cnet: green technologies to watch - home energy storage

The story was written by Martin LaMonica of CNET.
From a technical point of view, things have changed a lot since the first Earth Day in 1970.
After decades of reluctant development, energy innovation has surged over the past five years, thanks both to the growing interest of society in clean energy and to the technological revolution in other industries, such as IT and biotechnology
This extends the definition of clean energy from solar and wind energy to many other areas.
Daniel Yergin announced at a clean forum last week: "We are in a new era of energy innovation --"
Energy Policy at MIT.
Yergin is the one who should know.
As the author of the award, a book on the history of the oil industry, and
The founder of the Cambridge Energy Research Association, who advises the ceo of Big Oil and gas companies on energy strategy.
Like a lot of people with green technology, he's not a typical 1970.
Time tree embrace but hard-
Savvy businessmen who see technological change driven by economic, environmental and national security reasons.
Yergin said Google cloud service disruption missing connadik state mom Virginia Beach shooting protesters interrupted Harris innovation "has a very strong focus on climate change in all industries"
"Clearly, one of the major areas of innovation is transportation, smart grid and renewable and alternative" energy.
Which technologies have the greatest impact?
As part of Earth Day 2009 coverage, we are trying to block the technology of viewing.
List: Utility-
Despite the overwhelming media surrounding solar power, its contribution to national power generation is almost a flash in the pan.
But after more
Ten years of utility disruption
S. -led solar power generation is back on the agendaS. by sun-
California's renewable energy licensing is lucky.
In the last five years,
Ups has designed a centralized solar thermal system that generates heat by focusing on the sun's rays to generate steam.
Steam then turns the traditional turbine into electricity.
Desert areas like southwestern United StatesS. are tailor-
Made for this technology.
After the rapid advance of the past few years, centralized solar upstarts have to brake or change their plans due to cost and complexity ---
Allow from the environment, construction of transmission lines, etc. -
These projects.
ESolar and BrightSource Energy stand out for announcing a project to advance tower technology.
Other related technologies for utilities
Scale solar is a flat panel mounted on a rack that follows the sun, focusing on PV from companies like Cool Earth solar and SolFocus.
Solar energy is the technology that venture capitalists like in 2007, last year and this year, and it is energy storage technology.
For investors and entrepreneurs who like tough issues, they choose a good area.
Why are electric cars so expensive? The batteries.
What is it about turning wind and solar energy from variable to reliable? Storage.
How do we make our strength
Are you hungry?
You got the picture.
The number of technologies to store electrical energy is dazzling, but they don't seem to be cheap, light or eco-friendly.
The breakthrough of electric vehicles comes from consumer electronics with lithium ion batteries as the standard. U. S.
Leading companies in the production of lithium-ion batteries for cars and other portable electronics such as electric tools are Ener1 and A123 Systems, which signed a supply of lithium-ion to Chrysler earlier this month
Companies worthy of attention in the field of electric vehicles remain high again
Tesla Motors, Fisk Motors, will release its plug
In "electric" and "bright cars" later this year, the company was created by the former head of the GM EV1 project.
At the same time, some state-of-the-art utilities are quietly dipping their toes into grid storage and installing one or two megawatts of batteries that are the size of a tractor trailer or a small building.
While manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries tend to be most concerned, this is an area where alternative chemicals, such as zinc, and even fixed fuel cells, are spreading.
Efficiency requires almost any cleaning
Energy experts introduced the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the most economical way, and they would say efficiency.
Whether it's your home or your data center, investing in efficiency is usually the fastest return on energy.
From a technical point of view, there are various forms of efficiency, from Ford's EcoBoost to LED lighting, providing better mileage on gasoline engines.
Efficiency means intelligence for the grid
Grid technology helps utilities better match power supply to demand and provides homeowners with a way to cut monthly bills.
While the grid will be significantly upgraded from the stimulus plan, it is still unclear how many utilities will be able to successfully fund investments in smart grids
How much power grid technology or consumers are willing to pay for home energy monitoring.
Even if high-efficiency technology and renewable energy are heavily absorbed in the next 10 years, the world economy will still rely heavily on fossil fuels.
In a speech at the MIT clean forum last week
John holderen, director of the President's Office of Science and Technology Policy, said carbon capture and storage is a technology that deserves more research as a way to mitigate climate change.
Now, however, technologies that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide to the ground are still not commercial.
Some companies, including GreatPoint Energy and Tenaska Energy, are designing ways to make cleaner Energy.
Burn natural gas from coal and store the carbon dioxide generated by the process underground.
Department of Energy budget--
Haven't passed yet--calls for $3.
4 billion in the "low" study
"Carbon coal technology" to study whether it can be completed safely and economically.
Looking back on our report on Earth Day 2008, disappointing and realistic test, perhaps the biggest disappointment in the economic and environmental aspects is in the field of biofuels.
Due to volatile commodity prices, at least two corn ethanol suppliers declared bankruptcy last year.
At the same time, cellulose ethanol made of wood chips or grassland grass has not yet been produced on commercial scale as some in the industry hope.
This is still a worthwhile goal because cellulose ethanol has better environmental features than corn ethanol, but the economic turmoil has slowed progress. Great hope-
Maybe a sleeper. -
For the biofuels industry, it is still low algae, although even the most optimistic people say it will take three years for mass production.
Another disappointment on my list is the roof
Install small wind turbines for the home.
It's not that the technology doesn't work, but that two studies were conducted in the United States. K.
Research in Massachusetts shows that wind power in people's homes is usually lower than the manufacturer's minimum.
Finally, despite increasing awareness of water issues, there is little investment in water technology.
Drought profiles in California and Australia.
All in all, it is clear that innovation in energy and environmental products is bearing fruit, from people's homes to businesses.
At the same time, we should not deceive ourselves: technology alone cannot magically create low
A more sustainable way of life. Healthy Green
The technology industry needs healthy financial system and policy support.
Many people aim for technological breakthroughs, and there is no doubt that there will be surprises along the way.
But given the scope of the problem, it is clear that the road to a green economy will be long, expensive and require a different set of rules.