Green Real Estate Appraiser

Low Cost, High Energy Batteries Powered By Plants

Posted on January 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

Rhubarb and other simple green plants could be the source of materials for a new generation of batteries with the potential to transform energy systems, according to new research by Harvard University.

The prospect of low-cost storage has long been a nirvana for the renewable energy industry with the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy restraining their competitiveness against fossil fuels such as coal.

Globally, companies and governments are pouring billions of dollars into developing batteries that can store energy safely, cheaply and at scale.

Flow batteries, a type of rechargeable fuel cell using chemical compounds dissolved in liquids, have seen some of the biggest advances but development has been held back by the high cost of materials used such as vanadium – initially developed by the University of NSW.

The research holds the promise of sharply reduced costs, with the material demonstrated to work at a third of the cost of vanadium or less, said Michael Aziz, a Harvard professor of materials and energy technologies and one of the report’s authors.

“We’ve introduced the world of organic chemicals to flow batteries,” Professor Aziz said. “The ones we have used are very inexpensive, very abundant, they work really well and they’re safe.”

Green Building Rivalry is Growing

Posted on January 14, 2014 | Leave a comment

An eco-friendly building rating system that has powered a green arms race across the nation now faces a challenge from policymakers and an upstart rival.

LEED, the long-standing king of green construction and renovation projects, has become a de facto brand in cities such as Portland, Ore., where sustainable growth has been the rage for years.

But that could change as legislation and executive orders in several states have all but banned Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design from public contracts, and a new system known as Green Globes has emerged and marketed itself as a simpler, less-expensive alternative.

“LEED is a good process,” said Byron Courts, director of engineering services for Portland’s Melvin Mark Companies. But it represents “a huge bureaucracy that’s extremely complex and costs quite a bit.”

Courts has used both LEED and Green Globes, which has issued about 850 building certifications in the past few years and has recently picked up support from the federal government.

LEED supporters say the emerging opposition comes from lobbyists seeking to damage the industry leader and increase the prominence of Portland-based Green Globes.

San Diego Water Rates to Rise 15 Percent

Posted on January 13, 2014 | Leave a comment

San Diego’s water rates will climb nearly 15 percent during the next two years, after the City Council voted overwhelmingly for the hike Thursday.

“No one likes water rate increases, but this increase is a prudent and necessary step,” interim Mayor Todd Gloria said before the council voted 8-1. Councilman Scott Sherman opposed the measure, which will take effect Jan. 1.

Will water rates effect the value of your home? Contact the real estate appraisers in San Diego at www.scappraisals.com for your value questions.

City officials said the higher rates will ensure that San Diego has the financial reserves needed to maintain its good bond rating and cover rising wholesale water costs.

“This rate increase is actually compounded by the fact that we did not raise rates for two years,” said Vincent Mudd, a San Diego representative on the San Diego County Water Authority board.

The average increase of 15 percent won’t be felt equally.

Under a new pricing structure, single-family households with very low water use will see their rates rise about 8 percent over the next two years. In contrast, homeowners consuming the most water will see rates double.

In a significant change, each new pricing tier will be based on less water usage than under the current system. That means more people will be bumped into higher pricing levels.

Rates for multifamily dwellings and nonresidential users will jump nearly 20 percent by 2015, and construction and irrigation users will see hikes of almost 24 percent by the second year.

Some labor advocates, business owners and residents came to Thursday’s council meeting to voice their criticism of the rate proposal. They said it would hurt the poorest San Diegans and unfairly punish certain single-family homeowners with sharply higher rates.

Several homeowners said although they’ve taken steps to conserve water, they’re still in the highest price bracket.

“The fact that you’re changing the tier structure and going up 100 percent, it’s going to affect families the most,” said Chris Rizzuti of Rancho Bernardo. “It’s an attempt to push an agenda of water conservation that does not take into account multiple people in a household.”

Sherman said he shared that concern.

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Low Cost, High Energy Batteries Powered By Plants

Green Building Rivalry is Growing

San Diego Water Rates to Rise 15 Percent

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