Geothermal Energy

Here's an interesting video on geothermal energy. Geothermal got touched on a few times in the class, but I feel like this video gives a little more insight to what we have learned. To sum it up, the video states that geothermal electricity is generated by pumping water down into the Earth and harnessing the resulting steam to power a turbine. Some of the pluses to using geothermal consist of not having to burn any fuels to generate electricity for the public, plus the fact that geothermal energy is always readily available-it doesn't depend on the sun being out or the wind blowing. One of the drawbacks is an increase in earthquake activity due to the drilling and water injection at geothermal plants.

Philadelphia Eagles Go Green

http://www.heatingoil.com/blog/green-sunday-philadelphia-eagles’-stadium-to-go-energy-independent1119/

I thought this was very interesting and a huge step in making renewable energy more well known and popular.

Electricity generating gyms Idea

Some reading this will notice that their comments were alongside my own, which is what this post is- how the idea of the gym I thought of could become possible.
Continuing the thought of having this equipment in a public area where anyone can use them by joining the gym, and paying a small fee, I would like to explain how this would work. Government sponsored gyms could pay for these facilities, which would be incredibly expensive and need a certain amount of investing to get started, would do the following: stimulate jobs, more efficient technology (if the electricity generated would even be enough to be stored and if so storing it to the most efficient way), getting the obesity problem down, so long as the cost of membership and availability of membership are appropriate, and also help awareness of electricity usage. For example: "Oh leaving the TV on while I take a shower wouldn't hurt," type of thought would be phased out if after a workout a person sees that they generated X amount of watts of electricity while leaving that TV on used this much. Also the more electricity generated a person would receive a discount on their membership fee or some sort of incentive system to generate its' popularity. Keeping in mind a professional would need to work out for hours a day to get maybe a few cents worth of electricity and the cost of an average gym membership, if using a discount system, it would not be possible for a person working out to profit, meaning cash, from working out- good news for the gym and those invested in them.

Turning Trees to Street Lights

Why spend space and resources to make and place street lights on roads when there are many perfectly good trees already around roads. A Taiwanese post-doctorate, Yen-Hsun Su, seems to have found a way to use gold nanoparticles to turn trees into street lights. By implanting these particles into certain plants, Su was able to cause a chain reaction that allows the chlorophyll to emit a red-ish glow. He along with his colleagues believe that development in bio luminescence efficiency may eventually lead to environmental protection and energy conservation. The idea is questionable, since Yen-Hsun claims that the use of bio-LED (light emitting diode) has environmental benefits by decreasing CO2 emissions yet these gold particles may effect tree health/growth. Whether or not glowing trees are reliable to light pitch-dark roads is also a problem. Nevertheless, with more research and development, it would be interesting to see our roads lit up by "nature" in a somewhat artistic way (look at the glowing tree picture).



http://www.gizmag.com/glowing-trees-using-gold-nanoparticles/16917/

Huge Gas Find in Israel

Israeli officials found an enormous field of gas about 135 kilometers off of their Mediterranean coast. After being largely unsuccessful in the nineties in their attempts to find oil, Isrealis finally found a decently sized (up to 22 bcm) gas field in 2004. Just this past year, they have found a much larger gas field (up to 453 bcm) now called Leviathan. Leviathan is on the norther edge of Israel's sea border and there has been much dispute over where the border actually is. (Between Israel, Lebanon, and Cyprus.) If Israel can keep hold of this newfound natural resource, they should be able to provide for their own energy needs, and export some gas to countries such as Greece. This would definitely increase Israeli security, and the wells would be completely underwater, manned by robots. This find has huge implications for Israel's international relations, as Greece could provide a jumping board for Israel to provide gas to other countries in the European Union.

Here's the article:

http://www.economist.com/node/17468208?story_id=17468208

Questioning the "Smart" in Smart Meters

Smart electric meters — those digital devices favored by utilities and efficiency advocates for their contribution to a more precisely and economically measured, monitored and managed electric grid — got a big boost last year with a $3.4 billion injection of stimulus cash. Over the last year, as utilities around the country have installed an estimated two million of the new digital meters, power companies have received plenty of complaints — and in some states have been hit by class-action lawsuits — most of them from consumers saying the smart meters are overstating their electrical usage.Using digital technology and computer networking, smart meters can transmit real-time data that is supposed to enable utilities to conserve electricity and better allocate power during parts of the day when overall demand is high. Utilities can also then vary the price for power, by time of day or time of year, based on when it is being used; some are already offering this option to customers.But because of faulty technology in some cases, and more often through general shortcomings in consumer education and customer-service support by many utilities, smart meters are leaving many customers dumbfounded. So how "smart" are these smart meters?

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/questioning-the-smart-in-smart-meters/?ref=energy-environment

Human Power

Throughout this whole semester we've talked about different ways of producing energy. From solar power, to wind power, to biomass, etc. but i don't think we've talked about how humans themselves can solve this energy problem. I don't mean walking or biking to work to save gas and energy. Nor am i talking about unplugging your electronics to reduce "vampire power." I am talking about actually using humans as an energy source! Depending on what you're doing you generate different amounts of electricity. Maybe we can't power an army of robots like on the matrix but we can power some devices. Perhaps using humans as batteries is too radical of an idea. but what about paying people to sit on a bike and pedal to generate electricity? These are just some ideas I've been thinking of. what do y'all think?

Google Gambles On Offshore Wind

"http://spectrum.ieee.org/podcast/green-tech/wind/google-gambles-on-offshore-wind/?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=110410" (Note: this is a podcast)

Google is making several calculated and risky bets on the future of technology. From computer-driven vehicles in California that do not require any driver interaction, to multi-billion dollar wind farms off of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. Specifically, Google is targeting the Atlantic seaboard from Virginia to New England. There, Google is installing an undersea cable to transport, as of yet un-built energy from wind farms, off of the coast. Many believe that Google's continued push with large investments in wind energy will jump-start the off-shore wind market and position Google to hold a near monopoly on off-shore wind during the first few years of the initial boom.

Because of the new nature of offshore wind, the legislative procedure has not been formulated for this type of alternative energy. This has caused an 8-year lag between the time the Cape Cod offshore wind project was put-forth and the time it will actually begin construction (now). I believe that given Google's cash flows and sheer size and history for innovation, their push might be what the off-shore wind movement needs to spur quicker turnaround. Furthermore, Google cannot wait 8 years for a return on its investment and I believe Google will avidly push for off-shore wind. Companies like Google have realised that diverse investments and markets make them more viable over the longer term and provide for more profit options. Hopefulyl other companies will begin to think outside of the box and help make America the global alternative energy leader!

How To Build the Supergrid

So I found this article on Scientific American quite interesting. Granted it is short, but it brings in a lot of the points that Dr. Webber made in class when we were talking about the various grid problems of the United States. For one thing, the implementation of a newer grid that uses most of the old grid is an excellent cost saving measure, but I think that the old grid should still get a bit of a makeover for the increased usage of renewable energy such as wind and solar. Another good idea is using DC for long range transmission of electricity. At the moment we have a redundant system of changing DC into AC and then back into DC for some of our household appliances. One thing mentioned in the article that I do not agree with is the formation of a giant grid that is used by the entire country. Now while this may sound like a good idea on paper, and would probably decrease blackouts, there would be many complications and potential risks. Connecting the grids would good, as long as there was an engineered way to prevent a blackout from one part of the grid from affecting the entire grid. Possibly some fail-safe switches where the grids connect would help alleviate some potential problems. Anyway, I found the comments below the article as interesting as the article itself. Several of the people make good points about the risks of the Supergrid.

Here is the link:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-to-build-the-supergrid

The Windstalk Concept

Although I'm unsure if this is planning on being implemented, I thought it was an elegant idea. The Windstalk concept was developed for the "Land Art Generator" competition this year. Designed to be an alternative to wind turbines, the Windstalks generate energy through a more natural process, namely by swaying in the breeze as a field of wheat might do. By eliminating the blades, the stalks decrease the risk of killing birds and bats, decrease noise, and are able to be placed closer together. As the stalks sway in the wind, electrical energy is generated by forcing a fluid through an array of current generating shock absorbers. They would also incorporate hydroelectric storage on a small scale for each stalk. The base would vary from stalk to stalk; this would direct water to certain areas and encourage plant growth. The stalks would also have LED lights on top; the brightness of the light would depend on the intensity of the wind. It's only a concept and still needs a lot of research before it can be implemented, but I thought it was a pretty cool idea.

http://www.gizmag.com/windstalk-concept/16647/
http://news.discovery.com/tech/wind-power-without-the-blades.html

Biofuel Breakthrough

Biofuels today are expensive. It's also hard to do and there are a lot of problems with the effects it has on the soil and water around the area where it is grown. Most importantly, it's not all that efficient. When this research began, we were hoping to find petrol, but instead found ethanol which stores less energy, can be corrosive, and also absorbs water. In America, we have devoted such a large amount of land to corn production that we have made the production of ethanol profitable. Regardless, the problem is still there that these huge surfaces of land are no longer producing food for human consumption. Cellulosic biofuel has been looked into, but has thus far failed because it fails to deliver, and still produces ethanol. Today there is a group of companies that are working together to change this. Instead of ethanol being produced, they are going to make hydrocarbons, which are molecules very much like those that already power our cars today. They will be call "drop-in" fuels because they can be put into any tank or pipe with no commotion. They also will be produced consistently by these genetically engineered bugs, so the market would be more stable. This break through could be what biofuels needs to become a stronger source of energy around the world. Right now, America is doing all we can to stay on top, even if it costs us all of our land. Before we have no good soil left to grow food, something must be done. This technology could provide the remedy.

http://www.economist.com/node/17358802

Terrapower

This is an excerpt from a TED video that I stumbled across recently. In the video Bill Gates discusses the future of the world and how climate change and energy innovation will be intrinsically linked in the coming decades. This part of the video specifically talks about research that is being invested in involving nuclear reactors that can make use of old spent fuel from traditional nuclear power plants. If this technology is a success it seems that it might solve a large portion of our energy problems. The overall message from the lecture is a very sensible one, if we want to avoid an energy disaster in our near future, we must start devoting large amounts of capital and research power to investigating solutions for our energy needs.

Navajos Hope to Shift From Coal to Wind and Sun

I found this article in the NY Times : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/science/earth/26navajo.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=coal&st=cse

There is a movement within the Navajo tribe to stray from using coal for power on their land and use renewable sources such as wind and solar. Earl Tully, a current Navajo housing official, ran for election for Vice President of the Navajo Nation on November 2nd. Mr. Tully was the first environmentalist to run for Navajo office. Tully represents a growing population of the tribe that favors a shift in focus from coal to a more sustainable source.

This movement is caused by financial, environmental, and tribal beliefs. While coal has been a great source of income for the people, it has been reported that their coal industry has declined 15% since the federal government has started to regulate emissions more closely. The Navajos also realize that coal pollution is harmful to their environment and their people's health. Also, some Navajos hold the belief that digging into the earth to harvest coal to burn is like cutting one's skin and is a "betrayal to the duty of protecting one's land".

The Navajo reservation in the southwest spans some 187 million acres of land and is home to north of 300,000 people. Provisions are already being made for a wind farm on the land to begin shifting from coal and on to renewables. It will be interesting to see how successful the Navajos are in this large task.

Solar Power Windows

The U.S. Department of Energy’s national lab has fabricated transparent thin films capable of absorbing light and generating electric charge over a relatively large area. The material, described in the journal Chemistry of Materials, could be used to develop transparent solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy to generate electricity. This new technology consists of specific semi-conducting polymers, which are combined with fullerenes, or buckyballs, to create a super conductive material that can absorb light and efficiently generate charge. This material is also highly transparent which would permit for the utilization of this material as “solar panel windows”.

Genesis Solar Energy Project

In the same manner as the newly approved Ivanpah Solar Project, which is projected to produce enough energy to power the equivalent to 140,000 average American homes, the state of California just recently approved another project to try to utilize the enormity of its deserts in another solar energy generating machine. California just approved the plans for a 250 megawatt Genesis Solar Energy Project. This $300 million dollar project will use parabolic-trough technology to make enough energy to power nearly 190,000 homes with construction being completed by 2013.

http://www.getsolar.com/blog/feds-approve-another-desert-solar-energy-project-in-california/13816/

Energy Subsidy Fiscal Policy

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592843603174132.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

As one could infer from the recent elections, the approval rating for the current government is very low. Not all, but a lot has to do with the economy. With the rising tension especially over the budget, the top financial advisers are working day and night to solve this issue. One idea being debated about is cutting funding and subsidies to the renewable energy industries. Obama's advisers explain this move because they say that essentially the tax payers are investing in these projects and they think that their money may be able to go further and have a greater impact elsewhere. If the government were to cut off spending in this area it would be detrimental because as we have learned the tax incentives go a long way and are a major contributing factor to the decision to invest in renewable energy or not. Not only would this be huge news in the renewable energy industry, it would also affect politics with all the lobby groups and influence in congress.

MIT developes oil-cleaning robots

I was reading over CNN's eco-solutions page and I stumbled across this article. It seems that some scientists at the SENSEable city lab at MIT created a machine/robot that swims through the water, attracting oil and repelling water. Supposedly it looks like an ice box with a conveyor belt attached to the back, but I'll let y'all be the judge of that! Each unit would cost $20k which actually isn't pricey compared to the cost of the damage control and man power needed to clean an oil spill. The robots are supposed to be sent out in swarms, covering a larger surface of water at one time, while each robot has a gps device that allows it to communicate with the other robots in the swarm, making sure they don't miss much oil. They are also able to hold up to twenty times their weight in oil, and then they are capable of bagging it and letting the backs float on the ocean's surface and be later picked up by someone and reused or they can burn the oil on the spot. These robots also run on solar power so they can just keep on working for a long,long time until human maintenance is required. There's more about them here: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/08/26/mit.oil.robot/index.html

Micro Wind Turbines for the Common Houseowner

Most wind projects that are installed today are large scale wind farms, that include more than 30 wind turbines. These wind farms are located in areas of high wind, which tend to be sparsely populated. These is similar to solar panels and how they are best suitable to remote desert areas. However, solar panels are being installed in residential areas to provide energy on a small scale. Wind turbines haven't caught on this trend due to noise pollution and visual impacts on the landscape. Is it possible to make wind energy work in residential projects? A company called Totempower Energy Systems has developed an idea to tackle this exact dilemma. They are developing micro-wind turbines which are made specially for residential and small commercial applications, with specialization in easy installation and close quarter operation. On top of that, Totempower makes it easy to own and maintain a micro-wind turbine. They claim that their turbines require no excavation to install, and run without extended maintenance. This works right into the hand a homeowner who wants to use wind energy and not deal with costly repairs and maintenance. The other aspect that Totempower offers is integrating the micro-turbine into the grid and into the home's electrical system. This lowers the overall cost for the homeowner because this one company is taking care of all these aspects. The homeowner doesn't have to research the best turbine, research how the grid integration will take place, find out the local regilations and discounts, or have to worry about installation. This deal sounds quite applicable on paper, but is it feasible in reality? Totempower claims that this turbine can produce significant electricity using a technology which allows for lower blade speed; however, is this a reputable claim? I think that this is an interesting field for wind energy in general, but it will take some actual implementation to decide whether turbines are suited to residential projects. People install solar panels on their roofs, so is installing micro-wind turbines in your backyard a good, economical idea for the future?

Source: http://cleantechnica.com/2010/10/30/new-micro-wind-turbine-company-makes-owning-wind-power-a-breeze/

Wireless Recharging for Cars

http://blogs.wsj.com/tech-europe/2010/10/29/electric-vehicle-drive-up-and-re-charge-scheme-unveiled/

You may have recently seen commercials for phone chargers on the television for a similar system; where you must simply place the phone, that is in a specially designed case, onto a pad and the phone begins to recharge its battery. Well a similar idea is being developed for electric cars using inductive power transfer to recharge the electric car's battery when parked. Essentially, there would be an induction pad integrated into the parking spot and a specially designed car, with presumably coils, to help generate the magnetic field from the parking spots current and thus in turn create voltage. The idea is rather well known as induction was discovered in the early 1800's, but applying it to the electric automotive field is still very new. I think this will become quite popular as it greatly increases the practicality of electric cars, as the tedious plugging and unplugging is eliminated. Although the technology will probably cost more, it is still a very unique concept as it further advances the utilization and practicality of the electric car closer to that of the petrol car. The idea is simple, but the scale is rather large and difficult. My concern is whether there are any safety issues that would deem this too dangerous a system? The electric car infrastructure is still relatively new, so if this is feasable to integrate it on a mass scale I think it is a great idea and may be another incentive for more and more people to purchase more environmentally friendly electric cars.

European Company Aims to Reduce Phantom Power Consumption

Electronic devices that are off, but still plugged in consume about fifteen percent of our homeowners' energy. "Steeper", an European Union backed initiative, is attempting to increase the efficiency of electronic devices by an order of magnitude and to eliminate "vampire" or "phantom" power that is completely wasted. They are focusing on the energy lost in transistors and nanowires to do this, and are combining efforts with IBM-Research Zurich and a polytechnic institute in Lausanne. Transistors that turn devices on and off are one area of study, where the researchers hope to lessen the amount of time it takes for the device to transition, which could cumulatively save a lot of power. They are also trying to limit the operating voltage of transistors to below 0.5 volts by developing new types of nano wires. With vampire power already consuming 49 terawatts a year, an amount that is expected to double within the next twelve years and triple within the next twenty, this could be huge area of savings for us all.

Here's the article:

http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2010-10/eu-backed-steeper-project-aims-make-electronics-10-times-more-efficient

New oil found in Brazil

In Santos Basin, Brazil, a new oil field that is projected to hold up to 15 billion barrels of recoverable oil was tapped into on October 29, 2010. Even though the actual oil predicted to hold is 7.5 billion barrels, Brazil has high hopes that from this new oil field, Brazil's current proven reserves of 14 billion barrels will be surpassed. Over the past two years, Brazil has discovered billions of barrels of oil in offshore fields, and experts estimate that more than 55 billion barrels of oil can be found in all of the fields combined.

Now, this article makes me wonder how much of the projections about how we are going to run out of oil in ten, twenty, or barely thirty years (depending on the source) is true. There are many oil fields that are untapped, undiscovered, and unpredicted. Even though the growth in the use of oil is more exponential than linear, there are continual news reports stating that new oil fields are found. In the Middle East, there are probably many many oil fields that are undiscovered due to the under development in those nations. I'm not saying that I'm against alternate energy, but is it really worth it to try to find an alternate energy source that can one day replace oil then? Of course there are other reasons to develop alternate energy, such as the negative environmental impacts oil drilling cause, but are the time and effort to develop new energies really worth it?

source: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/10/29/business-lt-brazil-oil_8059176.html

Some solar issues seen so far

Completely off topic, President Obama is appearing on the Daily Show as I post this. Now back on topic there have been a lot of surprising facts I had no idea involved with solar energy. Instead of looking for an interesting subject I'll just list those problems I came across. 1: The thing a guy from Meridian Comp. said about if there was a thin shadow across diagonally the solar panel the whole panel would shut down. 2: Very costly- To install, maintain, design, research, etc... 3: Compared to a fossil fuels solar, with an efficiency of 15-17% at best, cannot compete; it only looks good for the company to say they promote solar energies.

Cold Fusion Possible?

The future of sustainable energy lies in the development of cold fusion. The sun, as far as we are concerned, is a sustainable energy source. The problem is we can’t build equipment that can handle the immensely high temperatures that the sun uses to produce fusion. This is why the idea of cold fusion is so enticing. For many years cold fusion was believed to be impossible, until the report by Martin Fleishmann and Stanley Pons in 1989. The problem was that since then no scientist had been able to duplicate their results. Now the cold fusion discussion is being reopened. Fusion involves creating a helium atom from two hydrogen (deuterium) atoms, which releases a lot of energy. The problem is that as of now the reactor now needed to produce that reaction (the sun) cannot be recreated on Earth. There is hope though; a $12.1 billion cold fusion reactor called ITER is being built in Cadarache, France. The project began in 2007 and is expected to be completed around 2015. Scientists working on the project believe that it could produce commercial fusion power by 2040. There are still questions other than those surrounding the science of cold fusion. Even in the early experiments energy from fusion was given off in short, very high energy bursts. The real challenge is going to be converting the energy created by the cold fusion reactor into something that can be used by something small like a car. Cold fusion has challenges and complications like every other fuel source but the upside, when it is finally achieved and harnessed, is unbelievable. A completely self-sustaining energy source.

More on cold fusion: http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/ColdFusion/

ITER website: http://www.iter.org/proj

Clean energy industry looks ahead

The billions in federal stimulus dollars spent on expanding "green energy" industries and creating "green jobs" have provided a lifeline for U.S. wind and solar companies, but renewable-energy executives are worried that the future will not be as promising. Limited funding in one area, a slow ramp-up in another, prolonged negotiations over loan guarantees and the continuing economic slump have made it difficult for the industry to make the kind of progress Obama and many others had hoped for and imagined. The future outlook on the relationship between public policy and alternative energy technology seems dismal as more and more obstacles start to appear.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102303863.html

Fusion!!

Did y'all know UT plans to make a particle accelerator on campus? I know this because my friend was given an invitation to be part of the team that will develop and design the accelerator. when my friend told me about it, i thought to myself how we could use a particle accelerator to make energy? the first thing that popped into my mind was fusion!! fusion is a desirable energy source, because it inexhaustible and it doesn't produce any greenhouse gases. it does however make some radioactive waste but it is short-lived radioactivity. fusion works by taking two hydrogen atoms and combining them together to make a helium atom and a neutron. this extra neutron is what is converted into energy. as we know hydrogen is everywhere that is why fusion is inexhaustible. in fact given a gallon of water, it would be equivalent to 300 gallons of gasoline. unfortunately there is still a lot of research that needs to be done. wouldn't it be cool if we could research fusion here at UT!?

website: science.doe.gov/ofes/whatisfusion.shtml

Exxon Sinks $600M Into Algae-Based Biofuels in Major Strategy Shift

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/07/14/14greenwire-exxon-sinks-600m-into-algae-based-biofuels-in-33562.html

YouTube Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mAtvRA4MBA

The article I have referenced is a bit dated (printed on July 14th, 2009), but I feel that the topic is relevant to our recent class discussions and because I saw the commercial above while watching T.V. the other day. One of the main concerns with algae is it's viability, and the fact that Exxon has invested over $600 million (plus "billions of dollars more to scale up the technology and bring it to commercial production"). By doing so "Exxon Mobil's investment validates the sector" and could lead to more investment into algae and other bio-fuels.

Up until algae, Exxon had been shunning alternative energies. Kert Davies, research director at Greenpeace, said, "They've never done anything like this before -- invested real money in the renewables sector." However, Exxon Mobile's significant investment calls for "guarded optimism" because there are many different factors at play. For instance, enate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman said that a new law passed in 2007 to expand the national renewable fuels standard to reach 36 billion gallons by 2022 is "too restrictive and could freeze emerging technologies...such as algae-based biofuels."

Overall, I think that Exxon's significant investment in algae and biofuels is a good indicator that the entire fossil fuel industry recognizes that the future of oil is limited and that alternatives need to be sought-out before we run out of oil. However, will algae be the biofuel of choice, or will some other technology emerge to claim the mantle (and profit) of petroleum?

Las Vegas Death Ray

Last week in discussion we came across the topic of what happens when things that creates energy go wrong. Such as the dam video or the wind turbine video. But when we think solar panels, what could possibly go wrong? The Vdara Hotel Building at CityCenter in Las Vegas was actually given the name "Vdara Death Ray" because if someone was to stand in a certain spot during a certain time of the day near the hotel, they could be scorched and burned. It turns out that the building's curvy architecture and glass panels reflects sunlight and causes a big amount of sunlight to converge in one single spot, magnifying the power and causing temperature to rise. In this article, the employees even claim that the sun rays could melt disposable plastic cups made of polypropylene, which melts at about 160 degrees. What could happen if someone installed a solar panel that caused something similar? I think it is definitely an issue that may cause more regulations and precautions to take when installing solar panels.

Article Source: http://www.lvrj.com/news/vdara-visitor---death-ray--scorched-hair-103777559.html

BioPower Systems

BioPower Systems is developing technologies to harness wave and tidal energy. Their conversion technology systems have been designed to mimic organisms that have been adapting to the marine environments for billions of years. The systems were created to act as if they are a part of the ocean. They can be mounted on the ocean floor to operate automatically without harming marine life. The bioWave, BioPower's wave power system, mimics the motions of sea plants. The blades oscillate back and forth to absorb energy. Under extreme conditions, the system automatically lies flat. The bioStream, their tidal power system, mimics the motion of Thunniform mode swimming species (sharks, tuna, mackerel, etc.). By moving back and forth as if it were swimming, the generator in the bioStream can create electricity. It can be aligning in any direction and because the design is modeled after naturally occurring marine species, it is streamlined.

I highly recommend checking out BioPower Systems' website. There are pictures and animations of each of the systems.
http://www.biopowersystems.com/

Can Renewable Energy Make US Military Bases More Secure?

Ok so I am deviating a little bit from my normal solar power blogs, but this was a really interesting article, especially after that presentation on energy in the military. While it may be true that we cannot slap on solar panels on a B2 and expect them to power it, they can help power the base where the B2 lands. The DOD is applying alternative energy into a prospective $42 million project on a base in Hawaii that will allow for alternative energy to help power the base on a day to day bases and store some power for disaster scenarios. Whereas there will still be a few diesel powered engines for back up, this move shows that the military is now "thinking green" as well.Here is an excerpt:

"Starting this fall, the Pentagon expects to join forces with a coalition of other agencies and national labs to create the first installation-level "microgrid" technology. The end result will be cyber secure, it says.

The $42 million project -- assuming Congress approves the money -- will integrate energy from existing diesel-powered generators alongside alternative and renewable energy sources. It will help power an installation's day-to-day operations when the base is hooked up to the commercial grid and will also allow it to function independently of that utility grid, should the need arise."

The rest of the article can be read here:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-renewable-energy-make-us-military

Algae as a Biofuel Still Rough Around the Edges

Upon trying to satisfy some curiosities about algae energy after Friday's field trip, I stumbled across this article in ScienceNews: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/55665/title/Algae_as_biofuel_still_rough_around_the_edges

The article essentially states what our guide at the research center was telling us. Algae is a very promising method of producing energy, but is far too inefficient at this point to compete with other alternative fuels. ScienceNews reports that a study done by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville has shown that algae plants which use fertilizers to "feed" algae CO2 actually end up in the red for their carbon footprint. Furthermore, the article states that the only regions in which algae outperforms other crop productions such as corn or switchgrass is in land use and nutrient runoff.

The article proposes an interesting solution to the trade-offs of algae production. It states that, in order to minimize the need for CO2 and fertilizers to be fed to the algae crop, the algae plant could be located next to industrial facilities that emit large amounts of CO2, or wastewater plants that can provide chemical fertilizers to the crop.

Bank of America: Setting the Standard

In One Bryant Park, located in New York, the Bank of America has invested 20 billion dollars in their new skyscraper that could be the beginning of a energy revolution. This exponentially high cost is due to the buildings green features. The Bank of America Tower is said to be one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly business buildings in the world.

There are many aspects in the design of The Bank of America Tower that makes it the standard for commercial businesses worldwide. New York City gets approximately 4 feet of rain each year, and this tower captures that rain, and uses it throughout the building. Additionally, the building creates ice at night, when energy consumption is low, and uses that ice to cool the building during the day. It is projected that the building will reduce water and energy consumption by 50%. A 5.1 megawatt co-generation system is going to take on 70% of the tower's yearly needs, and around 3.4 million gallons of water will be conserved.

Not only does the this ingenious design help the environment, it also benefits the people inhabiting it. The building will filter clean air throughout the building, as well as allow a large amount of sunlight into working areas. This results in happier, healthier employees and customers. With happy employees, productivity is increased.

The Bank of America could be starting a trend of green integration into commercial buildings. By spending 20 billion dollars, they are making a statement, and that is that a change must take place around the world. We cannot revert our old ways. We have to start new, fresh, and enthusiastic if we want to make a difference in the direction buildings are headed. One building alone will not change the world, but it can provoke ideas and actions that could result in a revolution of green architecture and engineering that could make that change. The Bank of America is taking a step, and taking a stand.

http://environment.bankofamerica.com/article.jsp?articleId=Tower

Space Observatory (NASA)

The Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) was built from scratch, without the engineers having past experience to build something like this because it is so new. The ISIM can withstand temparatures as cold as 27 Kelvin (-411 degrees Fahrenheit). Jim Pontius said, "It is the first large, bonded composite spacecraft structure to be exposed to such a severe environment." This can be a great new observatory module for NASA. What do you think about the ISIM?

Check out more details and a clip at this Web Site

Plans for the Largest Wind Farm in the World

http://www.energydigital.com/sectors/renewables/13-billion-loan-develop-world-s-largest-wind-farm

The initial steps for creating the largest wind farm in the world were recently taken as announced by the U.S. Energy Secratary, Steven Chu. He publicized a conditional commitment for a partial gaurantee for the government loan of $1.3 billion to finance the Caithness Sheperds Flat wind project. The plans for the project include 338 wind turbines to be located in the eastern area of Oregon, producing 845 megawatts to be completely sent to southern California. The wind farm is predicted to reduce 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide annually and create jobs.

This is a major step in the current U.S. administrations, partly as a result of the Recovery Act, plan to make the U.S. a leader in alternative and renewable energies in the world and to double current production in this area. Such a project is definitely very expensive; however, it certainly helps stimulate the economy in still difficult times and once the wind farm is fully operational, it will be able to make significant contributions to the large energy demand of the west coast. The wind farm, if constructed obviously, will become one of the most significant and renown features of Oregon and the United States. It has tremendous appeal and fits perfectly into the green and clean energy movement. Hopefully, the wind farm is successfully installed and is not too controvertial amongst the locals.

Chevron Energyville

I found this cool game that is sort of like Sim City but with a focus towards energy. It is provided by Chevron and is a fun and quick way to learn about different energy options. You can probably play through the game in about 30 minutes. The objective is to optimize where your city gets its power from. Although the game is very short it can be replayed a few times as the crises that occur are random and will change each time you play. Be sure to click the "Learn More" buttons throughout the game to get info on particular energy sources. Click the picture above to play the game. The challenges that the player will face are the same things that governments and society as a whole are having to evaluate today as decisions along with compromises must be made with regard to our energy future.

"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange."A quote I came across while researching energy and found a sort of fantasy version of energy manipulation. Now on a more serious note, at least pertaining to the assigned post due; someone in class mentioned a light bulb on for over 100 years. It is a hand-blown bulb with carbon filament. Approximate wattage-4 watts. Left burning continuously in firehouse as a nightlight over the fire trucks it has now reached it's 109th continuous burning year. Just thought I would give some insight into this since I thought it was a myth at first. For more facts and research done go to http://www.centennialbulb.org/facts.htm

The effect of Wind Energy on local weather

Wind Energy is on the rise across the globe, with a big increase in the number of turbines installed in the U.S. in the last few years. With all energy sources, the big question is about the effect on the environment. The production of wind energy releases no greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. This article from the Scientific American was interesting because it referenced to a study that discovered that wind turbines change the air temperature around them. With global warming progressing, this could turn out to be a problem. But there are some points to be made about this report. The study was based on data from 1989, and the turbines used were very small, 23 meters in height and with blades that were just 9 meters in length. The study discovered that the air around the turbine was cooler during the day and warmer during the night compared to normal temperatures. But, they don't have any data for the huge turbines that are installed today, that are 4 times bigger than those in the study. Also, this temperature increase and decrease cancels out, so there is no increase in the overall temperature during the day. There is actually a positive that comes from this. Many farmers need warmer air temperatures during the night, because their crops will frost over if it gets too cold. So by hypothetically installing wind turbines on their farmlands, they can help avoid frost. While this isn't proven and with bigger turbines this effect is unpredictable without more data, this could be a positive effect on the environment. With wind energy predicted growing even more in the near future, the effects on the environment need to be looked at closely.

Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-wind-turbines-affect-temperature

$1.4billion Ivanpah solar project

"The developers of the $1.4 billion Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System have secured the last permit they need to build the facility in California’s Mojave Desert." <-- click for link

In California's Mojave Desert, Ivanpah project plans to build a 392- megawatt solar power plant over 3,500 acres of land. This power plant is projected to provide energy for 140,000 homes in California.

This projected is favored by many because it is a "clean energy." It is projected to have less pollution compared to the coal-plants currently used for energy, provide 1,000 jobs in construction, build a clean energy economy, reliable, and most of all, it's renewable.

Even though this may create another source of energy in California, is this worth it?

For the amount of land, destruction of the desert habitat, the loss of jobs after construction, and the high cost, is it profitable to deliver 2,600 mega-watt of energy to California's utilities?

Moreover, what if there's a better way to produce solar power tomorrow?

Using Jellyfish To Create Power

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/09/27/jellyfish.solar.power/index.html

Ok guys, here we have some scientists that are basically blending jellyfish like an episode of "Will It Blend?", but the end product is a lot more helpful than the things they blend on that show. They take the jellyfish goo, which is better known as green fluorescent protein (GFP) that basically acts as mini solar panels. They've found out that they can use enough to power a digital clock, which definitely isn't a lot of power, but the way that the power is generated through the solar cell has an amazing efficiency. This could potentially be used to power internal medicinal systems. This would be an insane breakthrough in biomedical engineering. But again, the harvesting of this power on a larger scale is going to take time and research, but it's definitely a possibility for the future. Scientists have also found a way to grow the same GFPs using bacteria, but without using jellyfish, which makes for a happy ending for PETA or whoever else is worried about the safety of the jellyfish population.

Algae Biofuel

http://www.exxonmobilperspectives.com/2010/07/14/the-next-phase-of-algae-biofuels/?gclid=CJ-tyPf6u6QCFcTt7QodtFU-zQ

In this video Ken Cohen, VP of public affairs for Exxon Mobil, briefly explains the prospect of growing algae for biofuels. This test facility that he is talking about is one so scientists can research the capability of algae providing affordable fuel. There are many aspects of algae that are beneficial and exciting for the future. For one, and most obviously it would lower dependence on fossil fuels. It also could reduce carbon emissions in its own production. Arguably the most beneficial aspect is that it does not require land or water suitable for agriculture which takes away the controversy in certain biofuels because they are taking away land from food production. The downside is that this does not seem to be a feasible possibility anytime soon being that Cohen said it would take much research and development to produce.

Just thought id include a fun fact that "According to an article posted on Yahoo! Finance, Exxon Mobil’s third quarter revenue of $99.59 billion is greater than the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of both the United Arab Emirates ($98.1 billion) and Kuwait ($52.76 billion)" (http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/oil-prices/exxon-mobil-posts-second-highest-quarterly-profit-ever)

Cleaner Cooking

In the developing world it is extremely common for people to die young. One of the causes of premature death in many ways is cooking. Women burn biomass fuels like wood or dung on an open fire to cook their meals, and tow their children along with them through the kitchen. Not only does this indoor pollutant hurt the people working in the kitchen, but it hurts our environment as biomass fuels release a lot of carbon into the atmosphere.

A company based in Colorado is now selling clean stoves at between $12 and $25 to these underprivileged people. This company, Envirofit, had to determine the right kind of material to use in their stove that would not burn up too quickly, and through research came up with an iron-based alloy that is the cheapest and best material. They have sold over 150,000 stoves in India, one of the main places where population density and low wages have limited development.

These stoves will increase longevity in places like India and also decrease the amount of pollution an average family puts out, because they cut harmful emissions 80% from traditional cooking fires. They also cut cooking time in half and use 60% less fuel, giving women more time to do things other than cooking or searching for fuel.

Read the full article-- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/business/energy-environment/30iht-rencook.html?_r=1

Black Light Power

Well in case you guys didn't look into Black Light Power further after we talked about it in class. Here's a brief video of an overview of blacklight published by CNN. Black Light Video . The energy does not literally come from "BlackLight". It actually comes from a chemical reaction with hydrogen. Although others have found ways to use hydrogen as an energy source, BlackLight Inc. Claims that they have found a new form of hydrogen known as "hydrinos". That's where the controversy begins. In chemistry class we all learn about how atoms are at levels of n="positive integer". But the claimed "hydrinos" apparently is hydrogen at the level of n= 1/2 or 1/3 or even 1/4 etc. If this is true though, then we can utilize the hydrogen in water in order to create energy!

Salt Water as an energy source?

So this guy, John Kanzius, was looking for a way to cure cancer, but in the process he ended up finding a way to burn salt water as a fuel. He uses radio waves to burn the water. Considering how much salt water there is on planet earth, we could power everthing with this new energy source. Plus we won't have to worry about running out of salt water there is a lot to go around. And if you are unfortunately far away from the cost and you can't get salt water, John say getting tap water and putting salt in it works just as fine. this new energy source would be very helpfull to us. but already there are poeple saying that it wont work, there are some skeptics. the skeptics point is that this process of burning salt water with radio waves, is not that big of a breakthrough. they also point out that it is not that efficient because the process is putting a lot of radio wave energy and only getting small amounts of heat. I think that if we can get this technology to work we could solve all our energy problems.

website: http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55934

Sunshine to Petrol Project

Several U.S. national laboratories and the DoD are working on a sunshine to petrol project that will convert solar energy to liquid fuel. The proof of concept for this new technology involves first splitting CO₂ and H₂O with a solar-driven chemical heat-engine. This is accomplished through a prototype device called a Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (CR5), which will break the carbon-oxygen bond in CO₂ to form just Carbon monoxide and oxygen.

Second, the CO and H₂ are synthesized from syngas to gasoline with the conventional, already in-place infrastructure. Lastly, CO₂ and H₂O are recaptured from the atmosphere by selective absorbers and the cycle begins again. This project could lead to the chemical synthesis of gasoline from solar products (such as solar panels) as well as conventional chemistries and would keep the end-user nearly immune to changes. People will still pump a "gasoline-like " substance into their vehicle, however, the source of the substance will be the sun. Currently, the major hurdle of this project is the need for more research and development in the area of the CO₂ absorber in order for the project to become economically viable. Researchers of the device say that this project is a good 15 to 20 years away from actually being on the market. However, the wait may very well be worth it given that this project holds real promise of preserving options to keep using fuels we know and love.

Source:https://share.sandia.gov/news/resources/releases/2007/sunshine.html

MARS

Meet the Magenn Air Rotor System, or MARS. Created by Magenn Power, MARS is a new technology for capturing wind energy. This inflatable wind turbine tethers to the ground. can reach winds 1,000 feet above the ground, and operates in a larger range of wind speeds than traditional wind turbines. It can be deployed quickly, deflated, and reused without heavy machinery. It is also bird and bat friendly and has relatively low noise emissions. This new turbine address many of issues associated with traditional wind turbines. By reaching a higher altitude, it can harness more reliable wind. It allows for more choice in placement by offering the option to reposition it. Environmentalists' concerns for bat and bird populations are also addressed in this design.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OSrTKklGOI

Luhmenhaus is Virginia Tech’s 2010 entry to the Solar Decathlon Europe competition. It delivers a brighter way to live, literally and figuratively. Lumenhaus uses technology optimally to make the owner’s life simpler, more energy efficient and less expensive. On the edge of responsive architecture, Lumenhaus can operate completely self-sufficiently, responding to environmental changes automatically to balance energy efficiency with user comfort. Lumenhaus is a zero-energy home that is completely powered by the sun. Other sustainable features inside the use of passive energy systems, radiant heating and building materials that are from renewable and/or recyclable sources. I think that sustainable architecture is a great technology with actual potential to improve our use of clean, renewable energy. Realizing that the construction and operation of buildings consume the majority of the world's natural resources and energy, and contribute the bulk of landfill waste, sustainable architecture could be a way to improve the deterioration of our natural and energy resources.

Solar Cell Making Bot

Ok this is super cool. I am getting more interested in solar power now. The people at the National Renewable Energy Lab have created a robot that can not only make solar cells in record time, but also test the solar cells it has made while moving on to the next batch. This one-stop solar cell making process reduces the chance of malfunctioning or destroyed solar cells. This means that solar cells would become much more cost effective. Also, there would be no question as to the quality of solar cells due to the fact that EVERY SINGLE ONE will already have been tested by the robot. However, I have some doubts about President Obama's hope to get solar power to become cost-competitive with coal and fossil fuels by 2015. Five years is a long time but not long enough for solar to compete with fossil fuels. I am also interested in these new CIGS solar cells. If they are truly 20% efficient, then solar cells would become cost effective enough for household use.

Read for more info: http://www.nrel.gov/features/20100319_cigs.html

Fuel Cells in the Future?

Recently fuel cells have become a highly talked about subject because of their ability to provide the same energy has fossil fuels with virtually no emissions. Fuel cells convert stored chemical energy into electricity. The chemical energy comes from a fuel source, usually rich in hydrogen like methane but natural gas is common as well, which is converted to chemical energy and then passed through some electrolyte or catalyst, depending on the type of fuel cell. This technology is exciting so many people because fuel cells could potentially replace power plants. This appeals to environmentalists as well because of the reduction of hydrocarbons put into the atmosphere. So why aren't fuel cells the obvious choice for energy? Economics. So far the fuel cell is not cost effective except in industrial cases, like the Bloom Box powering the Yahoo building in California. The goal of scientists currently developing this technology is to make fuel cells cost effective for individual consumers. With the goal of fuel cells powering homes, cars, and even larger appliances we could be on our way to an energy revolution within the next ten years.



For more information on fuel cells (especially watch the video): http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/fuel-cell.htm

Electric Cars for Everyone

There are now various options throughout the market for hybrid vehicles from many different manufacturers. But the realm of zero emission electric vehicles is still a quite small one. No manufacturer currently produces an electric only car on a large scale, but that is soon to change with the release of the new Nissan Leaf. Nissan has received overwhelming amounts of interest from the public with 20 thousand reservations for purchase being made before the car has even been set out for retail sale. The cars engine is comparable to a 100hp ICE and has an estimated range of about 100miles. It seems like Nissan has put a lot of thought into this car and knows their target market well, integrating many of the features into this car that their audience is looking for. The car manages to justify its $33,000 price tag with an intelligent array of electronic gadgets that many consumers are coming to expect from a mid range car. Coming in at a price point close to vehicles of similar quality, the Nissan Leaf could prove to be a very cost effective mode of transport for many people. Almost every aspect of the car despite range is on par with conventional gas powered automobiles, this is made possible by recent advancements in battery technology that seem to have a good outlook for the future. If such trends continue it appears that the electric car will have a chance at surpassing fossil fuel vehicles in a short amount of time. For more information on the Leaf visit Nissan's website.

Soccket: Revolutionizing the Game

Soccer is the world's sport. The game's more than 3.5 million fanatics resides in most all of the world's countries. Across the globe kids gather around a single ball and enjoy hours of daily activity and community with there fellow players. Additionally, for many children living in underdeveloped nations, soccer temporarily frees them from their day to day rituals, tasks, and issues. When the game is over though, sadly 95% of kids in African countries go home to houses with no lights, no fridge, and no electricity (World Bank Millennium Goals Report, 2006).

The Soccket is an innovation with the potential to help change this. The Soccket is a soccer ball that uses an inductive coil mechanism to generate energy which can then be used to power a lamp and even charge a cell phone. Though still in the prototype stages of development, Soccket carries remarkable potential and could immensely change the lives of families across the world.

By harnessing kinetic energy, after only 15 minutes of game play, the Soccket can charge a LED lamp for three hours. With this high amount of energy capture and capability, the effects would be tremendous. Some children alone spend hours juggling a ball. After play, they could go home and use the electricity they generated to study or make a phone call that otherwise would have been impossible. The Soccket will not only improve home environments in these third world countries, but can also open up education options to children by expanding their time for studying. With the right advertisement and distribution, the Soccket can drastically improve the lives of children, expand their futures, and change the faces of nations around the globe.

This video goes into Tidal Energy's method of harvesting energy in the ocean. It should be said that the video is a promotional clip for Tidal Energy (the company, not tidal energy as a whole) so the trustworthiness of the video may go down a few notches. However, I found a lot of the information in this video to be pretty entertaining.

To sum up the video, Tidal Energy presents the advantages of their method of harnessing the ocean's underwater currents to generate electricity. They state that the ocean's current is renewable and sustainable, and their machines do not harm the underwater environment. One very interesting point to me is the fact that sea water is much denser (832 times denser) than air. This makes a great point for the implementation of tidal energy on the ocean floor. An ocean current is very reliable and will most always be in motion (unlike wind). Also, a little flowing sea water is equal to a much greater amount of flowing wind. The video does not belittle wind power, but I just found it easier to appreciate the facts about tidal energy when it was compared to another source of energy. One large advantage of using the Davidson Hill Vanturis turbines is the fact that they are completely underwater. This way, there is no defacement of an ocean scene as ell the equipment is out of sight. This opens up a lot of doors for Tidal Energy as they would most likely meet minimal opposition whenever they would want to install their turbines in a new location.

The Davidson Hill Vanturis is said to be the most efficient and environmentally safe underwater turbine on the market. It can be used in a variety of environments that include oceans, rivers and streams. The turbines can be directly inserted into the grid to supply electricity as a primary source, or lessen the burden of other energy sources to provide electric power to the public.

The Battle of the Bulbs

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/the-battle-of-the-bulbs/

Edison's creation of the traditional incadescent light bulb resulted in a revolution in humanities daily actions and methods. The lightbulb obviously allowed for all to be able to see in the dark, which allowed for the possibility of greater productions and prossibilities as work days and leisure hours could be extended. The regular traditional and inefficient incadescent lightbulb is still the primary choice of light-source after over a 100 years, as 3 our 4 lightbulbs in America are generally incadescent. However, there are many other more efficient and, unfortunately, more costly alternatives.

The specific relating topic I would like to bring to attention (as seen in the article) is the newly introduced Better Use of Light Bulbs Act. This piece of legislature would essentially remove the current standard of minimum efficiency for light bulbs. The reasoning behind this is that the minimum standard that was established in 2007, largely restricted the production of incadescent light bulbs and consequently cut many jobs in this sector of the United States.

The issue at hand is the conflict between producing light bulbs at a cheap production cost or rather more energy efficient and technologically advanced light bulbs at greater cost. As can be understood the perspective varies. What is your opinion on whether or not this act should be passed, and furthermore what kind of light bulbs must be produced?

I believe I would be against this act; as with the bigger picture in mind, retaining the minimum effeciency standard for light bulbs is a positive step forward in creating an environmentally friendly and long lasting human civilization. The issue is economic (as most things with green and efficient motives), as large initial investments would be necessary to construct an effective production facility and sale prices would be higher. I think removing the efficiency standard would be a step backwards and may not even compensate the job loss that was resulted in 2007. The amount of energy used by the United States (and the world) for just lighting is enormous and there can be huge savings in energy and in terms of money by making energy efficient light bulbs the standard. The long-term durability and savings can compensate for the initial higher paying price.

Thank you for your time, Cheers.

Is PetroAlgea the next primary fuel source?

Petroalgea is a very interesting fuel source. One of the things i found fascinating was that the micro-crops absorb carbon dioxide emissions. This means they can capture carbon dioxide emission from factories and use it for the micro-crops, as stated in this video, which is a great thing because carbon dioxide is a big problem. This video is convincing to me that petroalgea will be the next primary fuel source. Not only does it does this process produce fuel, but also food. This process consists of topics about "physics of light management combined with biochemistry." So is petroalgea the next big thing, or is it over hyped?

-Also check out this web site

Myth 9: Solar Power Will Never Pay For Itself.

"Solar panels are certainly expensive—about $100 per square foot for a typical installation—but eventually, you're destined to end up on the positive side of the equation." Time is the relative factor in the cost equation, also type of panel you buy, but it's just that which causes people to turn it down. The majority of people are near sighted and cannot see the big picture. Time of payback is shortening as technology advances and efficiency goes up, and, with the best current technology, will pay itself off within a the first year says Burr Zimmerman. Not a 100% if this is what a blog entree is it seems more or less like a rant but here it is. To know more myths of energy go to: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/debunking-myths-about-nuclear-fuel-coal-wind-solar-9

Renewable Energy From the Deep Ocean

ALTERNATE ENERGY by ColibriEnergy's Channel

This video talks about a renewable energy, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) process. OTEC process makes energy through using the temperature difference between the cold water from the deeper part of the ocean and warm/hot water from the surface of the ocean. The cold water cools down propane and as propane evaporates, the warm water warms the propane back to its liquid state, and through that energy in the form on electricity is made. However, the OTEC process is limiting to only certain areas because cold water and warm water has to be close enough to be accessed on land.

This video states that one area that this energy may be possible is at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico since deep water with depth further down than 3,000feet only 2miles away from the coast. The video also states that with 40 OTEC plants around the island, all electrical need in Puerto Rico will be met without ever using coal, gas, or oil. Sounds like a good solution? Well, the video makes it sound like it is; however, then why is this process not an ongoing process right now? If you pay close attention to this video, this OTEC power plant 30ft diameter pipe. It might not sound too bad, but you must consider this. Puerto Rico is a huge tourism-based U.S. territory, and Puerto Rico boasts many beautiful beaches, snorkeling sights, and fragile habitats in the ocean. Also, don't forget that 40 of these plants need to be made to meet the electricity demand. Moreover, the video does not state the pollution, amount of propane needed, and the impact of construction. If this OTEC plant gets in the way of the natural habitat in this ocean in any way, there will be people trying to stop this.

It's like what Dr. Webber said few lectures ago, there is a solution to any kind of problem, but too many things get in the way for the solution to be implemented.

Aptera Electric Car

To start out with, y'all should take a minute to look at the Aptera electric car, if you don't already know what it is. Moving on, the Aptera is a really good idea for an electric alternative to the normal cars, trucks, SUVs, and other various modes of transportation. It plugs into a normal outlet, allowing easily accessible charging stations. It also has the power to accelerate from 0-60 MPH in ten seconds which is relatively good for an electric car let alone a normal car! Yes, the design is still pretty spacey looking, and yes, you'd probably get a lot of stares while driving to HEB, but hey, at least you know you're saving not only the environment, but also some money on gasoline! The only problem with these electric cars is that it's going to take a while to phase gasoline/diesel vehicles out of everyday life, and phase the new electric cars in. Then there's the problem of using more electricity, and then we'd have to compensate for that by generating more energy, and then the renewable energy sources would come in, and now I'm just rambling. Sorry!
Anyways, thoughts on this car or even electric cars in general?