Ethanol for Alternative Fuel

Ethanol can generate energy when used in internal combustion engines similar to gasoline. Ethanol fuel is the same type of alcohol that people drink. A renewable biofuel alternative for internal combustion engines it is one of the most adopted biofuels in existance. The United States and Brazil produced 89% of the world’s ethanol in recent years. Ethanol can be produced large scale using fermented sugar or hydrating ethlene. It can even be made from petroleum. It is extremely simply to manufacture ethanol from common crops. There is an additional source of ethanol being developed that will produce it from algae.

The most common production fuel is crops that could otherwise be used as food such as sugar cane and corn. This has led to concerns over using ethanol as a fuel because of the impact it has the global markets for certain crops. Cellulosic ethanol is a new experimental form of ethanol that aims to alleviate this concern.
Cellulosic ethanol can be made using any plant material. This means an expansion in the types of crops and waste of agriculture that can be used to produce ethanol. When this new form of ethanol production is perfeted ethanol could become very widely adopted as the primary concerns over the fuel source will be eliminated.
As additional bonus to using any biofuel like ethanol is that the carbon emissions during combustion are negated or nearly canceled out by the carbon uptake during the crop growth. Future biofuels such as fourth generation biofuels might even be carbon negative taking in more carbon during production than is expended with use.
There is no doubt that ethanol is a viable alternative and renewable energy fuel. However, there are some things to keep in mind. Let’s recap the advantages and disadvantages of ethanol fuel.
Pros of Ethanol Fuel
* Using crops as an energy source makes ethanol a renewable energy.
* Vehicles have been sucessfully converted to ethanol.
* Cellulosic ethanol will solve the food market problems ethanol has.
Cons of Ethanol Fuel
* Not very resistant to water contamination and can be corrosive.
* Cellulosic ethanol hasn’t been completed yet so the food crop problems still exist.

Plastic to Energy

Plastic can be used for energy in a few different ways. The most obvious way and one you’re probably quite familiar with is recycling. This saves tons of energy in the form of materials and labor used to harvest them. However, what I’m more concerned about for this article is converting plastic into oil and using synthetic oils to create plastic. Both of these are relatively new concepts that have only been tested in laboratory settings. Commercial scale operations are still quite a ways off. With the abundance of plastic that ends up in landfills and the ocean though this could be a great new alternative energy source. Especially if oil created from waste plastic could be refined to produce gasoline and other useful hydrocarbons.

First let’s talk about converting plastic into oil.
There are a handful of facilities that produce oil from waste plastics and they all use different techniques. One company is using catalytic pyrolysis to convert plastics. A single “module” or building unit can produce over 700 litres of oil out of every ton of plastic waste that is processed. The entire system can process between 200 and 400 tons in a month so there is a considerable amount of oil that can be obtained. If more plastic needs to be converted then additional buildings can be built. The system is designed to be self contained so additional units can be built for expansion.
Here is a video fly through of a waste plastics to bio oil facility located in Korea. Skip ahead to one minute where the actual facility part starts. Although it’s lacking descriptions it is pretty clear what the process is.

Creating plastic with synthetic oil or artificial oils.
This is a very new technique that is only just starting to be used for commercial development of oil and plastics. The idea behind it is actually quite simple. Biomass with specific bacteria added will break down into gasoline or diesel fuel. Overall the goal is to eventually be able to produce a variety of hydrocarbons which plastics could be made from. Right now the company that is bringing this into production plans to have products on the market by the second quarter of 2009.
In addition to creating plastic from synthetic oil there have been a variety of attempts to replace plastic with other materials. For example, a company is using wood sawdust chemically altered to produce a plastic like material. Cullulose has been used to create plastic bottles and bags that are also biodegradable. All of these technologies will have a place in replacing and updating our ideas of what plastic should be used for.

Fourth Generation Biofuels

Fourth generation biofuels is a term that I’ve seen presented as various different technologies so it’s hard to really define exactly what these fuels are. One definition of a fourth generation biofuel is crops that are genetically engineered to consume more CO2 from the atmosphere than they’ll produce during combustion later as a fuel. Another definition is genetically engineered crops similar to the ones just mentioned but combined with synthesized microbes that will convert the biofuels produced into even more efficient fuel. For example a plant could be grown then converted into a fuel which is then exposed to a microbe that changes it directly into gasoline. Yet another definition is genetically modified or synthesized microbes that convert CO2 in the atmosphere directly into usable fuels.
With all these different definitions of what a fourth generation biofuel is its no wonder that it can be so hard to find a solid explaination. The answer is that no one really knows what a fourth generation biofuel is yet except everyone seems to agree it involves genetic modifications.
However, even though it involves genetic modifications that can’t be the sole definition. Let me recap the different biofuel generations for you. First generation biofuels are the fuels currently in use such as biodiesel. Second generation biofuels are similar fuels but produced from non-food crops. Third generation biofuels are genetically modified crops that capture more CO2 from the atmosphere resulting in a carbon neutral fuel. This third generation is why fourth generation has to be more than simply genetically modified crops. So, what is a fourth generation biofuel then? I would define a fourth generation biofuel as biofuels that result in a negative carbon impact when combusted.
Since third generation biofuels result in a carbon neutral impact and many examples of a fourth generation biofuel mention more carbon being consumed than is released during use this seems like a suitable definition.
The idea of a carbon negative biofuel is an extremely good one if you’re concerned about the effects of global warming due to CO2 levels in our atmosphere. Not only would it allow us to have a renewable non-food crop based biofuel for various uses but also cut down on global warming so it’s a sort of double whammy. I’m personally not convinced global warming is due to increased CO2 levels but it’s good to know there are viable solutions already reaching laboratory enviornments and not just stuck in theory.

Solar Electrical Power

Solar electrical power works by the conversion of light into other forms of energy. When you think of solar power the first thing that comes to mind is probably solar panels being used to generate electricity. This is known as photovoltaics. However, solar power is used for a lot more than just generating electricity.
Solar power has been used throughout human history for a variety of things:
* Heat engines: Concentrating light to generate heat to drive an engine.
* Space heating: Converting light to heat and trapping it inside buildings.
* Water distillation: Purification of water using evaporation.
* Water heating: Converting light to heat for warming water.
* Photovoltaics: Conversion of light to electricity for a variety of uses.

We’ll be focusing on how photvoltaics work here as I imagine that’s what you’re most interested in. More specifically our focus will be photovoltatic panels. There are in fact multiple types of photovoltaic energy sources though. So, what is a photovoltaic solar cell (PV cell) and how does it convert light to electricity? Quite simply they rely on the photoelectric effect. This is a quantum electronic phenomenon where electrons are emitted from matter after electromagnetic radiation is absorbed. Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation.

Light hits the solar panel and is absorbed by a semiconducting material like silicon. Some of the light is reflected back and lost but a special layer designed to reflect light back at the cell recovers some. Electrons (negative charged) come loose from their atoms (photoelectric effect) allowing them to flow through the material.
Solar panels have a special composition that only allows these electrons to move in a single direction. Now that this negatively charged electron has come loose in its place is a positive charged “electron hole” which flows in the opposite direction. The electron and “electron hole” move in their respective directions until reaching metal plates which are connected. This action creates direct current electricity.
The amount of knowledge that goes into understanding all the details of how solar power works could fill a book and many books exist that cover them more extensively. Check out the environmental impact of solar power as well. However, the above information covers all the basics of know about how photovolatic panels work. If you want to learn more about how solar panels work wikipedia has an excellent detailed explaination that goes very far into the science of each individual part.
I hope you’ve found my explaination helpful and have learned something here today. If you’re interested in other forms of photovoltaic energy you should look up concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) or fresnel lens sterling engines.

Bio Butanol Fuel

Bio butanol fuel can generate energy when used in internal combustion engines similar to gasoline. However, for a variety of reasons it may actually be better than gas. First, let’s talk about compatibility with existing vehicles though. The air to fuel mixture ratio is 11.2 compared to gasoline which is 14.7. The energy content of Butanol is 105,000 Btu per gallon compared to gasoline’s 114,000 Btu per gallon. This similarity between air to fuel miuxture and energy content means conversion of existing vehicles would be very simple.

You can mix Butanol with gasoline in small ratios and use it in most unmodified vehicles meaning even without a direct Butanol conversion you can use it as a fuel source. This would be a great way to use an alternative fuel in your car without needing to purchase anything but the fuel.

Production of biobutanol can be achieved using biomass as well as from fossil fuels. There is no chemical difference between biobutanol or petrobutanol. It is even possible to create biobutanol using solar energy with the help of algae or diatoms.

Butanol tolerates water contamination and is less corrosive than other gasoline alternatives. Additionally, because of its low vapor pressure point and a high flash point Butanol is safe to handle, transport, and use at high temperatures.

There are some problems with the use of butanol as a energy source. Let’s recap both the positives and negatives of butanol as a fuel.

Pros of Butanol

* Can be produced using a few renewable energy sources.
* Simply conversion to adapt gasoline vehicles.
* Safer and easier to implement than other gasoline alternatives.

Negatives of Butanol

* Requires a fuel flow increase in order to make up for the roughly 10% decrease in energy content compared to gasoline.
* Some fuel systems won’t run butanol without some modification except at low ratios to gasoline.
* Gas gauge will probably read wrong either positive or negative.
* Exhaust from combustion of butanol is more toxic than normal.

The current energy landscape means that butanol will probably be reserved as a fuel source except if we were to run out of oil/gasoline supplies. However, it is an interesting alternative fuel and a renewable one at that.

Nuclear Waste: Solved

By Nick Hodge |

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Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Glass has been on the minds of many lately.

For a while yesterday, “Gorilla Glass” was the most popular search trend on Google, after Corning (NYSE: GLW) began touting the shelved 1962 invention.

Until now, there's been no market for the super-strong glass that's hard to break, dent, or scratch, and that's three times stronger than chemically strengthened soda-lime glass when half as thick.

Analysts say the product is about to undergo a multi-billion dollar bonanza as electronics companies buy tons of it to make frameless TVs thinner than a dime.

And that's not even the most exciting glass story hitting the wire...

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The $54 Billion Cleantech Surprise... No News Outlet Covered

You won't see the full story reported on CNBC, MSNBC, or even FoxNews.

But tucked away in the southwestern corner of Idaho, a $35 million power company prepares to announce the greatest advancement in the history of nuclear power... and with it, instantly receive billions of dollars in federal funding.

By the time their news hits the press, however, early investors could easily pocket as much $32,000.

Click here for the full story.

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Secretive startup turns nuclear waste into glass

Bill Gates has said we need “energy miracles.” And he's poured millions into developing a nuclear reactor that can run on depleted uranium for up to 100 years without fueling.

As Gates works on the reactor side, another company is taking on the waste.

Kurion, widely described as a secretive startup, has developed a way to store nuclear waste in glass or ceramics through a process called vitrification.

The technology could bring the United States into the 21^st century regarding nuclear waste. (We've been doing it the same way — with the same worries — for over half a century.)

And the company has street cred: CEO John Raymont spent 25 years at a nuclear waste management company that was acquired by EnergySolutions (NYSE: ES) in 2007, and VP of technology is Gaetan Bonhomme, formerly of glass behemoth Saint-Gobain.

The advisory board counts both Patrick Moore — founder of Greenpeace — and former Governor Christine Todd Whitman as members.

In a very real and profitable way, nuclear energy is entering a new era. If Obama's $58 billion in loan guarantees to build new plants didn't give it away, the presence of names like Gates, Whitman, and Moore should.

And while you can't get a piece of Gates' venture, TerraPower, or Kurion just yet, I've found an equally exciting opportunity that everyone can get a piece of — but that's being suppressed by major news outlets.

Nuclear's next big name

Only a few companies are unequivocally associated with nuclear power: Areva and Westinghouse, to name two.

The next company that'll reach this status trades for just $0.65, and only a handful of well-informed investors are paying attention to it.

But the three things I'm about to tell you will soon give it a very high profile; a Bloom-Energy-on-60-Minutes type profile.

First, it's signed on with a well-known nuclear company to manufacture and distribute portable nuclear reactors. They can be taken almost anywhere on a flatbed truck to create large amounts of power in remote or grid isolated locations.

Second, it's signed an exclusive deal with a Chinese nuclear corporation to sell nuclear desalination reactors on a global scale, and has already received interest from dozens of countries.

Third, the company will soon be listed on a major U.S. exchange, like the NASDAQ or NYSE.

But the biggest catalyst of all — the one that could send this stock from penny oblivion to a household name — is the one that no news source is fully reporting.

And that's why I've penned a full investor briefing on the company.

I want you to learn about changes coming to the nuclear industry. I want you to learn about what the media isn't telling the public.

But most importantly, I want you to learn more about this company before the story is blown wide open.

Call it like you see it,

Nick

Salt Bridge, Baterai Organik dari Kentang Rebus

Seandainya wilayah pegunungan Dieng belum terlistriki, mungkin masyarakat di sana bisa menerapkan terobosan yang dibuat oleh ilmuwan-ilmuwan di Yissum Research Development Company Ltd., sebuah perusahaan yang berfungsi untuk mengkomersialisasikan teknologi hasil riset Hebrew University di Jerusalem.

Perusahaan tersebut memperkenalkan baterai organik hasil riset para peneliti di Hebrew University yang dibuat dari kentang dan telah mendapatkan perlakuan khusus guna meningkatkan kemampuannya dalam menghubungkan oksidasi dan reduksi dalam sel galvanik atau biasa disebut salt bridge.

Profesor Haim D. Rabinowitch dari Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, mahasiswa riset Alex Golberg dari School of Computer Science and Engineering, keduanya dari Hebrew University, bersama dengan Profesor Boris Rubinsky dari University of California di Berkeley, pada dasarnya bermaksud mempelajari proses elektrolitik yang terjadi pada organisme hidup untuk diterapkan pada berbagai aplikasi.

Dalam risetnya mereka mendapati bahwa menggunakan seng dan tembaga yang dipasang pada kentang yang direbus menghasilkan listrik hingga 10 kali lipat dibanding kentang yang tidak direbus. Dari hasil analisa biaya, baterai kentang bisa lima hingga lima puluh kali lebih murah dari baterai komersial 1,5 Volt.

Jika Anda tertarik untuk mencobanya, silakan Anda melakukan sedikit eksperimen dengan berbagai jenis umbi-umbian atau buah-buahan, karena menurut para peneliti tersebut semuanya bisa menghasilkan listrik dengan syarat perlu diberikan perlakuan khusus terlebih dulu agar bisa menghasilkan listrik yang cukup besar.

Sumber : Planet Hijau