NewNergy

NewNergy discusses the latest inventions, innovations and breakthroughs in the energy & environmental sciences.

New Device to Make Energy Efficient Biofuels

Posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 posted by posted by Mak @ 3:04 AM

A team of scientists from the University of Sheffield, UK, has developed an innovative device that will make the production of alternative biofuels more energy efficient.The research team has adapted a unique bioreactor for use in the production of alternative renewable fuels, to replace fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel.

The team have devised an air-lift loop bioreactor which creates microbubbles using 18% less energy consumption. Microbubbles are miniature gas bubbles of less than 50 microns diameter in water. They are able to transfer materials in a bioreactor much more rapidly than larger bubbles produced by conventional bubble generation techniques and they consume much less energy. The team's unique adaption of the bioreactor and creation of microbubbles has the potential to revolutionise the energy-efficient production of biofuels.

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Printable Lithium-polymer Batteries to be Used with a Flexible Solar Battery

Posted on posted by posted by Mak @ 12:46 AM

A research group led by Advanced Materials Innovation Center (AMIC) of Mie Industry and Enterprise Support Center is developing lithium polymer batteries that can be manufactured by printing technology.

The sheet-shaped battery is to be used with a flexible solar battery or display and to be attached to a curved surface. When used with a solar battery formed on a flexible substrate, it will lead to a device that will be used as a power generator and a power storage unit.

Since the battery will be manufactured using printing technology, it will be possible to reduce the thickness of the battery and its cost since it will be possible to produce it by roll-to-roll production method.

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Engineered Tobacco Leaves to Produce More Biofuel

Posted on Monday, January 4, 2010 posted by posted by Mak @ 8:27 PM

Researchers at the Biotechnology Foundations Laboratories at Thomas Jefferson University have found out a way to increase biofuel production from tobacco plants by engineering two genes, which increase the oil in tobacco leaves.

The researchers have identified two genes - the diacyglycerol acytransferase (DGAT) gene and the LEAFY COTYLEDON 2 gene. Plants modified to over-express these genes produce more oil. While a typical tobacco plant contains about 1.7% to 4% of oil per dry weight, engineered plants carry about 6.8% of oil, which can be converted into biofuel.

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Synthetic Enzyme to Help Capture CO2 from Coal Plant Emissions

Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 3:22 AM

New Jersey-based Carbozyme is taking help from the human blood to develop a system to capture CO2 from mixed gas emissions for later sequestration.

An enzyme in our blood captures about two pounds of CO2 every day and converts it into bicarbonate for easier transportation to the lungs. The same enzyme then works in reverse and converts bicarbonate into CO2 gas that we exhale. Carbozyme is trying to develop a synthetic enzyme that does the same but at a much larger scale.

The idea is to coat porous tubes with the synthetic version of the enzyme and let it capture CO2 from smokestack gases as they pass through the tubes. Based on lab tests, the system should use about a third less energy than other methods, while avoiding the hazardous chemicals typically used for the same process.

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Stanford Scientists Create a New Energy Source: Paper Batteries

Posted on posted by posted by Mak @ 1:12 AM

Stanford University scientists discovered a way to turn paper covered with ink containing silver and carbon nano-materials into a “paper battery”. That’s right—a battery made out of paper. What’s really amazing is that this battery might have quite the variety of uses, ranging from electric vehicle power to laptop computer use. There is also the possibility that a paper electronics line may crop up in the future.

Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences noted that “taking advantage of the mature paper technology, low cost, light and high-performance energy-storage are realized by using conductive paper as current collectors and electrodes”.

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Dutch Breakthrough in Bioethanol Production From Agri Waste

Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 3:22 AM

With the introduction of a single bacterial gene into yeast, researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands achieved three improvements in bioethanol production from agricultural waste material.

The invention is enthusiastically summarized by the principal researcher Jack Pronk: ‘In the laboratory, this simple genetic modification kills three birds with one stone: no glycerol formation, higher ethanol yields and consumption of toxic acetate’. For the potential billion liter ethanol gain to be realized, follow-up research on the transfer of this concept to industrial yeast strains and real-life process conditions is required. The Delft yeast researchers, who applied for a patent on their invention, hope to intensively collaborate with industrial partners to accelerate its industrial implementation.

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South Korean Engineers Develop New Solar Cell Material

Posted on posted by posted by Mak @ 2:35 AM

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) team led by Ha Jang-ho successfully fabricated the single crystal material made from cadmium, zinc and tellurium (CZT) to a diameter of two inches.The compound has a high energy bandgap that permits sensors to operate without additional cooling systems at room temperatures.

Global demand for the CZT compound is on the rise since it can be used to make radiation sensors to detect cancer growth, space telescopes, and solar energy cells.

The global market related to various sensors using radiation stands at around US$1.1 billion and is expected to grow 10 percent annually in the near future. Of the total, CZT sensors make up US$30 million, although it is growing at a faster pace compared to other arrays.

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Solar-collecting Method to Cool Buildings

Posted on posted by posted by Mak @ 12:37 AM

University of California, Merced officials are trying a new method of cooling buildings. By concentrating solar collectors, temperatures of 400 degrees are achieved. When this technology,which is developed by professor Roland Winston,is operational,the solar array will heat an environmentally friendly mineral oil that will be circulated through a system of tubes connected to "cooling machine" that will produce cool water and, finally, cool air.

UC Merced was awarded a $2.25 million grant from the University of California Office of Research to be the lead agency in the California Alternative Solar Technologies Institute.A demonstration will take place in a couple of months and the system will be used to cool a 16-by-12-foot trailer, he said.

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A New Solid Catalyst to Reduce Costs of Biodiesel Process

Posted on Monday, November 16, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 10:58 PM

Biodiesel Magazine reports that a study of Catilin Inc.’s new T300 solid catalyst process saves biodiesel producers 13 cents a gallon over a traditional catalytic process, and up to 19 cents a gallon if you figure in capital expense savings.

The T300 heterogeneous catalyst is nontoxic and can be a direct replacement for conventional catalysts used in biodiesel production. The drop-in solid catalyst operates at industry standard pressures and temperatures and is removed with filtration. As a result, current producers can retrofit their plants in a matter of days at very low cost. Another key advantage is that the glycerin coproduct has purity greater than 98 percent and qualifies as technical grade, which significantly enhances its overall value.

Catilin is commercializing the research done in developing the new catalyst at Iowa State University in Ames and the U.S. DOE’s Ames Laboratory.

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DOE Funds Innovative Energy Research Projects

Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 2:32 AM

Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy ("ARPA-E") selects 37 projects to pursue breakthroughs that could fundamentally change the way we use and produce energy.

Some of the innovative projects selected for awards include:

  • Liquid Metal Grid-Scale Batteries: Created by Professor Don Sadoway, a leading MIT battery scientist, the all-liquid metal battery is based on low cost, domestically available liquid metals with potential to break through the cost barrier required for mass adoption of large scale energy storage as part of the nation's energy grid. If successful, this battery technology could revolutionize the way electricity is used and produced on the grid, enabling round-the-clock power from America's wind and solar power resources, increasing the stability of the grid, and making blackouts a thing of the past. And if deployed at homes, it could allow individual consumers the ability to be part of a future "smart energy Internet," where they would have much greater control over their energy usage and delivery.
  • Bacteria for Producing Direct Solar Hydrocarbon Biofuels: Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a bioreactor that has the potential to produce a flow of gasoline directly from sunlight and CO2 using a symbiotic system of two organisms. First, a photosynthetic organism directly captures solar radiation and uses it to convert carbon dioxide to sugars. In the same area, another organism converts the sugars to gasoline and diesel transportation fuels. This development has the potential to greatly increase domestic production of clean fuel for our vehicles and end our reliance on foreign oil.
  • CO2 Capture using Artificial Enzymes: The funding will support an effort by the United Technologies Research Center to develop new synthetic enzymes that could make it easier and more affordable to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and factories. If successful, the effort would mean a much lower energy requirement for industrial carbon capture and significantly lower capital costs to get carbon capture systems up and running. Success of this project could substantially lower the cost of carbon capture relative to current, state-of-the-art amine and ammonia based processes. This would represent a major breakthrough that could make it affordable to capture the carbon dioxide emissions from coal and natural gas power plants around the world.
  • Low Cost Crystals for LED Lighting: Developed by Momentive Performance Materials, this proposal for novel crystal growth technology could dramatically lower the cost of developing light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are 30 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs and four times more efficient than compact fluorescents. This higher quality, low-cost material would offer significant breakthroughs in lowering costs of finished LED lighting, accelerating mass market use, and dramatically decreasing U.S. lighting energy usage. Lighting accounts for 14 percent of U.S. electricity use.

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Hydrogen-powered Mobile Phone Chargers

Posted on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 9:53 PM

Scientists from Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute recently unveiled a charger powered by hydrogen.According to the scientists, the device can recharge a mobile phone battery in two hours without being plugged.Tsau Fanghei of the research team says they “hope the hydrogen-powered device can replace current mobile phone recharge systems in 2012.”Fanghei says the team will continue to improve the new technology until it is ready for use. This research is part of Taiwan’s efforts to become a major player in the global hydrogen fuel cell industry, and to lower its energy import rate that is currently at 98%.

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Biofuel to be Made from Bacteria

Posted on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 12:33 AM

US - A team of researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are attempting to engineer biofuel-producing microbes from Rhodococcus bacteria — soil-dwelling microbes that eat a variety of toxic compounds.The aim of Professor Anthony Sinskey's team is to make an organism that produces biofuel, which can use a variety of fuel sources.

According to a Cleantech report, the bacteria strain is related to the type that causes tuberculosis and the researchers say it works well because the bacteria are hungry for a number of sugars and toxic compounds and produce lipids that can be converted to biodiesel.They have created a strain of the bacteria that can eat a mix of two types of glucose and xylose, and have also engineered strains that can feed on glycerol, a waste product of biodiesel production.

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Harnessing Kinetic Energy from Marching Soldiers

Posted on Monday, August 3, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 6:04 AM

Researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK aims to develop a system that can harness kinetic energy from marching soldiers.

The $1.5 million plan will focus on finding a way to convert human energy into usable power for military field applications. Soldiers carry around electronic equipment such as large flashlights, and power sources in the form of batteries can weigh as much as 10 kilograms of a foot soldier’s usual 75 kilogram pack. Clearly, having a power source they can carry around will be beneficial.

The Leeds scientists plan to create a similar system that includes knee wraps and backpack straps with crystals and high-tech ceramic materials acting as piezoelectric transducers. These piezoelectric components are responsible for converting mechanical energy from movement into electric charge.

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New Method to Produce More Efficient Fuel from Waste

Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 10:39 PM

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new effective and environmentally friendly method, which uses electrolyzed water instead of harsh chemicals in the pretreatment of ethanol waste products to produce an acetone-butanol-ethanol fuel mix.

When ethanol is produced, distiller's dried grain with solubles (DDGS) is a waste product.The glucose in DDGS is stuck together, forming cellulosic corn fiber, but the structure is very tough. It forms a kind of crystalline structure which is very difficult to break.In order to get the glucose out, normally people use a strong acid such as sulfuric acid, or a strong lime base, to loosen it, making holes in it. Once the structure is destroyed, we use enzymes to cut the chain of glucose to get glucose that can be used for fermentation.

The strong sulfuric acid method produces some toxic compounds, which can kill the microbes that produce acetone-butanol-ethanol mix completely.Using alkaline sodium hydroxide as a base, after 60 hours, the acetone-butanol-ethanol production was also relatively low. But using acidic electrolyzed water, at about 20 hours the fermentation process began producing the acetone-butanol-ethanol mix. This new technique also eliminates the detoxification of the traditional acid method.The other advantage of this method is that the traditional method produces a large quantity of solid waste that needs to be handled, and some sugars get consumed in the process as well. We want to maximize the sugar yield so we can maximize the ethanol yield.

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Researchers Find New Way to Increase Solarcell Efficiency

Posted on posted by posted by Mak @ 10:00 PM

Scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina are using the concept of biomimicry to increase the efficiency of solar cells, peering into how a moth’s eye absorbs light.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy lab are working with the University of Florida’s Peng Jiang to study how special coatings that mimic structures found in nature can make solar cells more productive for commercial applications, homes and even space satellites.

A moth’s eye is so good at absorbing light because it consists of tiny, hexagonal bumps that are smaller than the wavelength of visible light.The engineered coatings that mimic the way a moth’s eye absorbs light can reduce unwanted reflection from silicon solar cells from 30 percent to less than 2 percent.

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Microbes Could Act as Carbon Dioxide Catchers?

Posted on Thursday, July 16, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 11:29 PM

The accidental discovery of a bowl-shaped molecule that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air suggests exciting new possibilities for dealing with global warming, including genetically engineering microbes to manufacture those CO2 "catchers".

A scientist discovered these molecules while doing research unrelated to global climate change.J. A. Tossell, a scientist from Maryland, recognized that these qualities might make it useful as an industrial absorbent for removing carbon dioxide. Tossell's new computer modeling studies found that the molecule might be well-suited for removing carbon dioxide directly from ambient air, in addition to its previously described potential use as an absorbent for CO2 from electric power plant and other smokestacks.

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New Batteries from IBM Could Store 10x More Energy

Posted on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 12:31 AM

IBM has announced that it is developing a next-generation rechargeable battery capable of storing 10 times more energy than today's top lithium-ion batteries.

The new batteries could be used to power cars and store power for smart energy grids, according to IBM.IBM's multiyear battery research project will also involve the use of nanotechnology, materials science and supercomputing.The company said it plans to discuss its work on the batteries at its Almaden Institute 2009 conference, which IBM said attracts "innovative thinkers" from academia, government research labs and industry.

The 2009 gathering will be held Aug. 26 and 27 at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose. ( See more)

Full article here


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Engineered Microorganisms for Cost-Effective Cellulosic Biofuel Production

Posted on Friday, May 8, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 1:32 AM

Mascoma Corporation today announced that the company has made major research advances in consolidated bioprocessing, or CBP, a low-cost processing strategy for production of biofuels from cellulosic biomass. CBP avoids the need for the costly production of cellulase enzymes by using engineered microorganisms that produce cellulases and ethanol at high yield in a single step.CBP is widely considered to be the ultimate low-cost configuration for cellulose hydrolysis and fermentation.The advances of the research includes both bacteria that grow at high temperatures, called thermophiles, and recombinant cellulolytic yeasts.

The first report of targeted metabolic engineering of a cellulose-fermenting thermophile, Clostridium thermocellum, leading to a reduced production of unwanted organic acid byproducts and makes possible production of nearly 6% wt/vol ethanol by an increase of 60% over what was reported just a year ago. Selected strains of C. thermocellum that can rapidly consume cellulose with high conversion and no added cellulase, and grow on cellulose in the presence of commercial levels of ethanol.

Recombinant, Cellulolytic Yeast facilitates 3,000-fold increase in cellulase expression and a significant 2.5-fold reduction in the added cellulase required for conversion of pretreated hardwood to ethanol.These advances enable the reduction in operating and capital costs required for cost-effective commercial production of ethanol, bringing Mascoma substantially closer to commercialization.

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Underground Rocks may Turn Carbondioxide into Harmless Chemical

Posted on Monday, March 9, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 9:34 PM

Geologists have mapped large rock formations in the US that can absorb carbon dioxide and potentially be harnessed to vastly accelerate the process.The report, by scientists at Columbia University's Earth Institute and the US Geological Survey, shows 15,000 square km of ultramafic rocks at or near the surface. Originating deep in the earth, these rocks contain minerals that react naturally with carbon dioxide to form solid minerals. Earth Institute scientists are experimenting with ways to speed this natural process, called mineral carbonation.If the technology takes off, geologic formations around the world could provide a vast sink for heat-trapping carbon dioxide released by humans.

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Wood-Eating Marine Gribbles For Better Biofuel

Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 10:39 PM

A marine bug that eats boat bottoms and pier supports has been identified as the likely key to improving the efficiency of biofuel production.Four-spotted gribbles are able to break down cellulose in wood to make sugar. Scientists are convinced that by mimicking the process they will be able to produce better biofuel.

Research is under way to pinpoint the enzymes produced in the bug's stomach, and the genes that control them, so that the process can be applied to woody biofuel crops such as willow.The investigation is being carried out as part of research by the Sustainable Bioenergy Centre, a £27million initiative announced yesterday that is the biggest public investment in bioenergy research.

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Third Generation Biofuels: Corn with Embedded Cellulase Enzymes

Posted on Friday, January 23, 2009 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 8:18 PM

A new variety of corn developed and patented by Michigan State University scientists could turn corn leaves and stalks into biofuels far more efficiently than existing techniques for cellulosic biofuels.

The variety of corn has cellulase enzymes embedded in its leaves. This makes it a crop typical of so-called 'third-generation' bioproducts - green fuels and products are made from energy and biomass crops that have been designed in such a way that their very structure or properties conform to the requirements of a particular bioconversion process. The MSU scientists have tricked corn in such a way that it already contains the needed enzymes itself, in its leaves.

An example of such third-generation biofuels are those based on tree crops whose lignin-content has been artificially weakened and reduced, and disintegrates easy under dedicated processing techniques. Low-lignin hybrid trees (poplars) are being developed by several research organisations, amongst them the laboratory of the father of plant genetic engineering, Marc van Montagu of the University of Ghent, Belgium.

Content credit: Mongabay

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Proteus, Syngenta Collaborate on Enzyme Development for Biofuels

Posted on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 5:04 PM

Proteus announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with agribusiness firm Syngenta. The two companies plan to work together on the development of novel high performing enzymes for next generation biofuel production.

The collaboration with Proteus will help Syngenta to accelerate development by offering technology that complements our core skills in plant expression, according to the company

Both diversity screening and directed evolution methods will be used for the discovery and the optimization of targeted enzymes for the conversion of biomass into biofuels, Proteus said.

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Dangers of the Next Generation Biofuels

Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 3:40 AM

While a large section of the alt energy industry - especially the bio-energy industry - is optimistic about the next-generation biofuels being in a position to provide transportation fuels in a sustainable manner, a diverse alliance of organizations published an open letter recently in the U.S. and internationally warning of the dangers of industrially produced biofuels (called agrofuels by critics). The letter explains why large-scale industrial production of transport fuels and other energy from plants such as corn, sugar cane, oilseeds, trees, grasses, or so-called agricultural and woodland waste threatens forests, biodiversity, food sovereignty, community-based land rights and will worsen climate change. With the new Obama Administration slated to take office Tuesday, the letter's originators warn that if Obama's "New Green Economy" runs on agrofuels it may trap the U.S. in a dangerous "Green Bubble" of unrealistic promises from an unsustainable industry.

"This no longer about corn ethanol-turning any plants into fuel is simply not renewable," stated Dr. Rachel Smolker, co-author of the letter and Global Justice Ecology Project agrofuels specialist. "All plants, edible or not, require soils, water, fertilizers and land, all of which are in shortening supply. Yet these unsustainable technologies are commanding the vast majority of renewable energy tax incentives, at the expense of genuine cleaner energy solutions like conservation, efficiency, wind, solar, and ocean power. Additionally, because agrofuel crops rely on fertilizers, 44% of which are imported, they cannot even satisfy the calls for U.S. energy independence."

Now, that's a rather forceful statement. I think their arguments merit more introspection. For instance, take cellulosic ethanol. Even if the entire world's cellulosic feedstock were to be converted to ethanol, from some estimates I made earlier, it would only replace a max of 30% of the total world's transportation fuels. Now, we are never going to be able to use all the available cellulosic biomass, so the total replacement is going to be much less than 30%. In fact, according to some of the studies made by large consulting groups, by 2030, it is likely that cellulosic ethanol will only form less than 20% of the total transportation fuel. Now, if this is all we are going to achieve by massively turning all cellulosic feedstock into ethanol, is the effort worth it?

Possibly, the only silver lining could be algae. Algae are the only feedstock that can completely replace all fossil fuels (at least in theory). And algae do not even have most of the negative effects that the second-gen feedstock have. So, perhaps, just perhaps, it will be algae that will save the world. It should however be pointed out that energy from algae is in the research phase and no company is really producing oil on a commercial scale from algae. But we always have hopes for the future, don't we?

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$100 Million Initiative from Stanford to Tackle Energy Issues

Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 8:13 PM

Jan 2009

Recognizing that energy is at the heart of many of the world's tribulations—economic, environmental and political—Stanford is establishing a $100 million research institute to focus intently on energy issues, President John Hennessy told a capacity crowd Monday afternoon in Memorial Auditorium.

The $100 million in new funds will enable the hiring of additional faculty and support new graduate students, in addition to the more than $30 million in yearly funding now spent on energy research. Stanford researchers are tackling some of the world's most challenging problems, such as finding an alternative to coal that is environmentally friendly yet cheap enough to sell to China. Hennessy described that particular quest as the Holy Grail of energy research.

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New Biofuel Made of coffee grounds leftovers

Posted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 posted by posted by Mak @ 12:48 AM

Coffee and biofuels just became one. A team of experts from the University of Nevada have managed to obtain diesel fuel from coffee grounds leftovers.

It's not even hard to do, claimed the team, comprised of Mano Misra, a professor of engineering, Narasimharao Kondamudi, and Susanta K. Mohapatra. They stated having employed regular chemistry techniques both in order to extract the oil they needed for the process from the coffee grounds and to turn it into fuel. Also, the whole process did not require more energy than the typical fuel manufacturing, and the price of the biofuel was estimated at about one dollar per gallon (some 22 cents per liter).

Based on 50 pounds (23 kg) of material bought from Starbucks stores, their analyses indicated that some 10-15% of the coffee waste weight represented extractable oil. But obtaining the waste may prove harder than extracting its oil, since there are only a few places this could be bought from, such as the bulk roaster that the researchers will use for their program.But coffee won't be the next major breakthrough in fuel industry. Actually, all the coffee waste on the planet could only produce about 1% of the US diesel requirements for a year.

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Wood into Sugar: A New Source for Biofuels.

Posted on Saturday, November 1, 2008 posted by posted by visa @ 6:00 AM

Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Germany have made a breakthrough by converting wood into sugar molecules, which can then be used to produce ethanol, a biofuel. The new method comes as researchers in Germany are stepping up their efforts to find innovative ways of tapping bioenergy sources to address growing concerns about the merits of using food crops or agricultural land for biofuels because of their impact on food prices and the environment.
Additional research areas include looking for breakthroughs in technology to turn wood into gas or other forms of energy, to use biomass for cooling, and to use old wood to prepare pellets.

For the method of conversion and more

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Jet fuel from using 100 percent renewable feedstock

Posted on posted by posted by visa @ 5:56 AM

Energy & Environmental Research Center of North Dakota says it has produced a sample of a 100 percent renewable jet fuel. The research was funded by U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to meet its requirement for JP-8 jet fuel. The researchers added that they can also make it for Jet A, commercial aviation equipment. They also added that algal-oil-to-fuel projects research is also being conducted.

Source: http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2139

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Wind Power: New Techniques to Protect Wind Generators during Voltage Dips

Posted on Thursday, October 30, 2008 posted by posted by visa @ 5:45 AM

With a view to provide a solution to the problems caused by sudden dips in voltage in from wind energy, Jesús López Taberna, an industrial engineer and member of the INGEPER Research Team (Spain) has put forward in his PhD two protection techniques so that wind generators continue to be operative despite breaks in electricity supply.

Jesús López Taberna specifically proposed in his PhD thesis two effective protection systems. Both have been patented. The first, only requiring changing the control of the machine converter, has been transferred to a manufacturer for its introduction into wind farms worldwide; the other requires changing elements inside the machine, so it is still in study with the idea to apply it in the next generation of wind turbines.

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Breakthrough in Energy Storage

Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 posted by posted by visa @ 3:42 AM

In renewable energy, storing the electricity generated is vital for ensuring a continuity of electricity supply.

As a solution, Engineers and Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have achieved a breakthrough in the use of a one-atom thick structure called "graphene" as a new carbon-based material for storing electrical charge in ultracapacitor devices, perhaps paving the way for the massive installation of renewable energies such as wind and solar power.


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Susan Hockfield - MIT's Growing Role in Green Movement

Posted on Sunday, May 4, 2008 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 8:11 PM

Here's a nice article written by Susan Hockfield, president of MIT, @ Boston.com . She explains some of the projects that MIT is working on currently as well as what the future looks like and the challenges faced...

See the article here

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DOE Releases Feasability Study for Illinois Coal to Liquid Plant

Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 9:02 AM

DOE releases feasability study for Illinois Coal to Liquid Plant

Via: Auto Blog Green

May 22nd 2007

The Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory has completed a feasibility study for a proposed Coal to Liquid fuel production facility in Illinois. The proposal would include a plant that would convert coal into fuel along with electrical power that would go back into the grid. The input would be high-sulfur bituminous coal which would be gasified and the gas converted to liquids by the Fischer-Tropsch method. The output would include diesel. This diesel will need to additional additives before it could be used. The other output products will be be naptha, which can be used as a chemical feedstock.

The study projected the $3.65 billion plant would have a 20% annual return on investment...

[Source: NETL]

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Molecular visualization of the bioconversion process

Posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 4:45 AM

Molecular visualization of the bioconversion process

The tools available for the hunt for renewable energy are very 21st Century. New tools include robotics, mass spectrometers, laser imagers, and data collection and analysis devices. As a result, communications can be digital and more visual than ever before, speeding questions and understanding at warp speed around the globe.

The Society of Industrial Microbiology convened their 29th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals in Denver recently which was hosted by the federally-financed National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). One of the highlights of the symposium was a tour that included visits to its biochemical and thermochemical labs and pilot plants for converting an array of feedstock into sugars and ethanol.

One stop was in a research area where high tech imaging devices are employed to analyze cell and molecular structures involved in the bioconversion process. Data collected from such imaging devices can be used to build accurate models and animations to aid understanding. This post from Bioconversion blog provides more details on these high-tech imaging devices and the impact they will have...

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Hydro Power Invention - No Reservoirs Required

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 4:43 AM

Hydro Power Invention - No Reservoirs Required

April 11th, 2007 - Alternative Energy Info

A new hydro power technology is being developed by Sarfraz Ahmad Khan of Pakistan. In theory these hydro plants would not require a reservoir and would have a minimal impact on the environment. They could be run side-by-side in rows and would be much cheaper to build, operate and maintain. Sarfraz has high hopes that his ideas could revolutionize hydro power in his country and across the globe. He is currently seeking expert confirmation of his ideas; this article provides a brief summary of his ideas along with some of the 3D images he has created. You can help him by leaving your comments at the bottom of the page, or by joining the discussion that inspired this article.

Read more from this page @ Alternative Energy Info

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Vertical Axis Windmill Invention

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 4:42 AM

Vertical Axis Windmill Invention

April 26th, 2007 - Alternative Energy Info

Toronto Inventor Tom J. Gilmour recently published his conceptual designs for what he is calling Tom’s Whirligig. Patent applications have been made, and Tom hopes to reserve all rights and worldwide patents for his design. Tom believes his windmill plans to be the most complex ever devised. While he is not yet sure of the workability of this concept, he is optimistic about its feasibility and hopes to soon find the time to build a working model.

This new design is based around a continuously rotating carousel, which houses eight symmetrical airfoils. The entire carousel is mounted on a fixed vertical shaft. A top mounted central weather vane keeps the cam shaft pointed at the wind.

Read more from this report @ Alternative Energy Info

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Brief Analysis of Climate Change Report

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 4:34 AM

Brief Analysis of Climate Change Report

May 07, 2007

Here’s a brief analysis of and comments on the recent IPCC working group report on Mitigation of Climate Change released from Bangkok, Thailand as it relates to alternative energy. The summary is provided on the following sections:

1. Energy Efficient & Net Zero Energy Buildings
2. Alternative Energy = Energy Security
3. Transport Policy & Fossil Fuels Subsidies
4. Research and Development + Technology Transfer

Read the full summary from here @ Alternative Energy Blog

Original working group report here (PDF)

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Fertilising the Oceans - Thin Soup and a Thin Story

Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 9:58 PM

Fertilising the Oceans - Thin Soup and a Thin Story

2 May 2007 @ Real Climate

A firm called planktos.com is getting a lot of attention for their bid to create a carbon offset product based on fertilizing the ocean.

In certain parts of the ocean, surface waters already contain most of the ingredients for a plankton bloom; all they lack is trace amounts of iron. For each 1 atom of iron added in such a place, phytoplankton take up 50,000 atoms of carbon. What could be better?

Phytoplankton biomass does not last forever, any more than tree biomass does. The trick therefore is to get the carbon to sink out of the surface ocean into the depths, generally in the forms of snot and poop. Once it reaches a depth of a kilometer or so, it can decompose to CO2 again but the water will be isolated from the atmosphere for decades, maybe centuries.

Sounds like a great idea? May be yes, may be not...read the detailed post here @ Real Climate to know more

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Turbines Could Pose Threat To Birds And Bats

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 9:50 PM

Turbines Could Pose Threat To Birds And Bats

Written on May 10, 2007

Wsls.com reports that a government study shows that the rotating blades on wind turbines could pose a threat to bats, night-migrating songbirds, and some hunting birds. The threat is more pronounced in coastal areas. Scientists recommend further studies on the matter.

Source: Wind Energy Investing

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Higher Air Conditioner (AC) Efficiency Using Solar Power

Posted on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 11:04 AM

Higher Air conditioner efficiency using solar power

You may have probably heard of Solar Air Conditioner. It can produce cooling effect by absorbing heat from Sunlight. Normally, these types of ACs are absorption type refrigeration systems using Ammonia cycle, salt and vapor pressure stuff. But these are still limited to research labs with few commercial applications.

In this post the author talks about using electricity (from solar) to get some extra points of efficiency from your existing AC.

Interesting post, read more from here @ A Sun Energy World

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New Enzyme Discovery Could Make Ethanol Cheaper

Posted on Monday, April 30, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 7:51 AM

New Enzyme Discovery Could Make Ethanol Cheaper

A new plant enzyme has been discovered by Cornell University researchers, which could make the production of cellulosic ethanol less expensive.

A critical step in producing cellulosic ethanol involves breaking down a plant's cell wall material and fermenting the sugars that are released. This enzyme, according to scientists, could potentially allow plant materials to be broken down more efficiently.

The new class of plant enzymes has a structure similar to the microbial enzymes called "cellulases" which are used to digest the cellulose in grasses and similar plants.

While the scientists found the new enzyme in a tomato plant, they are confident that such proteins are present in other plant species that could be used for biofuel production.

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Ethanol vehicles pose a significant risk to human health

Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 6:55 AM

Ethanol vehicles pose a significant risk to human health

Medical Research News, 20-Apr-2007

Ethanol is widely touted as an eco-friendly, clean-burning fuel. But if every vehicle in the United States ran on fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of pure gasoline, the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations would likely increase, according to a new study by Stanford University atmospheric scientist Mark Z. Jacobson. His findings are published in the April 18 online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T).

Read the full article from here @ Medical Research News

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Chemists at UCLA Design Crystals for Applications in Clean Energy

Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 1:47 PM

Chemists at UCLA Design the Least Dense Crystals Known to Man for Applications in Clean Energy

13 Apr 2007

Chemists at UCLA have designed new organic structures for the storage of voluminous amounts of gases for use in alternative energy technologies.

The research, to be published on April 13 in the journal Science, demonstrates how the design principles of reticular chemistry have been used to create three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks, which have high thermal stability, high surface areas and extremely low densities.

The covalent organic frameworks, or COFs (pronounced "coffs"), one of these new classes of materials, are the first crystalline porous organic networks...Some of the biggest energy & environment challenges have been finding ways to store hydrogen for use as a fuel, to use methane as an alternative fuel, and to capture and store carbon dioxide from power plant smokestacks. The research team believes COFs are uniquely suited for all these applications because of their functional flexibility and their extremely light weight and high porosity.

Read the full report from here @ Technology News Daily

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Animal Fats into Jet Fuel

Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 11:42 AM

Animal Fats into Jet Fuel

March 19, 2007

RALEIGH - Airlines could soon be looking to acquire chicken grease and hog lard to convert into jet fuel.

A team of NCSU scientists and engineers says it has developed a biofuels technology capable of converting animal fats - including lipids from dead chickens, hogs and cattle - into fuel for airliners and fighter jets.

The technology is "100 percent green," as no petroleum-derived products are added to the process. It can also be used to make additives for cold-weather biodiesel fuels and holds the potential to fuel automobiles that currently run on gasoline.

Read the full report from here @ The Pig Site

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New biodiesel production method created

Posted on Monday, March 26, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 8:00 AM

New biodiesel production method created

NASHVILLE, March 21 (UPI) -- A new Nanocatalyst developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory might replace a costly process in biodiesel production.

Scientists at the laboratory's Nanoscience Center say the technology might replace the biodiesel manufacturing process that consumes chemicals, water and energy.

Read the full report here @ Science Daily

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Genetic engineering industry hopes to save the world

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 7:19 AM

Genetic engineering industry hopes to save the world

March 23, 2007, By Markus Städeli - Check Biotech

Greenpeace has recently sparked of the genetic engineering controversy in Europe once again. The environmental protection organization claims that a genetically modified maize made by Monsanto has caused liver and kidney damage to experimental animals.

Monsanto strongly contests these accusations.

However, opposition to this technology remains strong. On the other hand, the genetic engineering industry does now see an opportunity to permanently clean up its somewhat tarnished Image. It hopes that the bioethanol boom will help here.

Read more from this Check Biotech news report

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Researcher develops bioplastic as a disposable source of biodiesel

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 4:55 AM

Researcher develops bioplastic as a disposable source of biodiesel

Posted by Giles Clark, London

23 March 2007

In an effort to develop a new source of sustainable energy, researchers at Polytechnic University, the premier New York-based technology and engineering higher education institution, have bioengineered a fuel-latent plastic that can be converted into biodiesel. Commercialization of this technology will lead to a new source of green energy.

The team made a new plastic from plant oils that has remarkable properties, which includes being tougher and more durable than typical polyethylenes. Additionally, the bioplastic can be placed in a simple container where it is safely broken down to liquid fuel.

REad the full report from here @ Biofuel Review

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Sugar catalysts can turn waste vegetable oil into biodiesel

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 3:22 AM

A sweet future for biodiesel

26 March 2007

Sugar catalysts can turn waste vegetable oil into biodiesel, researchers have revealed.

Min-Hua Zong at the South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, and colleagues have used a sugar catalyst to prepare biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. Sugar catalysts, made by the sulfonation of partially carbonized D-glucose, have previously been used for making biodiesel from new vegetable oils, but had never been successfully used in making biodiesel from waste oil.

Read the full report from here @ Chemical Science

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Making geothermal energy cheaper

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 2:37 AM

Making geothermal energy cheaper

22 March 2007

The US Geothermal Resources Council has awarded the ‘best paper award’ to a study by associate professor Dina Lopez from the Ohio University. She studied silica scaling which tends to clog up geothermal plants.

Lopez hopes the study will help guide efforts to control silica scaling, which may help reducing the maintaining costs of geothermal plants.

Read the full report from here @ Green Prices

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Biofuels launch 'third wave' to help meet increasing energy demand

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 2:21 AM

Biofuels launch 'third wave' to help meet increasing energy demand

March 22, 2007

By Paul Elias Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO —

Thousands of corporate executives and scientists gather this weekend in Orlando, Fla.,for an industry trade show specifically aimed at touting biotechnology's so-called third wave, industrial applications. The word on everyone's lips: ethanol. After decades of unfulfilled promise and billions in government corn subsidies, energy companies may finally be able to produce ethanol easily and inexpensively thanks to breakthroughs in biotechnology, says this article.

Read the full news report from here @ Times Argus

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Research could Make Fusion Energy Possible

Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2007 posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 9:28 PM

A Step Toward Fusion Energy

March 10, 2007

Science Daily — A project by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers has come one step closer to making fusion energy possible.

The research team, headed by electrical and computer engineering Professor David Anderson and research assistant John Canik, recently proved that the Helically Symmetric eXperiment (HSX), an odd-looking magnetic plasma chamber called a stellarator, can overcome a major barrier in plasma research, in which stellarators lose too much energy to reach the high temperatures needed for fusion.

Read the full story from Science Daily

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Canadian Research Project To Determine Best Biodiesel Fuel Blend

Posted on posted by posted by Ecacofonix @ 10:32 AM

Research Project To Determine Best Biodiesel Fuel Blend

09 March 2007

A two year research project by the University of Saskatchewan Engineering Department will help the city determine the best biodiesel blend to use in it's buses.

Transit Manager Jeff Balon says two conventional diesel buses and two electric hybrid buses are being used to test the effect of low sulphur diesel, and 5 per cent canola biodiesel blend.

Read more from here @ Saskatoon Homepage

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  In the beginning, there were algae,
but there was no oil Then, from algae came oil.
Now, the algae are still there, but oil is fast depleting
In future, there will be no oil, but there will still be algae  
So, doesn't it make sense to explore if we can again get oil from algae?
This is what we try to do at Oilgae.com - explore the potential of getting oil from algae