1. Articles from Economist.com

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    1. Help from the moon A less unsightly rival to offshore wind

      Explore Economist.com (Oct 13 2010)

      Help from the moon A less unsightly rival to offshore wind IN EASTPORT, a little coastal town on the easternmost point of the United States, different means of livelihood have come and gone. Ground-fishing, sardine-processing and a busy deepwater port have all had their day. But residents hope that the sea (with the moon’s help) may still offer something profitable and a bit more predictable. The area has some of the greatest tidal variants in the country, rising and falling by roughly 20 feet (seven metres) on a reliable twice-a-day schedule. When it flows into and out of the region’s many inlets, that current can turn a turbine. (Read Full Article)

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    2. Keeping cool and green

      Explore Economist.com (Jul 16 2010)

      Keeping cool and green “AN ABSOLUTE dog’s breakfast” is how David Collins describes the standard of fan blades in air-conditioning systems. This might seem to be something that would vex only an engineer like Mr Collins, the boss of Synergetics Environmental Engineering, based in Melbourne, Australia. But it is a big problem. If blades were designed for better aerodynamic efficiency, instead of for being stamped from sheet metal as cheaply as possible, the electricity consumption of many cooling systems could, he says, be cut by a third. (Read Full Article)

      Comment Mentions:   Europe   IBM   National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    3. In praise of techno-austerity

      Explore Economist.com (Jun 14 2010)

      In praise of techno-austerity AUSTERITY is a word much found on the lips of politicians and economists at the moment; but it is seldom heard from technologists. And although the idea that “less is more” has many adherents in architecture, design and fashion, the technology industry has historically espoused the opposite view. Products should have as many features as possible; and next year’s version should have even more. As prices fall, what starts off as a fancy new feature quickly becomes commonplace—try buying a phone without a camera, or a car without electric windows—prompting companies to add new features in an effort to outdo their rivals. (Read Full Article)

      Comment Mentions:   Apple   Europe   Facebook

    4. Britain's energy crisis - How long till the lights go out?

      Explore Economist.com (Aug 10 2009) Fossil Fuel , Nuclear

      Britain's energy crisis - How long till the lights go out? Thanks to its posturing politicians, Britain will soon start to run out of electricity. What should it do? IN THE frigid opening days of 2009, Britain’s electricity demand peaked at 59 gigawatts (GW). Just over 45% of that came from power plants fuelled by gas from the North Sea. A further 35% or so came from coal, less than 15% from nuclear power and the rest from a hotch-potch of other sources. By 2015, assuming that modest economic growth resumes, a reasonable guess is that Britain will need around 64GW to cope with similar conditions. Where will that come from? (Read Full Article)

      Comment Mentions:   Europe   Norway   United Kingdom