Solar Wind - Micro Power Generation » General http://www.micro-generator.com Blogging about wind and solar power at home Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:01:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Google to spend big on green fuel http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/12/09/google-to-spend-big-on-green-fuel/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/12/09/google-to-spend-big-on-green-fuel/#comments Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:59:08 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/12/09/google-to-spend-big-on-green-fuel/ The search engine giant Google has announced that it is going to look at ways to develop cheap and clean sources of energy, and that it would invest hundreds of millions of dollars to do so. Their focus will initially be on solar thermal, wind and geothermal technologies. Larry page co-founder of google stated;
“We have gained expertise in designing and building large-scale, energy-intensive facilities by building efficient data centres. We want to apply the same creativity and innovation to the challenge of generating renewable electricity at a globally significant scale.”

First seen on Guardian Unlimited

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/12/09/google-to-spend-big-on-green-fuel/feed/ Green Home Service http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/11/20/green-home-service/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/11/20/green-home-service/#comments Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:10:12 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/11/20/green-home-service/ The UK Environment secretary, Hilary Benn has launched plans for a one stop shop service for greener homes. Alison Benjamin over at the Guardian Unlimited takes a looks at what the Green Home Service will offer. This is done in a FAQ format which also seems to include non related general questions such as;

“How much does a micro wind turbine cost and how much electricity does it generate?”

Worth taking a look at though.

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2007/11/20/green-home-service/feed/ 8 ways to be greener http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/11/01/8-ways-to-be-greener/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/11/01/8-ways-to-be-greener/#comments Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:09:16 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/11/01/8-ways-to-be-greener/ The Telegraph have a 8 ideas to how to be greener, all listed on an article entitled how to be greener complete with useful links.

Also want to catch up on how the Strawbridge’s are doing? You remember, from BBC2’s “Its not easy being Green”. Well you can as the Telegraph has an article on them today too.

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/11/01/8-ways-to-be-greener/feed/ Brown the saviour for renewables? http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/09/25/brown-the-saviour-for-renewables/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/09/25/brown-the-saviour-for-renewables/#comments Mon, 25 Sep 2006 11:11:55 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/09/25/brown-the-saviour-for-renewables/ Interesting article in the Sunday Herald on how;
“Brown is the only politician who can meet global challenges of our times”

I afraid I am not convinced. As far as micro renewables is concerned this paragraph caught my eye

“The costs of heating and insulation will inevitably bring house prices in Britain back to earth. But the economy needn’t crash with them. What will be needed is a national programme for building smaller, affordable, energy-efficient housing units, using micro-generation for power to replace Britain’s out-dated housing stock.”

But I have seen no evidence Brown is a supporter of micro-renewables any more than the rest of his peers.

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/09/25/brown-the-saviour-for-renewables/feed/ Sneak preview of the house of the future http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/sneak-preview-of-the-house-of-the-future/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/sneak-preview-of-the-house-of-the-future/#comments Mon, 21 Aug 2006 09:02:55 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/sneak-preview-of-the-house-of-the-future/ British Gas and The People.co.uk have posted an article on what technologies the energy efficient house of the future might have. By the future they actually appear to mean in about 3 years time, by which time it is hoped homes will used a combination of grid supplied energy, micro-generation from renewables and more effective boiler systems. I think that version of the future is going to a bit optimistic given the lack of any real support for energy efficiency and micro-generation in the UK government’s recent energy review.

Visit the article to see what they have included

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/sneak-preview-of-the-house-of-the-future/feed/ Lets start talking renewables http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/lets-start-talking-renewables/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/lets-start-talking-renewables/#comments Mon, 21 Aug 2006 01:04:01 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/lets-start-talking-renewables/ Here is another link I am adding to the useful links page. This time it is the Start Talking: Alternative Energy site which is the web page assoiciated with the CNBC show of the same name. It is sponsored by BP, so there is a certain amount of BP content. However some useful shows on renewables even if not entirely geared towards micro-generation

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/21/lets-start-talking-renewables/feed/ Renewables will lead to decentralised energy generation systems http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/12/renewables-will-lead-to-decentralised-energy-generation-systems/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/12/renewables-will-lead-to-decentralised-energy-generation-systems/#comments Sat, 12 Aug 2006 05:57:41 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/12/renewables-will-lead-to-decentralised-energy-generation-systems/ I have just read a nice article published on The Engineer Online about a five year project as St. Andrews University which is looking at new technologies that, in the words of the article, will allow the development of a decentralised energy generation system in the UK.  As an aside, I actually consider that we already have the technologies available to allow this to happen. What we don’t seem to have is the will to create it and the fee structures needed to make it work.

The research led by Prof John Irvine involves 27 researchers working on a variety of projects, but mostly seem to be around fuel cell technology. All interesting stuff but what I found most interesting about the article was the comments about the distribution system of the future. In the future a bigger proportion of energy production is expected to come from renewables, including micro-generation hopefully,  such as solar, wind, tidal and biomass, supplemented by nuclear, natural gas and coal. This change will allow development of the decentralised electricity generation infrastructure to be powered by renewable and clean technologies with a strong fuel-cell component, as opposed to the large centralised based system we have presently. According to Irvine

In the future renewable energy is more likely to be generated from numerous small self-contained generation nodes joined to the national grid by an umbilical. Fuel cells will provide back-up for when renewable generation is not producing at capacity - such as when winds are light. As energy will be generated closer to its point of use, the resulting system will have lower transmission losses, creating higher total energy efficiency with improved energy security.

Great stuff! But being a bit of a geek I really liked this quote.

‘The power system will be similar to Microsoft virtual networks,’ said Irvine. ‘It will create the same revolution as that did - this will literally be “power to the people”.’

Read the article yourself at The Engineer Online

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/08/12/renewables-will-lead-to-decentralised-energy-generation-systems/feed/ Red tape surrounding micro-generation to be reduced? http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/red-tape-surrounding-micro-generation-to-be-reduced/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/red-tape-surrounding-micro-generation-to-be-reduced/#comments Sun, 30 Jul 2006 08:56:23 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/red-tape-surrounding-micro-generation-to-be-reduced/ The UK government recently announced that it intends to greatly reduce the red tape which delays and holds up planning applications for micro-renewable energy installations. Under plans to streamline the governing of household appliances, ministers said planning restrictions for small-scale micro-generation would be lifted.  Such a  move should pave the way for domestic installations being able to proceed without the need for planning permission. The  micro-renewables would include such things as solar PV cells, solar panels for water heating and small wind-turbines.

Housing minister Yvette Cooper said:

“It is absurd that you should be able to put a satellite dish up on your house but should have to wrestle with the planning process for small scale micro-generation
which is no more obtrusive and can have a real impact on tackling climate change. We want far more micro-generation to be treated as permitted development and we also should be able to simplify the system for small developments such as extensions.”

Quite,  so why doesn’t the government take a much more agressive role in promoting micro-generation. Research by the Energy Saving Trust suggested micro-generation could provide 30 to 40 per cent of Britain’s electricity needs by 2050. Which of course suggests a reduced need for all the new nuclear power stations.

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/red-tape-surrounding-micro-generation-to-be-reduced/feed/ Catching up! http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/catching-up/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/catching-up/#comments Sun, 30 Jul 2006 08:46:41 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/catching-up/ While I have been travelling and getting myself a new job etc. during may and June, quite a few things have happened related to micro-generation that I didn’t find time to talk about, but I still want to make sure I covered. So some of the next few posts will be related to some slightly older but I think important news. Hope that is OK :-)

]]> http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/30/catching-up/feed/ Dubai an ideal place for Micro Generation http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/27/dubai-an-ideal-place-for-micro-generation/ http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/27/dubai-an-ideal-place-for-micro-generation/#comments Thu, 27 Jul 2006 22:13:40 +0000 ashleys http://www.micro-generator.com/2006/07/27/dubai-an-ideal-place-for-micro-generation/ You might of noticed the posting frequency has dropped
off in the last few weeks, this has been due to the impact of starting
a new job, a lot of travel, and infrequent access to computers. Things
are beginning to stabilise a bit so we should get back to more regular
posting. The traffic on the site is growing, albeit slowly, month on month, so someone is reading this stuff! So many thanks to anyone who has stopped by.

During my recent travels I have spent a fair amount of time in Dubai, and one thing that struck me about the place was that it has all the requirements for ideal micro-generation. The first thing is that year round almost constant sunlight is just asking for solar PV, and secondly a reliable strong onshore wind during the day, often followed by an offshore breeze in the evening, as the land heats up and cools down. A good business opportunity for someone willing to sell complete off grid systems to millionaire builders on the Dubai world perhaps?

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