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As part of Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Conference, one of the winners was the Wind Belt.  

Working in Haiti, Shawn Frayne, a 28-year-old inventor based in Mountain View, Calif., saw the need for small-scale wind power to juice LED lamps and radios in the homes of the poor. Conventional wind turbines don’t scale down well—there’s too much friction in the gearbox and other components. “With rotary power, there’s nothing out there that generates under 50 watts,” Frayne says.

Having been to Haiti (and other pleasurable tourist destinations), the idea of figuring out affordable renewable power for the developing world is greatly appealing.  To alleviate poverty and, well, to help leapfrog the Developing World onto a better development path.

So he took a new tack, studying the way vibrations caused by the wind led to the collapse in 1940 of Washington’s Tacoma Narrows Bridge (aka Galloping Gertie).

Frayne’s device, which he calls a Windbelt, is a taut membrane fitted with a pair of magnets that oscillate between metal coils. Prototypes have generated 40 milliwatts in 10-mph slivers of wind, making his device 10 to 30 times as efficient as the best microturbines.

These are some impressive claimes.  That much more efficient?  But, at what cost? 

Frayne envisions the Windbelt costing a few dollars and replacing kerosene lamps in Haitian homes. “Kerosene is smoky and it’s a fire hazard,” says Peter Haas, founder of the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group, which helps people in developing countries to get environmentally sound access to clean water, sanitation and energy. “If Shawn’s innovation breaks, locals can fix it. If a solar panel breaks, the family is out a panel.”

Not only inexpensive and replacing some of the dirtiest power uses, but something that locals can repair with little problem.  Looks like Popular Mechanics might have chosen a real winner.

Highly recommended, the Wind Belt video.

 Hat tip to Jetson Green.

The Solar Sailor is a ferry in Sydney harbor that cuts fossil fuel use by about 50% due to its solar paneled wings.  The wings track the sun, to produce power, and, if there is enough wind, act like sails.  If the weather is bad for their use (storms, nighttime), the winds flatten against the ferry and the ferry operates on diesel motors.

The Solar Sailor operated during the Sydney olympics and, well, I never saw it … did you? 

Solar sailing could cut fuel costs by 90 percent (or, in theory, entirely as a solar boat has crossed the Atlantic) and, well, obviously reduce the environmental impact. This could be applicable from cruise ships to oil tankers to unmanned vessels to pleasure boats.

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Barack Obama is getting some legitimate praise about his new energy plans, such as the enthusiastic reception David Roberts has given it at Grist.  There are some great things in it, most notably that is is a CAP AND AUCTION plan when it comes to carbon emissions, not a Cap and Trade.  The resources would stay with the commons, with the society, to be used to help move toward a more sustainable energy future. That is, well, great. 

And, there are other strengths to Obama’s approach (fact sheet).

However, however, however …. there are things that aren’t so tremendous. For example, is a 35% reduction in oil use by 2030 meaningful (enough?) in the face of Peak Oil?  And, well others … But, this is a quick post about one particularly grating item … “energy intensity”.

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There are so many obstacles to being Energy Smart in America and American culture.  Whether it is subsidized parking at the office huring transit ridership to (most) mortgage companies not recognizing the value of energy efficiency in a home to tax code that gives preference to operating costs (using energy) over capital costs (e.g., energy efficiency investments, the US system is filled with disincentives to being smarter in terms of our energy use.
One of the arenas of problems is how to foster greater energy efficiency in rental spaces, including commercial spaces.  Well, California might have taken one step toward breaking one disincentive toward more energy efficient commercial rental space.

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A real priority for our nation, for the globe should be moving ever more toward an electrified society with electrified transport (whether train, car, or otherwise).  There is no doubt that from today forward, every day will see fossil fuels for transportation getting dirtier (especially true with ‘oil’), as it will be harder to find (e.g., more energy burnt to extract it) and likely of lower quality than what was burnt through the 20th century.  And, at the same time, there is no doubt that the opportunity, the possibility that electricity will be cleaner every day forward.   And, electricity is fungible — both in production options and in potential uses.

A question is, well, will America be able to seize a leading position in this critical arena as part of a path to Energize America toward a Prosperous, Climate Friendly Society.  Will we achieve this shocked into action by others?  Or, will it remain simply beyond US?

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A real priority for our nation, for the globe should be moving ever more toward an electrified society with electrified transport (whether train, car, or otherwise).  There is no doubt that from today forward, every day will see fossil fuels for transportation getting dirtier (especially true with ‘oil’), as it will be harder to find (e.g., more energy burnt to extract it) and likely of lower quality than what was burnt through the 20th century.  And, at the same time, there is no doubt that the opportunity, the possibility that electricity will be cleaner every day forward.   And, electricity is fungible — both in production options and in potential uses. [Read more →]

Well, from time-to-time, Thomas Friedman just gets something right and he can turn a good phrase on occasion.  

When it comes to the automakers, Friedman is noting that they are following empty-barrel politics, conniving to have

Michigan lawmakers year after year shielding Detroit from pressure to innovate on higher mileage standards, even though Detroit’s failure to sell more energy-efficient vehicles has clearly contributed to its brush with bankruptcy, its loss of market share to Toyota and Honda — whose fleets beat all U.S. automakers in fuel economy in 2007 — and its loss of jobs.  

And well, as noted in Astroturfing to fight mileage standards, the auto firms are working hard to give these politicians coverage.

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Since diving into the deep end when it comes to energy issues, almost every day sees new fascinating concepts, approaches, and technologies.  Exciting. Hope inspring. Truly Energy COOL.

As with so many, burning logs in the fireplace and crashing waves on the shore have fascinated, been able to hold my rapt attention.  Perhaps that is one reason why developments in ocean Power so enthrall me.  Power from the sea looks to be on a rapid path toward meaningful contributions to moving toward a Prosperous, Climate Friendly Society.

Well, from EcoGeek comes news of yet another ocean power generation development, one that is rather innovative and could represent a world changing-like approach that could rapidly help people around the globe develop a renewable and sustainable electrical system.

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“Almost heaven, West Virginia …”  An anthem immediately recognizable to millions.  Yet, an anthem under ever mounting threat.  West Virginia, as with much of the world, faces a clear choice between an ever-dirtier fossil fuel path and moving toward a prosperous, climate friendly economy. 

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Freaking News is running a contest:

Contest Directions: Photoshop one of the following: How life will be like in LA and other cities as Greenlands melts because of global warming, show how to use Greenland’s melting to our benefits, or what can be done to deal with the global warming problem.

Well, with the power of technology, we can see twenty images of a wetter future.