Discussing all things to do with energy. Generating clean renewable, viable alternative power. This includes energy from waste.
Reforming waste. How can we retrieve valuable materials from e-waste and multi-component materials in rural and remote locations? All Recycling Is Local We make significant efforts to know where our food is coming from. Is it not time we knew where all our waste goes? In January 2018, China implemented a ban on the import…
At Viable AlternativEnergy “green” (sustainable/ recyclable/ alternative) projects, products and ideas “give us life”. People who create and design new products with these concepts in mind inspire us. The annual Green Product Awards look at products designed to support the change towards a green way of living. They choose products for their aspects of design,…
The Decline In Biodiversity The loss of biodiversity in the food and agriculture sector threatens global food security. Furthermore, the decline in bees and pollinators are another major worry. Our reliance on pesticides and agrochemicals threatens our ecosystems and clean sources of groundwater. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the United Nations states that…
These top articles from Viable AlternativEnergy focus on sustainable, environmental and socially conscious projects, products and ideas. Please join us, as we recap our 7 top articles from 2020. 1. Cubo Modular Bamboo Housing This top article was a favourite with our readers from the Philippines. Cubo, created by Earl Patrick Forlales is a modern,…
In 2018, “What a Waste 2.0” the Urban Development Series produced by the World Bank gave a snapshot of global solid waste management until 2050. Organic waste comprised 56% of the total waste composition for low income countries, from an annual total waste volume of 93MT per year (million tonnes) or 5% of global waste…
Sustainable Waste Management Amager Bakke, also known as CopenHill, brings a sustainable waste management solution to the doorstep of city living. CopenHill is the cleanest waste-to-energy power plant in the world, on the industrial waterfront of Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark. Amager is Denmark’s most densely populated island. The Amager Bakke waste-to-energy plant covers 41,000m² and rises to…
The average photovoltaic (PV) solar panel has a lifespan of 25 years. Solar panels contain glass, polymers, aluminium, silicon, lead, cadmium, tellurium and gallium. These potentially hazardous materials require specialised waste treatment at the solar panels end-of-life. In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimated there were 250,000 tonnes of global solar panel waste. In…
Hydrogen Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe. The power source that most stars burn to produce energy. First observed by Paracelsus around 1525 when experimenting with metals and acids. In 1766, Henry Cavendish isolated a gas 7-11 times lighter than air. Antoine Lavoisier named hydrogen in 1783, Greek for born…
In 2018, Professor Gérard Mourou (École Polytechnique) and Professor Donna Strickland (University of Waterloo) jointly won half of the Nobel Prize in Physics for ground breaking inventions in laser physics. “For their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses.” Chirped Pulses Professor Mourou and Strickland’s technique uses Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA), which they initially imagined…
Circuits and Conductive Materials Electrical and electronics are complicated subjects to grasp and implement for a majority of people. The reason even self-build home projects always recommend a qualified electrician. Most of us don’t know how the light comes on, we just know how to press the light switch. I enjoy a good equation and…
A modern modular take on flat-pack construction, Ten Fold Engineering has an innovative design that makes flat-pack housing and construction units desirable and luxurious. The buildings can adapt to need. Therefore, allow a broad range of purpose for a smaller amount of space. The opening and closing movement are powerless. The transition takes place via…
In 1995, Mohammed Bah Abba, a teacher from northern Nigeria, invented the Pot-in-Pot preservation cooling system also known as Zeer pot cold storage. His design consists of five simple items: – two clay pots, sand, water and a cloth cover. By combining these simple items Mohammed produced a cool chamber or refrigerator for desert regions…
Location, Location, Location… Taipei 101 is the tallest sustainable skyscraper in the world, standing at 508m (1,667 ft) and 101 floors. When completed in 2004, this was the tallest building in the world until 2010 when the Burj Khalifa in Dubai surpassed it. The Taipei 101 was originally uncertified as a sustainable build. However, the architectural,…
What is the future of renewable energy? Last week Planet of the Humans a documentary presented by Michael Moore and directed by Jeff Gibbs was released on YouTube. The documentary painted an alarming picture of renewable energy in the United States. We are not here to discuss money or politics. However, we cannot throw away…
Reduced air pollution during COVID-19 shows us that air quality is the first environmental factor we can solve. Effect on Industry and health View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adnan Abidi (@adnanabidi) Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) COVID-19 has affected all industries. The global travel, hospitality and tourism industry is one of those most affected…
Earthship Homes use approximately 45 per cent recycled materials. Old tyres, glass bottles and drinks cans are all essential construction materials. Michael Reynolds the inventor and owner of Earthships Biotecture describes the buildings as vessels. “These vessels encounter the phenomena of the earth, to provide sustenance for people.” These vessels do everything for themselves, producing…
The fashion industry is globally one of the top 10 most polluting industries. Through water pollution during production, chemical addition and dyes, microfibres released during laundry and tumble drying. Furthermore, transportation of goods, insecticide and pesticides through cotton growth and soil degradation. Additionally, stockpiling of unsold and used/ unwanted garments. As well as the effects…
Viable AlternativEnergy posts focus on environmental and socially conscious projects, products and ideas. Please join us, as we recap our 7 top posts from 2019. 1. Kamikatsu – Japan’s Zero Waste Town The first municipality in Japan to promote a zero-waste policy. Residents sort waste into 45 categories. Kamikatsu municipality managed to recycle 81% of…
The Reppie Waste to Energy plant in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is the first Waste to Energy plant in Africa, completed in February 2018. Reppie Waste-to-Energy Facility. Image: Stuartkribki | CC BY-SA 4.0. | Wikimedia. Reppie is locally known as Koshe (Amharic for dirty). The Koshe dump site in the southeastern part of Addis Ababa and is…
Algae is a term used to describe a wide variety of aquatic photosynthetic organisms. This includes both macroscopic, multicellular organisms (seaweed) and microscopic, unicellular organisms (cyanobacteria). Algae can survive almost any marine or land environment that has sufficient water, nutrients and sunlight. Run off from agricultural activities, causes excess nitrates and phosphates to enter aquatic…
Costa Rica is set to achieve over 98% of electricity generation from renewable sources for the fifth consecutive year. In 2019, the National Center for Energy Control (CENCE) declared that Costa Rica should generate around 98.84% of its electricity from a variety of renewable methods. Hydropower accounts for 67.5% of the country’s renewable energy. Wind…
In 2002 Brazilian mechanic Alfredo Moser invented a way of illuminating his workshop without using electricity. He used a plastic bottle filled with water and some bleach. The lamp was able to give off as much light as a 40 to 60 watt light bulb. However this invention had limitations since it could not store…
The astronomer Ole Rømer first demonstrated the speed of light in 1676. “A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field” by James Clerk Maxwell showed how the movement of waves. Demonstrating electric and magnetic fields travel through space at the speed of light. Paul Drude was the first to use the symbol c for the speed…
The Coradia iLint is the first passenger train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The train was by designed by Alstom teams in Salzgitter, Germany and in Tarbes, France. Electricity is generated by hydrogen fuel cells when hydrogen and oxygen combine to produce water. This makes the cells a promising zero emissions, energy source that…
Nemo’s Underwater Garden is an eco-friendly and self-sustainable biosphere. It harnesses renewable energy from the sun and freshwater gained by the desalination of seawater. Temperature (of the surrounding seawater and the air inside the biosphere), sunlight illuminance and indoor humidity are the key factors allowing the plants to grow inside the biospheres. These underwater biospheres…
Imagine paper that is tear resistant, water resistant, bleach and acid free, bright white in colour and no trees were harmed to make this paper. The manufacturing process has a lower carbon footprint than with traditional paper. Well no need to imagine it. This paper is made from recycled stone.
Songhai Centre in Port Novo, Benin is the pinnacle of a zero waste agricultural site. Here they integrate vegetable production, aquaculture and animal husbandry to produce a large selection of produce. From food (cooking oils, fruit, baked goods, juices and livestock for consumption) to biogas, biomass, plastic recycling, fish feed, animal feed, composting, soap production…
This A/C unit cools without using electricity. An eco-friendly air conditioners for the steamy climate of New Delhi, created by the Architecture firm Ant Studio.
Solektra provide various effective solutions for rural communities across Africa. Their projects include lighting through solar power, clean water and an academy. Comprising Akon Lighting Africa, Solar Energy Solutions by Solektra, Clean Water Solutions and the Solar Academy. Solektra launched a new website on 03/03/2020 the links above reflect this change.
Near Stockholm, the road recharges the batteries of electric cars and trucks. By transferring energy from two tracks of rail in the road. The design is like that of a Scalextric track. However, should the vehicle overtake, it automatically disconnects the arm.
Smart Flower is solar technology from a natural design prospective. Mimicking the heliotropic properties of the sunflower. It tracks the movement of the sun throughout the day at an optimal angle.
The O-Wind multidirectional turbine spins on a single axis but can harness gusts coming from any direction. The turbine mechanical motion makes use of Bernoulli’s principle. It relies on differences in air pressure to generate momentum. They line the structure with vents that have large entrances and smaller exits for air. In the presence of wind, the…
This off-grid tiny home on wheels generates its own solar power. They collect and store rainwater. Solar water heating is also available. Composts from human waste. Other organic wastes generate biogas for cooking.
These solar panels can harvest power from raindrops to boost efficiency both day and night. Expanding the potential for two sided solar panels.
In The Netherlands microgrid communities are pioneering a new approach to generating and sharing energy. This would mean neighbourhoods of the near future could produce their own renewable power.