Eco-news in brief 9-25
By CG News Editor April Jaynes
Pumping oxygen into ‘dead zones’ could revive ecosystems
Scientists from Sweden are pumping oxygen into the Baltic Sea in an attempt to revive the sea’s dying ecosystem. Aquatic “dead zones” like the Baltic Sea are areas overloaded with pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus that make it difficult for ecosystems to sustain life. The flow of fertilizers, sewage and industrial pollutants cause nutrient wastes such as nitrogen and phosphorus to stimulate excessive plant and algae growth, which uses up oxygen and kills off marine life. There are now more than 530 aquatic dead zones globally. Inocean and scientists at the University of Gothenburg are testing the use of a wind-turbine driven oxygen pump in the Baltic to see if they can successfully implement their Baltic Deepwater Oxygenation (Box) project, which would involve the construction of nearly 100 pumping stations.
SoloPower to receive subsidy for solar power start-up
This Thursday a solar company called SoloPower will tap into a $197 million government loan guarantee to fuel a solar panel project in Silicon Valley. SoloPower is one of the four U.S. panel manufacturers to receive loans under the Department of Energy’s $35 billion program that supports emerging clean energy technologies. There is financial concern about SoloPower’s start-up project because the same program to financially support SoloPower supported failed efforts of another solar power company, Solyndra. The companies use the same non-traditional raw materials in their solar panels, but SoloPower says it has initiated a strategy to differentiate it from struggling company’s like Solyndra.
Top 5 nations that use renewable energy
According to The Christian Science Monitor, the top five nations to use renewable energy are as follows:
1) United States (24.7 percent)
2) Germany (11.7 percent)
3) Spain (7.8 percent)
4) China (7.6 percent)
5) Brazil (5 percent)
