are within their rights. The windfall profits expected from permit extensions (subject to extensive safety reviews) have turned into sudden, unanticipated red ink as power plants have undergone politically ordered shutdowns. Thus, the monies earmarked for the green energy fund do not exist. (It should be noted that the nuclear operators intend to put the agreed payments into a collateral account until resolution of the issue.)

But the strategy may backfire. The peremptory and unilateral cessation of payments makes the investment fund look more like a political bargaining chip than ever. What was arguably a reasonable political strategy to use nuclear plants as a bridge to greener energy now lays in tattered disarray, exposed as politics pure rather than logical risk management and strategic energy planning.

IAEA Warns Africa about Nuclear Ambitions

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director-General Yukiya Amano has issued a warning to Africa about nuclear power while urging renewable energy like wind, solar, and hydropower. Amano addressed the Japanese nuclear situation (Fukushima) in Nairobi where he said that nuclear energy development is reliant upon strong regulatory and environmental safeguards.

“Nuclear power should be availed to developing countries; however, this is a complicated venture that requires extensive training, safety assessment, and other regulatory concerns”, said Amano. He said that it would be in these countries’ best interest to place renewable energy like wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower as a priority over nuclear power exploration.

Nigeria has potentially squashed nuclear power plans as its Minister of State for Power Nuhu Wya said recently at a power conference in Lagos that the safety of the alternative power was in question. "Why do we have to be talking about using nuclear power? If we have so many other sources of energy that are untapped, why do we have to be talking of one that is not readily available and is a long-term development plan?" Wya said.

Fuel’s Gold: Unusual Alternative Energy Sources

Used Adult Diapers -better use than simply burying them – why not burn them as fuel?

Adult diapers – they’re more common than you think, especially in Japan where the average population is aging rapidly and the national output of used adult diapers has soared past the 5 billion mark. A company called Super Faiths thinks there’s a better use for used adult diapers than simply burying them – why not burn them as fuel?

The SFD Recycle System pulverizes and sterilizes used adult diapers, then forms them into pellets suitable for fueling large biomass boilers. The machines are rather large and are designed to process large numbers of adult diapers, not a problem because the expected users are large hospitals and retirement homes.

Confiscated Booze

You’ve heard that drinking and driving doesn’t mix, but don’t tell Svensk Biogas AB. The Swedish biogas company is partnering with the Scandinavian nation’s customs service to process 185,000 gallons of seized smuggled alcohol seized by the customs service last year into enough biogas to power over 1,000 buses and trucks – even a train (above). “We used to just pour it down the drain, but because of the increased volumes we had to look around for new solutions,” said Swedish customs spokeswoman Ingrid Jerlebrink. With the new partnership agreement in place, “We pump it into a big tank that we jokingly call ‘the giant cocktail’ and then a truck just comes and picks it up.”

The Svensk Biogas AB plant in Linkoping, located 125 miles southwest of Stockholm, heats the confiscated booze and converts into biogas. One quart of pure alcohol is required to produce about a tenth of a gallon of biogas, and according to Carl Lilliehook, head of Svensk Biogas AB, “It is good business, because the material to make it is free.”

Landfill Gas

So you’ve got a landfill that, like most landfills, burps (for want of a better word) methane from decomposing buried garbage. What to do? Well, one idea is to pipe it to a nearby school. Well, not directly – the EcoLine project uses purified methane gas captured from a nearby landfill to power 85 percent of the University Of New Hampshire’s heat and electricity needs. Rivals may still say UNH stinks but no, it’s just the landfill gas.

With the EcoLine project, UNH becomes the first school in the nation to source a majority of its power from landfill gas. The power isn’t free – infrastructure must be put in place to trap, store and purify the methane – but it’s significantly cheaper than burning fossil fuel with the added benefit of being non-polluting.

Cow Farts

Research by Argentine scientists has revealed that a single 1,210 lb (550 kg) cow produces 28 to 35 cubic feet (800 to 1,000 liters) of methane emissions each day – and let’s be frank, by “emissions” we don’t mean evaporating sweat. Nope, it’s cow farts. Cow burps too; these multi-stomached ruminants emit copious clouds of methane from both ends. Lucky for them some prankster doesn’t walk up with a lit match.

Methane is a much more reactive greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide and unlike CO2, it burns quite nicely. If only there were some practical way to capture the methane emitted by cows, sheep, goats, llamas… basically ANY domestic livestock, we’d be killing two birds with one stone. The cumbersome collection tank mounted on the recalcitrant bovine above is one possible solution but if not that, what?

Coffee Grounds

Next to oil, coffee is the most traded commodity on the planet. Unlike oil, coffee production and preparation creates a lot of waste. Now it seems that this so-called waste – coffee grounds in particular – can be put to good use as a fuel. Researchers at the University of Nevada’s Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering analyzed coffee grounds and discovered they contain a significant percentage of oil in the form of biodiesel. What’s more, the natural anti-oxidants in the extracted coffee oil help extend its shelf life. The leftover grounds can be compacted and burnt as pelletized fuel.

While home users won’t be able to do much with their used coffee grounds beyond composting them, major coffee retailers could reap huge rewards by changing the way they treat waste grounds. It’s estimated that Starbucks generates 210 million pounds of coffee grounds annually. Processing these grounds could provide nearly 3 million gallons of biodiesel and about 90,000 tons of fuel pellets.

Bouncing Breasts

What two things do female joggers have in common? If you answered breasts and MP3 players, you’d be right – and you probably need to get out more. The question is relevant, however, because some joggers have posited powering their iPods with energy generated by the repetitive motions of their breasts. Though companies like Triumph Japan have shown off solar-powered bras, there’s real science behind harnessing, if you will, the power of bouncing breasts. Victoria’s Circuit… you’ve gotta love it!

LaJean Lawson works as a consultant for sportswear companies like Nike and has been researching breast motion since 1985 in an effort to design better sports bras. Lawson discovered that a runner’s breasts move from side to side, from front to back, and up and down with the most motion is generated vertically. That may seem obvious; this more so: “Naturally, the bigger the breast, the more momentum it generates.” Giggity.

Alternative energy sources are only unusual in the sense that they are unused, impractical, unprofitable or all of the above. That may just mean the times aren’t right for their implementation. Petroleum was known to the ancients but it wasn’t until late in the Industrial Revolution that oil was effectively sourced and processed into usable forms. It’s unknown what the future will hold for energy, but at least it’s certain there ARE alternatives.

1 Feb 2010
Source: Ecoist

Top 7 Green Corporations of 2010

Cutting up the credit cards is probably the greenest thing anyone could do but sometimes, buying new stuff—or patronizing a favorite restaurant—is necessary. When those times come, there's no reason to feel guilty—especially when choosing a company that respects the environment as much as the bottom line.
Last year, Greenopia ran through dozens of companies in a variety of categories to compile a trusty list of the greenest corporations, by category, of 2010. Of course, it's already 2011, but in the coming months these will be the places to go for shopping needs—and the model for any up-and-coming top green corporation.
Check out what companies took the top spot in their category in 2010:

Ikea
With over $28 billion in annual sales, Ikea proves you can be a large chain and pursue sustainability in an aggressive way.
71% of all IKEA products are recyclable, made from recycled materials, or both. The company recycles 84% of the waste generated in its stores while almost half of Ikea's energy comes from renewable sources.

Patagonia
Patagonia, the environmentally and socially responsible clothing manufacturer, is often cited as one of the greenest companies in the US.

Their products are made with recycled and low-impact materials and they've greened their offices and distribution network. Patagonia has even gone as far as to provide life cycle analysis for several of its products.

Pizza Fusion
Lovers of green pizza rejoice. Pizza Fusion not only offers all organic pizzas but have implemented green measures across the board.

Many of their spaces are LEED certified, employees wear organic cotton uniforms, deliveries are made by hybrid vehicles and best of all Pizza Fusion has a cool return incentive -- return a used pizza box and get a discount next time.

Honest Tea
Honest Tea is natural, organic, and fair trade. Greenopia calls them greenest large beverage company around.

Here's why:

From efficient production to energy usage offsets, green building design to the lightweight plastic bottles free of hazardous chemicals, Honest Tea sets the bar for green beverages everywhere.

Honda
The winner of the "drive" category was producing hybrids way before the Prius, Honda led the way for mainstream hybrids with the release of the Insight in 1999.

With an average fleet mileage of 25.81 miles per gallon, that's right Honda has one best overall scores a of any car company with 10 or more models. This complements their Civic hybrid and Honda Insight and many more hybrids in the works.

Virgin
With Richard Branson at its helm, it's not surprising Virgin gets top honors as the greenest airline in Greenopia's guide.

Virgin's modern fleet of planes are very efficient in emissions and their specially designed winglets lead to better fuel efficiency. Virgin has tested several planes powered solely by biofuels and its headquarters is LEED certified.

Dell
Dell is one of the largest computer companies in the world and it's making efforts to become the greenest.
Dell has a large number of EPEAT certified products and considers the products' life cycle during production. Dell also has a comprehensive take-back program—recycling its own products for free and accepting other brands for a small fee.

Biggest Solar Installation in World to be Built in South Africa

South Africa is to unveil plans this week for what it claims will be the world's biggest solar power plant—a radical step in a coal-dependent country where one in six people still lacks electricity.

The project, expected to cost up to 200 billion rand ($28.9 billion), would aim by the end of its first decade to achieve an annual output of five gigawatts (GW) of electricity—currently one-tenth of South Africa's energy needs.

Giant mirrors and solar panels would be spread across the Northern Cape province, which the government says is among the sunniest 3 percent of regions in the world with minimal cloud or rain.

The government hopes the solar park will help reduce carbon emissions from Africa's biggest economy, which is still more than 90 percent dependent on coal-fired power stations. In April, the World Bank came in for sharp criticism from environmentalists for approving a $3.75 billion loan to build one of the world's largest coal-fired power plants in the country.

Energy is already a high priority in South Africa where, at the end of racial apartheid, less than 40 percent of households had electricity. Over 16 years the governing African National Congress has undertaken a huge national expansion, with a recent survey showing that 83 percent are now connected, but power outages are still not uncommon in both townships and middle-class suburbs.

An estimated 200 foreign and domestic investors will meet this week in Upington, Northern Cape, with a view to funding the hugely ambitious solar project. A master plan will be set out by the U.S. engineering and construction group Fluor. This follows a viability study by the Clinton Climate Initiative, which described South Africa's "solar resource" as among the best in the world.

Jonathan de Vries, the project manager, said today: "I'd hate to make a large claim but yes, this would be the biggest solar park in the world."

De Vries said the park, costing 150–200 billion rand ($21.7 billion to $28.9 billion), would aim to be contributing to the national grid by the end of 2012. In the initial phase it would produce 1,000 megawatts, or 1GW, using a mix of the latest solar technologies.

An initial 9,000 hectares of state-owned land have been earmarked for the park, with further sites in the "solar corridor" being explored.

De Vries, a special adviser to the energy minister, said the Northern Cape had been chosen forinsolation readings (a measure of solar energy) that rank among the highest in the world. "It hardly ever rains, it hardly has clouds. It's even better than the Sahara desert because it doesn't have sandstorms."

The Orange River would provide water for the facilities, he added, while existing power transmission lines would be closer than for similar projects such as in Australia.

Northern Cape, which contains the historic diamond-rush town, Kimberley, is South Africa's biggest province and one of its poorest. But it is hoped that the park would create a "solar hub" and regenerate the local economy with fresh opportunities in manufacturing.

South Africa currently consumes 45–48GW of power per year. It is estimated this will double over the next 25 years. "In South Africa over 90 percent of our power comes from the burning of coal, and we need to reduce this because of our international obligations on climate change," de Vries said.

"If this proves to be cost competitive with coal and nuclear, the government will roll out more solar parks. This is a very bold attempt."

He added: "Solar power isn't a panacea that will cure all, but it's a part of the solution, and a very important part. There are zones in the world that are ideally suited to it, often those with low population density."

Can Renewables Hold Their Price as Fossil Fuels Get Expensive?

As gas prices rose, we all started salivating at the prospect of renewable, made-from-waste biofuels that were cheaper than dyno-diesel. Unfortunately, as soon as the price did drop below the average forecourt price, the co-op was immediately inundated with new bargain hunting members and the pumps were drained dry. When prices switched back, the cheap fuel lovers disappeared. The result, unfortunately, was a policy to peg the co-op's prices as always being just above those of regular diesel.

But all this does not mean that renewables must always remain more expensive than so-called conventional energy. As demand rises, supply is constrained, but that should lead to more investment in more supply. As production capacity increases accordingly, we should then see economiesof scale ensuring cheaper and cheaper renewables, even as gas and coal prices keep going up.

Some folks are arguing, for example, that solar could reach grid parity as soon as 2015. (Others are arguing that focusing on grid parity is entirely the wrong question.)

That's why the announcement from Good Energy—the 100% renewable energy provider that was previously in a public row with wind pioneers Ecotricity—that they would maintain a winter price freeze as other utilities hike their rates had me pricking my ears:

"The move to hold prices down demonstrates Good Energy's commitment to ensure that green energy is more accessible. The 100% renewable electricity supplier hopes this will encourage consumers to switch to greener energy as the price differential with many fossil-fuel-based suppliers is reduced, especially since three of the Big 6 have recently announced price hikes."

Whether or not this price freeze represents a permanent narrowing of the gap between conventional electricity and newer, less polluting sources—or whether it is a clever, but temporary, marketing move to grab more customers and harness the outrage at price rises—remains to be seen. But anything that helps drive customers, and investment, into the development of wind, solar and tidal energy can only be a good thing in my book. I'm just hoping those customers stick around if prices rise again in the future.