Changing Climate

Renewable energy sources are great to have since they cost cheaper in the long run. However, there happens to be a slight glitch. You can’t always access solar energy. The same thing can be said with wind-powered energy, especially on windless summer nights.

Hence, the idea of being able to store such energy until the time you need to use them has gathered so much interest. Unfortunately, issues still arise to producing such a technology. One issue for example is the cost it would take to produce it. Another costing factor is the amount it will be marketed to the public if made available.

With this in mind, a team consisting of chemists and engineers from Harvard University has decided to make use of a one-year grant given by the US Department of Energy. To be specific, the grant was received from the kindness of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Moreover, this grant could carry on for more than a year, depending on the initial findings and performance of the studies.

Dubbed as the Flow Battery Project, it aims to be a cost effective way of storing renewable forms of energy. The Harvard team is also slated to work with Sustainable Innovations, LLC to ensure that practical implementations needed for the project are properly executed.

According to Michael Aziz, the lead investigator, he feels that flow batteries can be made available for local energy storage in basements of structures already featuring solar panels at their rooftops.

While we are all awaiting for positive results of the Flow Battery project, it is a good idea to consider getting solar panels for your home or business. Of course, it would look pricey at first glance, but be assured that costs will come in cheaper as you continue to use energy from wind or solar panels.

Should you have high hopes for the Flow Battery Project and are now looking into purchasing solar panels, there are several companies selling solar panels; One of these companies is A1 Battery Pro, a QLD-based company specialising in batteries, solar panels, and auto electrical services.

Save the environment

The number of motorcycle riders around the world has been continuously increasing. A lot of people prefer to ride motorcycles because they are cheaper than a car and can get them faster to their destination. Environmental activists have been encouraging motorcycle riders to participate in the cause. Research shows that the increase of motorcycles as mode of transportation has contributed a lot to the increase of carbon emissions that we have been experiencing right now.

Vehicles that are run by fuel contribute to carbon emissions, which is one of the leading causes of global warming. Motor battery also contributes to carbon emissions. Emissions produced by human activities come from the burning of fuels and this contributes to greenhouse gas that is the fundamental cause of greenhouse effect. This is why engineers have been developing electric motorcycles. This type of motorcycle is known to be more environmentally friendly than the ordinary motorcycles that are run by fuel.

Throughout the years, engineers have been developing electric motorcycles and have presented various prototypes to manufacturers. There have been a number of models in the market but they are quite more expensive than the ordinary motorcycle available in the market.

For those motorcycle riders who are in a budget but would still like to make a difference to their environment, they can try out and purchase accessories that will help lessen the use of their fuel and battery. For instance, LED lights have proven that they are more efficient and use less battery power compared to non-light emitting diodes. There are a lot of motorcycle accessories retailers that offer LED lights in Australia, such as S3 Motorcycle Performance and MCAS.

Motorcycle riders can do a lot of things to help the environment even in their own little way. What really matters is the sincerity and determination to make a difference for the environment.

Climate change has become a buzzword for more than a decade now but as years pass by, things are becoming worse than they were before. This is the reason why researchers, scientists and engineers around the globe are working hard to find alternative solutions to help stop climate change. This can only be possible if the world will be able to decrease its levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide that is produced through the use of fossil fuels.

wind turbine technology

Wind turbines are good sources of alternative energy that is cheaper and more environmentally-friendly. Climate change and global warming activists support wind power as a source of electricity to some towns and cities around the world because of the said advantages. However, the technology behind wind turbines is still developing—engineers and researchers are still improving it and minimizing the errors. They have also found out that the maintenance of the wind turbines is quite pricey. This is why they have been looking at optimizing hydraulic pumps and combining it with the current technology to create a more efficient and economical way to produce energy.

Incorporating hydraulic pumps and drives to large wind turbines is still a developing process. Engineers and researchers are still improving the technology since they have to combine the nacelles and the turbine’s motors with the hydraulic pumps and drive to produce reliable clean and renewable energy.

On the other hand, there are some companies like Hydac Pumps that serves the  wind power industry. The company offers filtration services, monitoring of hydraulic and lubrication oils, performing test rigs for the transmission, checking and monitoring the oil cleanliness and transmission and generator cooling.

The idea of hydraulic pumps being combined with the wind turbine technology is going to be great if developed. A lot of people, not only those who are living in this generation but also those in the upcoming generations, will benefit a lot from this.

Our planet has felt the pain of significant and lasting changes in weather patterns for many years, especially in Australia where extreme events and disasters have occurred due to climate change.

Australia’s very own environment charity “ Greenfleet “ is working to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help avoid these issues. Greefleet is a not- for-profit organisation that is dedicated to helping the Australian community reduce the environmental impact of travel, business and lifestyle choices by adopting low-carbon alternatives and biosequestration.

GreenFleet – environmental charity

Over the last 15 years Greenfleet has built up some of the biggest brand names in Australia with many households and small businesses supporting the organisation to create a low-carbon future.

One of their many supporters is health insurance and travel insurance company nib. Nib have a procedure where each travel insurance policy that is sold, they will plant a tree through Greenfleet. This is great for the environment to carbon emissions and demonstrates that nib is committed to take action on climate change for the local environment.

We recommend supporting these types of organisations such as GreenFleet to help create a better future for the environment.

For more information visit - www.greenfleet.com.au

Australia: 2012-07-13: MELBOURNE (AP) Almost everything right now has a greener, more environmentally-friendly substitute. Coffee shops have been adopting salvaged counter tops, cleaning products have turned chemical-free and books and other paper products such as toilet paper, now come in the ‘recycled’ version. In addition, cars have been manufactured to fit the needs of a greener society, which in turn reduces our vehicles carbon footprint and helps us create a greener earth, hypothetically. However, with oil prices still weighing heavily on our wallets, and the knowledge that even hybrid vehicles need electricity in order to recharge, owning a car continues to be a burden both for consumers and the environment.

What adds to this is that although there are greener alternatives to fossil fuel and petrol-fuelled cars, such as bio-diesel and electric hybrids but the fact still remains that the production of these vehicles and their fuel source still make a detrimental impact on our earth’s atmosphere through carbon emissions; this is where a simple and practical solution comes in: Bicycles.

In Australia alone, 50% of the population own a bicycle and as much as 17% of these individuals ride their bikes once a week. Needless to say the popularity of cycling has shot up as the price of petrol has. Using pedal-power is a far more effective way to not only stay healthy, but cut back significantly on your consumption of fossil fuels. In 2011 alone, almost 1.2 million bicycles were sold all around Australia. Just imagine if all those 1.2 million bike users decided to ditch their cars and get to where they needed to be using only the power of their own two feet; it would be a day of less pollution and more savings.

With petrol prices hitting an all-time high this year, along with Australia’s increasing obesity epidemic, there is no better time to start cycling than now. The increasing popularity of cycling events like Ride2WorkDay where people ditch their cars for short commutes to work or to wherever they need to go, just shows that collective thought and the efforts of everyday people can make a big difference to the ‘health’ of our planet.

Bike manufacturers have responded greatly to this phenomenon by introducing higher quality bikes at more affordable prices. Whether you’re a professional athlete, a free-spirited hippy or simply a casual rider, you can now find the right bicycle at the click of a button. We not only encourage you to join the bicycle revolution, but to buy one online so you don’t have to get into your car to purchase one. Such online retailers in Australia include Bicycles Online and BSS Direct. Now is your chance to contribute to a healthier planet and a healthier you, two wheels at a time.

Washington Post: 2007-04-29: NEW YORK (AP) – There are new concerns surrounding a new national security threat, that could support terrorism worldwide and draw our armed forces into regional conflicts in Africa,Asia and Latin America. No, it is not nuclear proliferation. Nor is it a new brand of religious fundamentalism. Believe it or not, but it is global warming. During the past few weeks, several groups — including the U.S. Congress,  U.N. Security Council and a panel of retired top-ranking military officers, — have considered the possibility that global warming may be a compelling threat to peace and security in coming decades.

For the full article, visit The Washington Post.

RIYADH (Kyodo) The Saudi Arabian capital welcomed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived on Saturday, where he began a five-nation tour of the Middle East. He is here to discuss cooperation over securing stability of energy supplies for Japan,security issues such as Iraq and Iran and the region’s peace process.

Abe attended a banquet hosted by Crown Prince  Sultan bin Abdul Aziz soon after arriving in the capital of Riyadh . His planned schedule also included an address at an economics seminar and hold talks with King Abdullah.

The trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt is Abe’s first visit to the oil-rich Middle East since assuming office in September. It will also be the first visit to Kuwait by a Japanese prime minister.

The Japanese prime minister is flying to the Middle East directly from his first trip to the United States, where he took part in a summit with President George W. Bush. Abe is hoping to go beyond Japan’s economic interests to build a critical relationship with the Middle East dealing with regional peace and stability.

During his eight-day trip, Abe will also visit the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which is currently home to some 200 Air Self-Defense Force personnel.

The day before he left Tokyo, Abe said that his aim for this trip was to “engage in frank dialogue with the respective leaders in the Middle East to build the foundation for mutual trust in order to contribute to the region’s peace and stability.”

He is also expected to concrete Japan’s commitment to concluding a free-trade contract with the Gulf Cooperation Council to secure a stable oil supply, officials said.

The Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman make up the  six Middle Eastern oil producers comprising the GCC.  Due to his tight schedule, Abe was unable to visit all six this trip, a government official said.

To read full article, visit The Japan Times Online.