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Posts tagged Energy
Photosynthesis strictly for plants? no longer
Aug 23rd
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have developed an artificial photosynthetic material, which uses sunlight, carbon dioxide and plant/algae enzymes to produce sugars, later converting into ethanol and other biofuels. The design for this material is based of the foam nests of the Tungara frog. This foam has energy efficient advantages over typical photosynthetic materials, where the plant uses some of the energy for its own livelihood. About 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide are converted to biomass every year, so imagine the energy possibilities.
Use what you have. Rwanda has an exploding lake
Aug 21st
Rwanda’s Lake Kivu is on the doorstep of Nyurangongo volcano, making the lake’s waters the secret hiding place for thousands of years worth of volcanic gases. The Rwandan government recently built a power plant on the lake’s shore, producing 3.6 megawatts of electricity. This is enough to power more than 4 percent of the country. Doesn’t seem like much, but plans are to utilize more of the Lake Kivu’s dynamite power to provide one-third of the country’s energy needs. There are worries that as global warming increases, the warmer surface temperatures of the water could release the toxic gases. But if the plant keeps using and providing an outlet for the toxic gases, this will prevent a dangerous build up of the gases underneath the lake’s surface.
It’s not just solar power, it’s solar fuel
Aug 18th
Since 2008, a European organization led by Athanasios Konstandopoulos at the Centre for Research and Technology in Hellas, Thessaloníki, Greece, has been operating a 100-kilowatt pilot plant that generates hydrogen from a combination of sunlight and steam. It’s now found that the same technology for this pilot plant can also be used to split carbon dioxide molecules. The resulting carbon monoxide can then be combined with the hydrogen to form a hydrocarbon fuel. The creation of hydrocarbon fuel will mean few changes to cars and other energy infrastructure, a break for those hesitant on moving toward alternative energy sources. This new process would make better use of the carbon dioxide that’s already being produced by this pilot plant and could lead to the development of a hydrogen economy.
Stop zombies and go green! A two-for-one deal
Aug 14th
Less carbon-intensive that cremation and less susceptible to the living dead than burial, Belgium is considering the process of resomation to dispose of human remains. Resomation is a water and alkali-based process that turns bodies into a mix of liquid and minerals. It uses less energy than cremation and emits significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The process leaves behind soft bones and some liquid, which can be put into urns for family members.
The environmental issues surrounding burial methods are outlined in a recent article in Chemical and Engineering News. Bodies prepared for burial are often injected with formaldehyde and other chemicals that could get into the ground and water. Cremation requires a large amount of fuel to sustain the high temperatures needed for the process, generating an average of 573 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per body.
The environmental issues surrounding burial methods are outlined in a recent article in Chemical and Engineering News. Bodies prepared for burial are often injected with formaldehyde and other chemicals that could get into the ground and water. Cremation requires a large amount of fuel to sustain the high temperatures needed for the process, generating an average of 573 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per body.
To Recharge Battery, Just Blow Air
Aug 12th
Scientists at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland have developed the world’s first battery fueled by air. This battery has 10 times the storage capacity of conventional batteries and could pave the way for changes and innovations in things like mobile phones, laptops and electric cars. It’s much lighter than current batteries as the main chemical in traditional batteries, lithium cobalt oxide, is replaced with carbon and oxygen. This also helps to recharge the battery as it’s used, perhaps signifying the death of the phrase, “my battery’s dead”. Professor Peter Bruce of the Chemistry Department at the University of St Andrews, said in the Telegraph: “The benefits are it’s much smaller and lighter so better for transporting small applications… Storage is also important in the development of green power. You need to store electricity because wind and solar power is intermittent.”
Sustainability: Sanyo’s Solar Ark
Aug 12th
How do you get everyone’s attention towards what solar energy has in store for us? By building an “Ark” of course. Sanyo’s done that with its Solar Ark – a really big building in Japan intended to educate people about their relationship with this planet. The Ark is constructed over an area of about 3300 sq. meters and spans 315 meter.
The Ark is covered with 5046 solar panels over 7500 sq. meters of surface area. Thats a lot of energy! Every year the money equivalent of electricity costs to support the building if run by conventional sources is funded by Sanyo to keep the Sanyo Environmental Fund going. Sanyo Environmental Fund is used to fund conservation activities. Apart from generating about 530,000 KWHr of electricity, the building also reduces carbon emissions by 167 tons and saves about 120,000 liters of petroleum a year. Images after the break.
Ideabing Is Green, Two Times Over
Aug 6th
Ideabing signed up for the Greenscroll certified program to become one of the greenest blogs on the planet. All carbon emissions caused as an effect of the servers we use are offset by investment in green technologies and carbon neutralization efforts (read plant trees). Today we go one step ahead by signing up for the Carbon Neutral Blogs Program run by Stock Dislays UK.
These fine English folks will help Ideabing become one of the greenest blogs on the planet by making our blog double green. We post this badge, they plant a tree for us. Good deal eh? If you are a blogger head here to get your own Green Blog badge.
Vacuum Dry Your Clothes. You are Living in 2010
Aug 2nd
Now that your clothes dryer is wasting a lot of energy and the world is harping about global warming there is something you have a reason to consider this one. A dryer designed by Niko Klaeber dries your clothes using vacuum. Now this is what happens – the dryer sucks the air out of the drying chamber, spins the drum around and you get super dry clothes out of it. All this at a much lower air temperature and eventually lower electricity consumption which you can put to use to charge your EV wirelessly. Pictures after the break.
Hey, Now We Have Wireless EV Chargers
Jul 30th
TThink only the iPhone can be charged wirelessly? Evatran has released the first wireless “Car Charger” for your plugin EV. This tech works thanks to magnetic induction via a wireless charging tower and an adapter on the car’s charging port. 2 drawbacks – 1- its wireless, so expect some energy loss while charging. 2- it will take out about $4300 of green from your pocket before a $2000 tax refund. But come on, do you want to bend you back and plug that wire into the car everyday? Guess the loss of green is worth it. So much for wired power! Wireless power is the way of the future and I think technologies like these will keep the world on track for wireless power. Remember the wireless induction charging article we had posted some time back? Link to the trial program and images after the break.
UPS Pushing Carbon Neutral Shipping To Customers
Jul 28th
UPS was already working hard at making its clients greener via its Eco Responsible Packaging Program but now it’s pushing carbon neutral shipping to companies. This means that your company can ship guilt free via UPS. This is how it works – you pack the stuff you want to ship, choose the carbon neutral shipping
Extreme DIY: Steam Powered Battery Charger
Jul 27th
We are not surprised. When people can run nuclear fusion reactors at home, there sure can exist some old school tech lurking somewhere in the corner. We have stumbled upon a steam powered battery charger. Before you start cutting yourself up with a butcher’s knife, read up all the low tech involved here.
The steam engine used is a 1903 C&BC 6 HP steam engine. Apparently the builder wanted freedom from fossil fuels and hence the choice of motor. This engine when combined with a custom built coil charges up a 48V battery bank. Enough for those blackout days eh? Hit up the source link after the break for full details.
Forget Solar Panels. Solar Balloons Are Here!
Jul 24th
Now getting a watt of energy out of a solar panel is one. How about getting 400 watts of output? Yup, a company called Cool Earth Solar is making solar balloons that can harvest 400 times the energy compared to conventional solar cells. These “solar concentrators” focus energy using the curved shape of the balloon on to a solar cell. What this means is that a lot more sunlight gets concentrated on to a solar cell compared to regular solar power plants. The balloon is made out of cheap or even free materials like plastic, aluminium and filled with regular air. Now lets start creating megawatts of energy alright? Image of the balloon after the break.
EADS Flies An Aircraft On Algae Based Fuel Successfully
Jul 23rd
Remember the Algae based jet fuel that was supplied to the US Navy for testing? Well, EADS – makers of Airbus have successfully flown an aircraft fueled entirely by an algae based biofuel. The aircraft – Diamond DA 42 New Generation is a small twin prop airplane. The company claims that the aircraft can be dubbed “low emission”. Yeah,we know that – if you are taking off 85% of the emission from the equation, it is indeed a low emission plane.Images of the plane after the break.
Sustainability: Algae Based Jet Fuel For The US Navy!
Jul 19th
Oh well, another feather in US Navy’s cap this one is. Continuing with its tradition of incubating and promoting high end sustainable technologies, the US Navy has just been supplied with 1500 gallons of jet fuel derived from Algae. The company that manufactured this fuel – Solazyme, has many other algal-based fuels to its credit,
