Former Maine Governor, Angus King recently visited Freeport Maine to talk about wind energy. King co-founded Independence Wind, LLC which consults with companies on wind turbine projects in Maine and New England. King delivered his ideas on the future of wind energy in Maine to a crowded Freeport Community Center as the second speaker in a four part lecture series sponsored by Wolfe’s Neck Farm and USM PIRG. Read the rest of this entry »
Friends Of Lincoln Lakes
I was recently in Freeport Maine for a lecture presented by former Maine Governor Angus King titled, the Future of Wind Power in Maine. During the Q&A session at the end of the lecture, the co-founder of Friends of Lincoln Lakes Brade Blake stood up and made a big to-do about how wind turbines are “sprawling industrial wind sites” in response to the proposed wind farm near his cottage on Lincoln Lake. Lets examine a few reasons why Blake may just be a little off his rocker. Read the rest of this entry »
DIY Solar Energy
This design for a solar air space heater fits into a window and can help heat a room.
In 1979 President Carter installed solar water heaters on the roof of the White House. The first thing President Reagan did when he came into office was to take them down. According to Dr. Richard Komp, those water heaters were moved to the roof of Unity College, where they are still working just fine.
Dr. Richard Komp was the guest speaker at an event held at the Freeport Community Center on Thursday November 20th hosted by Wolfe’s Neck Farm and MainePIRG to spread awareness about sustainability and solar energy. Read the rest of this entry »
Chill Your Bill
One of the largest consumers of residential electricity is your refrigerator. A fridge works by removing heat from inside and pushing it outside. You’ll notice the neato grill on the back of your fridge that cools the condensed fluid before returning to the compressor to absorb more heat. The key point to recognize here is that the warmer your home is (or at least the warmer the air behind your fridge), the harder it is for the heat to dissipate.
Swimming Pools
A good friend of mine is always saying to me that he wishes they made an all-in-one alternative energy kit. His Acme alternative energy kit would consist of a large water tank painted black to act as a thermal mass, solar water heaters, solar panels, and a wind turbine.
I’ve been thinking about this model and realized that many people already have this system partially installed. Partially installed because many people have a swimming pool.
A swimming pool could be used as a solar mass collecting heat from the sun and stirring it for those cold winter nights. The pool would work really well with a heat pump and a radiant floor heating system. Most people just cover up their pool with an insulating cover anyways, why not make that an extra thick and rigid cover capable of supporting solar water heaters that would circulate hot water into the pool.
With a solar hot water photovoltaic hybrid system on your pool, you now have hot water, a warm house, and electricity. if you were to add a wind turbine, you would have your Acme alternative energy kit!
Lastly, in the summer time you could use your swimming pool and your water heaters in reverse to radiate heat out of the pool. With a swimming pool full of cold water you’ll enjoy a cool home all day. You would be able use your home to heat your pool for a mid day swim.
Japan’s First Solar Power Cargo Ship: Green-wash
In response to the article about a company that built a solar cargo ship that only derives 0.02 percent of its propulsion energy consumption from solar:
I couldn’t agree more. That’s green-washing alright. They would have been better off throwing those solar panels up on a roof top some where. I’ve been saying for a while that we need to consider energy density in our consumption. It’s easy to make electric cars because they require low energy density. However, you must have high energy dense fuels to maintain shipping and air travel. Electric airplanes just aren’t realistic with current battery weight. We should be conserving fossil fuels for airlines and shipping while also drastically cutting residential lighting, heating, and transportation fossil fuel consumption. I say, put a $0.50 / gallon tax on gas under $3.50 a gallon to curb consumption and raise money for infrastructure.
Sustainability Exchange
Dear Readers,
Just thought I would let you all know about a new interest in my life.
Some friends from USM and I are organizing a new group called Sustainability Exchange.
The purpose of the group is to swap ideas, articles, news, and videos around sustainability. We’re hoping to start a podcast soon and one day we hope to give workshops.
Currently, we’re organized only as a facebook group but there are plans to synergize with an up and coming non-profit to help accomplish some mutual goals together.
I will keep you posted, but if you’re interested, join the facebook group because I’ve posted a ton of links.
Together Green Fellowship
I’m contacting you today on behalf of Audubon to inform you of the TogetherGreen Fellowships that have recently been awarded to forty of the nation’s most promising conservationists, two being from Portland, Oregon! TogetherGreen wants you and your readers to meet these Fellows who will create a positive environmental change in your community. Two Portland, Oregon advocates are the proud recipients of a new national fellowship designed to advance the work of individuals with outstanding potential to help shape a brighter environmental future. Marcelo Bonta and Tony DeFalco are two of only 40 people selected from competitors nationwide for the TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program, part of a new conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society with support from Toyota.
Go Green Expo Worth The Trip
The Miles all electric truck has a range of 50-60 miles at 25mph for about 2 cents per mile of electricity.
Despite what Kermit the frog says, it’s not easy being green. If it was easy to be green, we all would be green. Being green in an un-green world is especially hard and takes constant attention. If it were easy to be green I would certainly be greener than I am. You may call me a hypocrite but I don’t have an electric car, I don’t compost, and I don’t have solar panels on my roof. I’m not as green as I could be yet but I’m on my way.
Now before we start beating ourselves up for not being green enough, its worth pointing out that the whole point of being green is to be as green as you can, when you can. The point is not to be as green as someone else. You can’t measure yourself by another person’s green ruler or you’ll just never measure up.
That said, the Go Green Expo today in the Mt. Ararat high school gym in Topsham was all about teaching people how to get started on their own green path. The focus of the expo was on goods and services for you and your home. There were vendors at the expo today ranging from green contractors that could build your house to green home products that can help you live in your house, and everything in between. Read the rest of this entry »
Catching Energy Island Spirits
50 Meter tall wind turbines off the coast of Samso Island, Denmark. (Photographer Unknown)
Soren Hermansen approaches the stage. He is a tall, middle aged man with a European accent that slightly resembles Steve Jobs. He begins his lecture by telling us a little about his Island in the middle of Denmark called Samso Island. He also pointed out that his name in Danish is Søren, where in the ‘ø’ is the single letter in Danish which means island. He is here in Maine to talk about sustainable energy in island communities. If you think your electric bill is rough, island residents in Maine pay between 2 and 4 times the main land rate. The point that Soren is trying to drive home is that islands make a great location to harvest abundant sustained winds and by doing so, Maine island residents could not only generate all of their own power but also sell some back to the main land to create a negative carbon footprint. Read the rest of this entry »
