Innovation in Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy has been met with much resistance, whether because of states being reluctant to give up coal or because the technology is still too expensive to make it a viable resource. However, there are people out there looking to make a real difference in the way we think of renewables, innovators who have an idea of the future and then engineer ways to make these products a reality. I've run across a few really great ideas that if we can get them up and running, could make a huge difference in our future and the future of renewable energy.

This first project I ran across and my first thought was "Wouldn't that be extremely expensive??" After researching the engineers behind this particular venture, it might actually work.

"The Solar Roadway is a series of structurally-engineered solar panels that are driven upon. The idea is to replace all current petroleum-based asphalt roads, parking lots, and driveways with Solar Road Panels that collect energy to be used by our homes and businesses. Our ultimate goal is to be able to store excess energy in or alongside the Solar Roadways. This renewable energy replaces the need for the current fossil fuels used for the generation of electricity. This, in turn, cuts greenhouse gases literally in half." (www.solarroadways.com)

Scott and Julie Brusaw have been working on this idea for over 30 years. Scott has used his engineering background to work out the kinks over the years and the result is a really promising way to cut emissions. The creation of electricity is responsible for 50% of all emissions and transportation adds another 25% to that number. These panels will allow for electric cars to be recharged in any parking lot or any gridlock traffic jam, making them more attractive to more traditional car shoppers. 

The first panel prototype finished construction in 2011. They added a few great features, for instance, when children or an animal runs on the road it can light up and send a signal several panels back advising the driver to SLOW DOWN. They are currently in Phase II of the project which consists of installing the solar roadway panels on a 12 ' x 36' parking lot outside their lab in Idaho.

Not only would this project help to protect our investments on our cars (lets face it, the pavement and pot holes are no friend to our vehicles) but it would also make driving safer for everyone. They propose integrating LED lighting into the high-strenth, waterproof panels and include driving lines, a heating element to keep the snow from accumulating in the northern states and a rough surface to create traction. Adding these roadways means less fossil fuels, less greenhouse gases and no more potholes! We'll continue to watch these engineers and follow the progress of the Solar Roadways.

And what if we could harvest wind between buildings? Adding energy to the grid without taking up any more land? The ingenuity of a professor at the University of Wollongong may have created just such an energy source.

Here's the proposal:

"Professor Safaei, Director of UOW's ICT Research Institute, and his team, have invented a new kind of wind turbine with big possibilities. Its unique design means it can be installed on the sides or tops of skyscrapers and large apartment buildings. It it is also quieter, cheaper to run and safer than current wind turbines – it doesn't have large rotating blades that might be dangerous for humans or birds."

The US wind turbine farms have recently come under fire for the staggering number of birds the turbines kill each year. It's estimated that 573,000 hawks, eagles, falcons, owls and other birds have died because of the blades of these turbines. Wouldn't it be great if we could minimize that number by inventing a system that caused much less damage? The engineer calls these panels Power WINDows and although it's just a design at this point, it sure has some great potential! It is made up of smaller blades that rotate slowly replacing the larger blades of traditional turbines. As of April 2013, the University of Wollongong has a 2 year contract in place to create their first prototype. We are excited to see this technology progress and will post updates as they become available.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-04-harvesting-cities-life.html#jCp














Offshore Wind Power is another new innovation that is making headway in the renewable energy sector.

Due to higher, more consistent wind speeds at sea, offshore wind turbines can generate substantially more energy than onshore wind turbines. Offshore wind farms may reach capacity factors in the range of 50%. Even considering the planning constraints relating to shipping lanes, fishing, bird migration, and the like, the world has abundant space for offshore projects.
Offshore wind power has its challenges, however. Conditions during installation, operation and maintenance may be harsh, and so products must be reliable. 

We don't have any offshore wind farms in the U.S. as of yet, but there are projects under way in the Pacific, East Coast and Great Lakes areas. In fact, in Northern Europe they have produced 3.16 GW of offshore wind power as of 2010. As of 2013, the UK houses the largest offshore wind farm producing 504 MW. This is something we may be seeing within the next decade in our own country. 

Considering the Earth is 75% water, this may be one of the biggest supplier of renewable energy the world has ever seen.

Although many of these projects come with their challenges, it will continue to be exciting to watch what these inventors come up with and how much effect they will have on our environment in the future. The renewable energy sector is still in it's infancy. There are a lot more imaginations at work in our engineers and environmental enthusiasts. This is an exciting time to be exploring innovations in renewable energy and we're passionate about it's potential.