Researchers Chloe Long, Dr. James Flint, and Dr. Paul Lepper, all colleagues at the Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, conducted experiments to learn whether color might play a role in attracting insects to wind turbines. They measured how many insects were attracted to different colored cards laid out in random order next to a 43-foot-tall three-blade wind turbine. The experiments showed that insects are most attracted to yellow followed by white and light gray. The researchers discovered that the color least attractive to insects was purple and reasoned that wind turbines painted purple would likely kill fewer birds and bats: Birds and bats are often hit when…
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Fiber Cells + Pokeberries = Solar Power
Here’s an exciting article by Alicia W. Roberts, Wake Forest University and posted on RenewableEnergyWorld.com website. Seems Wake Forest University holds the first patent for fiber-based photovoltaic, or solar cells, granted by the European Patent Office in November. A spinoff company called FiberCell Inc. has received the license to develop manufacturing methods for the new solar cell. And now the scientists at the University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials have used the red dye made from pokeberries to coat their efficient and inexpensive fiber-based solar cells. The dye acts as an absorber, helping the cell’s tiny fibers trap more sunlight to convert into power. These low cost fiber cells…
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Portland’s Coal Problem
According to Mayor Sam Adams,Portland receives 68 percent of its power from non-renewable fossil fuels and over 44 percent is produced by coal. A great deal of that coal-fired power generation originates in the Rocky Mountains. Oregon’s only coal-fired electric power plants is located in Boardman, Oregon. It is the state’s largest stationary source of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other pollutants including mercury. PGE owns 65 percent of the Boardman coal-fired power plant and is seeking to submit an alternative operating plant that would phase out the facility or switch to non-coal fuel by 2020. In January, Adams announced his support of PGE’s work to rethink the…
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Power to the People
Community effort in Southeast Portland brings solar within reach for many. PORTLAND, Ore. — September 16, 2009 was the deadline for Portland homeowners to become part of the very first Solarize Portland project — a grassroots effort that’s making it easier to go solar for less through the power of community. What began as the idea of one homeowner in Southeast Portland, has now grown to include 335 neighbors. The number is well over the original project goal of 50 participants. Led by Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition and Energy Trust of Oregon, the group is going through the process together — from learning how solar works, to installing systems on…
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Palm Oil Plantations Wrecking Asian Rainforests
Palm oil, listed as, "vegetable oil," in many supermarket food products is responsible for cultures, ecosystems, and animals, like the orangutan, tiger, and sun bears being pushed to extinction, and the problem is getting worse.
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Tires Made from Trees Save on Fuel and Energy
Kaichang Li, an associate professor of wood science and engineering in the OSU College of Forestry believes that microcrystalline cellulose, a material made from trees and other plant fibers, may be able to replace about 12% of the silica used as a reinforcing filler in rubber tires. Photo: Materials scientist and OSU doctoral student, Wen Bai, develops rubber composites in an OSU laboratory using a new technology that incorporates microcrystalline cellulose – an approach that may lead to automobile tires which cost less, perform better and produce improved vehicle mileage. Lower production costs, more heat-resistant, fuel-efficient tires similar in traction and strength to conventional tires appear to be some of…
