Notable Class Links

http://aworldofpower.blogspot.com/

This blog created by UltraMega has consistently drawn me back to it. Not only is it the topic that is very interesting and relevant to todays society but I really feel a connection with UltraMega. We tend to hold the same opinion on many topics yet when we differ I feel we are both enlightened. Everytime I disagree with a post of his I leave a comment and cannot wait to see what he comments back. I have altered his opinion before through a comment and he has changed my opinion through posts. I also enjoy looking at the issues of power in comparison to other countries that are not generally covered in the main stream news such as Ireland. Every week I cannot wait to see what Ultra has posted and see how it affects my thinking.

http://allquietonthewesternblunt.blogspot.com/

This blog written by Buds Wiser has been one of the most entertaining blogs of the entire unit. The word play, titles, and cannabis clips have me cracking up everytime I read the blog. Throughout the posts I feel as though I am learning a lot of new and relevant information yet having fun at the same time. (who knew!) This blog is continually updated and I can tell Buds Wiser is genuinly interested in the topic at hand. Whenever I want to crack a smile and learn about a very interesting controversial topic I go to All Quiet on the Western Blunt.

http://supertechblogger.blogspot.com/
Another one of my favorite blogs written by Super Techblogger appeals to my nerdier side. I have always been attracted to weapons and future technologies so a combination of the two was bound to grab my attention. I really like how Super Techblogger goes about writing his blog. The style is casual and light yet still intellectual. The weapons he finds are always really out of the box and “cool” yet he gives evidence towards how they may become a reality in the future.

Implications

I don't want to sound overly dramatic but the future of the world is currently hanging in the balance. At least in regards to the environmental changes that are taking place and the impact man is having on these changes. The general consensus among scientist is that global warming is occurring and we can take certain measures to reduce our impact on it. Green technology is a relatively new invention but since its recent rise it has taken off and there have been numerous potentially world changing inventions. From solar power plants to hydro powered cities the future must contain green technology if we wish to reduce global warming. All of this is generally agreed upon but the main issue of the economics involved is a major concern. I have shown many ways that green technology can have a positive effect on the economy and how we can begin implementing green technology in a cost effective manner. Prices have continually dropped since green technology has been born and the government incentives to go green have risen. With time these technologies will become even less expensive and I believe eventually will be a common aspect of our society. However, we do not have unlimited time thus we must begin now. If we do not go green soon we may do more harm to the environment than we can fix. While we may not see the immediate effects of our indecisiveness and procrastination of going green our children and their children certainly will. Human beings generally don't have a tendency towards long term planning but we must realize the signs of environmental change now and plan accordingly for the sake of future generations.

Annotated Links Post

Below are some of the more helpful websites that I have used when researching for my blog.

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/
This website is a great source for the latest in green technology. It covers all types of green technology from hydro to solar and provides ample amounts of information on domestic uses and large scale productions. Most articles have multiple links to relevant stories, extensive forums, and often provide a Youtube video to reinforce the subject matter.

http://www.energy.gov/
This is a government sponsored website with extensive amounts of information on the latest green technology and implementation. It has a great database of green technology and links for consumers, researchers, educators, kids, and more. A great one stop site to find all you need and is very reliable.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/
This link provides a lot of information on the environment and highlights up and coming green technology. There are links to the top 5 solar power technologies and numerous stories on the connections between the environment, green technology, and green legislation. There is also a good database of previous stories to look at the development of green technology and green legislation.

http://www.nextenergynews.com/index.html
This website has a vast amount of information on the latest and greatest green technology. Here you can find information on all the types of new green technology from green electric bikes to turning sugar into biofuel. There are also links to the many different types of green technology.

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/59.html
This website is a more information driven site than the previous links. The focus is on learning the background, benefits, and uses of different types of green technology in relation to the environment. There are also many useful links relevant to the technology you may be researching.

Florida Goes Green

By the end of this month Florida will have the largest solar plant in the nation online. DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center is the name of the newly built plant that will provide power to more than 3,000 homes and produce over 110 megawatts of energy within a year. The solar plant will boast 90,000 photovoltaic cells and will make Florida the second largest solar power producing state in the country. Not only will this plant provide an enormous amount of green emission free energy but it has also stimulated the Florida economy by creating 400 jobs and $2 million dollars in tax revenue that will go to benefit local schools. The gigantic solar plant uses no fuel or water, and will produce no waste. At the same time it will reduce green house gas emissions by more than 575,000 tons. To put this into perspective 575,000 tons is the equivalent of taking 4,500 cars off the road every year. The electricity produced here will also reduce Florida's fuel consumption by more than "277,000 barrels of oil and 7 billion cubic feet of natural gas." The environmental benefits of this plant are beyond measure and other states have taken notice. Many other states, such as Texas, have begun to draw plans for enormous solar plants similar to Florida's. This is a major step forward in the country's process of going green. However, one issue with solar technology is that states closer to the equator have a greater return due to the greater amounts of sunlight. To counteract this northern states can implement hydro or wind technology and still reap the benefits of green technology.



http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/powering-nations-largest-solar-power-plant/

Tidal Power

Think back to the many days you have spent at the beach. Remember how at some parts of the day the water would be high up on the beach and at other points it would be very low. This is because of tides which are caused by the moon. While tides occur gradually over the course of a day the energy used to push all that sea water up the beach and then pull it back down is rather great. Engineers have found a way to harness this energy through enormous underwater turbines that are driven by the tides surge and eventual retreat. The turbines capture the energy from both low and high tide and send it to shore via an underwater cable. This type of technology can provide a lot of energy in bursts when the tide surges and retreats but cannot provide a steady amount of energy. Tides are also easily predictable so you will always know how much energy is going to be produced but often this can’t keep up with ever changing energy trends. While France, Canada, and Russia have utilized this technology for many years it has not taken off. However, I see a big future for tidal power because of the vast amounts of ocean and growing need of green technology. This technology has no emissions and has minimal impact on the underwater environment. I look forward to possibly seeing this technology utilized in the future with wave farms and/or solar islands.

Below is a little video showing how this technology works.

Self Analysis

In looking back to the beginning of this blog and comparing how I felt then to how I feel now I believe I hold the same stance. However, I now I have a substantial reasoning and logic behind my view. At the beginning I felt as though carbon dioxide emissions and global warming were too big of issues to postpone action on. I believed green technology (specifically solar and hydro technology) should be implemented and that there were cost effective ways to do so but I didn’t have any evidence or logic to back this claim up. In hindsight I see that holding a position without any backing is rather unwise. Throughout my posts I have learned more in regards to the positive benefits of green technology but I have also discovered a lot of reasons why people would be opposed to switching over. These discoveries helped to broaden my view and in the end I feel it has strengthened my argument for green technology. By thoroughly examining both sides of the argument I am able to develop my stance more intellectually and I have been able to propose solutions to the problems green technologies have. In the past I may have simply said that there are solutions but now I am able to specifically say what the solutions are. I have not only developed my thinking in regards to green technology but I have also developed my critical thinking capabilities. I am able to look at both sides of an argument and reach an opinion while still respecting the other side of the argument. This is a major step forward in my development as a thinker.

Nanosolar

So solar technology has come a long way but there is now a company that can literally print out solar panels that are highly efficient and inexpensive. The company is Nanosolar and it has been their goal for many years to produce an inexpensive yet efficient solar panel. They achieved their goal through a seemingly simple means of printing out solar cells and attaching them to a “foil” backing. They have created an ultra then cell that is comparable to a sheet of paper which can be created 100x faster than traditional solar cells. This increase in productivity has dramatically decreased the costs of solar panels to society. The panels are rated as a "medium efficiency" which is perfect for most domestic or smaller scale solar projects. According to Nanosolar.com, "By delivering medium-efficiency solar cells at ultra-low cost, the optimum in cost efficiency and affordability is achieved for solar cells and panels. That's because the difference between an energy-conversion performance of 15% versus 20% is not even a factor of two while the difference between $20 and $200 in cost per square meter is a factor of ten. It's the solar power equivalent of trying to build a Toyota versus a Ferrari." In short they have created the best solar panel for the money. The cells can be printed out and even cut to any size that is needed and multiple cells can work together to create enormous solar panels. This technology will play a major role in the future of green technology because of its cost effectiveness, easy availability, and flexibility.

The video below is a bio of the company Nanosolar, the benefits of their solar cells, and how the cells are made.



http://www.nanosolar.com/technology