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charlesgale: The Energy-Water Collision 10 Things You Should Know 
The robot is studded with sensors. One is a device that picks up the electrical disturbance that is produced from electrical arcs if electricity is jumping through the air. Another uses lidar, which, like radar, finds the range of distant objects, but using light instead of radio waves. The lidar would show whether there is enough distance between the power lines and the ground or the trees. There is an infrared sensor that finds hot spots, which could indicate a bad splice, And it has a high-quality optical camera that would look at cables, towers and tower foundations for signs of wear and tear, and even spot encroaching neighbors who could have a backyard swimming pool or garden shed that is partly on the utility right-of-way. via The New York Times
filigreeandflowers: Chicago Garage Fires Up Helical Wind Turbines for Attractive, Earth-Friendly Parking | Popular Science
xn—7xa: The largest tidal turbine in the world, the AK1000, was unveiled yesterday. It weighs 130 tons and stands nearly 74 feet tall. It will be installed off the coast of Orkney, Scotland, where, if all goes according to plan, its “environmentally benign” low rotation speed will generate enough electricity for 1,000 homes on the local grid for decades.

K. R. Sridhar: Bloom Energy's Fuel-Cell Guru | Newsweek.com

thestormglass:

Short but interesting interview with ‘K.R’, founder of Bloom Energy. This technology looks really amazing, the first really ‘new’ idea for power generation in a very long time.

In one direction, I take the solar energy during the day, and I break water up into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is stored locally in very low-pressure bladders. And at night, when the sun stops shining, you take this hydrogen, run it through the fuel cells, and produce electricity.

Not only new, but designed from the ground up to be environmentally friendly.

underwater cable as alternative to electrical towers score one for Thomas Edison: Nearly all the submarine cables use direct current. via The New York Times