Energy harvesting takes wing in merger of engineering and biology

Date:

February 13, 2014

Source:

Northern Arizona University

Summary:

A bird flapping its wings or a fish’s deep dive may be pictures of nature in action, but in their elegant simplicity scientists see the complex challenges of merging technology with a biological system. The motion of animals could power small devices that allow biologists to collect information about behavior that eludes them under the limitations of current technology.

Continued

RSPB looks to the sun to power visitor centre

THE visitor centre at one of East Yorkshire's most dramatic beauty spots could end up running on solar power.

The RSPB hopes to install 144 photovoltaic panels at its site at Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington, as part of a £100,000 investment.
The charity plans to cover part of its car park with a canopy over 56 bays.

As part of this, the panels would be installed on the canopy, covering 235sq m, which would provide 36kW of energy.

Most of this would be used up to run the visitor centre, with any remaining power being fed into the national grid.

Bempton's site manager Ian Kendall believes the project fits into the reserve's ethos.

He said: "This is an organisational decision and the RSPB is considering a number of its sites to install solar panels.

"We have a lot of space at the reserve, if not always the weather, and feel we can use that to provide solar power.

"It is a sustainable form of energy and is at the forefront of what we are trying to do."

While the planning application has been submitted this week, it maybe a while before the panels are installed.

The Government has reduced the money it provides for the feed-in tariff that has made solar energy such an attractive option.

Continued: http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/RSPB-looks-sun-power-visitor-centre/story-17009421-detail/story.html