Energía Renovable | Renewable Energy

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Aquí podrán poner noticias relacionadas con proyectos de energía renovable, reciclaje,conservación, transportación, construcción y productos "verdes" en general.

Here you can post news related to renewable energy projects, developments, recycling, conservation, transportation, construction and general consumer "green" products.

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Obama urges boost in clean energy tax credits

The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to expand a tax credit for clean energy manufacturing that he says would be a jobs generator for the U.S.In prepared remarks ahead of a speech scheduled later Thursday in Las Vegas, Obama says a $5 billion investment would create nearly 40,000 jobs. He praises both Democrats and Republicans for supporting the initiative, saying similar bipartisan support has been absent from many of the other efforts he has promoted.
Obama is wrapping up a two-day swing through Missouri and Nevada, where he campaigned for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is facing a tough re-election campaign. Solar projects that Reid has been promoting heavily in Nevada would be eligible for the tax credits Obama is advocating.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/n...id=3&ct_name=1

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Incandescent Light Bulbs -- Gone Like The DODO birds in 5 years

June 21, 2010

• Analysis by: Jerald Kolansky
• Analysis of: CBS News Changing State of Light Video (OLEDS, LED lighting)
• Published at: greenstockscentral.com

Summary

1. CBS news ran a very interesting video on TV last night regarding the lighting revolution that is occurring where incandescents will be legislated out of existence, and new technologies such as LED's and OLEDs will replace them.
Analysis

1. Today there was an announcement that IKEA will stop selling incandescent light bulbs.

2. In the past few months there have been a number of announcements regarding the banning, or discontinuing of incandescent lighting. As an example, Toshiba has announced that they will stop manufacturing incandescent light bulbs.

3. New energy standards are currently being written that will most probably end the incandescent light bulb within the next 5 years.

4. The most difficult issues is that both OLEDs and LED's are to expensive for the everyday consumer to buy. Currently LED lightbulbs in the 40W to 60W range cost between $40 to $50, an only the most energy conscious consumers will buy them.

5. If LED's and OLED's are able to continue the year to year cost reduction of 50% per year, there is a good chance that within a couple of years incandescent will be either outlawed, or legislated out of the market.

6. In my opinion, even though the cost of CFL's has come down there are still issues of shape, flickering, and color temperature that will not allow them to become the dominant lighting technology in the future.

http://www.glgroup.com/News/Incandes...ars-49078.html

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Home Products & Solutions Traffic Signals Full Ball Arrows Pedestrian Control GT2 European Signals Transit Signals DR2 Repeater Signals Illuminated Street Sign


Traffic Signals
Ever-demanding traffic signal applications require constant reliability 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Replacing incandescent signals with high-efficiency, long-life GE Lumination LED systems - facilitates dramatic energy and maintenance cost savings. Keyed to various industry or country-specific standards, our complete line of robust LED traffic signal balls, arrows and pedestrian signals are designed for both OEM and retrofit applications.

Full BallArrowsPedestrian ControlGT2 European Signals Transit SignalsDR2 Repeater SignalsIlluminated Street Sign

http://www.lumination.com/

¿No saben si ya han empezado a cambiar las señales de transito a LED's?

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And for those of you in favor of incandescent bulbs:

July 2, 2010 12:00 A.M.
The All-American Light Bulb Dims as Freedom Flickers
Congress should repeal the federal ban on Thomas Edison’s monumental creation.

1 | 2 | Next >


As the U.S.A. celebrates its 234th birthday, the plight of a quintessentially American innovation says volumes about the state of the union.

As American as the grand slam, the Mustang convertible, and the constitutional republic, Thomas Alva Edison’s incandescent light bulb is among this nation’s most enduring gifts to mankind. Granted U.S. Patent No. 223,898 on January 27, 1880 (after some 1,200 experiments), Edison’s “Electric-Lamp” essentially made night optional for most Earthlings. Days stopped ending at sunset. Simple, convenient, and cheap, Edison’s greatest invention also was far safer than the flammable kerosene lamps they replaced.

Today’s federal government, naturally, had to hammer something that has hummed along nicely for 130 years. In one of his most shameful moments, former president George W. Bush foolishly signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. EISA establishes performance criteria that Edisonian bulbs cannot meet. As the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explains: “These standards, which begin in 2012, will eliminate low efficiency incandescent light bulbs from the market.”

According to an April 14 fact sheet from General Electric, which Edison founded in 1876, 276 versions of its incandescent bulbs will start to vanish just 18 months from now. Few Americans realize that federal busybodies plan to snatch their traditional bulbs. Sylvania’s December 2009 survey of 302 adults found that “awareness of the 2012 100-watt bulb phase-out” is just 18 percent (error margin: +/- 5.7 percent).

EISA has made more common compact fluorescent lights, those swirly bulbs with distinct pros and cons. Costlier up front, energy-efficient CFLs eventually save money. They also require less frequent replacement than do traditional bulbs.

To discover CFLs’ negatives, try setting a romantic mood with a dimmer switch. This is, at best, a hit or miss proposition. Scarier still, just drop one onto your kitchen floor. Its internal mercury is highly toxic. If spilled, it requires something approximating a Superfund cleanup. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that if a CFL breaks on one’s apparel or bedspread, “Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage” (emphasis added).

CFLs should be discarded at recycling centers. Hundreds of millions of busy Americans, however, will toss these dangerous bulbs in the trash, atop table scraps and junk mail. CFLs will clog landfills from coast to coast. Decades hence, mercury will have leeched into the environment. Americans will wonder why people are suffering brain, kidney, and lung damage. Medical visits will yield lawsuits. And yet another national disaster will erupt, courtesy of Washington, D.C.


Today’s federal government, naturally, had to hammer something that has hummed along nicely for 130 years. In one of his most shameful moments, former president George W. Bush foolishly signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. EISA establishes performance criteria that Edisonian bulbs cannot meet. As the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explains: “These standards, which begin in 2012, will eliminate low efficiency incandescent light bulbs from the market.”

According to an April 14 fact sheet from General Electric, which Edison founded in 1876, 276 versions of its incandescent bulbs will start to vanish just 18 months from now. Few Americans realize that federal busybodies plan to snatch their traditional bulbs. Sylvania’s December 2009 survey of 302 adults found that “awareness of the 2012 100-watt bulb phase-out” is just 18 percent (error margin: +/- 5.7 percent).

EISA has made more common compact fluorescent lights, those swirly bulbs with distinct pros and cons. Costlier up front, energy-efficient CFLs eventually save money. They also require less frequent replacement than do traditional bulbs.

To discover CFLs’ negatives, try setting a romantic mood with a dimmer switch. This is, at best, a hit or miss proposition. Scarier still, just drop one onto your kitchen floor. Its internal mercury is highly toxic. If spilled, it requires something approximating a Superfund cleanup. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that if a CFL breaks on one’s apparel or bedspread, “Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage” (emphasis added).

CFLs should be discarded at recycling centers. Hundreds of millions of busy Americans, however, will toss these dangerous bulbs in the trash, atop table scraps and junk mail. CFLs will clog landfills from coast to coast. Decades hence, mercury will have leeched into the environment. Americans will wonder why people are suffering brain, kidney, and lung damage. Medical visits will yield lawsuits. And yet another national disaster will erupt, courtesy of Washington, D.C.


http://article.nationalreview.com/43...murdock?page=1

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The first contact many consumers have with LEDs is when stringing lights on the Christmas tree. But improvements in the energy-efficient lighting technology mean that more people will start screwing in LEDs for general lighting next year.
Semiconductor research company iSuppli on Tuesday forecast double-digit sales growth in the next three years for all types of LED lights, which are increasingly used in everything from street lights to flat-screen TVs. Although LEDs are still mostly used for other lighting applications, LEDs have started to penetrate the residential market as a replacement for incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs, it said.
A recent Sylvania survey shows that three-quarters of Americans have tried different energy-saving light bulb technologies, such as halogen (left), compact fluorescent (center), or light-emitting diode (right).
(Credit: Osram Sylvania)
"While the retail prices for LED light bulbs are still about an order of magnitude higher than those traditional incandescent lamps, customers increasingly are becoming aware of the power savings and long life benefits of solid-state LED lights," according to iSuppli.
LED manufacturers have already released 40-watt replacement bulbs with the traditional Edison shape while some, such as Lemnis Lighting, are marketing a 60-watt replacement that consumes only 6 watts.
Not surprisingly, high upfront costs are a significant barrier to broad adoption. The Lemnis 60-watt replacement costs about $50 and a 40-watt replacement from Osram Sylvania costs about $35.
Still, consumers are considering their options. Osram Sylvania on Wednesday released results from a survey that found 74 percent of consumers changed to a more efficient bulb this year, with 12 percent using LEDs.
The company anticipates that consumers will increasingly consider LEDs for efficient lighting because of the 2007 law to phase out incandescent bulbs in the U.S. by 2012. Nearly two-thirds of people will consider lower-energy options for replacements, although more than half said the price is a "key consideration," according to company representative Stephanie Anderson.
Osram Sylvania plans to introduce a 60-watt replacement in the spring of 2010, which is a more popular lighting choice that could draw more consumers. The cost will be in the same range as its 40-watt replacement, Anderson said.
"There is an appetite for new technologies. Consumers are not mourning the loss of the 100-watt incandescent," she said.
The Department of Energy hosts the Lighting Facts Web site, where it lists manufacturers and offers a volunteer labeling system with information on light output and efficiency, expressed in lumens per watt.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10416475-54.html

[davsot]

Originally Posted by Ultramatic

¿No saben si ya han empezado a cambiar las señales de transito a LED's?

Most major intersections have already made the switch. Roads that were maintained, redone or newly built after 2007 should also carry the bulb.

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Anuncian proyectos de energía renovable

Por Carlos Antonio Otero

Sábado 10 de Julio de 2010 01:29 Fajardo (INS).- El director ejecutivo de la Administración de Asuntos Energéticos (AAE), Luis Bernal Jiménez, anunció ayer los programas de incentivos para proyectos de energía renovable y eficiencia energética, que sobrepasan los $15.4 millones provenientes del Paquete de Estímulo Económico Federal (SEP-ARRA).

Bernal Jiménez habló de los incentivos en la Convención 2010 Uniendo Visiones, Marcando el Futuro, que celebra
la Cámara de Mercadeo, Industria y Distribución de Alimentos (MIDA) en el hotel El Conquistador, en Fajardo.

Agregó que dentro de ese paquete de programas para el sector comercial como el que representa MIDA está disponible el Préstamo Verde que ofrece una baja tasa de interés de 4.95% para un financiamiento de un 50% del costo total del proyecto hasta un máximo de $300,000 para la adquisición e instalación de equipo de energía solar y eólica.

Bernal Jiménez explicó que ese préstamo se puede combinar con otros programas que ofrece la AAE como el Programa de Energía Solar y el de Energía Eólica.

Ese préstamo está disponible a través del Banco de Desarrollo Económico de Puerto Rico.

El Programa de Energía Solar provee fondos para la compra e instalación de sistemas fotovoltaicos solares con un reembolso de 50% del costo del equipo e instalación para empresas privadas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro hasta un máximo de $200,000.

Por otra parte, el Programa de Energía Eólica también ofrece un reembolso de 50% para el costo de instalación del equipo hasta un máximo de $200,000 para la compra e instalación de sistemas de energía de viento.

También está disponible el Building Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program para edificios privados con o sin fines de lucro, donde se le otorgarán fondos para la implementación de proyectos de eficiencia energética en las estructuras donde cubriría el 50% del costo hasta un máximo de $300,000, luego de haber completado los requisitos establecidos por la Autoridad para el Financiamiento de la Infraestructura (AFI), agencia gubernamental que gerencia el programa así como los programas Solar y Eólico.


http://www.vocero.com/negocio-notici...renovable.html

[prince draco]

Ustedes Quieren energías renovables ????...vean esto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfwHoRptPCs

[luisr]

Originally Posted by Ultramatic

¿No saben si ya han empezado a cambiar las señales de transito a LED's?

Hace ya bastantes años que están usando casi exclusivamente LEDs para los semáforos nuevos pero son unos que se ven los puntitos individuales. Hace par de semanas noté que algunos semáforos existentes cerca donde yo vivo en Juana Díaz y de mi trabajo en Guayama los han reemplazado por esos "Full Ball" que aparecen en tu mensaje. Se que son LEDs porque el color es más intenso que las luces incandescentes, se ven parejos y al prender y apagar es instantáneo y no ves este efecto que causan las luces incandescentes al apagarse que la luz se queda un poco iluminada por una fracción de segundo. Y contrario a las luces LED que se habían estado usando hasta hace poco estos "full ball" no tienen este aspecto donde se ven puntitos individuales.


La pregunta que me hago con esta cuestión de eliminar las luces incandescentes es qué van a usar para aplicaciones particulares como altas temperaturas. Por ejemplo, cuando se funda la bombilla de mi horno qué le voy a poner?

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Flexible solar panels are easier to set up than a rug








How much easier can it get? A company called SoloPower is rolling out flexible solar panels that it hopes will soon grace the flat roofs of office buildings. Looking at something like this, though, you can't help but think how great it would be if you could just toss it on your own home.
SoloPower's panels are lighter than your typical solar setup that's encased in glass, and it's easier to install, too. What's more, SoloPower's panels could still be mounted on a rack to give them some tilt, or just installed right onto a roof.
It's true that if you're looking into a solar option yourself there's really not much else you can do than get it professionally installed. Imagine, though, one day we may all be able to head into a Home Depot and walk out with a roll of solar cells that's light and super easy to install. That's where this kind of technology is taking us.


http://dvice.com/archives/2010/07/these-flexible.php

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Secret to fusion power discovered: diamond bullets








Nuclear fusion is hard. But Chinese scientists say they've figured out a way to make it happen using miniscule diamond bullets fired into crystallized methane. There's one big problem with that, though: those 1mm diamonds will need to be fired at a speed of 2,232,000 mph to start up the fusion reaction.

A bullet smashing into methane crystals at that speed would create a tremendous amount of kinetic energy, and the resulting shockwave and high pressure would bring the temperature up to a high enough level to start a nuclear fusion reaction.
How do they know this? Well, they didn't try it in the real world, but the scientists say their computer simulation of this mind-boggling operation assures them it would work. The next step? Figuring out how to keep that fusion reaction going beyond the ignition phase.
Even though it sounds like it would require tremendous amount of energy to get the reaction going, the researchers say it will produce a net energy gain. Looks like they're on the right track, and if they're successful, the world will have the cleanest and most efficient energy source yet.



http://dvice.com/archives/2010/07/speeding-diamon.php

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Ideal para Puerto Rico:

Will this home solar station someday make gas stations obsolete?








For fuel-cell vehicles, hydrogen replaces gasoline as the substance that keeps the engine running. But where do you fill up such a tank?
Honda's solution is this home hydrogen station, a setup designed for your driveway that can turn eight hours of sunlight into 0.5 kilograms of hydrogen, or about enough for 30 to 35 miles of driving. It wouldn't be enough for a road trip, but could be enough to allow you to commute without paying for gas.
Of course, if and when hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles catch on, there will be hydrogen stations around like we have gas stations now. But I've never seen a solar panel pump out free gasoline, have you?


http://dvice.com/archives/2010/07/hondas-home-hyd.php

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Nano Garden lets you grow vegetables right in your kitchen








Growing your own vegetables is fun, healthy and saves money at the grocery store. The problem is, you need a garden, which makes it tough to do if you live in an apartment.
With Hyundai's Kitchen Nano Garden, even people without outdoor spaces can grow their own veggies. The Nano Garden is like a fridge that is designed to grow food rather than to keep it cold. It uses hydroponics and controllable light, water and nutrient supplies to make tending to your indoor garden as simple and possible.
There's no word on when this thing will hit stores, but it seems like a great addition to any kitchen that has the space for it.


http://dvice.com/archives/2010/07/nano-garden-let.php

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Say hello to America's first electric highway








Is there an electric vehicle in your future? Then Washington state is the place to be. A stretch of I-5 that spans from Canada to Oregon is about to become America's first "electric highway" after a $1.32 million grant from the government.
Driving along the "electrified" I-5, instead of going for a gas station you'd look for what's called a Level-3 electric charging station, of which there will be 10 initially. Eventually, the state hopes to have a station every 80 miles (within the 100-mile range upcoming electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf are rated for). When you're running out of juice, you'd pull over and plug in instead of trying to find a pump.
Hey, wait, doesn't it take a while to charge a car? You're right — that's the downside. The charging stations charge at 400 volts, and it's thought that it'd take an average of 30 minutes to charge a car to up to 80%. That doesn't sound so bad, maybe. You could always grab a bite or something while you wait, right? On a road trip, though, you'd be running out of charge just under every two hours. You're looking at a lot of chow.
That, and 80% of that 100-mile range cuts it down to 80. Wouldn't you be coasting into every charging station? Sounds risky — or timely.
No matter what happens, it's an experiment to be excited about. This kind of infrastructure is what we need to make electric vehicles possible. The technology sounds like it may not be quite there yet, but it only gets better from here, and technology moves fast.


http://dvice.com/archives/2010/07/say-hello-to-am.php

[luisr]

Ninguno de los dos sistemas de energía me parecen prácticos para uso normal. 30 millas por cada recarga de hidrógeno en ese sistema solo sirve para ahorrarse par de pesos cuando/si el hidrógeno llega a sustituir la gasolina. El otro sistema de recarga de baterías en la carretera funcionaría mejor con un sistema de intercambio de baterías donde llegas y te cambian la batería por una cargada en cuestión de minutos. Parar cada 80 millas por media hora no me parece práctico.

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NYC opens 1st public electric car charging station

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — In an effort to encourage New York City residents to choose environmentally friendly ways to travel, the city unveiled its first electric car charging station on Wednesday and says more will be placed throughout the city.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, joined by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, demonstrated how to use the public car charging station installed on a Manhattan parking lot.
"The electric vehicle is not just a pipe dream or a scene from the Jetsons," Bloomberg said. "It is here and it is here right now."
He said 100 similar charging stations will be installed throughout the city by September 2011. The city already uses 10 electric cars to check for potholes and other street problems, and plans to buy about 40 more to be used by the parks and transportation departments.
Charging an electric car is similar to pumping gas. After tapping a special payment card on the front of the machine, simply insert a pump into the car.
Coulumb Technologies, based in Campbell, Calif., received $15 million of federal economic stimulus money to make the chargers.
Richard Lowenthal, the company's CEO, said 4,600 chargers will be installed across the country by September 2011.
A car with a fully drained battery can be charged in less than four hours, Lowenthal said. The cost to charge a car would be determined by the company that maintains the station, he said. The first charging station in Manhattan's far West side will be free for a month.
There are different kinds of electric cars. Some, like Nissan's Leaf, are purely electric, using just a rechargeable battery for power. The Chevrolet Volt by General Motors also has a battery but includes a small gas-powered engine that creates electricity when the battery charge runs out after 40 miles. Other models are plug-in hybrids with engines that get power from both batteries and gas. But the common feature is that the vehicles can be recharged using a power cord and a plug.
Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with IHS automotive, said electric cars may not be good for everyone because they cannot be driven long distances.
"Some people are really uncomfortable with the idea that you're only going to be able to go 100 miles round trip," Lindland said. "The typical car has a 300-mile range. That's what people are used to."
Donovan said spending money to build electric cars will help create new jobs and allow the country to keep up with competitors outside the U.S.
He said stimulus funds are not just for supporting jobs in existing industries, "but also about catalyzing the new jobs in new industries that our nation needs to compete in the 21st century."
The White House plans to promote its work to develop electric cars this week, dispatching administration officials across the nation to discuss advanced batteries and new vehicles powered by electricity.
President Barack Obama, who is pushing clean energy, has vowed to bring 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles to U.S. highways by 2015, and his administration has set aside billions of stimulus dollars to bolster U.S. battery manufacturers.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=45518&ct_id=3&ct_name=1

Can you imagine taking almost 4 hours to fill up your car with gas?

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Es que pensaba que el hilo era de la AEE Y AAA. Pero hecho

[davsot]

YAY!

Ultra: No crees que eso pueda ir en el hilo de recursos naturales? Como no es energía renovable...

No me voy a adelantar y ponerlo, me dejas saber si quieres que yo lo ponga.

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$297k in ARRA energy funds for Gurabo projects

By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

Energy Affairs Administration (EAA) Executive Director Luis Bernal announced the approval of two renewable energy and energy conservation projects financed with American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. The projects include the installation of photovoltaic panels on the Gurabo city hall at an investment of $99,000. The solar panels will generate approximately 20,145 kWh a year, saving the municipality an estimated $5,400 annually. The other project will replace the lighting at Evaristo “Varo” Roldán Stadium with a more energy efficient system.
The investment for both projects totals $297,000 in funds awarded through ARRA’s Sun Energy Program, which benefits the public sector covering 100% of the investment.
In the case of residences (owned or rented), the program covers 50% of the investment for equipment and installation of energy efficiency and/or renewable energy projects, up to $30,000. For profit and nonprofit organizations are eligible for a 50% reimbursement on investment in equipment and installation up to $200,000.


http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/n...id=1&ct_name=1