Geothermal Heat Pump

Geothermal installation on University of Michigan's North Campus

Over the last few weeks, we've noticed lots of activity near the Ann Arbor Farmerrs Market.  Craig later spied a sign explaining that a geothermal heat pump system installation was underway.

Wikipedia has a good explanation of geothermal here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heat_pump

Astrid

Hydro Power in Ann Arbor?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says it is strongly considering adding hydroelectricity capabilities at Argo Dam, shown here, as well as at Geddes Dam further downstream, giving hope to proponents of saving Argo Dam.

Ann Arbor.com reported today that

Jeffrey Means, energy manager for the VA's Veterans Integrated Service Network based in Ann Arbor, sent a letter to Mayor John Hieftje and City Council members on Friday. In it, he expressed the VA's interest in using the two dams to power the nearby VA hospital on Fuller Road.

"The VA has determined that the project concept has some value and has taken some steps to determine if the VA believes this project merits funding," Means said, adding the decision will be made by VA officials in Washington, D.C. "VA lawyers and Army Corps of Engineers lawyers are working on this project now to determine if the VA should move forward."

The VA commissioned a study through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the feasibility and economic benefits of installing hydroelectric power stations at Argo and Geddes — dams that started their lives nearly a century ago and once provided hydropower. The study was completed in late September, validating a previous study commissioned by the city.

See full story here http://www.annarbor.com/news/feds-considering-installing-hydropower-stations-at-argo-and-geddes-dams-in-ann-arbor/

Interesting.  Does anybody know if the wind turbines on top of the VA center work?  It seems that everytime I bike past there, the turbines are standing still.

Astrid

China's Three Gorges Dam reaches maximum capacity

The Associated Press announced today that China's Three Gorges Dam reached maximum capacity.  See full story here.

BEIJING – Water rose to the maximum level at China's Three Gorges Dam on Tuesday, driving electricity output to full capacity at the world's largest hydropower plant for the first time since it began operating two years ago, its operator said.

That marks the culmination of the mammoth $23 billion project on the upper reaches of China's longest river, the Yangtze, touted by the government as the best way to end centuries of floods along the river basin and to provide energy to fuel the country's economic boom.

But the project has had major environmental impacts and its construction displaced more than 1.4 million people. Some geologists also warn that raising the water level of the vast reservoir carries a heightened risk of landslides, earthquakes and prolonged damage to the river's ecology.

Construction of the 410-mile (660-kilometer) -long reservoir began in 1993 and it began storing water in 2003, but the dam was only finished in 2006.

Power generation is expected to reach 84.7 billion kilowatt hours.

Astrid