Energy Conversation Efforts

IBM is launching href="http://linuxgazette.net/142/lg_bytes.html">Project
Big Green.  Part of the initiative is to consolidate
operations in the world's largest data centers.  They will
replace nearly  4,000 servers with 30 refrigerator-sized
System
Z mainframes, running Linux, using virtualization technology.
 This will reduce energy usage by about 80%, saving about $250
million per year.  



What's more, the consolidation will leave plenty of room for
future expansion.

The University of New Hampshire is going to href="http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2007/08/univertity-of-n.html">connect
its campus to a methane-producing landfill, generating energy
using methane that otherwise would be vented into the atmosphere.
 The project is expected to provide 85% of their energy needs.
 Because it is using carbon that would be going into the
atmosphere anyway, it is considered carbon-neutral.  



The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has changed its
regulations for installation of href="http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aug07/5449">tidal energy
systems.  The regulatory structure had been so
cumbersome that it effectively prevented the exploitation of this
environmentally-friendly resource.  It is estimated that this
could eventually satisfy 6.5 percent of total US energy demand.



Progress is being made in the commercialization of href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/sep07/5490">lithium-ion
batteries for automobiles.  It is hoped that the
products will be on the road in quantity by 2009.  



Lithium-ion batteries provide twice the energy density (energy per
kilogram) of current technology, leading to much greater efficiency.



Currently, the only car to use lithium-ion batteries is the href="http://www.teslamotors.com/">Tesla Roadster,
costing over $100,000.



European regulators have approved a project that is hoped will lead to commercial development of href="http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/101531.html">nuclear
fusion power.