Ride the Waves- Energy from the Ocean

You've all heard about windmills & solar panels. But what about the oceans? Two-thirds of the planet is covered by water. Water that is in constant motion. There is R&D being done to harness the immense, clean power contained in the oceans.

According to the DOE, the total power of waves breaking on the world's coastlines is estimated at 2 to 3 million megawatts. In favorable locations, wave energy density can average 65 megawatts per mile of coastline.

Three basic technologies for harnessing the waves are:

• Bobbing floats like on your fishing rod


• Oscillating Water Columns (OWC)


• Tapered Channels (Tapchan Systems)

That is a huge source of clean energy. Read more about it at:
US Department of Energy
European Wave Energy Thematic Network
Full report (502 pages)

Oil-free Sweden by 2020

Are you kidding me?

Sweden has a bold vision of how to get off of the oil addiction.
Could they really be oil-free in 15 years?
If the rest of the world had the same attitude, could we all achieve that goal?

I've got the story, the government agency and the official report right here.
Read more about how Sweden will save the planet:

Scandinavica.com article
Swedish Ministry of Sustainable Development
The Official Government Report

Excerpt from the report:

Declining access to conventional oil, in combination with our joint responsibility to stop
global warming, will be a test of the world community’s readiness to switch to energy
systems that are more sustainable in the long term. Basically, it is a question of the will to
show solidarity with present and future generations.
Sweden accepts this challenge!
In this document, we propose a number of far-reaching, concrete measures that can end our
dependence on oil by the year 2020 and tangibly reduce our use of oil products. Our
ambitious objectives are as follows:
• Through more efficient use of fuel and new fuels, consumption of oil in road transport
shall be reduced by 40-50 per cent.
• In principle no oil shall be used for heating residential and commercial buildings
• Industry shall reduce its consumption of oil by 25-40 per cent

The Sulfur Shade Solution

Paul Crutzen Proposes Temporary Global Warming Relief
by Injecting Sulfur Into The Atmosphere.
He doesn't suggest this as alternative to reducing global warming polution.
Rather, he says progress on that front is going too slowly to stave off disaster.
Putting a "sulfur shade" up in the sky would buy us time to get our act together.
Or would it mess things up ever further? I'm thinking the "Don't Mess with Mother Nature" adage would apply here, but it might be a last ditch effort if things get really bad.

Sulfur Shade Solution

Get the Facts from EEA

The European Environment Agency has extensive information about the hazards of global warming. It also has detailed reports about Eurpean strategies to reduce the hazards of climate change.

Here's some important links:
EEA Global Warming Reports Links Page

A few links I found especially important:
EEA stragegies assessment
This detailed report has lots a great information about how to implement reductions in greenhouse gasses.

Europe needs adaptation strategies to limit climate change impacts
A report from Jacqueline McGlade, EEA Executive Director

2004 impact report

Govenator Fights Global Warming

The California Legislature introduced the "Global Warming Solutions Act".
It seeks to set concrete limits on green house gases. Will this set a precedent that will spread nationally?

Natural Resources Defense Fund Report

MOOOve Over WINDCOWS: Navitas Can Build 49 Turbines

The local group, Wisconsin Independent Citizens Opposing Windturbine Sites (WINDCOWS), sued Navitas to stop them from building 49 wind turbines in Eastern Wisconsin near lake Michigan. The complaints seem to be about visual pollution. Local residents don't think it will look good to have 300-foot towers in their area.

Minneapolis-based Navitas Energy company has won the lawsuit and now is clear to move ahead with construction.

htrnews.com

RADAR study no longer delays Austin, MN Wind Farm

There has been a hold-up in building new wind farms in Minnesota in 2006.
The delay has stemmed from the FAA & Homeland Security stopping development pending analysis to determine if the wind turbines will disrupt aviation RADAR signals. This analysis is now required nationally since a dispute over a windfarm near Cape Cod, MA.

Now, the RADAR study has been completed for a 100-megawatt farm near Austin, MN. The farm has been given a green light to build the turbines. There are 2 other farms in southwest MN still waiting for approval. For more details, go to:

Finance-Commerce.com

Duluth News Tribune

Go see the Eco Experience at the State Fair!

If you're at the fair, look for the 123-foot wind turbine blade sticking out of the ground. That's where you'll find the Eco Experience with advice on how to reduce your footprint on the planet.

Read more at:
MPR article on Green Expo

Germany's Plan

Interview with Germany's Environment Minister

Trittin: In Germany we've got to the stage where what we are talking about is that renewable energy delivers too much energy - not too little. The politics of sustainable energy never meant relying on a single energy source but on a mixture. We are in the process of composing anew our energy mixture, which at the moment is made up of a third nuclear energy. By 2020 the nuclear component will have disappeared, while the renewable energy part (not just wind but also sun, biological and geo-thermal) will double. Fossil fuels such as gas and coal will also play an important role, though in much more efficient power stations than today. And don't forget our most productive and least used source of energy up until now - energy efficiency

Think Green Minnesota!

Global warming is real. It is happening now. It is worse than you think.
Do something.
Now.
That means you too!