Pakistan to host 8th World Wind energy conference in December 2008

Pakistan shall be hosting the 8th World Wind Energy Conference from December 4 to December 6, 2008 in the port city of Karachi. Canada is hosting the 7th Conference in February 2008.

World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) is an international non-profit association embracing the wind sector worldwide, with members in 80 countries. WWEA works for the promotion and worldwide deployment of wind energy technology.


Reference: http://www.wwindea.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=197&Itemid=76

Changing laws is far more important than changing the light bulbs

The Climate campaigner Al Gore urged world policymakers to change laws “not just light bulbs” in tackling global warming, and a UN official said world market turmoil must not be allowed to delay action.

An annual meeting of world political and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland, this year has scheduled a record number of sessions and workshops on global warming. But a sharp downturn on markets and fears of recession have dominated discussion.

“If we get distracted by the aberrations that you see in the financial market right now it would clearly be very unfortunate,” said Rajendra Pachauri, head of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Gore, in a swipe at U.S. President George W. Bush’s environmental record, said the election of a new president in November could only bring an improvement.

“In addition to changing the light bulbs, it is far more important to change the laws and to change the treaty obligations that nations have,” Gore told delegates, in apparent reference to what he sees as the Bush administration’s reluctance to initiate legislation on environmental control.

Courtesy: ENN: http://www.enn.com/business/article/29925

Google Oil and Google Wind Power

This was'nt unexpected; Clean, greeen anergy is one of the big things that we shall see in the days to come

Google and HP have jumped onto the renewable energy bandwagon.

Google, the Internet company with a seemingly limitless source of revenue, plans to get into the business of finding limitless sources of energy.

The company, based in Mountain View, Calif., announced Tuesday that it intended to develop and help stimulate the creation of renewable energy technologies that are cheaper than coal-generated power.

Google said it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars, part of that to hire engineers and energy experts to investigate alternative energies like solar, geothermal and wind power. The effort is aimed at reducing Google’s own mounting energy costs to run its vast data centers, while also fighting climate change and helping to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.

“We see technologies we think can mature into very capable industries that can generate electricity cheaper than coal,” said Larry Page, a Google founder and president of products, “and we don’t see people talking about that as much as we would like.”

The company also said that Google.org, the philanthropic for-profit subsidiary that Google seeded in 2004 with three million shares of its stock, would invest in energy start-ups.

Google says its goal is to produce one gigawatt of renewable energy — enough to power the city of San Francisco — more cheaply than coal-generated electricity. The company predicted that this can be accomplished in “years, not decades.”

Google is only the latest Fortune 500 company to embrace green technologies. Also Tuesday, Hewlett-Packard said it would install a one-megawatt solar electric power system at its manufacturing plant in San Diego, and buy 80 gigawatt-hours of wind energy in Ireland next year. H.P. said that together, the agreements would save it around $800,000 in energy costs.

You can follow the complete story at

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/technology/28google.html?hp

Happy Planet Index

New Economics Foundation, a London based independent think-and-do tank has developed a Happy Planet Index that combines environmental impact with well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which countries provide long and happy lives.

You can get some of the details at http://www.happyplanetindex.org/index.htm and calculate your own index by answering a very simple questionnaire on the website.

Interestingly, the United States ranks 150th out of 178 countries. Europe is not placed much better; Austria being the best at 61st, Portugal at the bottom on 136th. The Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu has been ranked first. Columbia is ranked second, Costa Rice third, Panama fifth, and Cuba sixth showing happier trends in these countries.

Pakistani professor among Nobel Peace Prize (2007) winners

WASHINGTON, Oct 13: Pakistani professor Adil Najam, now teaching at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, US, is amongst the team of scientists and experts in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shares the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President Al Gore. The 2007 Peace Prize, announced in Stockholm, Sweden, on Friday includes a gold medal and $1.5 million, is to be shared between Al Gore and the IPCC for enhancing the understanding of the science of climate change.

The IPCC is a panel of the world’s most eminent and leading scientists working on global warming and it produces its scientific assessment every 4-5 years.These assessments, especially the most recent one, have been influential in moving global climate policy, including changes in US and other country positions on the subject.

Prof Adil Najam has served as an expert on this prestigious panel for eight years, and as a Convening Lead Author for its most recent report. Along with other scientists on the panel he helped shape the findings of the IPCC, especially on issues related sustainable development and other developing country interests.

Dr Adil Najam holds a doctorate and two Masters degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a specialisation in negotiation from Harvard Law School, and an engineering degree from UET, Lahore.

He has taught at MIT, Boston University, University of Massachusetts and currently at Tufts University. He is author of more than a dozen books.

Courtesy: http://www.dawn.com/2007/10/14/nat5.htm

Funny :)

Wind power is very popular because it has a lot of "fans"

:-)

Pakistan: $510 million for renewable energy

aturday, October 06, 2007

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank for a $510 million multi-tranche loan for the development of renewable energy. The program is the first of its kind in Pakistan, and is one of the first to be developed under ADB’s evolving clean energy and efficiency initiative.

Pakistan’s energy supplies are highly dependent on oil imports, the cost of which accounts for a large share of the country’s total import bill. In addition, demand for power is outstripping supply. Electricity needs are projected to reach 162,590 megawatts (MW) by 2030, from 15,000 MW in 2005. While thermal power (coal, oil, and gas) is expected to meet much of the future demand, there is enormous scope for more environment-friendly options. Renewable energy accounts for only 180MW of Pakistan’s present power output.

The first project under the loan will finance a set of small to medium hydropower plants in Northwest Frontier Province and Punjab.The governments of NWFP and Punjab expect to borrow up to $180 million and $150 million respectively to fund renewable energy projects. Other provinces can request funding for renewable energy projects totalling $170 million.

The program will expand Pakistan’s power supply, especially in rural areas, to serve about 600,000 new domestic connections for 4.8 million people. It will also improve reliability and quality of supply.

Small to medium-sized hydropower plants offer the greatest renewable energy potential for Pakistan, while possibilities also exist in promoting greater use of wind, solar, and biomass power, said Peter Fedon, ADB’s Country Director for Pakistan. Investment in such renewable energy options would not only be beneficial to Pakistan’s energy security, but would boost social equity, lead to a cleaner environment, and make good economic sense. The loan and project agreements for the Renewable Energy Development Sector Investment Program was signed on Friday.

The loan will have a life of 10 years upto 2017. The Alternative Energy Development Board is the executing agency for the Renewable Energy Development Sector Investment Program at the federal level. At the provincial level, the program will be executed via special purpose implementing agencies such as Irrigation and Power Departments.

Power and energy, together with transport connectivity and water, are major constraints in Pakistan to achieving the kind of high economic growth that can benefit the poor. Under its clean energy and efficiency initiative, ADB is planning to expand energy efficiency operations in its developing member countries to $1 billion per year.

Courtesy: THE NEWS - October 18, 2007

15% Energy from renewable sources by 2020: US House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives has passed an Energy Bill requiring utility companies to produce 15 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2020.

The Bill passed in the House on a 241-172 vote, despite strong opposition from electric utility companies and the White House, which has threatened to veto the measure. Twenty six Republicans voted in favor and nine Democrats opposed the bill.

Don't take the kids neat the rotors!

There is a controversy in the UK these days regarding installation of wind turbines, specially those in the vicinity of residential areas. Like everything else, Green energy is good, but whether we still keep the required safeguards in picture when installing wind turbines or the solar panels for that matter remains in our hands!

Here is one of the news items:

"We in Swansea, Wales, UK, refused Tesco’s planning permission for a wind turbine. They did not appeal.

These turbines are not green toys. They kill birds and bats that are protected.They can fragment and hurl debris everywhere dangerously. I would urge parents not to take their children to Tesco near the wind turbine. You’d not let them loose in a working coal mine or steelworks. Next time you visit Tesco ask to see the manager and ask exactly what is the average real output of their wind turbine. Then divide the kilowatts by the average electric kettle 2.2kw to see if you could make a cup of tea. I doubt it!"

OAN M RICHARD,City and County Councillor,Swansea

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=532379

Published on 16/08/2007

No Pollution Cars

Getting behind the wheel of any new car is a tad nerve wracking, but being entrusted with something worth around £5 million is enough to induce a cold sweat.

Honda's latest concept car, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell engine
Somewhat rashly Honda invited me to get behind the wheel of its latest concept car, a vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell engine. The car is filled with hydrogen rather than petrol and is the world's fastest high performance zero emissions car.

The hydrogen is pushed through a "fuel stack" somewhere beneath the arm rest between the driver and passenger, where it is converted into electricity which powers the engine. While conventional cars give out varying amounts of C02, this rather sleek beast emits only water vapour.

Transport for London has been part of an EU project testing the technology on buses and many of the major companies are trying to develop the ultimately ecologically friendly car.
There are already hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic, which are powered by a combination of petrol and electricity and, though their carbon emissions are much lower, there is some debate about their fuel economy.

Cars such as Saab's dual fuel car run on any bio-fuel, but they are losing ecological brownie points from some who argue that they are merely depleting another valuable resource.
The latest Honda car is their third crack at the technology. The previous two sounded a bit like high-technology washing machines, with a tendency to hum rather than roar. Now the fuel stack - the box which converts the hydrogen and oxygen into electricity -has shrunk, making the new version radically different to drive.

The Honda car can travel up to 100 mph and is due to go into production in small numbers in Japan next year, where owners will be able to lease one for upwards of £250 a month. Unfortunately, the only hydrogen fuel station in Britain is in Hornchurch, east London, (20p a litre) meaning that Honda's green machine may never take to the roads in its present form, but the engine technology could become commonplace, perhaps within a decade.

My contribution was not to crash the concept car.

David Millward for daily Telegraph, UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/06/29/eabio229.xml

What is Greenhouse Effect?

Greenhouse!!!!!

What's that?

The greenhouse effect is a term that describes how natural gases in the earth's atmosphere reduce the amount of heat escaping from the earth into the atmosphere. The more of these gases there are, the more the earth heats up.

These gases act like a blanket around the earth - they allow the sun's rays in to warm the earth's surface, but they also prevent much of the heat escaping. It is a bit like car windows on a sunny day - they allow the sun's rays in to heat up the car, but prevent much of the heat escaping. That is why the inside of your car is warmer than the outside air on sunny days.
Greenhouse gases are a natural part of the atmosphere. They trap the sun's warmth, and maintain the earth's surface temperature at a level necessary to support life. The problem we now face is that human actions - particularly the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and land clearing - are increasing the concentrations of these gases, creating the prospect of global climate change. This is called the enhanced greenhouse effect.

The enhanced greenhouse effect?

Increases in the earth's temperature can occur naturally as a result of climatic fluctuations caused, for example, by solar cycles and changes in the sun's radiation. Human activity such as burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and land clearing, however, are increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These additional gases are like additional blankets around the earth. They allow the sun's energy to reach the earth's surface, but they prevent more heat escaping. This means that the earth slowly heats up. This is called the enhanced greenhouse effect - it causes global warming and it is changing our climate.

What are greenhouse gases?

Greenhouse gases are a natural part of the atmosphere. It is the increase in the amounts of these gases through human activity that causes global warming. Human activity such as land clearing and burning fossil fuels have increased the concentration of these gases. Humans have had most impact on the enhanced greenhouse effect through increases in the amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

Water vapour: Water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas, but human activity has little direct impact on the amount in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide (CO2): The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is about 30% higher now than 200 years ago. The main causes of this increase are the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas to create energy to make electricity and to produce fuel for transport, and the clearing and burning of vegetation. This gas is the biggest contributor to the enhanced greenhouse effect (about 70%).
Methane (CH4): The amount of methane in the atmosphere is about 145% higher now than 200 years ago. The main causes of this increase are:
- digestive processes of cattle and sheep (ie their burps!)
- cultivation of rice
- escape of natural gas
- decomposing waste in garbage dumps or landfills
This gas is the second biggest contributor to the enhanced greenhouse effect (about 20%)
Nitrous oxide (N2O): The amount of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere is about 15% higher now than 200 years ago. The main causes of this increase are:
- burning of vegetation
- emissions from industries
- the effects of agriculture on the soil (using nitrogenous fertilisers)
- Halocarbons

These greenhouse gases have been reduced since the phasing out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to protect the ozone layer. However, other halocarbons effecting the atmosphere include perfluorocarbons (PFCs) emitted during aluminium production.

Coutesy: www.deh.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/index.html

The NIMBY Factor

A well known wind energy fact lies within the opposition usually met from a proposed wind farm site and this is down to the "NIMBY" factor (not in my backyard). Everyone likes the idea of a wind farm proposal to provide clean, cheap electricity from wind energy, yet how many of these people would like a wind farm within one mile of their home? The "NIMBY" factor is something we are going to have to get used to and be prepared to live with in future decades.

In 2007 it is estimated that only 1 - 2% of the worlds energy supply comes from a renewable wind energy source. In some smaller countries (such as Denmark) the fact that they are able to provide between 20 and 40% of the country's energy demand through the use of renewable wind energy, shows the potential of wind energy and that this just becomes a way of life.

(Above is a picture of wind turbines in Copenhagen, Denmark)

Courtesy: http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/wind_turbines.html

and http://www.windaction.org/

Living on Mars

With situation degrading each day on our planet earth, one starts thinking how could life be on Mars...a eutopia where everyone is happy or something similar to what the earth is currently... will depend on the inhabitants!