Archive for March, 2010

Even though coal is the dirtiest of all fossil fuels – when burned, it produces emissions that contribute to global warming, create acid rain and pollute water – it generates half of the electricity in the United States and will likely continue to do so as long as it’s cheap and plentiful according to the Energy Information Administration. Yet with all of the, ahem, hot air that has been blown forth around alternative energy sources like nuclear, hydropower and biofuels, one would think that coal is losing steam. Well, hold onto your mining helmets because a nifty, little idea called clean coal technology is gaining traction and looks to support America’s addiction to coal. Read the rest of this entry »

Ongoing efforts to conserve water in California have led water agencies to install smart water meters.  Smart water meters allow remote meter reading and real time in-home displays to monitor water use.  The California Energy Commission has been monitoring the progress of installations and is updating their data. Previous data reported that more than 50% of the state’s water utilities have some smart meters in their service areas. California’s 20X2020 Water Conservation Plan looks to reduce water usage by 20% by the year 2020. Water is a precious resource and is prohibited from being wasted by California law.  Allowing agencies and consumers to monitor and adjust usage, smart water meters assist in making conscientious water choices and reducing waste.

The market volume for water and wastewater treatment is expected to grow globally by about 5% per year until 2015. As a leading supplier of technologies for every stage of water and wastewater treatment, Seimens has announced that it intends to grow their share of that business at twice that rate. In addition to solutions for the construction of industrial water cycles, Siemens’ second focus is on municipal water and wastewater treatment plants. Siemens supplies plants for cities with populations of over ten million, as well as for villages in Africa with up to 500 inhabitants. Jens Michael Wegmann sees new potential in automation and the use of pump systems with lower energy consumption to achieve these goals. For more details go to Process and Control Today Read the rest of this entry »

Lithium. It’s not something that most of us think too much about (and if you do, keep it to yourself, particularly on first dates). However, it’s something anyone who follows world financial markets may be seeing more about lately. Why the interest? As the demand and production of hybrid/electric vehicles is expected to escalate in the future, so is the demand for the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that help power them. And looking beyond that, lithium is expected to play a part in fuel for yet-to-be-built fusion power reactors. Read the rest of this entry »

Opening April 2 and running through the 11^th, the NY Auto show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center will showcase 25 alternative fuel vehicles. This category encompasses all types of vehicles including large SUVs, pick-up trucks, luxury vehicles, mid-sized sedans, and small compact cars. With a focus on higher gas mileage and reduced emissions, most of these alternative fuel vehicles are gasoline-electric hybrids in which the electric motor is powered by rechargeable batteries to try and meet the current CAFÉ (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards (27.5 mpg for passenger cars, 22.5 mpg for light trucks). But, electric vehicles are also emerging in the green market: The Ford Transit Connect commercial Van will be on display as an all electric vehicle.

In case you missed it, March 15-21 was designated by the EPA’s WaterSense Program as “Fix a Leak Week,” to help remind everyone that all the small drips waste trillions of gallons of water a year. Their “Fix a Leak Week” publication supplies facts and figures on how small repairs can make a big difference in household water consumption