Green Power Island

 Three industries you ought to consider careers in.  The first are industries with high transaction costs (i.e., the medical services industry) - - apply IT and process improvements to reduce the cost of a transaction.  Amazon is basically changing an industry by reducing transaction costs - - just ask Borders.  The second area are industries with high resource waste and resource inefficiencies (i.e., your basic light bulb is only about 1% efficient in the context of the entire system - - from power plant to living room) - - apply innovation and basic economics.  Technology service companies and contractors are upgrading buildings at zero upfront cost to owners - - you collect your money over the typical three year payback period.  The third area relates to those industries (i.e., wind farms) that are in need of off-peak energy storage - - one alternative would utilize a simple combination of water and gravity to capture off-peak power and release it at times of high demand (another good example of energy needs water and water needs energy - - one system, not two).

Green Power Island is an example of a company that is integrating the ideas of alternative energy (i.e., wind) with hydropower bulk-energy storage.  The concept comes from Gottlieb Paludan, a Danish architecture firm, together with researchers at the Technical University of Denmark.  The idea involves building artificial islands with wind turbines and a deep central reservoir.  When the wind blows, the energy is used to pump water out of the sea.  When power is needed, seawater is allowed to flow back into the reservoir, driving turbines to produce electricity.