MakeHeat

Plugless Power EV Charging Station

Plugless Power, an innovative EV charging station that uses hands-free, wireless inductive charging, has been installed at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. Developed by Evatran, the charging stations are built into parking spaces to automatically charge the electric vehicle while it’s parked. This is the first public trial of the system. Google utilizes a variety of EVs to get around their campus and also provides them in their employee car sharing program. (more…)

© Justin Thomas for MetaEfficient Review, 2011. |
Permalink |
One comment

Hybrid Solar Energy Plant In Florida

The newest hybrid model isn’t a car, but the world’s first hybrid solar energy plant that went on the grid last week in Martin County Florida. The Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center is Florida Power and Light’s (FPL) latest innovation to launch Florida as the clean energy state. Working in conjunction with an existing natural gas power plant, the 190,000 solar thermal mirrors track and harness the sun’s rays via hydraulic motors. That energy is then converted into electricity and offsets the use of the natural gas. The natural gas plant then becomes a stored energy plant serving as a back-up energy source.

FPL- Solar Thermal Mirrors

Sitting on 500 acres of FPL-owned land, the 75 megawatt facility will power 11,000 Florida homes and has already created over 1,000 jobs. According to FPL’s press release, the hybrid plant is expected to

reduce fossil fuel consumption by approximately 41 billion cubic feet of natural gas and more than 600,000 barrels of oil – which would prevent the release of more than 2.75 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save FPL customers approximately $178 million in fuel costs over the facility’s estimated 30-year lifetime.

Though many solar thermal plants function as hybrids by burning oil at times of low sunlight, the Martin Energy Center is the first to combine a natural gas plant with solar thermal energy. It’s the last of 3 solar facilities built by FPL in the past 2 years, yet plans are underway to add another 500 megawatts of solar power to the state.

While the 75 megawatt system may seem small in comparison to the 3,800 megawatt gas plant, the environmental benefits are still quite significant. Florida is setting itself up to be a leader in using innovative technology and finding economic solutions in the effort to diversify energy sources and harness that abundant Florida sunshine. Oh, and in the event of one of those Florida hurricanes, the solar mirrors turn upside down for protection.

Via: Palm Beach Post

Related posts:

1. 553 Megawatts of Solar To Power 400,000 HomesIt’s the largest single commitment to buy solar power. Pacific…
2. North America’s Largest Solar-Electric Plant Switched OnNorth America’s largest solar photovoltaic system is now running and…
3. Princeton’s Ivy Halls To Be Powered By Solar EnergyPrinceton University will soon be home to the largest solar…

Image via ShelterBox

ShelterBox is sending kits to Japan to help with relief efforts. The packs are somewhat of a marvel when it comes to efficient packaging — they pack 100 lbs of equipment in just 33 x 24 x 22 inch box. Take a look at what is included, and find out more about the conundrum of packing emergency kits for disasters. …Read the full story on TreeHugger

photo: trasroid/Creative Commons

The old spectre of indirect land-use change and biofuels again rears its head: A new report from the Institute for European Environmental Policy looks at the increase in greenhouse gas emissions that could result from plans to expand biofuel use within the European Union and concludes that not only will a whole bunch more land will have…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Image: Flickr via Aaron Gustafson

Here’s a story with a sense of justice (albeit small) from a case of environmental wrongdoing: Shell Oil was sued two years ago for releasing millions of pounds of chemicals, including benzene and other toxins, from its Deer Park refinery in Texas into the air. It was violating the Clean Air Act—and of the million legal settlement that resulted, million is now helping two Texas schools go solar. Beautiful irony….Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Eco-Cool Remodel Tool in action.

There are lots of options available to homeowners looking to make their houses healthier and more environmentally friendly. But for many people in the midst of a renovation, the choices can be overwhelming.

Kings County, in Washington state, has developed a useful tool—and fun web series—to help those planning or e…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Chinese stink bugs sucking juices from a large Hubbard squash. Photo by John Laumer, Flickr. All rights reserved.

I’ve written before about how people in the US Mid-Atlantic states hate Chinese Stink Bugs (which first hitch-hiked into the US State of Pennsylvania via crates or whatever from China). These large beetles apparently only bite garden vegetables and bean leaves. However, they have a remarkable ability to sneak into homes each fall to seek refuge from the cold…sometimes hanging on through much of t…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Read the full story on TreeHugger

Images: University of Applied Sciences in Detmold

Like the unassuming but architecturally versatile shipping pallet, a lot can be done with a humble beer crate. Well, maybe make that 2,000 beer crates, like this colourful, temporary experimental pavilion called Boxel, created by digital design students from the University of Applied Sciences in Detmold, Germany. …Read the full story on TreeHugger

Photo: Flickr, CC

Part of the State’s 25% Renewables by 2025 Plan
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed two bills into law yesterday (House Bill 6202 and 5429)) that will mandate the state’s utility companies to buy more solar power and protect the right of homeowners to set up solar panels on their homes, provided “certain guidelines” are followed. Read on for more details….Read the full story on TreeHugger