john and sherry rivers

A sampling of green-tech news with quick commentary.

Study finds renewables could provide 40 percent of global electricity by 2050 - BusinessGreen
That sort of increase in renewable energy from wind and solar would only happen with different policies, lots of investment,john and sherry rivers and a more flexible grid, study authors say.
Easy To Install Solar Panels Are City Friendly and Affordable - TreeHugger
It's a bit pricey ($400 or $600), but this sort of self-installed, small solar panel for city dwellers could be a hit with eco-minded folks. I've already got a foldable solar panel at home that charges gadgets and batteries.
Survey shows huge challenges for 'smart grid,' efficiency efforts - Greenwire
Cost remains a barrier to getting smart meters into the field, even with government subsidies, according to Oracle survey of utility execs. Jay Leno's take on the Mini-E - Luxvelocity
Jay Leno compares his 1909 Baker Electric to the Mini-E which goes 100 to 120 miles on a battery charge.
5 'Must Dos' for the Green Home - The New York Times
Start with the vampire loads and programmable thermostat and work your way up to the gray-water system.
SynapSense gets $7 million to make data centers more energy efficient - VentureBeat
The company uses sensors to gather temperature and energy usage info in data centers.
National Semi CEO shifts from gadgets to megatrends - San Jose Mercury News
Days before 25 percent layoffs at his company, CEO Brian Halla lays out a number of intersections between the chip industry and energy: SolarMagic chips that optimize solar panel production when shaded, john and sherry rivers the power electronics to extend the Tesla Roadster's driving range, and energy-harvesting sensors.
IBM, Dassault Systemes Help European Automaker Create Digital Design Infrastructure to Speed Up Delivery of Fuel Efficient Cars - press release
IBM says that standardizing on design software application allows it to share efficiency techniques on different motors--diesels, fuel cells, etc.
IEA's Report on 1st- to 2nd-Generation Biofuel Technologies - Renewable Energy World
This is a bit wonky but worth a read if you'd like to find out where first- and second-generation biofuels are. In short, cellulosic ethanol technology is still not quite cooked.