Comments

Gary Perkin

The Environment

Step 1: Harness the Wind

By Posted on 3.5.2008 2 Comments
Atop a High plains plateau just south of Boulder, Colorado, four rows of test turbines stand against a backdrop of snow-covered Rockies, the 150-foot blades twirling slowly in a light breeze. "If you were siting a commercial wind farm, you wouldn't put it here," says Sandy Butterfield, a chief engineer for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. "But it's the perfect location for a test site, because we get gusts up to 100 mph. They tell us pretty quickly which designs can take a beating."

7.14.2008 at 09:57am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, "a growing Pimby-"put it in my backyard"-chorus. " Why not REALLY put it in your own back yard? The guys here have developed a low-cost system for harnessing wind AND solar power. Home Wind Power Worth looking at I think. Gary.
Gadgets

Universal, Energy-Efficient Adapter to Come

By Posted on 7.8.2008 9 Comments
It’s about time we get the adapter equivalent of the Universal Remote Control. Ever since engineer Doug Palmer lost his cell phone charger (a hardship that has practically become part of the shared human experience), he has sought to develop an adapter that supplies power to every last iPod, laptop and digital camera.

7.14.2008 at 09:38am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, I applaud this - OK it's only a small difference, but if we ALL did it, then it would be a BIGGER "small difference". If you really want to do your bit - the guys here can claim you can power your whole house with a combination of solar and wind power. Home solar and wind power Not sure I believe the "whole house" claim, but you can definitely make a big difference to your grid consumption. If more people actually DO this, then it will reduce the major suppliers' profits - then they might take notice! Gary.
The Environment

PopSci's Energy Plan Methodology

By Posted on 3.5.2008 1 Comments
To report our July cover story on solutions to the energy crisis, PopSci consulted dozens of energy experts, from leaders of renewable-energy nonprofits, to industry engineers, to laboratory scientists. Our conclusion: Assuming political and bureaucratic hurdles could be overcome, the U.S. is capable of eliminating use of fossil fuels for electricity generation by 2025.

7.14.2008 at 09:34am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, I applaud this - wind and solar are the only way to go, and as better technology gets cheaper, as it ALWAYS does, it will make more and more sense. It's already possible to do your bit - the guys here can claim you can power your whole house with a combination of solar and wind power. Home solar and wind power Not sure I believe the "whole house" claim, but you can definitely make a big difference to your grid consumption. If more people actually DO this, then it will reduce the major suppliers' profits - then they might take notice! Gary.
The Environment

Carbon reduction

By Posted on 1.16.2008 1 Comments
As a major supplier of energy, we believe we have a responsibility to be a leader in finding and implementing solutions to climate change. BP was the first major energy company to publicly acknowledge the need to take steps against climate change. We are now investing $350 million over five years to reduce our internal CO2 emissions by up to one million tonnes each year.

7.14.2008 at 09:28am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, Sorry, I just don't believe it's that difficult to switch to alternative forms of energy. I DO believe it's not profitable for the majors to do it though, so they drag their heels while giving everybody false promises, and talking about all the "initiatives" they're running. C'mon, get real! This can be done now by anyone, like the guys here, who show you how to power your whole house with a combination of solar and wind power. Home solar and wind power If you wait for the big energy companies, you'll be waiting until the oil runs out. Which is going to be before the sun goes out! Gary
The Environment

Solar Freeze

By Posted on 6.30.2008 9 Comments
Few would begrudge an environmental impact study in advance of new power plant construction, least of all proponents of alternative energy. But with the Bureau of Land Management's recent decision to put a freeze on any new solar projects on the land it oversees in order to study the potential environmental effects, those same proponents are now looking skeptically at the federal government.

7.14.2008 at 09:24am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, The previous guy is right. Incompetence is the likeliest answer. Like anything, if you want something done properly, do it yourself! The guys here can show you how to power your whole house with a combination of solar and wind power. Home solar and wind power Could be the future? I'm going to check it out. Gary.
The Environment

A Solar-Powered LCD TV for the G8 Summit

By Posted on 7.8.2008 2 Comments
Watch your carbon footprint grow fainter with Sharp's completely solar-run LCD TV. The sleek 26-inch wide, 20 mm-thick prototype made its grand debut this week at the G8's Summit's Zero Emission House. Appropriate timing considering what a hot topic the environment has been at this year's summit.

7.14.2008 at 09:21am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, The previous guy is right. If they've got no power grid, they probably won't be hooked up to the web either! Anyway, why stop at just a laptop? This is just a gimmick to get people to buy a particular model. The guys here can show you how to power your whole house with a combination of solar and wind power. Home solar and wind power Could be the future? Gary.
Cars

Why Can't Our Cars Get Better Mileage?

By Posted on 7.3.2008 27 Comments
In April, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation proposed new CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards that would increase the average efficiency of passenger cars and light trucks by 4.5 percent per year from 2011 to 2015. A lot of people wondered why the federal government wasn't aiming higher.

7.4.2008 at 04:04pm - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, This is very interesting, and hydrogen power is definitely around the corner. But how far away is the corner. I recently found these articles, which explain how to supplement the regular gasoline in your car or truck with HHO gas extracted from water! Apparently it can be done now! How Does a Water Powered Car Work? Run Your Car On Water Gary.
Cars

Natural-Gas Guzzler

By Posted on 5.27.2008 4 Comments
For more on the Civic GX's natural-gas powertrain and the innovative home-fueling station that keeps it going at a fraction of the cost of gasoline, launch the slideshow.
Behold the car that could displace the Toyota Prius as the eco-ride of choice. The new natural-gas-powered Honda Civic GX uses domestically produced fuel–the same stuff your gas stove burns–that costs as little as one third the price of gasoline. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy calls it the cleanest-burning internal-combustion vehicle on Earth.

6.25.2008 at 05:15am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, I also found this article on the same subject - interesting stuff! It doesn't really run on water, but extracts HHO gas from water, and uses that. Apparently it's cheap and legal too! Water Powered Car Gary.
Cars

The Race to 100 MPG

By Posted on 2.11.2008 12 Comments
Over the past several decades, the promise of the "car of tomorrow" has remained unfulfilled, while the problems it was supposed to solve have only intensified. The average price of a gallon of gas is higher than at any time since the early 1980s. The Middle East seems more volatile than ever. And even climate skeptics are starting to admit that the carbon we´re pumping into the atmosphere might have disastrous consequences. To these circumstances, automakers have responded with a fleet of cars that averages 21 miles per gallon, about four miles per gallon worse than the Model T.

6.25.2008 at 05:12am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, I found this article on a similar subject - interesting stuff! Looks like you can actually do this now, and it's legal. I don't know if it really works though. Water Powered Car Gary.
Science

Turning Water into Fuel

By Posted on 1.22.2008 9 Comments

6.25.2008 at 05:07am - Comment by Gary Perkin

Hi, I also found this article on the same subject - interesting stuff! Water Powered Car Gary.