Henry Harrell"s Blog: August 20 Green Energy News

Headline News:

In India, a dam-top solar project of the Kerala State Electricity Board on the Banasura Sagar Dam at Padinharethara in Wayanad district is ready for commissioning. A trial run was successfully conducted recently, and the Power Minister is scheduled to commission the project at Padinharethara before the end of August. [The Hindu]

Solar panels erected atop the Banasura Sagar Dam at Padinharethara in Wayanad district.

When produced using renewable energy, hydrogen could cost nearly the equivalent of 50-cent-per-gallon gasoline, according to a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The NREL plan assumes large-scale production of hydrogen through electrolysis, but with renewable energy used for power. [Green Car Reports]
The oil and gas sector is headed for much more “turbulent times” beyond the ongoing oil bust, former Vice President Al Gore said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle. He said the industry will go through the same pains as the coal sector unless it adopts more renewable and sustainable sources of power and fuel. [Houston Chronicle]
This summer’s dry conditions have resulted in a drop in output from the hydroelectric power generation plants belonging to Vermont’s largest consumer utility, Green Mountain Power. Rivers have been running low due to a dearth of rainfall, meaning less water rushing through the turbines of hydro plants to produce power. [NECN]
The University of California switched on a 60-MW solar energy plant that it intends to expand to 80 MW by mid-2017, at which point it will be the largest solar purchase by any university in the United States. Five Points Solar Park has 271,200 panels and will supply roughly 14% of the system’s electricity demands. [Clean Energy Authority]

Henry Harrell"s Blog