The world is an energy devouring place and we need to be exploring greener sources of energy to furnish that demand. We also need to see better ways of using the current green energy technology that are already in place. We all need to be interested about the impact that is being placed on our planet and how the high cost of energy is affecting us. The energy that is wasted every day is a sad state of affairs and everyone should take a look at what they could do to be more moderate in their usage. The energy that is wasted every day is a sad state of affairs and everyone should take a look at what they could do to be more cautious in their use. There are solutions to these issues but how inclined have people been to fulfil these solutions at the present.

Wind power has started to become very popular over the last decade as a very real source of renewable energy. The price of the power it creates is becoming very aggressive with established methods of energy production such as coal and natural gas. Power used to be created by windmills in the past on the family farm for many years. The agricultural landscape used to be scattered with them to supply power to pump water. It is a identified fact that the states of Texas, Kansas, and North Dakota have sufficient wind to furnish power for the whole U.S.

Another renewable enegy source that has gotten much press is corn. The ethanol that is formulated from corn is a clean burning energy source and crops can be grown year after year so it is inexhaustible but at what cost. The cost of corn has gone up as the result of this, which is good for the farmer but bad for the consumer. Research has shown that praire grass would do a better job than corn. In reality it generates more energy per acre than corn. Plus you don’t have to cultivate it because it grows wild. It is a chemical free crop that just needs to harvested and processed.

Another renewable enegy source we see and hear more of is solar power. You have the solar panels which convert sunlight into electricity and solar water heater to produce hot water. I’ve read about people who have placed solar energy systems on their homes in areas you wouldn’t think it would work, like Seattle. The payback figures for the system were impressive even for a mostly overcast area like this.

One of the things I like about solar is that it can give the power back into the peoples hands to a large degree. The control of power can be decentralized. Maybe that is one of the reasons why there hasn’t been as much advancement as there should be and why costs remain high. Corporations want to protect their profits and it almost seems they do anything to make that happen.

We all know that oil isn’t going to last forever. If we don’t start doing something about it now than when. Aggressive measure need to be taken to start setting in place and implementing a new energy infrastructure. We can start to benefit from it now but we also need to think of how it is going to be of value to the next generation. Help out by doing something to make renewable energy something we can all enjoy.

You can learn more about solar chargers, wind turbines , and other forms of renewable energy sources by doing more research on the Internet about the subject that interests you the most.

Source: Natural Gas

Efficient Lighting liteLogix designs and markets energy efficient lighting systems for Municipalities, Educational Facilities, Health Care Facilities, Retail Facilities, Commercial Facilities, and Industrial Facilities.

Making use of the natural heat from the earth, geothermal energy is a growing force as a source of renewable energy. It has already been used to provide power to 1.2 million homes in the United States. It has far greater potential and to both heat and provide electricity to homes and is yet to be properly utilized. That’s about to change.

Geothermal energy comes from a variety of sources of heat within the earth: decay of naturally occurring substances within the crust, the earth’s core and movement of continental plates as they slide against and underneath each other. Volcanoes, hot springs and steam vents represent the easily accessible points to this energy but most geothermal energy is trapped under the earths crust and must be accessed by drilling into the resource and harnessing the energy. The thermal energy in the uppermost 6 miles of the earths crust contains 50,000 times the energy of all the worlds gas and oil resources.

What Is Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal energy is the heat stored under the earths surface. In some parts of the world where the earths surface is thin or cracked, steam and molten rock can escape. These are usually locations of high seismic activity such as earthquakes and volcanoes. If water finds its way into these cracks, it becomes heated and may come to the surface as geysers, fumaroles, hot springs and mud pots.

Parts of New Zealand, Japan, USA and Europe have high geothermal activity. High grade geothermal energy such as geysers, hot dry rocks, mud pots and fumaroles is used to generate electricity. Geothermal energy can also be used as a heating source, for example in Iceland hot water is brought to the surface through a bore , then sent through insulated pipes into homes and radiator panels which provide heat. Over 80% of homes in Iceland are heated this way.

Although geothermal energy doesnt pollute the air with greenhouse gases, there are other environmental concerns about its use. Scientists are not sure how the long-term use of this resource could affect our underground water supplies. Some geothermal tourist attractions at Rotorua in New Zealand have already suffered a decline in surface activity due to the draw-off of geothermal fluid from the underground reservoir by domestic and commercial uses.

Geothermal energy can be broken down into 4 main types Geothermal energy can be broken down into 4 main types geopressured, magma, hydrothermal and hot dry rock.

Hydrothermal

This is the only type of geothermal energy that is currently producing commercial quantities of electricity and is derived from hot water and steam formed in porous or fractured rock at relatively moderate depths from 100 metres to 5 kilometres.

The hot water and steam come from the intrusion of molten magma into the earths crust or the deep circulation and heating of groundwater through faults and fractures.

To generate electricity, hot water at temperatures ranging from 180 250 degrees Celsius is brought from the underground reservoir to the surface through production wells and is flashed to steam in special vessels by release of pressure. The steam is separated from the liquid and fed into a turbine engine which turns a generator. Spent geothermal water is returned back to the reservoir to help maintain reservoir pressure.

Geopressured

Geopressured energy is derived from hot, pressurised waters containing dissolved methane, trapped at depths of three to six kilometres in sedimentary formations. The water temperature ranges from 90C to 200C.

Three forms of energy can be captured from geopressured sources chemical energy from burning the dissolved methane, hydraulic energy from the high pressure, and thermal energy from the hot water.

Hot Dry Rock

Under certain conditions granite at a depth of 3 to 5 kilometers under the ground can get to 250C. Unlike hydrothermal resources, the fractures and faults required to conduct water to the surface are not present, therefore water must be pumped into the rock at high pressure to create an artificial underground reservoir of steam or hot water.

A number of development projects continue into attempting to make use of hot dry rock to create electricity but factors such as cost and questions about resistance of the reservoir to flow, water loss and thermal drawdown remain. Costs are coming down though and geothermal technology in general will improve enough to make hot dry rock economically feasible.

Magma

Magma is the molten or partially molten rock that is found at depths between three and 10 kilometres beneath the Earths crust and reaches temperatures up to 1200C. While some magma resources are at accessible depths, a practical means of extracting energy directly from magma has yet to be developed, instead magma is used indirectly by exploiting the water it has heated. Magma is only accessible where volcanic activity or tectonic plate movement occurs.

The Future Prospect of Geothermal Energy in the US

An exciting new development in the future of geothermal energy in the United States has just been announced by the Department of the Interior who have promised to make 190 million acres of federal land available for geothermal power development. This is good news because the proposed land includes no environmentally sensitive areas such as national parks or designated wilderness areas.

By the year 2015 it is estimated that electricity from geothermal power production in the United States can reach 5,500 MW thanks to this new initiative. Its a positive move that will promote a form of renewable energy that has been used for years, but perhaps not to its full potential.

Source: Fumaroles

Biofuels are produced by converting organic matter into fuel for powering our society. More often today, these biofuels are being used as an alternative energy source to the fossil fuels that we currently depend upon. Ethanol and derivatives of plants such as sugar cane, as well as vegetable and corn oils are all included in the aresenal of different biofuels. The International Energy Agency (IEA) tells us that ethanol could comprise up to 10 percent of the world’s usable gasoline by 2025, and up to 30 percent by 2050. Today, the percentage figure is two percent.

However, we have a long way to go to refine these biofuels that we are researching and they become extremely economical and practical. Oregon State University did a study that proves this concept. We have yet to develop biofuels that are as energy efficient as gasoline made from petroleum. Energy efficiency is the measure of how much usable energy for our needed purposes is derived from a certain amount of input energy. (Nothing that mankind has ever used has derived more energy from output than from the needed input. In other words, the end product is what we use as alternative energy and needs to be more efficent than the effort used to produce it.)

The OSU study found corn-derived ethanol to be only 20% energy efficient while gasoline made from petroleum is 75% energy efficient and biodiesel fuel was recorded at 69% energy efficient. However, the study did turn up one positive: cellulose-derived ethanol was charted at 85% efficiency, which is even higher than that of the fantastically efficient nuclear energy.

There are several nations which are seriously involved in the development of biofuels. Brazil happens to be the world’s biggest producer of ethanols derived from sugars. The country produces approximately three and a half billion gallons of ethanol per year. The United States, while being the world’s greatest oil-guzzler, is already the second largest producer of biofuels behind Brazil. The European Union’s biodiesel production capacity is now in excess of four million (British) tonnes – mostly derived from rapeseed oil; soybean oil and a marginal quantity of palm oil.

Recently, oil futures have been down on the New York Stock Exchange, as analysts from several different countries are predicting a surge in biofuel availability. This would offset the value of oil, dropping crude oil prices on the international market to somewhere around $40 per barrel. The Chicago Stock Exchange has a grain futures market which is starting to “steal” investment activity away from the oil futures in NY, as investors are definitely expecting better profitability to start coming from biofuels.

Indeed, it is predicted by a consensus of analysts that biofuels shall be supplying seven percent of the entire world’s transportation fuels by the year 2030. Demand for diesel and gasoline may slow down dramatically, says one energy markets analyst, if the government subsidizes firms distributing biofuels and further pushes to promote the use of eco-friendly fuel.

Source: solar energy

With every hike in the price of electricity, more and more people are thinking about using renewable energy for at least part of their regular supply.

What type of renewable energy you decide to use will likely be decided by whereabouts you live. If you enjoy a reasonable climate and the sun shines for much of the year, you’ll likely decide to use solar energy.

If you live in chillier climates, chances are that your thoughts will turn to using the power of the wind instead.

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages.

Pretty obviously, solar power only works in daylight, even if the efficiency of modern solar cells means the sun can be hidden from view. If you’re in a hot area, the sun will be shining at the time you most need your power for air conditioning and other such items. In cooler climates, solar power almost certainly won’t be your only option, although it would still contribute to (say) heating your pool in the summer or providing extra light in your garden for those evenings where it isn’t too chilly to stay outside.

Wind power needs some kind of wind but they’ll also have an upper limit of windspeed, beyond which they won’t operate – if the wind falls below a certain speed, they won’t operate, if it blows too fast the turbine may struggle to keep up. You also need to remember that even in the most windy places, there are times of dead calm, so you’ll need a battery or regular power connection for such times. This problem also means that unless you have your own storage, you shouldn’t totally go off grid power if you rely on wind.

Your next choice is whether to have your renewable energy system professionally installed or to give the DIY option a try. You can get a set of comprehensive renewable energy instructions to help take you down this path if you like, with the added advantage that you’ll be saving hundreds of dollars if you go down the DIY renewable energy path.

Source: solar energy

The availability of alternative energy comes in many different forms. One of these is solar power: Solar power is driven by photovoltaic cells, and these are progressively getting less expensive and more advanced.

There aren’t any areas where solar power cannot be utilised including: generating electricity and hot water plus of course it has the added benefit of being pollution free. However, much more work still needs to be done in order for us to economically harness the sun’s energy. The one major problem is storing the power for use when the sun is not as strong, on overcast days and when night falls.

As of the moment, the most-invested-in alternative energy source favored by many private investors as well as the government is the wind energy. Huge double and triple bladed windmills can be seen around the world, working constantly, day and night to produce large amounts of electricity. Of course, there is nothing new about the concept of a windmill for harnessing energy.

The windmills used today are massive compared to those used in the past and much more ‘high-tech’ and often referred to as ‘wind-turbines’. The only downside to this form of power is when the wind isn’t blowing, you cannot produce power. Of course, the power we need can come from other sources when this happens so currently we cannot rely completely on wind power even if we had sufficient farms to cater for our needs.

A massive quantity of power can be obtained from another source of alternative energy which is the hydroelectric energy. All that is required is a large body of water and gravity – this fall of water from a great height is able to turn large turbines which generate electrical power. As water is everywhere it has not generally been a problem finding locations where it can be employed.

The main problem with this process is the initial financial cost and the size of these dams means it is a lengthy project which does not come without it’s own issues. Building of dams is often the most common and effective means of controlling the flow of water to sufficiently provide the source in generating the needed power.

Conservationists are starting to be worried about operating a dam as it not only requires a lot of labour building it to store and control water’s potential and kinetic energy but it can also be risky and complicated. To produce power this way does not always require a dam, especially if it is only a small community that is being serviced.

There are other options that you may use especially if it is just to supply neighbourhoods or an individual office or home such as small run-of-river hydroelectric converters.

However, the most underused and under-rated form of energy is geo-thermal: this is the heat which is generated inside the planet beneath the crust. The earth’s inner molten core is the one responsible for transferring the heat into the water.

Power plants use a number of ways to draw this water to the surface and harness it into ‘free’ energy. When hot water is drawn up, it simply means that there is the need to gather steam. The Geysers is an example of a dry stream plant located in the region of about 100 miles north of San Francisco and perhaps the best-known of all geothermal power fields.

Source: solar energy

Fossil fuels like coal, gas and oil are a finite resource. As it becomes more difficult to detect and extract from the earth, the costs to the consumer are sure to rise. This trend will continue if more resources continue to be used. And this is not the only cost of using fossil fuels. Many people feel that they have caused many of the environmental problems that we are beginning to witness today and ultimately will be paid for by future generations. So what are the alternatives to these traditional sources of energy. This article will cover a few of the alternative energy sources that are being touted as practical solutions both commercially and for the individual homeowner.

The first alternative energy source to be covered is solar energy. It has been with us for a good number of years now and many people are familiar with the odd solar panel in the neighborhood. To this extent, mankind has always known about the Sun’s energy and used it is one way or another since the first civilizations where established, however it is only fairly recently that it has advanced to the stage that we are at now.

At this point in time, the Sun’s heat and light energy is utilized to make energy for consumption.

Heat energy provided by the sun is used for many things like heating water, heating a room or cooking food. The heat from the Sun can be felt on the skin so it was not such a leap of imagination to apply it’s power to other applications. In reality, the Sun was used by many of these civilizations not only as an energy resource but also as a god, indicating the importance that they gave it.

Getting energy out of sunlight is still a fairly new development by comparison. The innovation that makes this occur is the photovoltaic (PV) cell. It was first used in the 19th century but only started being produced commercially in the 1970′s.

The principle behind it is that photons in sunlight hit the PV cell causing an electron to be displaced from the atom. Many cells and more sunlight cause more electrons to flow. This is how direct current (DC) electricity works. Direct current can be stored in a battery or used to power appliances that run on DC.

Wind power is another source of renewable energy that is becoming popular. I think this is because it is fairly well understood by most people as a concept. It may also be because plenty of wind turbines are popping up all over the countryside.

A wind turbine is a modern day windmill, it uses the power of the wind to turn blades. The kinetic energy turns a generator that, in turn, creates electricity. Countries such as Germany, Denmark and the United States are increasing the number of wind turbines every year. They represent a clean and cheap way to create energy.

Wind turbines or windmills can even be built in residential homes at a reasonable cost. It is quite simple to build a windmill or turbine from scratch or a pre-built variety can be purchased. Before you even think about this however, you need to establish if there is enough wind to make it viable and locate a good spot in your yard for it to go. You may also want to notify your neighbors that you are erecting a turbine as it could be an issue with some people.

Other renewable energy systems utilize the kinetic energy of water to create electricity. This is hydro-power and a dam is an obvious example of this process in action. Geothermal energy can also be used to some extent. The idea behind this is to use the heat found in the earth core to heat water, much like a hot spring or spa, to use as it is or as an input to a generator.

Source: solar energy

Although it is much less expensive to initially get hooked into the local electric company’s grid than it is to set up and hook into wind turbines, in the long run one saves money by utilizing the wind for one’s energy needs—while also becoming more independent. Not receiving an electric bill while enjoying the advantages of the modern electrically-driven lifestyle is a wondrous feeling.

Electric bills and fuel bills are rising steadily—but the cost of wind turbine energy is zero, and the cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand rises and more commercial success is realized by various companies producing the turbines and researching technologies to make them ever more efficient. In addition, people are moving away from the traditional electric grids and the fossil fuels for personal reasons including desire for greater independence, the desire to live remotely or rurally without having to “go primitive”, political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids, or concerns about the environment.

Again, this motivation to get away from the traditional energy sources is the same one that causes people to seek the power of the wind for their energy, giving more business opportunities to profit from wind turbine production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for the consumers. In nearly thirty states at the time of this writing, homeowners who remain on the grid but who still choose to use wind energy (or other alternative forms) are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from the state governments that end up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy systems’ costs.

In addition, there are 35 states at the time of this writing where these homeowners are allowed to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what are called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates—in other words, the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.

Some federal lawmakers are pushing to get the federal government to mandate these tax breaks and other wind power incentives in all 50 states. Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place. However, “A lot of this is handled regionally by state law. There wouldn’t really be a role for the federal government,” the Energy Department’s Craig Stevens says.

And as might be imagined, there are power companies who feel that it’s unfair that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals. “We should [only have to] pay you the wholesale rate for … your electricity,” according to Bruce Bowen, Pacific Gas & Electric’s director of regulatory policy. However, the companies seem to be more worried about losing short term profits than about the benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of wind turbines or wind farms. Head of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies of California V. John White points out, “It’s quality power that strengthens the grid.”

Solar Power Products
alternative energy power, wind power

Source: alternative energy

The New York Times has published an article on an aging power grid and the potential setbacks to wind energy and other sources of renewable energy.

Current electric transmission lines are not able to handle the load produced my massive wind farms such as the Maple Ridge Wind Farm in New York.  The 200 turbine strong wind farm, is being forced to shut down production at times to cope with fees that are associated with pumping too much electrical current into the power grid.  This bottle neck is limiting the advances of wind power and is one of the major drawbacks slowing down the implementation of a nation wide renewable energy grid. 

While wind turbines located in places like the Mid-West can generate much more power than the same turbines placed on the east coast, there is not yet a reliable way of transmitting the electricity needed across many states.  Since control of power grids is generally left to state governments, there is little incentive to provide better transmission to out-of-state facilities.  Within each state, transmission lines may be owned by many different companies, causing any upgrades to be a painstaking process.  The Energy Policy Act of 2005 allowed the U.S. government to extend approval of transmission lines in the event that states are not providing upgrades and maintenance, through this has led to little direct expansion and infrastructure upgrades, especially in relation to peak supplies of inconsistent energy sources such as wind power.

The issue of transmitting electricity throughout the United States is something that must be recognized and remedied before further goals of expanding our renewable energy base can be implemented further.  The problems facing the aging power grid are by no means new.  In 2001, North American Electric Reliability Council, was advising congress on the problems facing the current power infrastructure.  Seven years later we are still facing the same concerns but on a much larger scale.  Incentives for renewable energy are great, but the United States must realize that it means nothing if transporting electricity can not be carried out in an efficient, reliable manner.

Companies such as MidAmerican Energy, which happens to lead the country in generation of wind power, and American Electric Power are making steps to help improve transmission lines that will carry some of the renewable energy that is generated throughout the U.S.  This proposal shows that energy companies have something to gain by working together to transmit the power that they are producing.  Without partnerships like these, future renewable energy projects can not proceed at a profitable level. 

While, further development in technologies such as Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) and fuel cells, may allow temporary storage of electricity generated by renewable energy sources, transporting energy from state to state is still a needed upgrade to contend with the U.S. goal of energy independence.

Found on DesMoinesRegister.com
The green slime or pond scum that comes from algae could be valuable after all. Renewable Energy Group of Ames says it has developed a process that takes the oil from algae and turns it into biodiesel fuel.

“Algae oil would give us a third option as a biodiesel feedstock after soybean oil and animal fats,” said Daniel Oh, chief operating officer of Renewable Energy Group.

That would be a breakthrough of seismic proportions for the biodiesel industry. The soybean oil that has been the basic oil feedstock for biodiesel has doubled in price in the last 18 months, robbing operating biodiesel plants of their profitability and forcing shutdowns or delays at other facilities.

Researchers around the nation are trying to skim energy from algae.

“People who have made fun of green slime and pond scum won’t do it in the future, when they find out not only how valuable the oil is but also the byproducts,” said Jimmy Simpson, an algae researcher at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield…….

Read the FULL story at the Des Moines Register.

Mega search engine Google.com, today announced an investment of $10.25 million in advancing the development of green technologies. Google is supporting a technology called, Enhanced Geothermal Systems, to help meet its goal of providing enough green energy to power a city the size of San Francisco. Through Google’s philanthropic entity Google.org, an initiative dubbed “Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal” has been laid out to make this goal a reality.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems generates energy by pumping cool water 2-3 miles into a reservoir lying on top of dry, hot basement rock. The water is then pumped back to the surface at which point in condenses and creates powerful steam that is used to propel turbines. After the steam cools, it is re-injected back into the reservoir to begin the process again. This process allows energy extraction in areas that do not have natural steam pockets and hot flowing water.

The investments pledged by Google will go to help fund 2 companies and a university working on the development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems. $6.25 million will go to AltaRock Energy, Inc, which will work to reduce the cost and efficiency of EGS technology. Potter Drilling, Inc. has been given $4 million to design drilling tools capable of penetrating deeper and stronger rock. Southern Methodist University Geothermal Lab has been awarded a $489,521 grant to update geothermal maps and study geothermal resources in North America.

Google has recently been involved in many steps to reduce its environmental footprint and promote green technology. Data centers housing Google servers, are being designed to cut the energy needed for cooling to 50% of similar installations. The idea is not only to save money, but to create a self sufficient business model that promotes clean energy. This initiative is evident in the production of a 1.6 megawatt solar energy plant in Mountain View, California. Other projects include the Climate Savers Computing Initiative to create more efficient computers and servers, and the RechargeIT initiative aimed at developing electric vehicles and infrastructure.

Though $10.25 million may seem like a small amount to a power house company like Google, it shows considerable attention is being provided to changing the way we look at natural resources and energy generation. Google has the resources and intelligence to begin to leave a legacy that varies far from just creating one of the most popular websites of all time. Funding and support by Google leaders will help to attract more corporations with the potential for a green technology revolution. Though energy change falls on the hands of every citizen, major projects can not be completed without the funding and backing of large groups such as Google.

For Google Earth lovers, a map overlay has been provided by Google to show current distribution of geothermal resources. (Must have Google Earth)

Google has also provided an EGS policy brief to outline what the U.S. Government can do to help encourage the production and continued innovation of this technology.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems on YouTube

According to the American Wind Energy Association, the United States is now the leader in wind energy production. Wind energy in 2008 has risen and current wind power capacity is rated at 19,549MW, an increase of 2,726MW from 2007. Germany currently has a wind power capacity of about 23,000MW, but generates less power due to stronger winds in the U.S.

The AEWA also projects that by end of year 2008, some 7,500MW of wind power capacity will be brought online in the United States. This projected capacity demonstrates a 45% increase from 2007. Recent fossil fuel prices and tax incentives have provided a prime environment for wind energy related projects.

One issue causing wind projects to be rushed before the end of 2008, is the uncertainty of federal tax incentives and rebates that are set to expire late 2008. Without these credits, the future of new wind energy projects is in jeopardy. Recent jobs and businesses catering to the wind power industry will have to be scaled back without the benefits experienced in 2008, extended throughout 2009. Though, financial burdens will first be absorbed by the wind industry, these high costs will be passed on to consumers, and create a recess of clean energy production.

AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher stated, “At a time when unemployment is at a 4-year high and the economy needs every stimulus it can get, a rapid extension of the credit should be on any economic priority list for Congress.”

Congress must look to clean energy solutions to help rebuild an economy that threatens the livelihoods of millions of Americans. In addition to providing jobs, wind power can help secure America’s Independence from foreign sources of electricity. The United States has an opportunity to lead the world into new innovating ways of producing energy and electricity, provided U.S. leaders provide incentives to expand the renewable energy infrastructure.

MIT researchers have designed a new solar power technology aimed at storing energy harnessed from solar panels. Their designs will allow solar energy to be collected during daylight hours and stored effectively and cheaply for use at night. Solar power has always had issues overcoming low efficiency and a high cost basis. The latest research may put these setbacks to rest, allowing our most abundant resource to be developed on a massive scale.

Professor of Energy at MIT, Daniel Nocera, and Matthew Kanan, have designed a process of separating hydrogen and oxygen using the rays of the Sun. The gases can then be combined inside a fuel cell allowing clean storage of electricity for future use.

Oxygen is produced by creating a catalyst of cobalt metal, phosphate, and an electrode added to water. When electricity is applied to this catalyst, the cobalt and phosphate form a layer on top of the electrode and produce oxygen. Hydrogen can then be produced from from another catalyst, such as platinum. Nocera and Kanan have drawn upon processes similar to that of photosynthesis.

‘This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind,’ said James Barber, a photosynthesis expert at Imperial College London. ‘The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem.’

Although the technology will need years to develop into a fully workable solution, it makes possible the reality of households powering themselves on photovoltaic cells during the day, and personal fuel cells throughout the night. This discovery paves the way for worldwide green technology that may help with the extinction of fossil fuel emissions and pollution from current out-dated energy plants.

This project is part of a $10 million dollar effort funded by the National Science Foundation and the Chesonis Family Foundation, to develop a large scale roll-out of solar power within 10 years.

Renewable energy projects are beginning to show the world just how efficient and safe, producing electricity can be. Rising costs of fossil fuels have given cities and nations a reason to look to nature to provide the power by which we live. While alternative energy is a fairly recent trend, countless hours have already been spent researching and experimenting to create sources of energy that can be reliable and efficient.

Geothermal energy, currently, only supplies about 1% of the world’s power, but the possibilities are virtually limitless. A 2007 study by MIT has published that geothermal energy could supply the world with enough energy to power our homes, businesses, and industries well into the future. Geothermal wells can be drilled all over the world and leave a relatively small footprint. Initial costs of constructing a new geothermal plant can run high, but with oil over $125 a barrel and rising, it would not take long to recoup those costs.

Geothermal energy generally works by drilling wells deep into the Earth and pumping water that travels down one well, is heated by hot rock, and is retrieved by the other well. The water traveling underground transforms into steam, which in turn, powers turbines connected to the power grid. Water that does not reach steam temperature, can be piped to low level heating systems such as those found in homes and greenhouses. Though efficiency may decrease as heat sources are depleted, the Earth’s mantle does replenish the heat stored in these deep rock layers.

The advantages of geothermal energy are many. This energy source is extremely reliable as it is available around the clock. Unlike solar energy and wind power, once a geothermal plant is installed, the exact amount of energy can be calculated which in turn will help to reduce future rate hikes. In combination with emission control systems, environmental pollutants can be cut to 0.1% of current fossil fuel plants. Also, this technology is scalable to allow energy production for large cities down to small towns.

Geothermal does have a few disadvantages which have kept it from becoming a front runner in energy production. The initial costs of drilling and constructing plants, can be very intimidating. As with all new technology, it takes a serious investment and well thought out plan to make this energy source function. In addition, concerns over contaminated ground water need to be further addressed. Additives used to increase the efficiency of steam rising to the surface, need to be properly controlled and kept separate from sources of drinking water.

Many different nations are beginning their journey to provide effective and reliable, geothermal energy.  Germany has been developing this technology and has recently launched a massive plant that harnesses the heat of the earth.  This plant can currently power about 10,000 homes or 3.4 megawatts of electricity.

The United States has been experimenting with geothermal power since the first generator was created in the early 1900′s. Today the U.S. generates about 2850 MW of electricity using geothermal technology and boasts the largest use of geothermal sources for power.

New sources of energy are being developed all over the world, and geothermal energy is just one more energy source in an arsenal that can help to eliminate our need for fossil fuels. By developing this technology further, we can begin to build a reliable source of energy that can help to backup the energy produced from wind, hydro, and other alternative energies.

Solar Wall in Beijing Olympic Village

Solar power company, Conserval Engineering, has designed its SolarWall technology into the Olympic Village construction of Beijing. The SolarWall PV/T (photovoltaic + solar thermal) incorporates the thermal cells and electrical cells into the same system, allowing complete access to heating and power needs. This process is more efficient than traditional methods as less surface area is used to meet both needs. This solar solution also uses a system of removing the heat from the back surface of each module and funnelling it into the heating system of the building. SolarWall is designed to reduce and reuse the heat from the PV panels that previously caused lowered efficiency. PV cooling is documented by Conserval to increase the efficiency to 50% from a standard 10 – 15% for most modules.

Other projects are also being built to green standards. Simone Giostra & Partners Architects have built and installed the GreenPix – Zero Energy Media Wall. This giant media wall is completely powered by solar power. Greenpix will store solar energy throughout the day and power the color LED screen during the night.

“The Media Wall will provide the city of Beijing with its first venue dedicated to digital media art, while
offering the most radical example of photovoltaic technology applied to an entire building’s envelope
to date”, said Simone Giostra.

Though recent reports have focused on poor environment in China, Beijing is using this opportunity to change it’s image and promote a healthier lifestyle. Green architecture is being promoted and utilized to create healthier environments in China. Though damage will take a long time to reverse, this is definitely a defining moment for China and the world in displaying green technologies.

Solar LED display in Beijing, China

Rising food prices have recently been blamed in part on the redirection of corn to ethanol plants. By growing less corn to take advantage of ethanol prices and subsidies, demand and speculation of food supplies has risen. To counter this effect and find a more efficient alternative to corn ethanol, a few companies have began to build and develop ethanol plants that use household and solid wastes to produce fuel. This idea not only provides a reliable stream of raw ingredients from landfills, but helps to cut down on waste that is being deposed of in our environment.

GeneSyst International is currently constructing a plant in the Netherlands to convert landfill mass into fuel. The company uses a design that allows gravity to filter out particles that can be converted. By building near landfills, transportation costs can be kept low, extending that savings to local customers. Some of the items they will be converting include: food wastes, office paper, cardboard, yard wastes, scrap wood, sewer and septic screenings, and crop chaff. GeneSyst hopes to reduce landfill waste and run a more profitable operation than any current waste disposal programs.

Another company that operates in the United States is beginning construction on a similar technique of producing ethanol from waste products.  BlueFire Ethanol uses its system of Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis to convert landfill waste into a usable fuel. The process separates the biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Afterwards, the cellulose and hemicellulose are changed into sugars, fermented, and purified into a final product. Acid is used to break down the source biomass and reused in future conversions. Operation is expected in 2009. BlueFire boasts of being the only demonstrated company currently, though that may soon change with plans of competing companies.

Many other projects are being planned by competitors that use variations of the above technologies. The waste industry provides vast opportunity to reduce our dependence on foreign oils and limit the destruction that landfills create. While ethanol does not claim to be the most efficient alternative energy, it is an idea that scientists and developers see as a step in the right direction that can also provide income and jobs. We will always create wastes and this may be a great answer to waste and energy management.