This leaves him about seven months to deliver on his claim.

Photo of a Cessna 172 airplane in flight

If Mr. Bye’s plan go as he hopes, it would be a major first leap toward the creation of an electric hybrid aircraft propulsion system. Mr. Bye claimed he will eventually recharge the airplane’s batteries using a jet-fuel-powered auxiliary power unit, and that will extend the plane’s range. He stated there is no need to test it during its first flight.

The rear seats of the airplane will replaced by lithium ion batteries. Bye told interested parties that lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries are already in use commercially.

Cessna, which supports Bye’s engineering, certified as standard a 44-amp lithium ion battery on the Citation CJ4, used for starting and emergency backup. Cessna and A123 Systems created that battery. They first used a Li-ion battery in a business jet. A standard lead-acid battery weighs more than their Li-ion battery.

Bye stated that, different from fueled engines, an electric motor is indifferent to changes in density altitude. They do not merely offer a clean energy alternative to airplane engines powered by fuel. Even at altitude, electric motors produce full power.

Mr. Bye did not comment on the possibility that his company would make conversion kits for Cessna 172s. He also could not yet state or predict the price of such a conversion.

Industry giants including British Airways and Airbus are supporting a project at the UK’s Cranfield University to investigate ways of harvesting algae for jet fuel in commercial quantities.

The project gets underway as 1,500 delegates from governments and the aviation industry leave Montreal after the triennial conference of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which finished on October 8.

Click Here to read the full article on the CNN website.

algae bioreactor site

“The key to sustainability is not putting all your eggs in one basket.”
— Professor Feargal Brennan, Cranfield University

Solar plane gets its day in the sun

A solar plane  landed in Paris Thursday after flying continuously for 26 hours, 9 minutes. The New York Times reports that the Solar Impulse reached an altitude of more than 28,000 feet and reached a maximum speed of 78 miles per hour during a day over Switzerland. The solar energy plan was powered overnight by energy collected during the day from solar panels on its 210-foot wingspan. Organizers said the flight was the longest and highest by a solar-powered craft.

Solar plane a poster child for solar energy

The Solar Impulse record-breaking flight took seven years of planning and brings the Swiss-led project one step closer to its ultimate goal of flying Solar Impulse around the world powered only by solar energy. The Associated Press reports that although the objective is to prove that emissions-free air travel is possible with Solar Impluse, the flight team said it doesn’t see solar energy replacing jet propulsion any time soon. Instead, the project is designed to test and promote new energy-efficient technologies.

Solar energy companies get billions from stimulus package

Speaking of new energy-efficient technologies, President Obama announced during his weekly address that the U.S. Department of Energy will pledge $1.85 billion from the economic stimulus package to two solar energy companies: Abengoa Solar and Abound Solar Manufacturing. The International Business Times reports that Abengoa Solar will build the first ever large-scale solar energy power plant in Arizona with $1.45 billion in funding. Developers say the project will create more than 1,600 construction jobs and clean energy for 70,000 homes. Abound Solar Manufacturing  will build a plant that manufactures solar panels in Colorado and another in Indiana with $400 million in funding. The solar panel factories are expected to create more than 2,000 construction jobs, conserve energy for 200,000 homes, and produce more than 1,500 permanent clean energy jobs.

PACE program: solar panels for your home

Clean energy initiatives that focus on solar energy are gaining momentum on many fronts. But the U.S. housing market, which has become the ball and chain for of economic recovery, is running true to form. Trading Markets reports that the Obama administration’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program is falling into the black hole of Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae. The PACE program is allocating $150 million in loans for local governments which they can then lend to you to cover the upfront costs solar panels for your home. The loans are paid off over time through property tax bills.

Fannie and Freddie cast dark cloud over solar energy

Residential solar energy could have been headed for a big boost with PACE. But Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, federal agencies that guarantee more than 50 percent of U.S. mortgages, are overwhelmed with millions of foreclosures. Officials in charge of the agencies, which have cost U.S. taxpayers more than $145 billion in losses, assume people will start defaulting on PACE mortgages as well. Both Fannie and Freddie have issued letters to mortgage sellers stating that they will not accept loans for homes using the program.

1. Switch to compact fluorescent lamps
2. Unplug those unused appliances
3. Skip the supersized appliances, buy what you need
4. WALK, don’t drive
5. Turn the computer off at night

double oven range

1. Compact fluorescent lamps have never been cheaper and easier to get. They cost more than the old light bulbs, but can save you $30 (in the US, for example) in electricity costs over the lamps life time. The average life span of compact flourescent lamps is 8 to 15 times that of incandescants! Lighting counts for about 9% of household electricity usage in the US. Start by buying a few to get used to the difference in the light (it’s white and not yellow). After a few days, you’ll probably end up prefering your new lights! You’ll definitely see a difference in your electric bill.

2. Have a stereo with fancy disco lights that you only use twice a week? Go unplugged! Same goes for the dvd, microwave and anything else in the house that uses lights while you’re away all day. Also, consider not putting compact flourescent lamps in every fixture. Homes often come with more than you need. Let there be light, but let there not be too much light! Even if you find one fixture that you realize you don’t need, you’re saving energy!

3. A bigger microwave takes more energy to heat last night’s pizza. A bigger refrigerator requires more energy to cool your food. If you don’t need an oversized microwave and fridge, consider buying a small one. You’ll save twice – once when you buy it and again every month on your electric bill. Most of us don’t do major chef cooking on a microwave (who does?!) – the smallest model is the way to go. Those oversized refrigerators will encourage you to buy industrial sized food and you’ll end up with a supersized stomach! A smaller model will gently push you to go shopping twice a week instead of once a month. You’ll save energy and be healthier.

4. Walk to the store, to work and to your friends! If you live in a smart community, then most of your daily needs should be within a 15 minute walk from home. Make use of it! The best way to get back at those evil oil exporting countries is to leave the tin box at home. Plan your week so you need the car less. If you just bought that smaller fridge and you’re going to the supermarket twice a week instead of once a month, take a small backpack and go for a walk. Save energy and burn the best kind of energy – calories!

5. Turn the computer off at night. You’re downloading some amazing filesharing stuff and you want to finish. But consider this – you could be spending that same electricity bill money on buying the cd’s and dvd’s that you’re downloading! Turning the computer off for 7-10 hours a day will make a big difference. If you’re going to be out of the house for over an hour, turn off the computer and save energy! While we’re talking about night time, make a plan for night lights. Go through your house and decide which light you *really* need on at night. There’s usually no reason for more than one – the one between your room and the bathroom. The energy you can save during the time you’re asleep in your bedroom will add up to a lot – it’s 6-8 hours a night of less energy. If you do need one light on, make it a compact flourescent lamp that has a small wattage.

Saving at night will give you more money to spend in the day! Saving energy is the way to go. If we all do our part and lower our energy bills, we can make a big difference. Take a tour of your home – look around and see what *you* can do! Clean energy can be fun if you keep a positive attitude – see these tips as a fun project that will add extra cash to your wallet.

We wish you a lower electric bill!!