Exciting sustainable developments

Okay guys - no politics please. Only inventions and innovations that you come across to will lead to a more sustainable world ... like this one that is now available nearly everywhere and fabulous for disaster zones and third world situations:

Folding solar panel kits — Projecta

 

It is a fascinating subject area. While it is only small and being an isolated location which suits situation the King Island Renewable Integration Project is an example of one approach.

I've had some chats with people who are involved with research in various environmental approaches. The present flavour of the moment is batteries but there are some concerns over lithium including disposal at end of useful life as well as the amount of slag resulting from digging the stuff out of the ground.

Being an ingenious lot there are starting to be a number of alternative approaches to lithium-ion batteries which include Sodium Sulfide, Zinc-Bromine and Zinc-Air battery storage. I understand research in these areas have been on-going for a number of years and some are now reaching a commercial stage.

 

I love these - inkjet printed solar panels ... Printable Solar Cells | Momentum Energy

Just need the battery technology to catch up, but it's happening

 

I love stories such as these - nature is so wonderful at healing itself, if we human's give it a hand or get out of the way

Couple Spends 20 Years Planting an Entire Forest and Hundreds of Endangered Animals Have Returned

 

That's actually the solution I'm sorry to say.

 

Late to the table as usual but it's a start.

Recyclers tackle growing farm waste problem with innovative plastic products

 

News like this makes me happy - US generates more electricity from renewables than coal for first time ever

 

Yet I do feel a little sorry for those who are still waiting at the pit head with picks over their shoulder waiting for the coal mines to re-open as promised.

 

Listened to this lady on Conversations with Richard Fidler today (ABC radio) - wow - asides from repairing the health of the oceans (by removing carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other "washed off" fertilisers) - it's extremely versatile and healthy

Australia's Seaweed Warrior

... here's the podcast

https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=a...L3BpYS13aW5iZXJnLzExMjUwNTg2&at=1562129583115

 

The stupendous potential of seaweed farming as a tool to combat climate change was outlined in 2012 by the University of the South Pacific’s Dr Antoine De Ramon N’Yeurt and his team. Their analysis reveals that if 9% of the ocean were to be covered in seaweed farms, the farmed seaweed could produce 12 gigatonnes per year of biodigested methane which could be burned as a substitute for natural gas. The seaweed growth involved would capture 19 gigatonnes of CO₂. A further 34 gigatonnes per year of CO₂ could be taken from the atmosphere if the methane is burned to generate electricity and the CO₂ generated captured and stored. This, they say:

…could produce sufficient biomethane to replace all of today’s needs in fossil-fuel energy, while removing 53 billion tonnes of CO₂ per year from the atmosphere… This amount of biomass could also increase sustainable fish production to potentially provide 200 kilograms per year, per person, for 10 billion people. Additional benefits are reduction in ocean acidification and increased ocean primary productivity and biodiversity.

How farming giant seaweed can feed fish and fix the climate

 

Added benefit of reducing land-based methane production:

FutureFeed - CSIRO

a cost-effective seaweed feed additive called FutureFeed, which uses a variety of Australian seaweed that significantly reduces their methane emissions and has potential to increase livestock productivity.

The Asparagopsis species of seaweed produces a bioactive compound called bromoform, which prevents the formation of methane by inhibiting a specific enzyme in the gut during the digestion of feed.

 

Call me a tree-hugging hippy greenie ... but I do like this way of thinking and does resemble my vege garden. Things are just bunged in amongst the flowering plants and fruit trees, wherever I find some space. I've got my herbs growing in my strawberry beds next to my poppies under my fig tree and frangipani, amongst a couple of asparagus plants ... bit further along are spinach and lettuce surrounded by plopped in garlic, roses and grevilleas:

A forest garden with 500 edible plants could lead to a sustainable future

 

Excited about the time roofing and windows will become standard electricity producers

Tesla's New Solar Roof Will Be As Cheap As A Shingle Roof And Electric Bill

 

Does seem interesting. Curious how the wiring will be though or if a tile needs replacing. The other issue I worry about is it's Tesla.

There are already a couple of entrances to shopping centres - one in WA I think - which are constructed out of clear solar panels.

With windows, especially residences, shading from eaves or decks would need to be taken into account. Of course with modern housing construction what are eaves and decks you may ask?

A pox on fat fingrrs and tiny virtual keyboards with these tablets. Such asful typing. See what I mane?

 

Love to see this opportunity take root at a community level in Australia
This startup lets villagers create mini power grids for their neighbors

 

Reading the book and unputdownable