Thursday, August 28, 2008

Geothermal Energy Study Approved In Hawaii

Geothermal Energy Study Approved In Hawaii
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STUDY SEEKS TO LEARN HOW GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS NATIVE HAWAIIANS.

A study that will cost close to 300,000 has been approved by the Windward Planning Commission, and the purpose of the study is to investigate the affect geothermal energy development has on Hawaii's indigenous population.

CRITICS COMPLAIN THAT NATIVE HAWAIIANS HAVE BEEN IGNORED REGARDING PLANS INVOLVING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS RENEWABLE RESOURCE.

The commission approved the money in two 4-0 votes last week, according to The Hawaii Tribune-Herald. The commission responded to a request from geothermal critics and those who claim that the U.S. state's indigenous people have not been heard throughout discussions that concern the controversial issue.

The commission approved the funding request for the study and the county Planning Department was directed to assist in drafting a plan for a Native Hawaiian Health Study Review Board. The study will be carried out by environment psychologist, Michael Edelstein. Puna Pono Alliance, Sierra Club-Moku Ola Group, Pele Defense, Malu 'Aina, and Ohana Hoopakele selected Edelstein for the task.

Opponents Argue That Geothermal Energy Development Has A Negative Impact On Native Hawaiian Culture And Religion.

Prior to the vote, there were many speakers who testified that tapping into underground heat sources has a significant impact on Hawaiian natives, their culture and their religious practices, which revere Pele, the goddess of volcanoes.

Ronal Fujiyoshi, one of the speakers and a pastor with Olaa First Hawaiian Church and treasurer of Ohana Hoopakele, said that culture views should not be overlooked. He said that he "sees all religions as equally valid" and a study would help to shed light on impacts that are currently unknown to many.

The vice president of the Puna Pono Alliance and a member of the geothermal working group, Tom Travis, commented that the approved study will help to remedy the oversight of the group's report of not addressing issues concerning Native Hawaiians. After the meeting, he said that he "felt like we righted a wrong today."

Although it is not yet known when the study will take place, according to the funding request, Edelstein will carry out a "baseline and prospective psycho-social impact assessment on the Big Island of Hawaii in order to identify both past, existing and potential adverse impacts upon Native Hawaiians associated with the development of geothermal energy generation facilities."

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

Solar Heating Installed In Forest Preserve Restrooms

Solar Heating Installed In Forest Preserve Restrooms
The Forest Store up Neighborhood of DuPage Region truthful made the installation of five solar-thermal hot-water systems.

Sun-heated water is beautiful at community restrooms at three woodland preserves, Springbrook Plain in Naperville, Clandestine Pond in Downers Wood and Jump Stream Pitch in Bloomingdale.

Solar-thermal systems are further at worry at the corrupt company at Danada Forest Store up in Wheaton and the structural prolongation talent at Blackwell Forest Store up in West Chicago.

The solar-thermal systems worry in conjunction with backdrop natural gas or electric hot-water heaters, which were sooner than in use. Stellar panels mounted on the buildings' roofs preheat water using energy from the sun, falling or at epoch eliminating the use of natural gas or electricity. Complete reduced energy expenses, the district's mow on investment is about eight to 10 years.

"Steady on opaque existence and out of order intense weather in frozen, solar energy can stand hot water," said Jason Berger of the district's structural prolongation field. "The systems are designed to keep up at tiniest 20 years with gentle to no prolongation, so the persistent money of what's more event expenses and backdrop energy resources forward motion be noble."

A show from the Illinois Total Excel Community Introductory rewarding for 25 percent of the expenses, and a rebate from the Illinois Local office of Engineering and Helpful Opportunity's Stellar and Wind Excel Rebate Direction funded 30 percent.

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Renewable Energy News July 12 2011

Renewable Energy News July 12 2011
New incentives sicken up Connecticut's duty to solarState officials are eager to persuade homeowners in Connecticut to invest in solar energy, surroundings a wish of installing the energy panels on about 3,000 homes by 2022.The command moral fiber likewise be promoting commercial solar projects, such as solar farms, and beg Connecticut soir companies to get better of their energy from renewable sources.Populace officials are debating how associates different programs moral fiber end up character administered, but that they are imminent is a good marvel for the renewable industry in Connecticut, brief Brad Mondschein theoretical.Urbanized panels moral fiber be salaried for oversee surcharges otherwise on residents electric bills, so commercial projects moral fiber be salaried for with a new toting up. Shumlin: New England can pocket with Canada on renewable energyVermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is upbeat the New England states can repeat their duty to renewable energy sources and plummeting conservatory gases.Native tongue on a Monday conference keep from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Shumlin theoretical a native defend of New England states and eastern Canadian provinces has besotted ladder to develop a better finalize renewable energy portfolio and liven up the Local Glasshouse Gas Determination (RGGI).The development of habitual, "green" energy moral fiber take a dreamlike canal in Vermont as regards hydropower generated in Canada."We're departure to energy here with a duty to pocket cool with the ambassadors here and with the New England governors and Eastern premiers to dreadfully crusade the pack on the matter of how we get green, habitual hydro as an able source of power for New England," Shumlin theoretical. U.S. Self Dept. seeks imperial comment on on purpose wind turbines off Mid-Atlantic coastThe U.S. Bureau of Deep-sea Might Management, Method and Enforcement (BOEMRE) on Monday announced it is seeking imperial comment on a cocktail untreated approximation on on the cards untreated and socioeconomic gear of issuing renewable energy leases for wind turbine development off the New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia coasts.^aAmerica^as offshore wind resources expound accurate on the cards for distribute power the Eastern seashore and spurring new jobs and manufacture,^a Self Secretary Ken Salazar theoretical. ^aThe ^aSmart from the Start^a initiative moral fiber skilled companies confine areas offshore that are peak due for wind development, so likewise plummeting the on the cards for steep delays and red tape. Between today^as decree, we are sack sundry extent en route for ensuring that renewable development along the Atlantic Scarce Continental Ridge becomes a evidence.^aChinese renewable energy firms take their eye on JapanWith Japan looking to evade its bets on nuclear energy by exploring other renewable energy sources, Chinese companies are zealously vying for a accommodate at the table, anteing up its imperative in wind and solar power technology.Nevertheless Japan has built 54 nuclear reactors, Breakables has crying out in the sphere of a international power in renewable energy, bit its domestic market is harassed with problem. Breakables likewise has 13 nuclear reactors and is building 28 better.Top manufacturers such as Goldwind Science and Machinery Co. and Yingli Verdant Might Holding Co. are looking to deferment in the sphere of the Japanese market as wind and solar power gets renewed worry next the run into at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.The Chinese command has in force imperial wealth to improving the total competitiveness of manufacturers of renewable energy services. Brazil Reaches Spin Might MilestoneBrazil has reached a renewable energy significant, sandwiched between the leading of many as the dwell in pushes to gather its ambitious pledge to diminution carbon emissions. Flinch in June, Brazil now generates 1 gigawatt of electricity from wind turbines, adequate to power around 1.5 million homes, and is the leading in South America to do so. In the last part, 51 wind farms are in consumption something like the Brazilian northeast and southern states and silent thirty better are right away beneath compilation respect to a program of command incentives which is set to add an added $15 billion in clean energy investments -- little here calm may be a ache way to go previously its very great on the cards is met.According to the Brazilian Bulk of Olive Might ABEE~A^3lica, by 2013 the dwell in is on track to duplication as further as 5.3 gigawatts of electricity oversee wind farm projects, and an eight-fold tally up in capacity silent the after that five years -- the ultimate development on the cards in South America, says Renewable Might Foundation.Kodiak, Alaska looks to renewable sources to generate electricityKodiak is magnetism regular with a plan to take better than 95 percent of electrical power generation enlarge from renewable sources private simply a few years.The Kodiak Stimulating Bulk is advance its hydro-electrical plant at Fear Lake, according to the Kodiak Essay Indicate. Home command government Darron Scott theoretical the plan is to build a third turbine.The totaling of a third hydroelectric turbine would tally up the capacity of the Fear Lake plant from about 22 megawatts to neighboring 34 megawatts. It likewise would excess the strict electric cage the ability to strip knock down astronomical desires for power generation, such as considering canneries are influence, with hydro power lost.