Using less and saving more through ingenuity and efficiency.
You may have seen the TED talk, or read the book, or just seen an interview with him somewhere like CNN or the Daily Show. He’s William Kamkwamaba, a young man from Malawi, who dropped out of school at a young age and built his family a windmill. From junk. And it worked. In the early […]
Scientists are developing ways to add non-toxic tracers to drilling fluid so if groundwater is contaminated, investigators would be able to pinpoint if an oil or gas drilling operation was to blame. “What’s impossible at the moment is if you’ve got multiple companies in an area and it’s thought there is contamination, there is no […]
The small city of Brownwood, Texas could soon have something in common with the African nation of Namibia: a wastewater treatment facility that cleans wastewater (including the stuff from the bathroom) and returns it directly to city water pipes, where it becomes drinking water. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved construction of the wastewater […]
Just a week after Texas hit another record for wind power generation, the wind industry and the green energy sector are breathing a huge sigh of relief today after Congress extended a tax credit that was set to expire. The Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC) has been around since 1992, and gives producers of […]
The potential for electric cars to reduce pollution and save drivers some gas money has spurred a market for the vehicles (not to mention government investment). But there’s always been a lingering concern about the vehicles, especially in Texas where we often hear about the fragility of our electric grid. The worry goes something like […]
It seems like everyone’s talking pond scum these days. This year, people ranging from the President of the United States to this humble reporter, have spoken of algae’s potential in creating a carbon neutral biofuel. A recent study from the University of Texas showed how the tiny organisms could create 500 times more energy than […]
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are 27 landfills in Texas that are producing enough methane gas to make electricity or provide fuel to power industrial equipment. The agency says another 57 landfills are candidates for such projects. “Texas is one of the few remaining states with a large number of landfills that […]
Many Texans woke up to a breezy, cool morning today, and when they turn their lights on and start doing their laundry or nuke a breakfast taco, many of them will be doing so with the help of that breeze: wind power. Texas leads the country for installed wind power, and is one of the […]
Texas may be rich in fossil fuels like oil and gas, but it’s also awash in clean, renewable energy. Well, at least it could be. With the most renewable energy potential in the United States, Texas is a formidable candidate to up their renewable energy usage. Wind power now supplies 8 percent of energy to the grid […]
Got any dead wood lying around your yard? If a new Texas company’s claims turn out to be accurate, that pile could theoretically fuel your car soon. In the New York Times, Matthew Wald reports on Pasadena, Texas-based biofuel company KiOR. They say they’ve come up with a process to affordably, cleanly process wood chips […]
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