Electric Transportation News:
The newest postings are at the top of each heading.
Cities prepare for electric cars.
Improved redox flow batteries for electric cars.
Electric Vehicles can also cause CO2 if the power is supplied by fossil fueled power plants.
PG&E is planning for EVs that it expects to see soon on its system.
France is also planning for EVs that it expects to see soon on its system.
65 million electric bikes already in China with 62 mile range per kWh (2 Mb file).

Energy Storage and Efficiency News:
Many Americans are clueless on how to save energy. Could it be that Americans want more energy, not less?
Honda Civic Hybrid batteries are failing prematurely.
Batteries are needed to store wind energy for use when the wind is not blowing.
Germans use wind power to create natural gas for energy storage.
New catalyst discovered for generating hydrogen from water.
New developments in ultra capacitors for energy storage.
Americans favor conservation, but few practice it according to this survey.
Graphene creates transparent electrode in organic LEDs paving the way for new super efficient lighting.
This is an example of a conservation program that is wasting money and accomplishing nearly nothing.
US Geothermal plant may produce lithium and other rare minerals.
Campus student power produces 100 watts for half an hour stints, or 50 kWh energy.
A new sodium ion battery will be tested after receiving a government grant for R&D.
A new hydrogen gas storage method has been discovered.
GE to Open Sodium-Metal Halide Battery Plant in New York.
We need Na ion batteries to replace Li ion batteries to make energy storage more affordable.
R&D on low cost refrigerator sized sodium sulfur battery.
The University of Texas has a new grant to do research on a sunlight to hydrogen concept.
Is the Lead-Carbon battery going to be the game changer for energy storage?
Xtreme Power offers storage at 1 $/W + .4 $/Wh, check em out!
A Quest for Batteries to Alter the Energy Equation.
New Ultra Capacitor Development and here and here and here and here and here and here.

Solar News:
U.S. fails to use land set aside for solar power. Not one project to build solar farms has broken ground..
This new 50 MW solar plant is energy equivalent to a 23 MW nuclear plant and costs $16,500/kW.
Electrostatics proposed to keep solar panels free of dust - has yet to be demonstrated - but is a good idea.
New Chinese solar plant costs $3533/kW on its peak MW basis, but costs $32815/kW on its energy production basis.
SMUD rates (>12c/kWh) are high enough to pay for $2/W fixed solar panels.
60 MW 600 acre solar farm in Pflugerville TX costs $230 million (4 $/W and 2.3 W/sq ft).
New 24% efficient solar array and also this reference for a 41% efficient solar cell.
This solar plant has an estimated cost of $330,000 for 82 kW of installed capacity which is $4/watt.
High Spanish solar power subsidy is abused by use of gasoline generators.
A new method has been discovered for solar photovoltaics.
Lower cost plastic solar panels are being studied and developed.
Michael Webber discusses solar power in Texas.
The CO2 hypocrisy of low cost Chinese solar panels used in Austin's new solar projects is revealed here.
Subsidizing solar power leads to financial collapse in Spain.
75 MW solar plant in Florida is world's second largest.
Can Heliovolt challenge First Solar?
Introduced legislation sets aside a million acres of the Mojave Desert in California and scuttles plans for solar plants.
DOW rooftop shingles are most likely to drop the installed cost down to $2/watt which makes solar rooftop power economic.
Here is a proposed space based solar project, however there is no mention of its cost.
Renewable nirvana - the full report assumes too many successes and omits important economics.
Iron sulfied solar cells have high 30% efficiency and low materials cost.
A lack of water will stop the development of large solar farms in desert areas.
Another article on the lack of water for cleaning solar panels in the desert southwest.
Here is a solar COOP in Colorado offering lower cost solar power from a centralized plant.
A US company will build the world's largest solar plant in China.
New SunCatcher Power System Ready For Commercial Production In 2010 signs an agreement with CPS and more info on this technology.
Spain's solar plant with night energy storage 40% capacity factor and $22/watt system.
ESolar expects to start up its large solar thermal plant soon.
Winter weather is no friend to renewable energy.
Dr Grady's 2008 renewable energy conference at the University of Texas at Austin included a presentation by HelioVolt, a new startup thin film solar technology company here in Austin Texas whose technology is a result of research funded by NASA. The opening of this talk discussed the topic of Dr Edgar's Heliovolt presentation given to his University of Texas (energy policy) class.

Wind Power News:
Gene's comments on transmission needed for large scale wind power in the US.
Wind generator blades create radar imaging problems for the military and aircraft, what about sea going vessels dependent on radar?
Powering the world with wind and solar - ignores details of how an electric system actually works.
American Wind Energy Association predicts wind can supply 20% of US electric energy by 2030 reducing all natural gas usage 11% and coal by 18%.
Homeowners receive $5000 to stop complaining about wind turbine noise.
Off shore wind is approved for the first time in the US.
Judge's ruling puts damper on building power lines for new wind farms.
PBS NOW show talks about the need for new transmission to support renewables.
UK plans for most ambitious offshore wind project in the world will need 'supergrid'.
Rock climbers find new job opportunities working on wind turbines.
U.S. Transmission Planners Eye Britain's 'One-Stop Shop' for Siting.
Opposition to a new wind power transmission line crossing Palo Duro Canyon.
West Virginia wind farm restricted to protect bats.
Wind generators versus bird conservation. The jury is still out on this one.
If you like wind renewable energy you at least need to like transmission.
Every day Danes profit from pioneering wind power.
Danes show off several energy efficiency projects.
An article on wind power in Texas.
Tres Amigas substation proposes to connect together WECC, ERCOT, and SPP for the exchange of wind power.
Wind power needs more new lines to connect the wind generators to.
Norwegian Phd topic for 50,000 MW of offshore wind and local hydro energy storage. Transmission congestion is expected to occur.
The Nov 09 Issue of Scientific American omits transmission which is necessary for wind development. Californian's adversity to power lines means this concept doesn't have a chance of succeeding.
T Boone's wind plans fail due to lack of transmission and here and here and here.
IEEE article on transmission which is needed for wind development.
An Important Article showing just how backward the US is compared with Europe.
2008_Texas_State_Energy_Plan.pdf
CREZ transmission planning in Texas - see the ERCOT website.
T. Boone Picken's Energy Plan and web page for joining his movement.
Roscoe wind farm ATC (available transmission capability) study was done by this consultant.
Comment on wind: Currently wind cannot provide "base" generation. Gas, coal, and/or nuclear power is required at these times. Furthermore a large transmission investment is needed to connect windy areas of the US with load centers. The lack of transmission is slowing down the development of wind.

World Oil Outlook and Natural Gas News:
Its important that the US move its fleet of large trucks to burning natural gas as soon as possible.
The complexities of off shore oil are discussed in the post BP accident article, suggesting peak oil is soon.
This 2006 documentary called Crude Impact is eerily accurate today, however it is nearly silent on energy solutions.
The origins of oil are discussed in this article.
NPR interviews Michael Klare on the topic of the age of easy oil is now over.
Peak oil is coming soon and the world is not ready for it.
The world oil supply is at a tipping point according to this March 2010 report.
A new article discussing a peak oil forecast for 2014 from Kuwait oil producers.
Bloom box fuel cell might produce energy efficiently from natural gas.
But fuel cells have been around for a while, like this one.
Zero CO2 natural gas plant and the CO2 removal cost is $15/tonne.
America's greatness is being unraveled by its dependence on oil. US citizens need to begin conserving oil as a national priority.
Dr. Colin Campbell, a petroleum geologist, talks to EV World about the peak oil problem.
Huge new reserves of natural gas have been discovered.
IEA revises peak oil forecast, moving it ten years closer in time.
Peak Oil World Oil Timeline presented at a recent Univ of Texas seminar that gives a sense of how fast oil resources are being depleted.
Please watch "Peak Oil", an Australian produced documentary. Speed is best on www.abc.net.au from 8 AM to Noon US time.

Geothermal, Water, and Bio News:
Tidal power company in Maine reports success with commercial-sized underwater turbine.
Australian wave energy proposal. What about barnacle buildup in 2 years?
The barnacle problem might be solved by this type of project, however its still an R&D concept.
Before you go off promoting new hydro projects you need to read about the history of Hetch Hetchy.
Before you go off promoting new hydro projects you need to read about the efforts to restore streams and rivers.
IEEE special report on water versus energy.
New 22 MW geothermal plant gets $102 million loan guarantee from the DOE.
A tidal power news announcement.
Growing plants for food instead of for energy saves energy overall.
Kenya hopes to build 5000 MW of geothermal power.
First Chilean geothermal plant to be on line in 2013.
NV Energy Signs 32-MW Geothermal PPA.
Engineers Find Significant Environmental Impacts With Algae-Based Biofuel.
DOE implements new geothermal drilling standards to avoid initiating earthquakes.
More efficient desalinazation process is being tested in Canada.
Hopeful Obama geothermal project is shut down because it was causing earthquakes in California.
Here is a 1000 MW wave power project off Scotland to be completed by 2020 and another reference.
3100 MW of Geothermal power is spread over 70 plants (44 MW average), geothermal remains an underdeveloped resource.
Here is a massive tidal energy project in Korea as reported by Worldfocus News.
German Geothermal Project Leads to Second Thoughts After the Earth Rumbles.
A report on some geothermal activity in the US.
Geothermal mining company creates an earthquake in Switzerland then moves to the US.

Climate Change Science News:
Global 2 C rise at 450 ppm will be reached in 30 years at the current CO2 production rate.
Arctic ice melting tipping point reached at 400 ppm CO2 within a decade.
British Panel Clears Scientists. No evidence was found that scientists had manipulated their research.
HDNet Dan Rather interviews respected climate scientist who says on page 17 there is a chance NY City could be under 3 ft of water in 50 years.
Austin Energy Plan is too little too late to address climate change.
25 years of Arctic Ocean ice melting; drag the time bar to the 2:10 min mark to view the graphics.
2009 Copenhagen IPCC report showing the Arctic region ice melting rate is exceeding all previous forecasts.
WorldFocus News at 1:15 min Jim Hansen says Copenhagen is not enough and 21:20 min India's glaciers are fast disappearing.
National Public Radio interviews Jim Hansen about climate change.
Jim Hansen on the David Letterman show talking about climate change.
Minnesota Public Radio interviews Jim Hansen about climate change. Drag the bar to 41:30 to hear Jim Hansen recommend that President Obama should have the National Academy of Sciences write a report on climate change.
James Hansen's home page at Columbia University where you can find climate information updates.
James Hansen's new book: STORMS OF MY GRANDCHILDREN - The Truth About The Coming Climate Catastrophe And Our Last Chance To Save Humanity.
Power plants top the list of greenhouse gas producers.
The UN Report on the need to take action.
NASA Scientist Jim Hansen's recent climate report and a Summary of this report made recently to EV World Premium Subscribers.
Ocean Rise Prediction made by Gene Preston.
NASA news on our changing climate.

Coal and CO2 News:
Report of the Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage to President Obama.
Austin/LCRA Fayette coal plant found to be contaminating ground water, which is not a good sign for the future of coal power.
Utilities keep building coal plants to keep short range costs down while ignoring long range environmental effects.
DOE puts 1 billion dollars into CCS retrofit of an existing plant in Illinois.
Dr Ted Patzek says that projected coal use is going to decline soon because coal is increasingly hard to mine.
Montana-Saskatchewan carbon capture project is likely to be shelved due to its high cost.
This study suggests CO2 tax levels needed to reduce CO2 emissions.
Carbon Sequestration: Steam Process Could Remove Carbon Dioxide to Regenerate Amine Capture Materials.
Carbon Capture and Storage, boon or burden? - As Europeans discuss the topic.
Carbon Capture and Storage long term consequences - As Europeans discuss the topic.
Ottawa tells energy firms to start powering down coal-fired plants.
Germans explore burning coal underground.
EPA wants to shut down this mining operation.
Environmental damage being done in the eastern states by mountain top coal mining.
Carbon Capture and Storage doesn't hold water.
DOE offers $154 Million for NRG Energy carbon capture project in Texas.
UT receives a grant to assist with the above CCS project which will cost over $5000/kW just for the CCS.
West Virginia coal strip mining is eating up the landscape.
Air Force tests a more efficient process for making jet fuel from coal.
CO2 sequestration mandate is recommended by climatologists; however, this may drive utilities to abandon coal altogether.
JAMA considers there are risks associated with CCS that are not being properly considered by legislators.
CCS Alberta 240 km pipeline costs $528(US) million and transports 14.6 million tons CO2 per year.
Coal produces 46% of the US electric energy.
EPA issues new GHG rules which may be the kiss of death for projects like Big Stone II.
French President Sarkozy proposes $24.74 CO2 tax.
A $27.74 French CO2 tax would make old US coal plants uneconomical compared to the NRG nuclear plant.
MIT CO2 capture papers do not cover the topic of local water contamination by CO2 sequestration in deep saline water deposits, which is a very significant failure of this conference.
..... Examples of environmental challenges for pumping CO2 into the ground: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (outcome of tests in TX?)
Alstom's chilled ammonia CO2-capture process advances toward commercialization, but what do you do with 3 million lbs of CO2 each hour from a 1000 MW coal plant?
Geologists Map Rocks to Soak CO2 From Air.
Several large power companies point out problems with the cap and trade system being proposed.
Europe considers replacing CO2 cap and trade with emission limits.
Texas governor downplays coal's environmental problems.
EPRI reports coal is expensive when environmental costs are included.
An Interesting Tour of a Chinese Clean Coal Plant - including CO2 capture.
The TVA Ash Sludge Spill is likely to turn into a coal industry equivalent of the Three Mile Island incident. Updates: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
Clean Coal Backers Pitch Project for Stimulus Plan.
NERC Report on Climate Change Initiative (this is very important).
The coal industry prefers a CO2 tax rather than a cap and trade system.
MIT suggests new way to remove CO2 from coal power plant emissions.
Has the Discovery Channel found a solution to the CO2 capture problem?
Coal-generated Carbon Dioxide Captured In Australia -- A First
Increased electric use of electric power is necessary to lower CO2 production.
EPRI report says that electric vehicles could significantly reduce greenhouse gases.
US DOE cuts FutureGen funding because of cost and the Bush administration politics (wrong site was selected).
But wait! Now the FutureGen project is restarted, however, AEP and Southern Company have now withdrawn from the project.

Nuclear Fission News:
Can Nuclear Waste Spark an Energy Solution?
NASA is planning to use small nuclear power for future Mars and other deep space planetary missions.
Nuclear Energy: A Vital Component To Our Energy Future.
Russia nuclear goal is to move to fast breeder nuclear reactors.
Click on 8/5 video 1:40 min - Feds not deliver on loan guarantee. Nuclear projects may be cancelled.
Joe Shuster interview on Fox News. Joe wrote the book Beyond Fossil Fools.
More nuclear power in Texas is being developed for the Comanche Peak plant site.
DOE workshop on small nuclear units technology, which will be found to be a way to replace existing coal plants on site.
Keep an eye on these CO2 turbines. Looks like they may be low in cost and simple to operate.. ref1.. ref2.. ref3.. ref4
Bill Gates continues with his nuclear program using Toshiba 4S as a part of the plant.
DOE nuclear power roadmap posted in April 2010.
Dr Chu's testimony on 4/28/2010 at 40 min into the session and Dr Eric Loewen's testimony at 106 minutes into the session.
Italy to build first nuclear plant in decades.
Energy Secretary Chu promotes mini nuclear plants to fight global warming.
Dr Chu, energy secretary, promotes smaller nuclear plants.
Obama Announces Federal Help To Fund New Nuclear Reactors (2/17/2010).
Bill Gates has an important message in his talk at the 2010 TED conference.
Russia's nuclear industry seeks to profit from selling small nuclear reactors.
Department of Energy Announces $40 Million to Develop the Next Generation Nuclear Plant.
Molten salt high temperature reactor design - references: 1, 2, 3
A realization that nuclear was not going to happen in the US without government funding assistance as is done in other countries.
Problems with fast breeder reactors are discussed but no new solutions are presented.
NRC disapproves changes Westinghouse made to AP1000.
Bill Gates takes a look at the energy problem.
President Obama is now also on the right track and listening to Dr Chu.
Dr Chu's new energy budget seems to now be on track.
Nuclear Traveling Wave Reactor concept, also take a look at the excellent video.
Keep an eye on this nuclear upstart company.
Loan Program May Stir Dormant Nuclear Industry with $18.5 billion loans for building new nuclear reactors.
David Crane in Scientific American talks about the status of nuclear power.
After a 30 year ban on international nuclear power trading, an India engineering company expands its nuclear business plans.
How to get rid of nuclear waste and the history of why we didn't do it earlier.
Tripling the amount of nuclear capacity in the US could replace existing coal US generation capacity.
The British government has approved 10 sites in England and Wales for new nuclear power stations...
..."local authorities have been stripped of the right of veto over new nuclear plants and other key energy projects".
South Korea will use a new recycling process to eliminate nuclear waste.
China IS proceeding with the new nuclear IFR technologies needed to combat CO2 and the US should be also.
China signs up Russian fast reactors.
My comments to Austin Energy concerning their (work of fantasy) generation and conservation plans.
Nuclear power development is delayed because a fear of anything nuclear is greater than the fear of climate change.
CPS's nuclear expansion plans.
UT Research Scientist Dr Robert Duncan talks about how nuclear power is the right choice for San Antonio and Austin.
City Public Service's NRG nuclear energy plan includes a significant CO2 reduction.
U.S. Chooses Four Utilities to Revive Nuclear Industry.
US Government guarantees NRG Nuclear, which anti-nuclear AE fails to mention.
Austin Energy's energy plan lacks CO2 reduction and is silent on the energy needed to serve PHEVs.
An Update to Austin Energy's energy plan.
The Wall Street Journal comments on an increasing interest in nuclear power.
Why only nuclear power can revitalize the economy and solve the environmental CO2 problem.
WNA report: The New Economics of Nuclear Power.
Dr Chu's recent interview shows interest in the fission-fusion concept for dealing with nuclear waste.
Physicists at the University of Texas at Austin propose a new reactor design to burn up nuclear waste and also here.
Smaller Nuclear Reactors Seek Customers in Developing World.
A new type of nuclear reactor that uses very little fuel.
another reference and another.
Sweden Ends Ban On Nuclear Power Construction: ref 1 ref 2 ref 3 ref 4 ref 5 ref 6 ref 7 ref 8
Ongoing info on the nuclear waste issue: ref 1
New nuclear developments in Scotland.
Nuclear gets a boost in Europe after Russian Gas Curtailments.
India Aims To Produce 60,000 Megawatts Of Nuclear Energy By 2030.
Nuclear engineering programs are being restarted in many schools to meet the increasing demand, also this.
Nuclear power can only be financed by governments at a %5 discount rate because only they can control the risks.
See the Dr Who comment at the end of this article.
A New Mini Nuclear Reactor with no moving parts.
Nuclear Power In Germany Gets New Support, rethinks its decision to phase out nuclear power.
UK opts in for nuclear power, says mistake was made in 2003.
Italy reverses non nuclear vote and has decided to build new nuclear plants.
Nuclear Engineering Increasingly Popular In Canada.
Several experts below are saying in 2009 we cannot solve both the energy problem and the climate problem without nuclear energy:
James Hansen pleads with Obama to develop 4th generation nuclear power to save the planet.
Professor Barry Brook discusses the need for 4th generation IFR nuclear technology.
Tom Blees talks about a plentiful clean energy source for everyone on Earth (this video is in 3 sections).
Here is the book "Prescription for the Planet" that Tom talks about in the above video.
Zachary Moitoza shows that only nuclear power has an ERORI great enough to meet our energy needs.
My letter to President Obama concerning solar, wind, coal, nuclear, and our energy needs.
My own energy studies support Robert Bryce's "Let's Get Real About Renewable Energy".
Thomas Friedman of the NY Times is right on target with his recommendations.
Dr Chu's interview with MIT's Technology Review.
Dr Chu speaks to EEI about life in a carbon constrained world.
Interview with Dr Chu talks about a nuclear waste blue ribbon panel that has yet to be put together at 18:50 and 20:45 min.
Dr Chu's important energy ideas need to be funded now to deal with nuclear waste and proliferation.

Nuclear Fusion News:
World's largest laser takes first steps toward nuclear fusion.
Nuclear fusion by thermal ignition reaches a new level.
ITER fusion magazine tells status of the project as of December 2009.
Laser fusion gets hyper active.
Nuclear fusion appears to be way off into the future with this update.
A new approach to fusion will be tested.
US National Ignition Facility hopes to produce fusion power in 2010 - here is another reference and another.
Homebrew fusion project - will it work?
October 2008 report on what is going on with Fusion.
ITER Fusion Project update .. Fusion energy is the path to an ultimate source of energy.
ITER engineering details .. main parameters .. systematic modeling .. fusion conditions .. physics basics .. etc ..
Physics World - Dreaming of Fusion ... (copyright).
Lecture on inertial fusion being the best approach to fusion (1.5 hr).

The March 2009 issue of Scientific American on page 84 asks and answers the question of how long uranium supplies will last. At currents rates there is a ~230 year supply using existing light water reactor technology. Further exploration is expected to double the 230 year number. Using additional enrichment techniques could double the supply again to a life of 920 years. If uranium were extracted from sea water the supply could be extended to 60,000 years using existing LWR technology. On the other hand, if breeder reactors were used, the original 230 year supply would be extended to 30,000 years. Using breeding and seawater extends the life to 8 million years. Including Thorium in the mix could extend the life of nuclear many more millions of years.

Designing a small system to be reliable, low cost, and have zero CO2 emissions:
1. Here is a rooftop solar and wind 100% renewables powered microgrid concept.
2. The above 10 kW rooftop solar is replaced with 5 kW of centralized solar.
3. Three ways to improve the reliability of a (nearly) 100% renewables system.
4. The cost of CCS carbon capture and sequestration makes coal power uneconomical.
5. Small nuclear power provides reliability without needing a new transmission grid.
....Summary of the above cases.

Sunday school presentation given on Dec 6, 2009 to the New Wesley Class at the University United Methodist Church.