City of Sydney plans recycled water network

Clover Moores Sydney city council seems to be plotting a slow secession from the electricity and water grids. The SMH has a report on an interesting plan for storing recycled water in local aquifers - City of Sydney plans recycled water network.

THE City of Sydney council is finalising plans for a recycled water network to be established throughout much of the city. It will include use of the Botany aquifer which extends from Redfern and Surry Hills, through Centennial Park and on to Botany Bay.

The rethink of the citys water supply comes as the council finalises plans to decouple the electricity network from the statewide supply grid, instead using a new network of power generators throughout the CBD which will provide cheaper and more reliable power to the city. If youre digging up the streets to put in the new trigeneration [electricity, heating and cooling] system, thats the golden opportunity to put in a recycled water network, the councils chief development officer for energy and climate change, Mr Allan Jones, said.

Sixty per cent of the cost of the infrastructure is in the trenching and traffic management. Thats why were also looking at automated waste collection.

The council recently outlined plans for an automated waste collection system, which remains under study. Piping water into the city and only drinking 2 per cent of that is just crackers, Mr Jones said. Taking into account cooking, and any possible way of ingesting water, no more than 20 per cent of the citys water needed to be of drinking quality, he said.

Central to the plan will use of recycled water and stormwater at new developments such as Barangaroo and Green Square.
Barangaroo will generate a surplus of recycled water which is expected to be used in water cooling towers and similar structures in other parts of the CBD.

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3rd Symposium Small PV Applications Rural Electrification and Commercial Use

Next Symposium on Small PV applications will take place again in the beautiful Ulm (Germany), in June 2013. Straight after this conference, the Intersolar is being organized again in Munich, so it is an excellent combination for those interested in the latest developments of the PV industry but also in the state of the art of small applications for remote and rural areas.

The period for submission of abstracts is open now and will end on January 4, 2013.



This event is held every two years and in the latest edition covered topics as exciting as:

• Success of Rural Electrification by Solar PV systems in Bangladesh
• Field evaluation of PV rural electrification programs in South America
• Rural electrification with Solar Home Systems in the Amazon Region
• PV charging enhancement of SHS using Super-capacitors
• Economic assessment and design optimisation of PV-battery systems in off-grid applications
• And many others!

Main topics for next year conference are:

 
1. Electricity supply for remote rural households away from the national grid (Solar Home Systems)
2. Provision of electricity to public institutions such as schools, clinics, churches, mosques and temples, administration offices, water pumping systems or street lighting.
3. Electricity for industrial use and income generating infrastructure (telecommunication equipment, grain milling, welding, food preservation, meteorological stations or remote sensing)
4. New concepts for integrated “over-the-counter PV products” often called “pico-systems” (solar lanterns, solar radios, mobile phone chargers, etc.)
5. Electricity supply for urban households as backup to increase reliability
6. Components such as charge controllers and batteries or other alternatives for energy storage
7. Policy, financial aspects and market development for off-grid PV (government programs, incentives, testing facilities, etc.)

Categories:

• Components, including energy storage
• Systems
• Costs
• Maintenance, quality assurance
• Capacity building, distribution channels, ownership
• Financing
• Market development
Looking forward to meeting you there!
 

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Oil Supply Update

Stuart at Early Warning has returned with one of his once monthly oil supply updates - Oil Supply Update.

Nothing very dramatic happened in the last three months: supply continued to inch up, and prices are a little lower than during most of the last couple of years, but $100 remains an effective floor for Brent ...

This last picture shows also (green line) the narrower definition of oil given by "Crude and Condensate", which has been flatter than the "all liquids" represented by the black line.

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Coretrack Deeper faster cheaper geothermal drilling

The Climate Spectator has an article on a company looking to make geothermal drilling a lot cheaper - Deeper, faster, cheaper.

The transformation of Australian industry into a low-carbon economy is often said to depend on the development of smart and high technology, but some of the country’s most prospective clean energy resources could be unlocked by some good old-fashioned mining know-how.

A Kalgoorlie-based drilling company, Coretrack, believes new drilling technology that it is has unveiled in the past two months could shave millions of dollars off the costs of drilling for geothermal resources, and enable aspiring developers to prove up resources at a fraction of the cost they currently face.

If proven, it will be a critical breakthrough for the Australian geothermal industry, which has been stranded at the starting gate because of the huge up-front costs of drilling programs, and the reluctance of investors to commit large sums to high-risk new technology.

A total of seven geothermal firms have received promises of $50 million funding grants from the federal government under its Geothermal Drilling Program. But these monies remain largely untouched, because none of the five recipients in round two of the program – allocated in late 2009 – have been able to provide matching funding.

Drilling for geothermal wells can cost $15 to $20 million, and Australian developers have been frustrated by the lack of rigs in the country and the “premium” rates demanded by rig owners to ship to Australia. Only Geodynamics owns its own rigs – at a cost of more than $40 million – and this is now being used by joint venture partner Origin Energy to pursue shallower geothermal resources in the Cooper Basin.

Coretrack has spent four years as a listed R&D company – an adventurous place to be in Australia – but is now looking to cross over into commercialisation. It pocketed its first revenues last month, with a $711,000 contract with Woodside for a 20-day program to build a shallow and wide hole using the GT3000 rig.

The GT3000 is the brainchild of Coretrack director Warren Strange, who in between coming to grief in Dakar rallies on his motorbike, built up a large drilling business before selling out to Brandrill for an estimated $26 million. He kept one subsidiary, Globedrill, and an idea to build the fastest, most compact and manoeuvrable, most affordable deep drilling rig in the world, and one designed specifically for the geothermal industry.

Coretrack says the GT 3000 has been achieving hard rock penetration rates of more than 30 metres an hour, many times faster than the existing platform-based drill rigs. It has used just a three-man crew and consumed only 14.6 litres of diesel per hour, compared to as much as 600 litres per hour used in competing oil and gas rigs.

The Salamander 1 well drilled by Panax Geothermal in South Australia in 2010 reached a depth of 4025 metres after 42 days and at a cost of $15 million. That equates to an average drill rate of 95 metres a day at a cost of $3,750 per metre. It says the GT3000 could have done the same job in half the time and half the cost.

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Ivanpah Photo Essay

Time has a great photo essay on the Ivanpah solar thermal power project - The Ivanpah Solar Project: Generating Energy Through Fields of Mirrors.

When I visited the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, which sits in the Mojave Desert on the border between California and Nevada, I had to be careful where I looked. The engineers warned me not to look directly at the receivers arrayed on top of the centralized solar towers, which collected the desert sunlight concentrated by thousands of mirrors on the desert floor. The solar receiver was as bright as the heart of the sun, glowing with a retina-melting white. I had to force myself to look away.

Jamey Stillings, though, has far better eyes than I do. A photographer known for his work capturing mega-scale projects like the new bridge at the Hoover Dam, Stillings has been tracking the construction of Ivanpah since 2010, when he began an aerial survey of the site. His epic black-and-white images of Ivanpah reveal how different this solar plant is from other major infrastructure projects. Unlike solar photovoltaic plants, which generate electricity directly from sunlight, Ivanpah uses hundreds of thousands of curved mirrors to reflect and concentrate the desert sunshine. Three tall solar towers, each ringed by the mirrors, collect the heat and generate steam, which drives electric turbines. When it finally opens later this year, it will be the biggest solar thermal plant in the world.

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Power companies overstate cost of smart meters

The ABC reports that utilities havent been helping public perception of smart meter programs by overcharging for their installation - Power companies overstate cost of smart meters.

The Australian Energy Regulator that says Victorias power companies have overstated the cost of rolling out smart meters by $500 million.

In a draft decision, the regulator says CitiPower, Jemena, Powercor, SP AusNet and United Energy Distribution have not made a good enough case for charging $1.24 billion for the three-year roll out.

Andrew Reeves, the chairman of the electricity and gas regulator, says the cost increase is not justified.
"On their numbers put in front of us, charges would typically go up from currently about $100 a year to about $160 a year," he told ABC Local Radio.

"Under our proposal the charges would still increase, but would only increase by about an additional $20 a year."

The regulator says the cost of the rollout should be $760 million.

Energy Minister Michael OBrien says the State Government was always concerned that costs were not properly scrutinised by the former Labor government.
"Well be making our own submissions to the regulator before they make a final decision.

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Amazons Biodome Greenhouses

Inhabitat has a post on some green buildings proposed by Amazon - Amazons Biodome Greenhouses Receive Green Light From Seattles Design Review Board.

Last night Seattles Design Review Board voted unanimously to approve Amazons plans to build a set of futuristic biodomes for their new downtown headquarters. Now that the project has received the green light it will move on to the city’s planning and development department before the domes receive final approval for construction.

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Crude and Condensate Reached New Highs in Jan

Stuart at Early Warning has a post on global oil production, showing oil production has managed to reach a new high after a long plateau - Crude and Condensate Reached New Highs in Jan.

The EIA helpfully produces a breakdown of the global liquid fuel supply into components. This allows us to distinguish change in the supply of "oil" - narrowly defined as crude oil plus condensates (hydrocarbons which come out of the ground as liquid) - from changes in other things (natural gas "liquids", most of which are actually gases like ethane, propane, and butane, ethanol, and refinery volume changes.

The above graph shows these four substreams - the crude and condensate (C&C) is on the right scale and the others on the left scale. This approach is designed to make it easiest to compare changes. The interesting news is that crude+ condensate, which has been pretty much plateaued since late 2004, has now made new highs. So clearly "peak monthly oil" is not behind us.

At the same time, the data still seem to me to be consistent with the overall "peak oil moderate" worldview - that in 2005 we entered into a situation in which it became very difficult to raise oil production and that placed significant constraints on the global economy and made recessions more likely, but that the decline in global production will be slow and fears that this would lead to an abrupt collapse of the global economy were overblown (the "doomer" view).

At the moment, the plateau in C&C has a slight upward tilt and its not possible to say declines in global oil production have begun.

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Farm To Table Local Sustainability

Farm-to-table (or farm-to-fork) is a food movement that promotes the traditional use of that which is closest to you. Farm-to-table advocates utilize as many local ingredients as possible, often directly from farmers in their areas or from businesses that carry local products. This sustainable approach not only results in fresher, more natural products but also helps to support local communities and economies.

This season on Top Chef Canada, 26-year old Carl Heinrich of Sooke, BC won the renowned title of Top Chef with his farm-to-table approach.

"Heinrich is deeply committed to the farm-to-table culinary philosophy. And in Top Chef Canadas final episode, Heinrich cashed in: the competitors were able to raid the garden of Hockley Valley for fresh ingredients with which they would prepare their final meal. Being from Toronto, I was also at an advantage in that I was able to say exactly which producer I wanted my product from." - Calgary Herald

Earth Friendly Farm-to-Fork Living

A low carbon diet refers to making lifestyle choices to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by energy use. It is estimated that the U.S. food system is responsible for at least 20 percent of greenhouse gases. But the 20 percent only counts from direct sources of GHG emissions. Indirect sources, such as demand for products from other countries, are often not counted, so an accurate percentage would be much higher than 20 percent. A low carbon diet minimizes the emissions released from the production, packaging, processing, preparation, and waste of food. A low carbon diet includes eating less industrial produced food in general, eating food grown locally and seasonally, eating less processed and packaged foods and reducing waste from food by proper portion size, recycling or composting.

Farm-to-table refers to, in the food safety field, the stages of the production of food: harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sales, and consumption. Farm-to-table also refers to a movement concerned with producing food locally and delivering that food to local consumers. Linked to the local food movement, the movement is promoted by some in the agriculture, food service, and restaurants communities. It may also be associated with organic farming initiatives, sustainable agriculture, and community-supported.

Many farm-to-table advocates work hard to spread the word and to show others the importance of finding the freshest ingredients, while attempting to educate their customers about the link between farmers, farm communities, ancient food-production practices, and the food we eat. The public backlash against genetically-modified organisms in our food supply has added a note of political activism to what had been, until recently, a largely aesthetic movement. Farm-to-table restaurants may buy their produce directly from farmers, usually local. In a few cases, the restaurants and farms may be owned and operated by the same people. Restaurants who choose to buy from local food producers regularly yield healthier, better quality meals for their customers. 

This movement has arisen somewhat simultaneously with the increased knowledge and recent changes in attitude about food safety, food freshness, food seasonality, and small-farm economics. Advocates and practitioners of the farm-to-table model frequently cite as their motivations the scarcity of fresh, local ingredients; the poor flavor of ingredients shipped from afar; the poor nutritional integrity of shipped ingredients; the encroachment of genetically modified foods into the food economy; the disappearance of small family farms; the disappearance of heirloom and open-pollinated fruits and vegetables; and the dangers of a highly-centralized food-growing and -distribution system.

In the last few years the number of farm-to-table operations has grown rapidly. Recently, some food and agriculture writers have begun to describe a philosophical divide among chefs: the "food-as-art", or, in some cases, "molecular gastronomy” camp have increasingly focused on "food made strange", in which the ingredients are so transformed as to be surprising and even unrecognizable in the final food product. The farm-to-table chefs, on the other hand, have increasingly come to rely upon extremely fresh ingredients that have been barely modified, sometimes presented raw just a few feet from where they grew. Generally, the farm-to-table chefs rely on traditional farmhouse cooking with its emphasis on freshness, seasonality, local availability, and simple preparations.

Do your part and support local farmers! It is not only beneficial to the earth, it is also beneficial for the health of your families. 

xo ginny

Carl Heinrich:

Hailing from the small town of Sooke, BC, Carl Heinrich is the 26-year-old executive chef at Marben restaurant in Toronto. Although young, he has been working in kitchens since he was 13 years old and is extremely driven and accomplished for his age. Strong support from family and early mentors encouraged Carl to enter the culinary world. During his time at Stratford Chef School, Carl worked at a restaurant as a chef de partie and completed a summer stage for Daniel Boulud in New York City. After graduating, he took up an offer to return to New York and work at Daniel’s busy bistro in Midtown for nearly four years. Motivated by a desire to move back to Canada and be closer to family, Carl accepted a position at db Bistro Moderne in Vancouver where he worked alongside Top Chef Canada season one winner Dale MacKay. Carls stages over the years include time at Camilles West Coast Fine Dining in Victoria, Marron Bistro in Toronto, Gramercy Tavern and Daniel in New York, Georges Blanc, La Regalade, and Le Comptoir in France and Alain Ducasse Le Louis XV in Monaco. Carl now lives in Toronto, a city and a culinary scene he loves, where he learned the benefits of farm-to-table and nose-to-tail cooking. Inspired by ingredients and driven by French technique, Carl aims to make approachable but refined food. - Food Network

Sources: Ginny Blogs, Post City, Hockley Valley Resort, Calgary Herald, Farm-to-table, Vancouver Sun

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Russell Brand On Buckminster Fuller

Russell Brand has attracted a lot of attention as a result of his recent interview with Jeremy Paxman on the BBC. This followed his contribution to a recent issue of The New Statesman, which included a Bucky Fuller quote - Russell Brand on revolution: “We no longer have the luxury of tradition”.

These problems that threaten to bring on global destruction are the result of legitimate human instincts gone awry, exploited by a dead ideology derived from dead desert myths. Fear and desire are the twin engines of human survival but with most of our basic needs met these instincts are being engaged to imprison us in an obsolete fragment of our consciousness. Our materialistic consumer culture relentlessly stimulates our desire. Our media ceaselessly engages our fear, our government triangulates and administrates, ensuring there are no obstacles to the agendas of these slow-thighed beasts, slouching towards Bethlehem.

For me the solution has to be primarily spiritual and secondarily political. This, too, is difficult terrain when the natural tribal leaders of the left are atheists, when Marxism is inveterately Godless. When the lumbering monotheistic faiths have given us millennia of grief for a handful of prayers and some sparkly rituals.

By spiritual I mean the acknowledgement that our connection to one another and the planet must be prioritised. Buckminster Fuller outlines what ought be our collective objectives succinctly: “to make the world work for 100 per cent of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous co-operation without ecological offence or the disadvantage of anyone”. This maxim is the very essence of “easier said than done” as it implies the dismantling of our entire socio-economic machinery. By teatime.

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GE Promoting Combined Natural Gas Wind and Solar Power Plant

While the “Gas Age" won’t last forever, gas fired power looks like being used as a way of kick-starting the transition to 100% renewable energy, with hybrid plants like this one being proposed by GE enabling solar thermal, wind and gas fired power generation to share generation and transmission infrastructure. Technology Review says - “The hybrid plant could be the cheapest and easiest way to add renewable energy to the grid" - GE Combines Natural Gas, Wind, and Solar. Alstom are moving in a similar direction, but not as fast - Building bridges.

GE has announced the first power plant to integrate wind and solar power with natural gas—a 530-megawatt plant that will start operating in Turkey in 2015. The power plant is made practical by a flexible, high-efficiency natural-gas system the company announced two weeks ago and a solar thermal power system created by eSolar, a Burbank, California-based startup that GE recently invested in.

Such hybrid plants may become the dominant type of new power plant in some parts of the world, GE says. The new technology is aimed at countries that use 50 hertz electricity (the United States uses 60 hertz). In particular, it could make it easier for China and the European Union to meet their renewable energy targets.

Adding solar power to natural gas plants isnt a new idea, but it hasnt been economical without government subsidies. GE says that because of its new turbines and related equipment, these hybrid plants can, for utilities with the right combination of sunlight and natural gas prices, be competitive even without government support.

While combining solar thermal power and natural-gas turbines is not new, adding wind power to such a system is, GE says. Pairing wind with the natural gas plant helps shave some of the cost of the wind power—the wind farm can share some of the natural gas plants control systems and its connection to the grid. The natural gas plant also smooths out variations from the wind turbines.

Solar thermal power involves the use of an array of mirrors to concentrate sunlight and the resulting heat to produce steam. That steam can be fed into the steam turbine at a natural gas combined cycle plant to boost its power output.

The solar concentrator array from eSolar helps lower costs in two ways—its modular concentrator system is easy to install and easy to modify for the needs of specific plants. It also produces higher temperature steam than some previous solar thermal systems, increasing power output. GE has also developed a natural gas power plant that is highly efficient, and whose power output can easily be adjusted to make up for variations in power output from solar power.

Connecting a solar thermal system to a natural gas power plant, and thus eliminating the need to buy a separate steam turbine and related equipment, can cut the cost of a solar thermal system by up to 50 percent, says Jon Van Scoter, CEO and president of eSolar. Paul Browning, vice president of thermal products at GE, calls it "the most cost-effective form of solar energy available today."

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Renewable Energy Book List

The search for a good book is over with our top 12 list of must read books on renewable energy!

1) Kick the Fossil Fuel Habit by Tom Rand

This book appeals to a wide range of readers: from those who want to gain a deep understanding of new alternative energy technologies to those who just want to just get a quick glimpse of this subject. The book is very engaging while at the same time very educational. Specifically, it provides a look at 10 topics: solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, hydropower, ocean, smart buildings, transportation, efficiency and conservation, and the energy internet.

2) Hot Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman

Thomas Friedman is best known for his number one bestseller The World is Flat. His new book Hot, Flat and Crowded is another hit. Friedman explores two major issues: America’s loss of national purpose after 9/11 and the global environmental crisis. He examines how the solutions to these two problems are linked and “makes it clear that the green revolution we need is like no revolution the world has seen.”  This book provides great insight about what is in store in the future.

3) The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropowerby Dan Chiras

This book is a great resource for homeowners who are looking to cut their energy bills and save money. It gives homeowners ideas on how to incorporate green energy technology into their homes so that they are not so dependent on expensive energy options such as oil and natural gas. Homeowners will learn how to effectively heat and cool their homes, to provide hot water and electricity and to cook using renewable energy. It is highly recommended for people who want to reduce their environmental footprint.

4) Smart Power: An Urban Guide to Renewable Energy and Efficiency by William Kemp

Another book that offers solutions on how to achieve energy efficiency. However, it does not focus only on improvements that can be made in the home; it offers ways that renewable energy technologies can be adopted without making drastic lifestyle changes. The book shows people how helping the environment will save them money and can be done easily.

5) Energy at the Crossroads: Global Perspectives and Uncertainties by Vaclav Smil

The book provides a great analysis of the complex energy issues and challenges that the world is facing. It looks at the factors which have led to the energy shortage and how it affects the economy, quality of life, and the environment. The author also provides the pros and cons of using fossil fuels as well as alternative energy sources such as hydroenergy, biomass energy, wind power, and solar power.

6) Renewable Energy: Market & Policy Trends in IEA Countries by International Energy Agency

The International Energy Agency (IEA) published this document to examine how IEA countries have introduced policies to transition to renewable energy sources. It evaluates the success of different measures that have been established and also looks at how to increase the use of renewables.

7) Renewables Information 2011: With 2010 Data by International Energy Agency

It presents useful statistics on renewable and waste energy sources to help with market analysis and policy decisions.

8) Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy Second Edition by Greg Pahl

An informative look at the biodiesel industry and its rapid growth within the past few years. The second edition has been updated to include recent developments in the industry including expansion to more than 80 countries. It also explores the new social and environmental criticisms faced by the industry.

9) Profiting from Clean Energyby Richard Asplund

It provides an easy way for investors to quickly become experts in the clean energy industry and discover its many exciting investment opportunities.

10) The Clean Tech Revolution by Ron Pernick

This book provides an explanation of how green technology is moving into mainstream business and how it is seen as the next source for economic growth. It focuses on eight major clean technology sectors: solar power, wind power, biofuels, green buildings, personal transportation, the smart grid, mobile applications and water filtration. It also presents six major forces that is pushing the growth: costs, capital, competition, China, consumers and climate.

11) Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future, Second Edition by Godfred Boyle  

An excellent resource for learning about the different types of renewable energy sources such as solar, bioenergy, hydro, tidal, wind, wave, and geothermal. It presents concepts in a detailed manner by using illustrations, tables of data and case studies.  While the data provided is primarily from the UK, it is still valuable for its in-depth look at the technology behind varying energy sources; their environmental impacts and what lies ahead in the future.

12) Renewable Energy - Facts and Fantasiesby Craig Shields

The #1 best-selling energy book on Amazon and is a definite must read. It was written by 2GreenEnergy.com founder, Craig Shields. It explores the reasons for moving to renewable energy and the difficulties encountered in this process. It provides a good review of where the renewable energy industry is and where it will be heading in the future by compiling 25 interviews with a broad range of specialists in the field.

If you think our list is missing another great title email us and tell us why!

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about renewable energy! Knowledge Is Power If there is something else youd like to know write to us at info@endeavorscorp.com and well do our best to address it for you!

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Collapsus What Energy Collapse Might Look Like

TreeHugger has a look at some peak oil doomerism converted to a transmedia experience - What Energy Collapse Might Look Like (Video).

When I interviewed my friend Tim Toben, he argued that one of the most important things we can do is to "tell the story about the transformation from a world powered by fossil fuels to a world powered by renewable energy -- in poetry, music, art, dance. Make it real for people who cant imagine their way out of the hole we find ourselves in." Ive just come across a fascinating multimedia (or transmedia, apparently) project that aims to do just that. The only trouble is, it makes for some pretty bleak viewing.

Collapsus, which was directed by Tommy Pallotta—the producer of Scanner Darkly and Waking Life—is described by its makers as "a new experience in transmedia storytelling". Combining traditional documentary footage with animation, mini-games and movie fragments, the audience is invited to participate by making decisions to try to avoid future blackouts and create a more livable future.

Based around the lives of ten young people around the Globe, the story is set in a world of falling energy supplies, economic disruption and civil unrest. I must admit, the medium is an interesting one—but a brief exploration suggests the message being presented is pretty bleak. I dont want to repeat my arguments about the futility of disasterbation, or the dangers of Mayan prophecy, but I cant help but wish for a slightly more empowering vision.

Of course with IEA insiders talking about inflated oil stats, and secret Government talks warning of imminent peak oil, there is undoubtedly plenty of evidence out there to suggest that a disasterous peak oil scenario is not out of the question. What worries me, however, is that as regular documentaries give way to these transmedia projects aimed at "the connected generation" (not sure what that term says about the rest of us), there is a danger that the choice of medium will inevitably warp the message—theres a reason why so many video games involve violent destruction.

Collapsus Walkthrough from SubmarineChannel on Vimeo.

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Reviewing Jevons Paradox

Wired has a look at the accuracy of Jevons Paradox and the implications for energy efficiency strategy - Clive Thompson on Unsaving the Planet.

We put a lot of stock in energy efficiency. It is regarded as the quickest and easiest way to reduce carbon emissions. Al Gore even ended An Inconvenient Truth with a plea for everyone to install low-power lightbulbs and appliances.

But in 1865, British economist William Stanley Jevons offered a skeptical take on efficiency. In The Coal Question, he wrote that energy-efficiency technology has a backlash effect. By increasing efficiency we make energy cheaper, thus spurring people to use more of it. As Jevons pointed out, when steam engines became more efficient, the consumption of coal (for steam production) didn’t decrease—it expanded, because steam engines became cheaper to run and thus attractive for more and more things.

Adherents call this the Jevons paradox, or rebound effect. And the idea is at the heart of David Owen’s new book, The Conundrum, which argues that not only will efficiency fail to solve global warming—it’ll actually make things worse. The good news is that Owen’s analysis is likely off target. But it’s worth hearing him out.

Owen makes a number of grim observations that ring true. Automobile engines have become much more efficient, but we’ve responded by demanding larger cars loaded with more electrical gewgaws. Air-conditioning has become more efficient, but we’ve made it a cultural norm that every room and vehicle nationwide must be cooled in summer.

Or consider lighting. As a source of illumination, light from modern bulbs costs just 0.03 percent of what candles did in 1800. But a recent study funded by the US Department of Energy found that the amount of global GDP spent on lighting has remained at about 0.72 percent over the past three centuries. The astonishing increase in lighting efficiency merely drove an explosion in the number of things we light up—like kids’ sneakers. Efficient power usage has made it “so that there’s almost nothing you can do that doesn’t require power,” as Owen tells me.

But if efficiency will just make things worse, how can we avert climate disaster? Owen says we need to start living smaller, quickly and dramatically—by traveling less and consuming less and taxing energy much more. It is not, he admits, a pleasant message.

Assuming he’s correct. The Jevons paradox has long been controversial, with economists arguing that Jevons got it wrong. Rebound effects are real, they say, but much smaller than he believed.

That’s because we modern folk spend very little on energy—only around 9 percent of GDP in the US. Plus, if we save money through energy efficiency, we don’t immediately spend those savings solely on more energy. We spend it on more food or movies or clothes, where energy accounts for only a small part of creation cost. As a result, economist James Barrett calculates, rebound probably decreases the total amount of energy saved by at most 30 percent—hardly the catastrophe predicted by Jevons and Owen.

There’s also evidence that efficiency standards work. After California imposed them in 1974, per capita electricity consumption stopped growing, even as it rose throughout the rest of the nation. Yes, globally we chew through more power every year, but that’s due to economic growth, argues Amory Lovins, an environmental scientist with the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Owen and other rebound Cassandras “have a critique of growth, which they then blame on energy efficiency,” Lovins tells me. But perhaps we’re buying two air conditioners simply because we’re wealthier, not because air conditioners are more efficient.

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Back To School the green way!

It’s that time of the year again - a brand new start of the school year for students and their parents!­ Take this opportunity to introduce some new practices into your daily life that can be more environmentally friendly. You may even be able to save costs by switching to more effective and green alternatives for the start of the new school year!

Green Transportation

Reducing your carbon footprint and making healthy choices

To really make a difference and reduce your impact on the environment, beginning this fall, do your best to reduce the amount you drive your kids to and from school. One popular way is to enroll your children into a bus program. School buses reduce a great amount of emissions, especially if it’s a newer bus that is up to date with the current emission-reducing standards. There’s also the possibility of carpool – either one of your neighbours can start carpooling kids from your neighbourhood or you can start your own carpool. 

If your school does not offer a bus program, or if you just live nearby, get your children to ride their bike or walk to school! A co-op walk team can help keep your kids safe by having groups walk together and alternating parent escorts if needed. 

Eco Supplies

Taking inventory and reusing what you can

Before deciding to go out and buy brand new school supplies for your children, take some time to look at what you’re currently have and see if anything can be reused. Why buy new pens and pencils when the old ones are still usable?  No need to buy a new notebook just because a few pages have been used in one from last year, or buying a new pencil case because the old one is out of style. Making smart, economical decisions can go a long way in saving your money and reducing production and waste emissions that comes from purchasing new supplies.

If your children get hungry or thirsty, its better that they reach for a reusable water bottle and plastic container instead of a disposable plastic water bottle and plastic ziplock bag. Either plastic or aluminum, reusable water bottles make for a much better alternative. Visit Good Housekeeping to read the list of some of the best water bottles around. Also, make sure that any water bottle purchased for reuse is BPA-free (Bisphenol A). There are also alternatives to plastic containers, such as SnackTAXI, who offer reusable food sacks. One “snack-sack” can reduce the use of about 1000 plastic bags over its lifetime.

Buying new eco-friendly school supplies

When you have looked over what you have and you’ve decided that you still need some more school supplies, try to lean towards the greener alternative. Many major retailers are carrying recycled and renewable school supplies such as recycled notebooks, paper and binders, and biodegradable pencils. Paper Mate is offering biodegradable pencils that are offered at many major retailers, such as Staples. There is also Ecojot, who offer notebooks, journals, sketchbooks, and more made entirely from post-consumer waste. When looking for a new backpack, look for an environmentally as well as child friendly backpack, one that’s made from recycled material and is padded to prevent back pain. You can check out The Ultimate Green Store or Ecocentric Bags for an idea on some cool backpacks being offered.

Most of the money spent on supplies will be towards new clothes that children are always in need of. If your kids don’t mind, wearing hand-me-down clothing from friends and family or thrift stores can be one of the ways to save money and reduce your emissions. If your children are style-conscious, there are many popular brands like Adidas, Levi’s and H&M that offer clothes made from more eco-friendly material.

The most important thing to consider is that your children must understand and be educated on the importance of the environment and that even the little things can go a long way in sustaining our planet.

Little Steps

Go with what you know

Going green doesnt always have to mean big changes, sticking to some basic principals can make a big difference in little ways! REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE every way you can. 

For more suggestions on going green with kids visit some of our other articles:

Easy ways to get your kids thinking about the environment early

28 Ways To Build A Green Lifestyle

Green Resources: Digital Textbooks

Or check out the following links for more resources:

Meadford Independent, “Green Tips for Back to School”

Tree Hugger, “How to Go Green: Back to School”
Huffington Post, “Green your Back-to-School Routine”

SnackTAXI

Ecouterre, “Levi’s, H&M, Adidas Debut Apparel Made With Eco-Friendly “Better Cotton””

Paper Mate, “Biodegrable Products”

Good Housekeeping, “Reusable water bottle reviews”

The Ultimate Green Store

Ecocentric Bags

Ecojot

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Harnessing the power of our oceans

Im not entirely sure if the Australian Governments "Clean Energy Future" venture got some inspiration from this blog - nor am I sure if it will last the year out - however its nice to see a post on ocean energy on their web site - Give us a wave – harnessing the power of our oceans.

As construction begins on a ground-breaking wave energy project in Perth, a report has been released which emphasises the huge untapped energy potential lying off Australia’s coastlines.

According to the Marine Nation 2025 report, released this week, Australia’s oceans could produce billions of dollars’ worth of clean energy in the form of electricity generated by wave power. The report says an initial assessment has identified world-class wave energy resources along the western and southern coastline, and valuable tidal energy resources in the North West of Australia.

Marine Nation 2025 was prepared by the Federal Government’s Oceans Policy Science Advisory Group and highlights the enormous potential of Australia’s oceans, as well as the challenges and opportunities involved with managing our vast maritime resources.

The report comes on the eve of the commencement of the Perth Wave Energy Project, which is due to begin next month. Located at Garden Island, near Perth, the project will start delivering green energy to the grid in 2014. The project will be Australia’s first commercial wave energy project connected to the electricity grid. An associated wave-powered desalination plant will be a world first.

A CSIRO study released last year revealed that ocean waves have the potential to power a city the size of Melbourne by 2050. CSIRO’s Ocean renewable energy: 2015-2050 report said Australia’s ocean waves could supply about 10 per cent of Australia’s electricity by the middle of this century.

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Grid Parity Low LCOE Driving 34 Global Renewables Capacity by 2030

CleanTechnica has an article on the growth factors for renewable energy -Grid Parity, Low LCOE Driving 34% Global Renewables Capacity by 2030.

When it comes to global electricity generation, coal is still king – but not for long.

Fast-changing economics mean renewables worldwide will represent 34% of all installed capacity by 2030, according to “World Energy Perspective: Cost of Energy Technologies,” a report from the World Energy Council (WEC) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

The report finds many clean energy technologies are already cost competitive with fossil fuels and only getting cheaper, echoing another analysis that found US wind and solar costs fell 50% since 2008. As a result, fossil fuel’s slice of the world energy pie is projected to fall fast, from 67% in 2012 to 40%-45% in 2030.

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GM’s New Plans To Challenge Tesla’s Electric Battery Dominance

Climate Progress has an article on GMs continuing interest in electric vehicles - GM’s New Plans To Challenge Tesla’s Electric Battery Dominance.

General Motors plans to challenge Tesla’s share of the electric vehicle innovation marketplace by doing two things: making a better battery, and putting it in a long-range electric car that’s affordable.

GM announced this week that it’s developing a car that can go 200 miles on a single charge — the same distance that Tesla’s Model S can. But the GM version will cost about $30,000, less than half the $71,000 sticker price of the Model S.

The company is also aiming to do an overhaul of the electric car battery. As Quartz explains, Tesla’s Model S uses Panasonic batteries made of nickel, cobalt and aluminum. GM wants to use a lithium-ion battery made of nickel, cobalt and manganese — a chemical mix that scientists think could create a cheaper and more powerful lithium-ion battery, but that right now has some flaws that GM hopes can be fixed.

Right now, GM sells two battery-powered cars: the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid which costs $35,000 and can go 38 miles on a charge before its gas-powered generator takes over, and the Chevy Spark, an all-electric car that can go 82 miles on a charge and costs $26,685 (both costs are before the $7,500 tax credit that electric car buyers are eligible for in the U.S.). GM is also focusing on making its current cars cheaper — the company has said the next generation of the Volt will cost $7,000 to $10,000 less than the current version.

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Electric vehicle dreams the charge ahead

The weekend SMH had a prominent (and long) article on electric vehicles - Electric dreams: the charge ahead.

A social researcher, Mark McCrindle, of McCrindle Research, says his studies have shown while most people are concerned about the environment, they are not prepared to pay more to make a difference.

A recent survey found 96 per cent of respondents believed people have played some part in climate change but only 28 per cent directly intend to cut their carbon emissions.

Thats a view backed up by Evan Thornley, the chief executive officer of BetterPlace Australia, who is trying to orchestrate a network of recharging points. He believes the electric car revolution is unstoppable but not for environmental concerns.

The fundamental reason for that is simple, Thornley says. The cost of batteries is coming down and the cost of petrol is going up. That creates a pretty fundamental inevitability of driving moving from petrol to electric.

It is a massive business opportunity … youve got $30 billion worth of petrol being sold to customers that hate the product. They love their car, they hate their petrol.

BetterPlace has announced plans to begin a national network of charging points in Canberra next year, followed by a targeted introduction in Sydney and Melbourne in 2013, covering the other capitals in 2014 and a highway network in 2015.

Other companies including ChargePoint Australia are also looking to create a recharging network to cater for the growing EV fleet.

In addition to a public network - set up within car parks - companies will offer EV drivers in-house recharging points. Their systems will be able to take advantage of off-peak charging and even feed power back into the grid at peak times, giving EV drivers another financial benefit.

That potential financial boost will be helpful to consumers and car companies because the federal government has shown little interest in encouraging motorists into electric cars - despite propping up the local manufacturers with millions in funding.

While it is pushing ahead with its planned carbon tax the government has dropped the Green Car Innovation Fund and the proposed cash-for-clunkers scheme.

This is in contrast to other nations, where governments are offering a variety of incentives to get motorists to ditch petrol power for electric cars. Tax credits to reduce the purchase price, allowing EV drivers to use transit lanes, special EV parking spaces and free public charging infrastructure have all been used to make EVs more appealing to new car buyers. The European Union has even floated the idea of banning all petrol and diesel cars from city centres by 2050.

A spokeswoman for Senator Kim Carr, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, acknowledged the incentives by other countries but questioned the true environmental value of electric cars.

Electric vehicles are often referred to as a zero emissions technology, the uptake of which would reduce carbon emissions, the spokeswoman says. However, potential emissions reductions in Australia need to be viewed with caution because the carbon emissions intensity of Australias electricity production is significantly higher than the world average. Thus a subsidy for electric vehicles in Australia may have limited benefits in terms of reducing emissions.

The Greens deputy leader, Senator Christine Milne, wants to see the government do more to get electric cars onto roads before we fall behind the rest of the world.

Government also has a major role to play in driving renewable energy to support the best possible electric cars and facilitate their roll-out to the broadest possible market as fast as possible, Milne says. China has set an aggressive goal for expanding its electric car market and Australia is once again at risk of falling way behind.

Milne also criticised the governments on-going support of the local manufacturing industry at the expense of electric vehicles.

The limited amount of financial support the government has offered has been targeted at local manufacturing jobs. It has invested less than $10 million on electric vehicle projects while handing over hundreds of millions to Holden, Ford and Toyota under the Green Car Innovation Fund for petrol-powered cars.

Investment in truly innovative car manufacturing in Australia would also see a shift towards electric cars, instead of paying companies to make slightly less inefficient six-cylinder petrol cars, she says.

One car company executive revealed that during a meeting with the government it indicated it was only interested in supporting an electric car if it was made locally. Such a scenario seems some way off, even though Holden admits its new production line in South Australia has been future-proofed to build electric cars.

Before it becomes viable for a manufacturer to build an electric vehicle locally there needs to be more consumer demand, and that may not come for at least another decade. Thats when todays tech-savvy youth of Generations Y and Z become major players in the new car market.

While baby boomers and Gen X might hesitate to move away from traditional petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, the younger generations are hungry to embrace technology.

Over the next decade theyll be the ones getting their licences and reaching the stage in life where they buy a new car, McCrindle says. So this is the emerging market. This is a generation of early adopters of new technology. They want the latest technology and that extends to cars.

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In marine current energy Siemens wants to be 800 lb gorilla

GreenBang reports that Siemens its expanding its presence in the ocean energy market - In marine current energy, Siemens wants to be 800-lb gorilla.

There’s a lot of energy in the world’s oceans, and Siemens wants to play a big part in developing that power for our use.

The Germany-based technology giant announced today that it’s taken on a larger stake in a British marine-energy company, Marine Current Turbines Ltd. Siemens first dipped its toe into the marine current tidal energy sector in February of 2010, when it acquired a minor stake in the company. It now has a 45-percent stake.

“With this increase in its stake, Siemens is strengthening its activities in ocean power generation,” said Michael Axmann, CFO of the newly founded Solar & Hydro Division within Siemens’ Energy Sector. “We will actively shape the commercialization process of innovative marine current power plants.” ...

Some estimates say tidal power plants deployed around the world could generate up to 800 terawatt-hours of clean energy each year. That’s enough to meet 3 to 4 percent of the world’s energy needs, and 25 percent more than all the energy used in Germany.

Marine Current Turbines plans to present two project investment prospectuses to the market in November: one for the 8 megawatt (MW) Kyle Rhea project in Scotland and another for the 10MW Anglesey Skerries project in Wales. The company also has lease approval to deploy a 100MW tidal farm off Brough Ness on the southernmost tip of the Orkney Islands in Scotland. ...

The company has already demonstrated its first commercial-scale project, SeaGen in Northern Ireland. Since November 2008, two turbines with a combined capacity of 1.2MW have been plugged into the grid and providing enough power to supply about 1,500 homes. With more than 2.7 gigawatt-hours of electricity generated so far, SeaGen is so far the top electricity producer in the marine current power sector.

EarthTechling reports that the Japanese are also getting in deeper with tidal energy - Kawasaki Testing Tidal Power In Scotland.

The name “Kawasaki” may be most readily associated with motors of the two-wheeled, gasoline-powered variety; but the Japanese multinational company has recently announced that it will soon be getting into the tidal power generation business. Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has announced that it will work with Okinawa Electric Power and Okinawa New Energy Development to prepare a new tidal power generator technology for testing off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. Then, KHI will test the technology at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland.

The EMEC is the first center of its kind to offer developers an opportunity to test full-scale, grid-connected prototypes under high velocity wave and tidal conditions. High velocity currents at the tidal test site at the Fall of Warness, where the KHI technology will be tested, reach almost 4m/sec (7.8 knots). The facility offers seven test beds at depths ranging from 12 to 50 meters, in an area of over three square miles.

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A 3D Printer That Uses Bioplastic

Inhabitat has a post on the rapidly evolving field of 3D printers (with this one using bioplastic feedstock) - The KamerMaker 3D Printer Can Print Entire Rooms From Bio Plastic!.

Dutch architecture firm DUS has developed The KamerMaker (RoomBuilder) – a 3D printer so large that it can create entire rooms! Dubbed by its creators the “world’s first movable pavilion,” the KamerMaker features an enlarged ‘Ultimaker’ 3D printing machine that is so big it’s actually capable of printing smaller pavilions. In fact, it is capable of printing objects as large as 7.2 feet by 7.2 feet by 11.4 feet. Not only that, but the large-scale 3D printer can produce objects made from corn bio-plastic.

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How much does U S consume fossil fuels and renewables

United States is still the worlds largest energy consumer. Despite the growing popularity of renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power and biofuels, fossil fuels are still the dominant energy sources in United States and satisfy most of the nations energy demand.

The recent data shows that fossil fuels currently account for 84% of nations energy demand. Oil still accounts for approximately 40% of nations energy demand, while coal is the major source of US electricity accounting for around 49% of total US generated electricity. The third member of fossil fuel triad, natural gas, currently supplies around 23% of US energy demand, with many energy experts expecting natural gas share to grow in years to come, especially after the ever-growing shale gas extraction.

These numbers clearly show that fossil fuels are still the most important energy sources in United States, and that renewable energy industry still has plenty work ahead in order to challenge the dominance of fossil fuels.

Hydropower and biomass are currently the most important renewable energy sources in United States, wind is also looking quite good, while solar energy sector is fast developing.

Hydropower currently satisfies around 7% and biomass around 4% of nations energy demand. In the period from 2000-2010 wind power was the fastest growing renewable energy source in United States, and nation has even set a goal of achieving 20% of electricity coming from wind by 2020. If U.S. really wants to achieve this goal it will have to put a lot more emphasis to offshore wind energy.

The much talked about solar power is more making headlines in media instead of actually having significant impact in nations energy use. Many Americans believe in solar power as the best possible renewable energy option but despite the huge popularity solar power currently satisfies less than one percent of nations energy demand. This is mostly because solar panels are still relatively expensive, and somewhat inefficient compared to efficiency of fossil fuels.

US is global leader in installed geothermal capacity but this doesnt mean much when it comes to energy use because geothermal energy currently meets less than 1% of nations energy needs, which is way too little given the geothermal potential of some US states such as California and Nevada.

Given the current situation it is logical to expect that fossil fuels will continue their dominance when it comes to nations energy use simply because renewable energy needs time to develop desired efficiency and costs. Without reaching competitiveness in terms of efficiency and costs renewable energy cannot seriously challenge fossil fuels, even with the strong federal and local support.

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Powerful Energy For Everyone

A new addition to our list of renewable energy documentaries is an incredible film by David Chernushenko "Powerful - Energy For Everyone". 

Challenging where our energy comes from and who profits from it can seem a little eccentric... After all, not everyone has solar panels bolted above the doorstep. Green economy educator David Chernushenko does, and they generate more than enough energy to go around. So why cant he share it? New technologies mean that energy security is within our grasp, but harsh resistance is still being met. Debunking some of the spin of the big energy lobby, David embarks on a global journey to discover what a sustainable future might actually look like. 

http://www.powerfulthemovie.com/index.html

Watch below as he explains his own experience in the discovery of renewable energy and what he saw throughout the globe:

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about renewable energy - Knowledge Is Power! For more information go to www.endeavorscorp.com or write to us at info@endeavorscorp.com if you have questions or want to get involved. Have a green day!

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Exceptionally deep view of strange galaxy

Exceptionally deep view of strange galaxy (2/5/09)

A spectacular new image of an unusual spiral galaxy in the Coma Galaxy Cluster has been created from data taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. It reveals fine details of the galaxy, NGC 4921, as well as an extraordinary rich background of more remote galaxies stretching back to the early Universe.

The Coma Galaxy Cluster, in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices, the hair of Queen Berenice, is one of the closest very rich collections of galaxies in the nearby Universe. The cluster, also known as Abell 1656, is about 320 million light-years from Earth and contains more than 1000 members. The brightest galaxies, including NGC 4921 shown here, were discovered back in the late 18th century by William Herschel.

The galaxies in rich clusters undergo many interactions and mergers that tend to gradually turn gas-rich spirals into elliptical systems without much active star formation. As a result there are far more ellipticals and fewer spirals in the Coma Cluster than are found in quieter corners of the Universe.

NGC 4921 is one of the rare spirals in Coma, and a rather unusual one — it is an example of an "anaemic spiral" where the normal vigorous star formation that creates a spiral galaxy’s familiar bright arms is much less intense. As a result there is just a delicate swirl of dust in a ring around the galaxy, accompanied by some bright young blue stars that are clearly separated out by Hubble’s sharp vision. Much of the pale spiral structure in the outer parts of the galaxy is unusually smooth and gives the whole galaxy the ghostly look of a vast translucent jellyfish.

NGC 4921 – click for 1280×1309 image

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SIRT1 and cancer

In the past weve had some discussion of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzyme SIRT1 and other related sirtuin proteins, especially with respect to their possible relationship with longevity. (See here, for example.)

Much of the focus has been on the HDAC properties of SIRT1 that can switch off various genes. But there have also been findings of more direct relations between SIRT1 and cancer. Some indicate that sirtuins, including SIRT1, may help suppress cancer in certain circumstances, while others suggest it may actually help promote cancer. Well have to save a general discussion of this relationship for later.

But now we have some research that shows how SIRT1 is directly involved, and has a beneficial effect, in an important pathway thats quite relevant to breast cancer.

The background is that the BRCA1 gene (short for breast-cancer-associated gene 1) is a tumor suppressor gene that, when mutated, may lose its ability to suppress tumors. Defective BRCA1 is sometimes inherited, which helps explain familial tendencies to breast cancer.

So what does BRCA1 normally do to suppress tumors? Well, apparently it maintains expression of SIRT1, which in turn inhibits the expression of another protein, called Survivin. The latter is an inhibitor of programmed cell death (apoptosis), and therefore, when it is active, helps protect cancer cells, which might otherwise be killed by the immune system, chemotherapy, or radiation.

In a nutshell: defective BRCA1 leads to insufficient SIRT1, which leads to an inadequate ability to kill cancer cells.

New Findings May Improve Treatment Of Inherited Breast Cancer (10/9//08)

About 8% of breast cancer cases are caused by mutations in tumor suppressor genes, such as breast cancer associated gene-1 (BRCA1). BRCA1 is the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor gene found in inherited breast cancers and BRCA1 mutation carriers have a 50-80% risk of developing breast cancer by age 70. "Although work with animal models of BRCA1 mutation has provided some insight into the many biological processes linked with BRCA1, very little is known about the downstream mediators of BRCA1 function in tumor suppression," says lead study author Dr. Chu-Xia Deng from the Genetics of Development and Diseases Branch at the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Deng and colleagues were interested in investigating the relationship among BRCA1, SIRT1 and Survivin. SIRT1 is a protein and histone deacetylase involved in numerous critical cell processes including metabolism, DNA repair and programmed cell death, known as apoptosis. Although SIRT1 has been implicated in tumorigenesis, no concrete role in cancer initiation or progression has been identified. Survivin is an apoptosis inhibitor that is dramatically elevated in many types of tumors. Research has suggested that Survivin may serve to maintain the tumor and promote growth.

The researchers found that BRCA1 functioned as a tumor suppressor by maintaining SIRT1 expression, which in turn inhibited Survivin expression. When BRCA1 was not functioning properly, SIRT levels decreased and Survivin levels increased, allowing BRCA1-deficient cells to overcome apoptosis and undergo malignant transformation.

This leads one to ask whether there are other ways that SIRT1 activation could be maintained when BRCA1 is defective. Fans of resveratrol will observe that this is something that resveratrol can do. And so the researchers gave it a try:

They went on to show that the compound resveratrol strongly inhibited BRCA1-mutant tumor growth in cultured cells and animal models. ... In the current paper, resveratrol enhanced SIRT1 activity, this leading to reduced Survivin expression and subsequent apoptosis of BRCA1 deficient cancer cells.

Ironically, previous research had indicated circumstances in which SIRT1 might promote growth of other types of cancers. It might, for instance, inhibit expression of other tumor-suppressor genes.

Another news account goes into this a little more:

Gene thought to promote tumor growth has opposite role in a kind of breast cancer (10/9/08)

These results were surprising in light of previous reports showing that high levels of SIRT1 enhance growth of other types of tumors. It now appears that SIRT1 can enhance or inhibit tumor growth — it all depends on the context, says Deng. ...

The researchers also found that a red wine chemical called resveratrol, recently touted as a powerful antiaging compound, was effective in combating BRCA1-associated tumor formation specifically.

How resveratrol is able to do this is unclear. “The work in this case is that SIRT1 has an antitumor effect, and this paper provides mechanistic insights into that,” comments Pere Puigserver, a Harvard biologist who studies SIRT1. But the resveratrol data should be taken with caution, he notes. While this new research clearly shows the direct relationship between BRCA1 and SIRT1, the direct link between resveratrol and SIRT1 is more difficult to demonstrate.

Nonetheless, molecular details of BRCA1-related breast cancer are emerging, and this new data places SIRT1 squarely inside the complex web of molecules that impact tumor growth.

One of the main reasons that sirtuins are suspected of having cancer-promoting properties in some circumstances is that they may inhibit the highly important p53 tumor suppressor gene. (P53, when functioning properly, promotes cell apoptosis when DNA defects are detected during cell division.) In just one example of many, heres research from earlier this year that suggests a tumor-promoting property of sirtuins:

Switching on cancer killer gene (5/8/08)

Scottish scientists have discovered how to control a major anti-tumour gene that could lead to more effective chemotherapy. According to a report in the Cancer Cell Journal, research conducted by the Universities of St Andrews and Dundee may eventually lead to the development of new cancer drugs.

The gene, called p53 and known as "the guardian of the genome", is damaged or switched off in most cancers. But the resrchers found that they could reboot it using two new biological compounds called "tenovins".

In a laboratory study, the academics found that these compounds could kick-start p53 by turning off enzymes called sirtuins. Sirtuins act like genetic switches and keep p53 under control, ensuring that the cells stay alive.

Other news accounts of this research: here, here.

Tags: cancer, BRCA1, SIRT1, sirtuin, p53, resveratrol

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Trading sex for resources

The title really says it all. Not much further commentary needed. Care for another example? How about bower birds?

Just Like Penguins And Other Primates, People Trade Sex For Resources

Female penguins mate with males who bring them pebbles to build egg nests. Hummingbirds mate to gain access to the most productive flowers guarded by larger males.

New research shows that even affluent college students who dont need resources will still attempt to trade sexual currency for provisions, said Daniel Kruger, research scientist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

The exchange of resources for sex---referred to by scientists as nuptial gifts---has occurred throughout history in many species, including humans, Kruger said. The male of the species offers protection and resources to the female and offspring in exchange for reproductive rights. For example, an arranged marriage can be considered a contract to trade resources.

However, the recent findings suggest that such behaviors are hard wired, and persist no matter how much wealth, resources or security that people obtain.

Tags: evolutionary psychology

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Finding protection from tumor growth in unexpected places

As just about anyone who takes even the simplest medications knows, almost everything has side-effects. Generally, theres no free lunch. The aspirin that reduces your fever and (maybe) makes your hangover a little less painful can also cause ulcers and stomach bleeding.

Among the many thousands of proteins, hormones, enzymes, and the like that are active naturally in your body at any one time, most presumably are there for a beneficial purpose. But not always. Some have a distinct Jekyll/Hyde quality about them.

Consider, in particular, the hormone known as angiotensin II. It is part of what is called the renin-angiotensin system, which helps regulate blood pressure. Overlooking a number of details, one of the key functions of angiotensin II is to quickly constrict blood vessels, to minimize blood loss in the event of serious injury. However, because it raises blood pressure, the body needs for it not to be around most of the time, to avoid dangerous hypertension.

The way the body handles this is by producing a slightly different hormone instead, angiotensin I, which can be quickly converted, when required, into angiotensin II by means of an enzyme called simply angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Its ACE were really here to talk about in this note, because it appears to have several other functions besides the one its named for. Ironically, one of the strategies for treating hypertension is to inhibit ACE, because of the need to keep blood pressure under control. Yet some of its side effects, unrelated to blood pressure, seem beneficial.

Finding Protection From Tumor Growth In Unexpected Places

Researchers have discovered that an enzyme commonly involved in regulating blood pressure also provides protection from tumor growth when strongly expressed in immune cells.

ACE, in fact, is involved in a surprising number of other processes in addition to restraining tumor gowth via its immune system activity.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays a direct role in controlling blood pressure and is a common therapeutic target in hypertension. However, it also plays roles in such diverse processes as fertility, immune cell development, and atherosclerosis, and a few studies have even suggested a role for ACE in generating an effective immune response.

The researchers used experimental mice (ACE 10/10 mice) that express ACE only in their macrophages. The findings were quite intriguing.

When injected with aggressive melanoma cells, normal mice developed large melanoma tumors whereas ACE 10/10 mice developed only very small tumors. The resistance of ACE 10/10 mice to melanoma growth was confirmed using several different melanoma cell lines and by using different strains of mice expressing high levels of ACE in macrophages. Interestingly, the small tumors of ACE 10/10 mice contained significantly higher numbers of white blood cells, suggesting a large anti-tumor immune response.

To confirm the existence of an ACE-specific anti-tumor immune response, normal mice were depleted of their bone marrow and transplanted with ACE 10/10 bone marrow. When the transplanted normal mice were then injected with melanoma cells, they too were able to control tumor growth. The immune response involved not just the ACE-expressing macrophages but also increased numbers of cytotoxic T cells and levels of immune-activating chemicals and decreased levels of immune-suppressing chemicals. Finally, the ACE 10/10 macrophages alone could direct the immune response and convey protection as direct injection of these cells into melanoma tumors of normal mice yielded decreased tumor size.

It will be very interesting to learn what further research reveals about how ACE enhances the immune system.

Tags: angiotensin-converting enzyme, cancer, immune system

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