The big news is – Google decides to go green. In an attempt to rescue the USA from the energy crisis before 2030, the largest search engine in the world has decided to pursue a new energy plan. Experts believe that the company is being a little too modest calling their effort as too small, when now they are supporting and promoting� green technology like wind power, solar energy, geothermal energy etc like enevr before.

The idea here is to take pressure off the fossil fuel resources. Google has cut down on its servers and buildings, even their computers are more efficient now so as to decrease consumption.
A very simple approach by Google that is hoped to inspire many others to actually sit back and think about the amount of energy they consume. It has even partnered with General Electric Co to develop a power grid that will have real-time pricing to show people their energy consumption.
Via planetark

This is the perfect conundrum that the world has to solve before we really move forward and look for new sources of energy and how we wish to develop them further. Nuclear Energy is without doubt a source that has immense potential. In fact, there could be a day when we could truly power up the city of New York for months with nothing but a glass of water (As so eloquently stated in ‘Chain Reaction’). But with what consequences? That is a question that we need to look at closely before we move any further.

Exelon, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States has filed a license application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US-NRC) to build two new nuclear power plants near Victoria, Texas. When operating, the plants will produce zero units of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, sulfur oxides, and fly ash. The Boiling Water Reactors will each produce approximately 1,500 MW of electric power.
It is worth noting that a 3,000 MW power station operating at an average capacity factor of 90% - which is typical for a US nuclear power plant - can produce more than 23 million MW-hours of electricity each year.

If you factor in the current costs of power in Texas then this turns out to be a gold mine waiting to be dug up even in terms of the economy of it all. Of Course, it will also mean that the local economy will thrive with more jobs as well. But what about the nuclear waste? I guess for now we will have to like with it and it could be far easier to dispose of it rather than deal with more CO2 at present. All in all, it is thumbs up for the new giant project.

Via Cleantechnica

There are not many LEED Platinum certified green homes across the US and while the number is growing, it probably needs to spread more rapidly in order to really help the planet cool down. While US is still trying to switch to green, California seems to the leader in renewable energy and green architecture in the country. The 4600 sq ft Margarido House is by no means a small home, but with the addition of a plethora of green building features it will become the first LEED-H Platinum certified home in Northern California.

The Margarido House will feature almost every green strategy you can imagine and will be 55% more efficient than California’s Title 24 energy standards. The loads of green features inside make your head go on a dizzy ride. Its construction incorporates a variety of sustainable and fire resistant materials, and all of its poured concrete contains 25% fly ash. The interiors feature LED lighting, smart house automation, locally sourced products, and recycled concrete and glass countertops.

A planted roof garden and deck top off the project, and the house is site-sensitve, featuring permeable paving, rain and ground water reclamation, and drought tolerant landscaping and plants. While the owners of the house believe that ‘Green can be beautiful and sexy’, the rest of the world might find it hard to argue with after taking a look at this green masterpiece that defines new conventions and defies the old!

Via Jetsongreen

Geothermal Energy is almost like the step-child of renewable resources and the Solar and Wind Energy departments get the treatment of being the perfect brand ambassadors for green energy. This is due to a couple of factors. One is that people do not quite comprehend how valuable and immense the potential of geothermal energy is and secondly those who know about its worth are still unable to find ways to properly harness it. But that seems to be changing fast off late as people seem to have rediscovered its magic.

Google, which has an interest in affordable power to run its growing numbers of server farms, is heavily investing (through Google.org) in research into the development of geothermal power. In the US, Google is the largest funding source for geothermal research. While traditionally the US and North European nations have been considered Geothermal Energy hubs, there seems to be a new leader in the race as well.

The Australian government is investing nearly four times as much as Google to develop geothermal power for Australia. The Australian group estimates that just 1 percent of the country’s geothermal capacity could provide 26,000 years worth of clean electricity. With more countries like Australia and firms like Google investing both money and time in Geothermal Energy, the future indeed looks ‘steaming hot’ for the energy that lays hidden in the heart of the planet.

Via Ecogeek

It seems that whenever we talk about alternate sources of energy, the only two sources that come to our mind are Solar and Wind Energy. That is indeed not all too surprising as most of the world is pretty capable of harnessing these two forms of energy and they are more extensively available that ‘Geothermal Energy’. That is apparently what we used to believe until recently, but as always researchers have altered our notions by showing us that over 120,000 MW of untapped low-temperature geothermal energy lies in the US alone!

Raser Technologies and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson broke ground on New Mexico’s first geothermal power plant. Situated at Lightning Dock near Animas, the new plant will incorporate an innovative binary liquid technology that allows it to make use of the site’s low levels of geothermal energy. The project will be one of the first geothermal plants in the nation to incorporate the new breed of low-temperature technology featured in Raser’s proprietary modular power plants.

Each individual generation unit is manufactured off-site, delivered to the location, and rapidly installed to create, in essence, a geothermal farm with multiple 450 kW units. Raser Technologies anticipates the first 10 MW of power generation will be online by early next year (2009). Phase II of the project will add another 15 MW of power, for a total of 25 MW, which is enough to power nearly fifteen thousand homes. This technology holds exciting prospects, as recently the US Geological Survey identified over 120,000 MW of untapped low temperature geothermal resources in the US.

Via: Inhabitat

PS1 Gallery current Art Center, an arm of MOMA, celebrates 10th year of Warm Up, PS1 Gallery is a annual summer music series, in New York. This year folks who go to catch DJs and live music will be have opening to also visit a farmers market, dip their feet in a cool pool, and in general chill in shade of Public Farm 1, by Work Architecture Company.

PS1 Gallery is a series of eco-friendly cardboard tubes that grows rainwater-irrigated veggies while provided that solar-powered cell-phone charging and community play space.

Among interactive mechanism of PS1 Gallery are swings, cubby hole seats and a periscope, and columns that offered dissimilar tactile and acoustic experience– like being fuzzy or sounding like nighttime. PS1 Gallery is a thought as vital to sustainability as term “organic.” Plus that wading pool looks actually nice for a hot day.

Via Arch Daily

The state of California sure knows what it means to “Go Green”! This time the initiative comes from the California Building Standards Commission. The latter has announced a statewide adoption of “green” building code on Friday 18th of this month.The announcement comes as a happy surprise among Californians, who are the pioneers to adopt such a code for their state in the entire United States of America!

Here’s what the Californian governor said,”By adopting this first-in-the-nation statewide green building code, California is again leading the way to fight climate change and protect the environment.”The Commission found out that in terms of higher carbon footprint the state’s buildings rank next to its transportation.

Thus, this announcement reflects a positive concern to improve the situation by reducing the carbon emissions. The new standards yet to be employed promise :

•� 20% improvement in water use efficiency for both residential and commercial plumbing fixtures
•� a 50% increase in conservation for water used in landscaping
•� reduction in energy consumption by 15%
•� overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2020

The new policies are envisioned to be in sync with the goals mandated in Assembly Bill 32 (passed as law 2 years ago).

Friday also saw the introduction of Green Building Initiative by governor Schwarzenegger (Executive Order S-20_04). This initiative calls for a 20% cut back in energy consumption by all state-owned buildings by 2015. As of now, a total of 13 state-buildings are LEED certified. According to the Green Building Initiative, the renovation of rest of the state-buildings will be planned in a manner to acquire a LEED Silver certification.

The initiative taken by Californian government is very inspiring. Let us hope that other states and countries of the world follow this trail in order to achieve a sustainable, greener and healthier tomorrow.
Source: enn

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