This time of year, wind turbine blades ice up, biodiesel congeals in tanks and solar panels produce less power because there is not as much sun. And perhaps most irritating to the people who own them, the panels become covered with snow, rendering them useless even in bright winter sunshine. So in regions where homeowners have long rolled their eyes at shoveling driveways, add another cold-weather chore: cleaning off the solar panels. ‘At least I can get to them with a long pole and a squeegee, said Alan Stankevitz, a homeowner in southeast Minnesota. As concern has grown about global warming, many utilities and homeowners have been trying to shrink their emissions of carbon dioxide – their carbon footprints – by installing solar panels, wind turbines and even generators powered by tides or rivers. But for the moment, at least, the planet is still cold enough to deal nasty winter blows to some of this green machinery. In January 2007, a bus stalled in the middle of the night on Interstate 70 in the Colorado mountains. The culprit was a 20 percent biodiesel blend that congealed in the freezing weather, according to John Jones, the transit director […]
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy
Author: KATE GALBRAITH
Source: The New York Times
Publication Date: 25-Dec-08
Link: Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy
Source: The New York Times
Publication Date: 25-Dec-08
Link: Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy
Stephan: The growing pains of the transition. Solving problems such as those mentioned will generate thousands of jobs -- 'Do you carry the Mark One, Mod Zero Turbine de-icing pump?' Solid middle class jobs that can not be out-sourced. And creating the solutions will also generate great wealth, which will make getting decent health care and education issues addressed much easier.