Green news harvest: Global warming slowing wind?

A sampling of green-tech news with quick commentary.

• Not so windy: Research suggests winds dying down - Associated Press
  This study is still speculative but worth watching as underperforming turbines can have a big financial impact.
• 'Zero Carbon' Motorcycle Racing - New York Times
  There seems to be a trend of electric motor racing to raise awareness of pollution and to have people learn about electric power trains.

Will global warming make wind power less effective?
(Credit: GE)
• Cleaning Air With Bacteria? Greentech Media
  More work for micro-organisms, this time it's removing VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from paint factories and such.
• Wireless Power Harvesting for Cell Phones - Technology Review
  We've heard of harvesting motion to charge gadgets but Nokia's talking about using RFID-type technology so you would never need to charge your phone again.
• Are Commercial Buildings Ready for Open-Source Energy Management? - Earth2Tech
  Open-source project worth watching. Building automation products are proprietary these days but with more vendors like Cisco and IBM moving in, there will be a push for standards.
• Drinking Water From Air Humidity - Science Daily
  Researchers say they've developed a way to draw drinking water from air humidity using solar power.
• Making Waves: Why Getting Power from the Ocean Is So Tough - Wall Street Journal
  Another reality check on ocean power which has some serious cost and construction hurdles before being commercial.

[dbargen]

GW trashes windmill "solution"? ROTFLMAO.

That's got to be the lamest excuse I've heard yet. Any 5th grader can understand that *wind doesn't blow all of the time.* We don't have the storage capacity to retain excess power from when wind conditions are favorable, so there's no way to run a real power grid with that idea. The whole notion was a failure from the start.

Isn't it ironic, though, that the so-called human-induced GW is supposed to be taking the blame for turbines not catching enough wind? Sort of highlights the arrogance some people have believing that have more influence over the weather, be it 'harmful' or 'helpful,' than that impossibly large burning ball of hydrogen just 7 or 8 light-minutes away.

As for those who decided to invest whatever resources they wanted into wind, I guess you're *not* smarter than a 5th grader.

[BogusBasin]

Vote for Palin. You betcha. Amen

[warpsix]

Politics that's all global warming is about .Don't be a sheeple learn the facts yourself

[iptofar]

Again what a crock. Simple thermo would lead you to expect that windspeed will increase since the delta t is higher if the earth is warmer.

It's just another example of the bad science going on these days. But hey, useless people have to eat too.

[biffhenerson]

Global Warming reminds me of the Snake Oil Salesmen of the past. Today they should be referred to as Snake Oil Salespersons so as not to offend anyone. Anything for money.

[cp256]

But Algore says it is true so it must be!

[davrosthedalek]

This last winter was very cold. I had to wear a coat the other day and its summer time. I am still waiting for the "warming". I think the best thing to do is bad all liberals from driving cars and flying in planes. That would solve the problem. Obama needs to stop wasting fuel(and millions) flying around snapping pictures of NY city.