Technology to harness the power of rising hot air will be tested in the Arizona desert. EnviroMission is working to fund and build its proposed project. …
… “the technology has been proved by a smaller version that worked for seven years on the plains of Spain. It created 50 kilowatts of electricity per day …” …
Via CNN: Free Fuel.
Arizona State University wants to be "Net Zero Carbon" by 2025.
It will achieve this status by " ... balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount of renewable energy or offsetting by planting trees ..."
Check out Arixzona State University's Carbon Neutrality Action Plan which gives details for reaching Net Zero Carbon.
Via: Arizona State University LINK
An Arizona State University student has 
a novel design to mount HORIZONTAL wind turbines on overhead highway signposts. By modifying the existing signposts they can be become wind energy sources. See mocked up picture at RIGHT >>>
" ... estimates ... on the highways outside of Phoenix, ... each turbine would produce enough energy annually to power a 700-square-foot apartment. ..."
The idea is that the breeze from the moving cars and the wind can generate "free energy" for the grid - and not require any additional energy use by cars and trucks. In Arizona many of the highways have a 70 mph speed limit.
The installation of five million smart meters have been concentrated in specific states according to update from the Dept of Energy. …
… “Nearly 90 percent of the meters installed to date are in Florida, Texas, California, Idaho, Arizona, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Nevada.” …
Via Department of Energy: Smart grid modernization efforts.
Visibility in the US smart grid initiatives.
ASU will lead a collaboration of academia and service companies to develop and deliver clean energy training programs targeted to various countries.
… “The project will help to create curricula around the operation and maintenance of decentralized clean energy technologies, said Mitzi Montoya, vice provost and dean of the College of Technology and Innovation.” …
Via Arizona State University: Clean Energy Training.
Arizona State’s W. P. Carey School of Business is recognized for its leadership in business research, which targets challenges in renewable energy and green labeling of electronics. …
… “identifying which states would benefit most from generating more solar energy … “ …
Via Arizona State University: Top 25 Business School Research Rankings.
Students act as doctors to diagnose and solve energy waste to reduce consumption and conserve power across the campus, targeting a net zero footprint. …
… “The House Energy Doctor program, started in 1986, is a course where graduate architecture students prescribe how buildings can save more energy. This semester, the UA Office of Sustainability suggested the students target the UA campus.” …
Via University of Arizona: Energy Use.
House energy doctor brochure (PDF).
Sustainability is integrated into the design of the Arizona State University College of Nursing & Health building. This green building has achieved LEED Gold status through its
design principles and construction materials and techniques. …
… “The sustainable LEED-NC Gold certified building features solar water heating, which harvests Arizona's abundant renewable energy while reducing the building's carbon footprint.
More than three-quarters of construction waste (967 tons) was diverted from conventional landfills, materials used for the project contained recycled content and 70 percent of all wood products were certified by the Forest Stewardship.” …
Via Arizona State University: LEED Gold Building Design.
Student club brings solar and renewable energy discussion to the local community to raise awareness and receives a warm reception. …
… “Solar Cats has expanded their aims to educate the community about sustainability and solar power and has been asked by the Honors College to create a sustainability mural and a solar-powered gazebo.” …
Via Arizona: Student Club.
Walmart is planning to add solar systems to an additional 20 - 30 in California and Arizona using new technology lower cost PV cells.
" ... leveraging our global scale to ... help develop markets for new technologies ... commitment to solving business challenges through technology."
The systems are expected to provide about 25 % of the total energy needs of each location.
Some details about the systems:
- can product up to 22.5 kW / yr - equiv to the energy needed for 1750 home / yr
- avoid 11,650 metric tons CO2 - equiv to 3000 cars
The technology planned includes gallium selenide and cadmium terruride films and are exected to use less raw materials then earlier versions of PV cells.
SolarCity will do the design work as well as install, own and maintain the systems.
The 15 megawatt PV plant will be located at Luke AFB in Glendale, Arizona. Comprised of 52,000 SunPower PV panels it will be the " ... largest solar installation on U.S. government property."
"Arizona Public Service Co. will own and operate ... hired SunPower Corp. to design and construct the solar plant ..."
" ... will ... follow the sun ... 25 percent more energy than if the panels were stationary. ..."
Via: Arizona Public Service LINK
ASU research looks to understand cyanobacteria to boost production of biofuel. The research is working on optimizing the conditions that control growth of the cyanobacteria such as CO2 and phosphorus levels and light irradiation levels. …
… “cyanobacteria are much easier to re-engineer because we have a lot of knowledge about them. We can control their growth so that we can produce large amounts of biofuel … ” …
Via Arizona State University: Benchtop Biofuels.
ASU receives research grant of three million dollars to support investigation into the challenges to commercializing algae-derived biofuels. …
… “Sustainable Algal Biofuels Consortium, will focus on testing the acceptability of algal biofuels as replacements for petroleum-derived fuels.
The group will investigate biochemical conversion of algae to fuels and products, and analyze the physical chemistry properties of algal fuels and fuel intermediates. ” …
Via Arizona State University: Biofuel Research Grant Program.
ASU develops engineers to focus on challenges that include solar renewable energy, other mega-trends, and global problems. …
… “These include such objectives as engineering better medicines and more advanced tools for scientific discovery, improving urban infrastructure, providing energy from fusion, defending against threats of nuclear terrorism, securing cyberspace, making solar-energy generation more economical and developing innovations in personalized learning.” …
Via Arizona State Univ: Engineering Education (Link).
Intel's first GOLD LEED certified site is scheduled to open in June 2010 in Haifa, Israel. The site is called is a design center called IDC-9 and is " ... first facility in Israel ... with a (LEED) certification. ... Intel’s first ... has a Gold certification pending for its Octollio campus in Chandler, Ariz."
" ...natural lighting, ... available to about 75 percent of the “populated” areas of the building ... individually controlled lighting for a higher degree of energy efficiency"
Via: ZDNet LINK
Church group plans to pursue LEED certification with its new facility. …
… “The Mesa facility will save 20 percent in utility costs compared with the current church designs. It will use a solar photovoltaic system for its energy, and it will use water-conservation systems as well, with irrigation, low-water-use landscaping and low- flow toilets. “ …
Via AZ Central: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
... "The new solar panels are mounted at a 50-degree angle on geomembranes, the kind that are usually utilized at landfills or mine tailings to prevent dust and water pollution. " ...Via Arizona Daily Wildcat: Earth Day event, Biosphere 2
Continue reading "Solar photovoltatics mount on geo membranes" »
... "The University of Tokyo is rated by the Global University Ranking organization and others as one the leading universities and research institutions in Asia, and it is the leading solar-energy research institution in Japan. " ...Via Arizona State University: Solar energy technology research
Continue reading "Arizona Tokyo Solar Research Partnership" »
... "On Saturday the festivities will move to Himmel Park in the form of Solar Rock, a totally solar-powered day of music and speakers. Vice mayor Rodney Glassman will introduce the first performers at noon ... " ...Via Arizona Daily Wildcat: Sustainability festival
where leading talent will tackle challenges such as solar energy economics. ... "On April 8 and 9 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, experts will explore critical needs to develop new medicines and biomedical technologies, make solar energy economical, find better ways to manage and recycle the increasing amount of waste materials produced by growing nations, and transform education to prepare the next generations for facing these and other challenges. "
... "Firstly, an understanding of how these complex processes work in Nature is crucial to future fundamental research in photosynthetic reaction centers, and this discovery may well be universal. Secondly, the use of two charge separation devices working cooperatively to maximize efficiency is a design theme that may well be applied in future efforts to create artificial photosynthetic devices. " ...Via ASU: http://bit.ly/aaCGQd
... "Suntech announced its choice of the Phoenix metropolitan area for its first U.S. plant on Nov. 15 and cited several reasons, including the research strengths of ASU, Arizona’s statewide renewable energy policies and the favorable local business climate fostered by groups like the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. " ...Via Arizona State University: Arizona lands Suntech
Continue reading "Suntech Powers Sunny US Solar Manufacturing Site" »
" ... evolved from over 30 years of environmental research conducted by the Center for Environmental Studies at Arizona State University (ASU).... conducts research, education, and problem-solving related to sustainability, with a special focus on urban environments. ... initiates and nurtures work on issues of sustainability across ... ASU, and collaborates with other academic institutions, governments, businesses and industries, and community groups locally, nationally, and globally."
"Greater Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing urban environments in the US, ... is a preeminent laboratory for solving problems that face urban areas ... strive to discover new knowledge and develop new solutions for our own region, we also provide models and solutions that can work in Los Angeles, New York, Dubai, and Beijing."
Via: Arizona State University LINK