Residents of Tokelau will get all their electricity from solar power and coconut-derived biofuel. Shown here is the solar energy installation on the atoll of Nukunonu. (Source: PowerSmart)
bobjengr, I didn 't see the name of the design firm in the source material. However, you might check the links we gave in the article to the website of PowerSmart, and to the feasibility report. It may be identified in one of those sources. (And I agree about those letters to Congress.)
I think this is admirable. The three islands should be commended. They saw a problem. They made their plans for solution. They actually did something about the problem and the results are tangible. Now, for better or worse, they will have to live with the solution but having a system in which 150% of their electrical needs are met seems to be proof their solution was workable. (Ann-would you mind sending your post to Congress--and maybe the Executive branch. They might see examples of government working together to do SOMETHING POSITIVE.)
Also Ann, do you know the name of the firm that designed the system? Possibility the University Fiji???? Great post.
This is a terrific development. Hats off to a small island nation for being willing to take on this grand experiment. It would be nice to keep tabs on this operation over the next few years. Especially to see how it holds up to salt exposure and tropical storms.
Thanks for clarifying your question. I'm not sure the sun stops shining much in those islands. When it does, backup is provided by the generators, run on coconut oil. They also handle battery recharging.
John, Yes, we know that wind farms are not great to look at -- and that they kill birds and bats. Here's an idea for the industry. Imagine placing many fan blades on a chain that runs on a vertical oval or circular track. The track could have a wire grid around it to prevent bird strikes. If oval, it could lie at a low profile near the ground.
My comments about passive solar should also be accompanied by one about active solar, AKA solar cells and panels as currently designed and built. And that's the fact that there's more than one way to build a solar cell. Some are flexible, such as this one:http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1392&doc_id=248975 as well as another that we'll be publishing a post on soon. So the application of such cells to windows and/or building surfaces of various kinds could take care of the urban density problem.
Get a Grip S Baker. You sound like a DC bureaucrat. Someone on the planet has ACTUALLY DONE SOMETHING instead of held endless congressional and senate hearings, seminars, luncheons, studies and conferences about it. Look it up on Wiki. The place looks like paradise. I think I've finally found somewhere to move to.
Inspired by the hooks a parasitic worm uses to penetrate its host's intestines, the Karp Lab has invented a flexible adhesive patch covered with microneedles that adheres well to wet, soft tissues, but doesn't cause damage when removed.
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego are designing a robotic arm that takes inspiration from the loose, flexible, yet very strong structure of the armored plates on a seahorse's tail.
Researchers at the Missouri University of Science & Technology have designed a new nanoscale material that can transmit light faster than the 186,000 miles per second it usually takes to travel through air.
It has often been said that as California goes, so goes the nation. This spring, the state's wind power is setting energy generation records and solar energy generation is expected to rise sharply during the second half of 2013.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 4
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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