Energy News for week ending October 12, 2018

Swim Caps to the Rescue | Carbon Eating Battery | Blame the Cat

Happy Friday afternoon everyone.

We have a lot of serious news this week, so we thought we’d keep the highlights light before you delve into the more meaty news below.

From Greentech Media, “Exposure to sunlight, freezing temperatures and precipitation can erode the leading edge of wind turbine blades, shortening the life of the blade and reducing the overall productivity of the turbine. With turbine blades getting longer, from around 50 meters just a few years ago to 80 meters or more today, the force of natural elements working to degrade a blade’s leading edge has increased. A Danish company believes it has found a solution. PolyTech’s ELLE (Ever Lasting Leading Edge) is a polyurethane shell applied to turbine blade tips. The product has been likened to a “swim cap” for turbine blades.”

In other news from Greentech Media, “A team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has unveiled a battery technology that could potentially mop up carbon dioxide from thermal power plants. The lithium-based battery works by absorbing carbon dioxide into a water-based amine called 2-ethoxyethylamine and then mixing this with a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte used alongside a carbon cathode and a lithium anode. With every discharge, the carbon dioxide is converted into a solid mineral carbonate that builds up on the cathode. Carbon dioxide is thus used up as the battery cycles and converted to an inert material that can serve as a source of carbon for industrial purposes…A battery that can eat up carbon dioxide is still some way off from reality, though.”

And from myjoyonline.com (sourced from Utility Dive), “A family in Russia’s Barnaul region was recently taken to court by the local energy company for accumulating a debt of approximately 80,000 rubles ($1,218) in unpaid bills. In their defense, the accused claimed that it was all their cat’s fault, not theirs…Often times they spotted it climbing on the electricity meter in order to reach the roof, and even tried moving the meter on an adjacent wall, but to no avail. They told the judge that the cat eventually broke the meter’s wire seal and somehow tampered with the device, which resulted in absurdly high bills… Fortunately for the cat, the energy company’s lawyer managed to prove its innocence in front of the judge.”

Have a great weekend.

Merrimack Valley

NTSB: Columbia Gas work order ignored critical pressure sensor, Eagle Tribune

Residents vent frustrations at gas information meeting, Eagle Tribune

Columbia Gas plans to inspect, fix at least 350 dwellings per day in Greater Lawrence after gas disaster, MassLive

Massachusetts voters aren’t happy with corporate response to Columbia Gas explosions, new poll says, MassLive

A real dilemma, Regional gas disaster ruffles local real estate market, Eagle Tribune

Lawrence businesses fight for survival as gas remains shut off, Boston Globe

Gas cut off over pressure issue not far from explosion area, Eagle-Tribune

Travel trailers open for residents still without gas service, Boston Herald

Columbia says it will replace appliances, Eagle Tribune

Woburn