Alternative Energies
Richmond Hill to covert all street, park and parking lot lights to LED

The light has gone off in Richmond Hill. This GTA town north of Toronto is converting most of its 17,000 street, park and parking lot lights to LED as part of a contract it has just signed with Ameresco, which will supply and install the new lights. But this is more than just about high-efficiency lighting. The town will be getting a “smart lighting control system” that allows staff to remotely monitor and turn off/on the lights. Is it worth it? Hell, ya. LEDs consume up to 60 per cent less power than “high pressure sodium” lamps currently used in most infrastructure. The town is expected to spend around $8 million to convert 15,000 lights and in return will enjoy $1.5 million in energy and maintenance …

The human population is aging. Can our cities handle it?

If there’s anything that our inability to tackle climate change has taught us, it’s that we are exceptionally good at ignoring — or straight up denying — problems that lie in our future, especially when they affect generations other than our own. So I hate to say it, but we’ve got another one coming: The human population is aging, and our cities aren’t ready for it. Here’s the scoop from the Washington Post: By 2030, more than 1 billion people (one in eight) will be aged 65 or older, and by 2050, nearly two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas. What’s needed between now and then, according to a new report from McGraw Hill Financial Global Institute, is new thinking about how…

Solar vehicle charging at home

Owners of home photovoltaic systems will soon be able to make their households even more sustainable, because PV power is also suitable for charging personal electronic vehicles. A home energy management system recently created incorporates electric vehicles into the household energy network and creates charging itineraries.

How to convert US to 100 percent renewable energy

It’s technically possible for each state to replace fossil fuel energy with entirely clean, renewable energy, experts say. A new report is the first to outline how each of the 50 states can achieve such a transition by 2050. The 50 individual state plans call for aggressive changes to both infrastructure and the ways we currently consume energy, but indicate that the conversion is technically and economically possible through the wide-scale implementation of existing technologies.

Crack it! Energy from a fossil fuel without carbon dioxide

The production of energy from natural gas without generating carbon dioxide emissions could fast become a reality, thanks to a novel technology. Researchers have been researching an innovative technique to extract hydrogen from methane in a clean and efficient way. After two years of intensive experiments the proof-of-principle has now been provided. With the experimental reactor running reliably and continuously, the future potential of this technology has become apparent.