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You know what NH needs? Laser scarecrows! - Granite Geek
When your job involves thinking of a new topic for a newspaper column every single week of the year, your ears perk up when an intriguing phrase floats by. And you can’t get much more intriguing than “laser scarecrows for New Hampshire farmers.” I hit the phones when I saw that in an N.H. Agriculture […]
Offshore wind coming (slowly) to the Gulf of Maine - Granite Geek
From the feds: On April 30, 2024, the federal Interior Department announced its proposal for a first offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Maine. The proposed sale would include eight lease areas offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, totaling nearly 1 million acres, which have the potential to generate approximately 15 GW of energy, enough […]
Silver lining from a crummy winter: Lower peak of energy need - Granite Geek
This past winter in New England was several degrees warmer than usual (details depend on where exactly you are) and only had one real cold snap, which was terrible from the point of view of outdoor sports, wildlife and anybody with any sense. On the other hand, we needed to use less electricity for heating. […]
Electric school buses are about to hit the road in NH - Granite Geek
he era of electric school buses has finally arrived in New Hampshire bringing less pollution, less road noise and maybe even students who are less rambunctious. “Anecdotally it brings the noise of the students down on the bus, because they’re not shouting over the engine,” said Rachel Lane, vice president of Electrification & Sustainability at […]
NH patents through April 28 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through April 28. *** System and Method Improving Inbound Leads and Phone Calls Processing in Sales and Marketing Engagement MICRO MACRO ASSETS, LLC, Salem, New […]
Raw milk is always a bit risky; H5N1 makes it riskier - Granite Geek
With the H5N1 virus (bird flu) showing up in milk from some U.S. cow herds (although not in NH so far), a question arises: What about raw milk? Pasteurization kills off viruses – that’s the whole point – so is there a risk of getting bird flu or related illness if you drink raw milk […]
Maine one-ups itself on giant 3-D printer making wood houses - Granite Geek
I wrote last December (here) about the 3-D printer that the University of Maine has developed to print out a house, saying that a bigger one is coming. It has arrived, as the Associated Press reports: The world’s largest 3D printer has created a house that can cut construction time and labor. An even larger […]
Are dandelions good or bad for pollinators? Yes. - Granite Geek
From UNH Extension: The sunny yellow flowerhead of the common dandelion is a familiar sight in New Hampshire lawns. Although long regarded as a pervasive weed, it has gained more positive attention in recent years for its potential to provide an early spring food source for generalist pollinator species. But does it? The Movement to […]
NH patents through April 21 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through April 21. *** Rod End With Locking Device for Struts ALBANY ENGINEERED COMPOSITES, INC., Rochester, New Hampshire has been assigned a patent (No. US […]
28 years after an ‘e-mail course’, a professor ponders change - Granite Geek
More than 28 years ago I interviewed Kenneth Levasseur, a professor at UMass-Lowell, about his innovative new project: A math class via email. In the resulting column I noted that the course, the school’s first official online class, would have students answer questions sent by Levasseur, use email to “pepper him with questions and comments” […]
Anti-vax bills get approval from GOP in NH House - Granite Geek
A couple of anit-vaccine bills are making it through the GOP-controlled NH House. One would remove all vaccine requirements (including polio!) for children entering daycare or private kindergarten (HB 1213), leaving it in place only for public school, while another (HB1194) that tries to sidestep vaccine requirements by changing the definition of “noncommunicable disease”, removing […]
Forest streams are so pretty; too bad they’re such a pain to measure - Granite Geek
One of my favorite parts of hiking in New Hampshire is coming across a rushing brook or mountain stream. They are one of nature’s most beautiful creations. But we live in reality so I realize there are complications even when things are beautiful. For example, I don’t drink any water in the White Mountains untreated […]
Vt. electric airplane gets trial run in New Zealand - Granite Geek
Air New Zealand has chosen the first demonstrator route for its all-electric Beta ALIA aircraft, which is made by a startup in Burlington, Vt., of all places. (This is the company that put the electric-plane charger in Manchester, as I wrote about recently.) The carrier will use Wellington Airport as its home base for the […]
Timber harvest vs. carbon credit in northern forests - which is the better income? - Granite Geek
The state has rejected an interesting proposal to change the way the huge, 146,000-acre Connecticut Lakes Headwater Tract of forest in northern New Hampshire, saying that a plan t o emphasize getting paid for keeping trees upright to store carbon takes away too much of the forestry that is the traditional economic benefit of the […]
NH court: You can't deny solar arrays just because neighbors think they're ugly - Granite Geek
From New Hampshire Bulletin:In a unanimous decision last week, the NH Supreme Court court overturned the Franklin Planning Board’s denial of a solar project that met the city’s zoning ordinance but was opposed by neighbors who argued it would ruin the scenery and bring down their property values. Then, in a move not often seen, the justices […]
UNH uses moose influencers as a research tool (well - sort of) - Granite Geek
From UNH News Service: Even though they are a major draw for tourists, and important for forest habitat, moose are shy and can be a challenge to track to help protect from adversities like certain forest and land management and environmental factors like the increase of winter ticks. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire […]
NH patents through April 14 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through April 14. *** Electronic Circuit for Measuring an Angle and an Intensity of an External Magnetic Field ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC, Manchester, New Hampshire has […]
Science Cafe NH: The reality of forensic science - Granite Geek
Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes of a criminal investigation? Join us for a look into the world of forensic science! Our panel of experts from law enforcement and the State’s medical examiner’s office will share their insights and experiences using cutting-edge techniques to solve crimes. Forensic Science: Finding the Underlying […]
Eclipse cut N.E. solar by 4,000 MW (more or less) - Granite Geek
From ISO-New England: As expected, the April 8 solar eclipse led to a steep and significant decrease in solar energy production, but due to extensive planning by ISO New England operators, the event caused no disruptions to the power system. Portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine were in the eclipse’s path of totality, while […]
NH needs EVs, cries a bunch of ... wait, ski areas? - Granite Geek
Interesting op-ed piece in the Concord Monitor, chastising New Hampshire’s leadfoot legislators for being so backward on establishing public charging sites for electric vehicles. It’s from folks involved in the state’s ski industry and the pitch is entirely economic: “Tourists who drive EVs are avoiding us!” EVs are often showcased as a critical solution to […]
Even if NH dodges the worst climate disasters, we won't dodge the cost - Granite Geek
By the standards of the world’s increasing climate disasters – the tornadoes, wildfires and deadly heat waves that fill headlines every week – the back-to-back snowstorms that just clobbered New Hampshire’s power grid weren’t too bad. But don’t get complacent. Even if we dodge the worst climate effects of a changing world, we can’t dodge […]
Science Cafe NH: The reality of forensic science - Granite Geek
Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes of a criminal investigation? Join us for a look into the world of forensic science! Our panel of experts from law enforcement and the State’s medical examiner’s office will share their insights and experiences using cutting-edge techniques to solve crimes. Forensic Science: Finding the Underlying […]
Eclipse cut N.E. solar by 4,000 MW (more or less) - Granite Geek
From ISO-New England: As expected, the April 8 solar eclipse led to a steep and significant decrease in solar energy production, but due to extensive planning by ISO New England operators, the event caused no disruptions to the power system. Portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine were in the eclipse’s path of totality, while […]
NH science around the eclipse with balloons (big ones) and ham radio - Granite Geek
Next Monday I will be lazing around while watching the solar eclipse up near the Canadian border, having received assurances that there will be no clouds whatsoever, but some folks around New Hampshire will be approaching the event more seriously as part of two national distributed-science projects. In northern Coos County, students from Plymouth State […]
NH patents through March 31 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through March 31. *** Water Vapor Distillation Apparatus, Method and Systems DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Manchester, New Hampshire has been assigned a patent (No. US […]
Maine could be the Saudi Arabia of seaweed in cow feed - Granite Geek
UNH researchers found a lot of interest among dairy farmers in Maine t supplementing feed with seaweed to reduce their herd’s methane emissions from burps (about 14% reduction). Its combination of small dairy farms open to organic markets and an existing seaweed-farming industry that’s pretty robust by modern standards makes it a very suitable target. […]
Can New England preserve its forests and also make better use of them? - Granite Geek
A new report calls on New England states to permanently protect roughly 70% of the region’ slandscape—a significant increase from the 25% currently protected—while expanding sustainable forest management across two-thirds of New England’s forests. The report is by researchers from the University of Vermont (UVM), Harvard Forest, Conservation Science Partners, University of Massachusetts, and Brandeis University. […]
NH startup is trying to re-invent the compressor (which would be a big deal) - Granite Geek
It’s a long, long way from prototype to actual product that affects industry, but this startup in Peterborough (of all places) has a plausible-sounding technology in the form of a heat pump turbocompressor “that can replace conventional turbocompressors used in any machinery that creates cooling, such as refrigerators, dehumidifiers, freezers and air conditioners, in both buildings and in […]
80% carbon-free electricity in New England on Sunday - Granite Geek
At noon on Sunday, ISO-New England reported that electricity being used in the six states came from these sources: That means that of 13,801 MW total consumption, 11,090 MW or 80% was releasing no greenhouse gas at all. Hooray! Sunday is a low usage day and it was cool, breezy and sunny, perfect for wind […]
Solar, batteries coming to NH coal plants, but coal isn't leaving yet - Granite Geek
The region’s last coal-fired power plants, located in Bow and Portsmouth, are expected to add large-scale solar power and battery-storage under plans put forward by their owner, Granite Shore Power, marking New Hampshire’s first big transition into 21st-century electricity production. “We’ve been planning this for the last six years,” Jim Andrews, president and CEO of […]
Feb. cyber attack still big problem for NH health care - Granite Geek
A cyberattack on a company that provides back-end services for hospitals and other health-care providers, including approving types of care and processing payments, is still affecting patients and providers throughout New Hampshire and the rest of the country, according to the state Insurance Department. The cyberattack, overseen by hacking groups known as ALPHV/BlackCat, hit Change Healthcare, a subsidiary […]
A very big (by US standards) wind farm coming off Mass. coast - Granite Geek
The folks behind Vineyard Wind, which is in the process of building the first big (800 MW) offshore wind farm in the US* south of Martha’s Vineyard, have put forward a proposal to build a very big (1.2 GW) wind farm a little bit further out to sea. Details (such as they are) are here. […]