[ Great Energy Challenge Grantee: TapWorld.org ]

Learn more about Tapworld.org, a Great Energy Challenge grantee.

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[ Study Says: Hey, You, Get Onto the Cloud (It Saves Energy) ]

Information technology managers take note: The cloud can be your friend.

U.S. government researchers built a model to test the energy cost of running common business applications using centralized data centers instead of local systems. Turned out the cloud’s energy efficiency advantages on a nationwide basis were huge – up to 87 percent, or around 23 billion kilowatt-hours.

“This is roughly the amount of electricity used each year by all the homes, businesses and industry in Los Angeles,” the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers said in a press release that accompanied the study […

[ Electrofuels: Charged Microbes May “Poop Out” a Gasoline Alternative ]

Run current through genetically engineered microorganisms, and they produce gasoline substitute. Can U.S.-funded electrofuels research finish the drive from lab to market?

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[ Who Will Swelter This Summer? The Pressures on the Nation’s Power Grid ]

When it comes to keeping the lights and air conditioning on this summer, how much of a safety margin do we need?

After all, summertime is when electricity demand surges, as an entire nation reaches for the thermostat in the midst of a heat wave. Overall, our grid is getting older, and the demands are getting higher.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the agency that’s paid to worry about the power grid in the United States and Canada, says we’re reasonably good shape for the summer—except for Texas and maybe California.…

[ Whisky a Go Go: Can Scotland’s Distillery Waste Boost Biofuels? ]

Scotland’s whisky industry churns out a sobering amount of waste, but it may eventually feed a heady biofuels market if Celtic Renewables’ plans succeed.

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