Relevant

(In NewNet on June 9, 2010): Hydropower is the world’s largest renewable source of power generation, accounting for around 20 per cent of global electricity supply, a new report said.  The world’s installed capacity of hydropower increased to 888.8GW in 2009 from 695.8GW in 2001, registering a compound annual growth rate of 3.1 per cent, new figures in Global Data’s Global Small Hydro Power Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2020 showed.  Cumulative additional installed capacity of small hydropower is expected to reach 140GW in 2015 and 201GW in 2020, it forecasted.

Annual installed capacity surged during 2004 mainly due to the rise in new installations in China. In addition, rising interest in the sector has led to increased government support policies which will derive installations in many countries.

Glascow (in NewNet on June 12, 2010):  New research has suggested that larger wind turbine blades are more efficient at generating electricity in certain circumstances, such as in lower wind speeds. But wind developers at New Energy World Network’s Wind Energy Investor Forum said there is a limit to how large a blade on a wind turbine can be.  ‘Are we going to continue to grow blade size?’ said Vestas Wind Systems’ senior power sector specialist, Per Holmgaard when speaking at the forum.

Researchers at the University of Glasgow in cooperation with Gaia-Wind recently found that larger blades are more efficient at generating electricity in lower wind speeds. 

While giant wind farms are mostly sited on hillsides and coasts with little population, smaller wind turbines that tend to serve farms and businesses are often located in more populated areas with less wind but paradoxically the implication of the findings is that bigger turbines with larger blades are more effective in these areas.  The research focused on the effects of changes in the number of rotor blades; the size of the blades; and the electrical design of the generator.

Washington, DC:  The move toward "green," meaning primarily new sources of renewable energy, has dominated the headlines over the last two years. Many people around the world automatically perceived "green" to be the answer to addressing climate change and to achieving environmental sustainability. The problem is that attaining the long-term goal of a world powered by renewable, low-carbon energy is a highly complex and expensive proposition that no single technology, green or otherwise, can resolve.

As perception collided with reality and the initial hype around "green" began to subside, a new, more balanced concept emerged: clean development. It encompasses many things related to sustainability, including energy security, economic growth, fair markets, and clean water — as well as carbon constraint. Furthermore, it is built on the pursuit of cost-effective energy that is "clean," and not just limited to renewables. This includes natural gas, nuclear and coal when used in environmentally sensitive ways.

At a recent Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions panel discussion, Clean: 1st Step to Green?, Joseph A. Stanislaw, Independent Senior Advisor, Energy & Sustainability, Deloitte LLP, moderated a panel including Robert Beck, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, The National Coal Council; Thomas Skains, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.; and Christine Tezak, Senior Energy & Environment Policy Analyst, Robert W. Baird & Co. Click here to see their insights and perspectives.