Optimizing Wind Farms – lessons learned at Altamont Pass
Altamont Pass, California Altamont Pass is perhaps a classic example of how unexpected consequences can make a “green” project quickly turn brown. East of San Francisco on I-580, Altamont pass is home to very strong winds – ideal for wind turbines that use this wind to generate electricity. Also along this pass is an established migration route for many birds, including several types... Read More
Where is the wind (power)?
Wind power capacity in the United States has increased dramatically over the past decade – but where is this wind capacity being installed? Read More
Scientific American: Power from pondscum
Favorite story of the day – David Wogan’s blog post on Scientific American’s guest blog. In the discussion of alternative energy and fuels, algae have been bubbling to the top of the proverbial feedstock pool. Algae, the little green guys responsible for everything from making your Dairy Queen Blizzard solid to forming the basis of our current fossil fuels, are being looked at long... Read More
The Daily Wogan: Austin EMS to use solar-powered ambulances
Yesterday, The Daily Wogan published a blog post about several new ambulances in the Austin EMS fleet that will use solar panels to power critical on-board equipment. These panels will allow EMTs to shut down their engines while they wait for their next call. This will not only save fuel ($$) but reduce their environmental impact. As reported by the Austin American Statesman on Sunday: EMS officials... Read More
Returns on Energy Investments – EROI and EIR
Dr. Carey King, a research associate at the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and member of the Webber Energy Group, has spent the past couple of years studying a metric called Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROI). In his work, he strives to define what EROI includes and what it means – with the hope of allowing us to compare the efficiency of the different... Read More
Wasted Food, Wasted Energy
On the 8th, I mentioned research done by Dr. Michael Webber and former Webber Energy Group member Amanda Cuellar on the energy we waste when we waste food. This work is now featured on the UT Austin main website in the article titled “Eat Your Leftovers: How America’s Wasted Food Could Power Switzerland for a Year.” If you find some time this afternoon, I would recommend checking... Read More
Pecan Street Project – Request for Information
This week, the Pecan Street Project (PSP) released its draft Request for Information (RFI). They are asking for comments from interested parties until December 3rd. Over the following week, the folks at the PSP will review all of the comments they receive and will update the draft RFI to its final state, which will be released on or about December 10th. Before the comment deadline, PSP will hold a... Read More
Eeeee-lec-tri-city
Do any of y’all remember “Conjunction Junction”? “Interplanet Janet”? I ran across this old Schoolhouse Rock on Electricity and had to share it here. “Powerful stuff, so watch that plug. It’s going to – Electricity Eeeee-lec-tricity” Awesome. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbUjieMLFSo&fs=1&hl=en_US] Read More
The Daily Wogan
The Daily Wogan is making its official public debut today. This new blog focuses on sustainability, energy and policy – primarily in the context of local (Austin) issues. The blog’s author, David Wogan, is a member of my research group at The University of Texas at Austin. Check it out here! Read More
Senator Murkowski – Write-in Success
Alaska’s Senator Lisa Murskowski (R – Alaska), a top Republican voice on energy legislation in the senate, serving as the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Last year, she was intimately involved in the stalled efforts within the senate to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation. This year, she is up for re-election – and it has... Read More
