Biomining is the kind of technique promised by science fiction: a vast tank filled with microorganisms that leach metal from ore, old mobile phones and hard drives. It sounds futuristic, but it’s currently used to produce about 5% of the world’s gold and 20% of the world’s copper. It’s also used to a lesser extent to […]
Green Energy
Electric Vehicles Could Impact the Grid
The push for plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) without coordination could harm the nation’s electric grid, according to a new study. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a new computer simulation to explore the impacts in-home charging could have on the nation’s grid. “Realizing the full benefits of […]
Texas Commission to Tackle Battery-Grid Integration, a Contentious Power Issue in a Unique State
The Public Utility Commission of Texas plans to write the state’s first rule book for utilities that want to use batteries to store and deliver power to the grid, a move that could potentially trigger changes to how electricity is produced, delivered and regulated in the state. The commission’s rule-making process could open the floodgates […]
Vietnam’s solar potential to reach hundreds of GW in near future
This statement was shared yesterday with over 100 representatives from local authorities, investors, and other stakeholders at the workshop titled “National assessment of development potential of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Vietnam until 2020, with vision to 2030.” The workshop was organised within the framework of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (4E) project, […]
Wavering policy stalls solar power project
The Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) plan to diversify the energy mix by launching 22 grid-connected solar projects with a total installed capacity of 61 MW is in limbo due to the government’s policy inconsistency. In July 2017, the state-owned power utility had prepared to sign power purchase agreements (PPA) with 22 solar projects at Rs8.45 […]
Cobalt hits 9-year highs, Madagascar disruption fuels rally
Prices of cobalt metal have climbed to their highest since July 2008 as worries about shortages were reinforced by output disruptions at the Ambatovy mine in Madagascar this month, European traders said. Cobalt metal is used in superalloys to make jet engines, while cobalt chemicals are a key component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used to […]
