This morning on the show we had the second episode in our series on renewable energies. Designed to inform listeners about the many types of renewables, the technologies, and options for consumers, this episode looked at geothermal energy and electricity.

Renewable Energy: Geothermal – . . . → Read More: February 3, 2011: SPF’s Renewable Energy Series, Episode 2 – Geothermal]]> The Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Plant in Iceland. Credit.

This morning on the show we had the second episode in our series on renewable energies. Designed to inform listeners about the many types of renewables, the technologies, and options for consumers, this episode looked at geothermal energy and electricity.

Renewable Energy: Geothermal – Overview
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
To start off, we looked at the history of geothermal energy use, dating back several thousand years, and the more recent advancements of geothermal heat pumps for home use, and large scale geothermal electricity. How is the technology being used now, and what could the future hold for geothermal, as part of a move toward renewable energy?

Renewable Energy: Geothermal – Andre Levasseur from Geothermique
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
Geothermique is a local Ottawa-Gatineau based company that installs geothermal heating/cooling systems for home and commercial uses. The provide multiple types of systems, and Andre Levasseur from the company talked about the options available for consumers looking to lower their heating bills, and switch toward renewable energy.

February 3, 2011: The Environmental News
By: Robyn Penney, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, researchers discover a new way to battle antibiotic resistant bacteria, a Canadian pipeline could disintegrate Middle East oil imports to North America, caffeine shows its contribution to gene therapy science, and Brazil approves construction of the world’s third largest hydroelectric dam.

Overview of Renewable Energy By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SpF Contributor

Renewable energies have been a major focus of countries around the world in recent years, and the industry is currently going through rapid expansion, with solar, wind, geothermal, and other technologies seeing rapid technological advancements and implementations. . . . → Read More: November 18, 2010: SPF’s Renewable Energy Series, Episode 1]]> Wind turbines in Sandesneben, Germany.

Overview of Renewable Energy
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SpF Contributor

Renewable energies have been a major focus of countries around the world in recent years, and the industry is currently going through rapid expansion, with solar, wind, geothermal, and other technologies seeing rapid technological advancements and implementations. Here on SpF we like to inform as well as investigate, so we’re putting together this in-depth series on renewable energy. This first feature gives an introduction of the current state of energy consumption, looks at the role of renewable energy in the future, and focuses on some success stories from around the world.

Primer: Energy & Power, Generation & Transmission
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SpF Contributor

Talking about renewable energy and power can get a bit confusing sometimes with all the awkward terminology involved. A recent study showed that 76% of Ontarians can’t identify the main source of electricity in the province. So, to counter some of this confusion and lack of awareness, we looked at some of the confusing terms used when discussing energy and power. Then we heard about the technical side of how renewable electricity is generated and transmitted, from wind turbines and solar panels, all the way to the end user.

Tom Heintzman, President of Bullfrog Power
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SpF Contributor

Bullfrog Power is the only electricity provider in Canada to offer consumers the choice of electricity from 100% renewable projects. The company has grown since it started five years ago, and now operates in six provinces across Canada, providing more than eight thousand homes and twelve hundred business with electricity. Due to the nature of the electricity grid, with energy from all sources mixing together, bullfrog consumers do not only consume electricity from renewable projects. Instead, using bullfrog power is more like voting for renewable projects with your electricity bill, and contributing to the investment in new facilities. We heard from Tom Heintzman, the president of Bullfrog Power, about where bullfrog’s electricity comes from, the role consumers play in the future of the industry, and future plans for the company.

The Environmental News
By: Andrew Lindstrom & Katy Lopez

In this week’s Environmental News, decades of data show that the troposphere is warming, a new report highlights key reasons for the BP oil spill, the Arabic world is running out of water, antimatter is being created and captured in the CERN in Switzerland, and one fifth of plant and animal species are facing extinction.

We also revisited Paul Martin’s feature on recycling electronic waste. And we’ve got the Environmental News by Digory McGinn with a focus on the federal budget.

Also, Paul Martin interviews John Wall about a recent conversation that he had with Dr. Dean Bavington of Nippising University on . . . → Read More: November 14, 2008: Car Recycling And Fisheries Collapse]]> What happens when your long suffering but much loved car finally bites the dust? Follow Matt Street as he tries to find a suitable way to say goodbye to his 1996 Chevy Cavalier.

Also, Paul Martin interviews John Wall about a recent conversation that he had with Dr. Dean Bavington of Nippising University on his research on the science and social change related to the collapse of the Northern Cod stocks off of Canada’s east coast.

First, Carol spoke to . . . → Read More: May 1, 2008: Biofuels]]> Just a couple of years ago it seemed like everybody was promoting biofuels as a clean, green alternative to fossil fuels. But today, they’re being blamed for everything from deforestation in the tropics to pushing up global food prices. On this show we heard global and local perspectives on biofuels.

First, Carol spoke to Ditdit Pelegrina from the organization, Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment. Ditdit explained how the pressure to increase the production of biofuel crops has impacted farmers’ and indigenous people’s rights in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Then, Carol interviewed Carleton graduate student Stewart Fast to find out about biofuel issues closer to home. Stewart guided us through the biofuel production process in Eastern Ontario.

Then, Matt Street gave us another installment in his series of features on the Geography of Music. This time he reviewed Zunior.com, an online gathering place and (legal!) . . . → Read More: February 7, 2008: Intellectual Property In The Digital Age]]> On this show Carol Hunsberger spoke with Carleton geography prof Scott Mitchell about the current role and future possibilities of open source Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Then, Matt Street gave us another installment in his series of features on the Geography of Music. This time he reviewed Zunior.com, an online gathering place and (legal!) distribution centre for independent music.