New experiments by a team of MIT researchers reveal a new way of producing electricity through nanotube thermopower waves - technology that could store 100 times more energy than conventional batteries.

Though they’ve been studied for over a hundred years, only recent research suggests the full potential of “combustion waves” that may signal a new way of producing electricity. As reported by Treehugger, new experiments by a team of MIT researchers have discovered that “chemically-driven carbon-nanotube-guided thermopower waves” may create a new source of alternative energy technology that could store 100 times more energy than conventional lithium/ion batteries.

This discovery “opens up a new area of energy research, which is rare,” says Michael Strano, MIT’s Charles and Hilda Roddey Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering.

In what they call a “previously unknown phenomenon,” a news release from MIT breaks down the process in relatively simple terms, which I have broken down into a series of steps below:

1) Electrically and thermally conductive nanotubes are coated with a layer of a reactive fuel that can produce heat by decomposing.

2) This reaction fuel is ignited at one end of the nanotube using either a laser beam or a high-voltage spark.

3) The result of igniting the reaction fuel is the creation of a fast-moving thermal wave traveling along the length of the carbon nanotube like a flame speeding along the length of a lit fuse.

4) Heat from the fuel goes into the nanotube, where the heat travels thousands of times faster than in the fuel itself.

5) As the heat feeds back to the fuel coating, a thermal wave is created that is guided along the nanotube.

6) With a temperature of 3,000 kelvins, this ring of heat speeds along the tube 10,000 times faster than the normal spread of this chemical reaction.

7) The heating produced by that combustion, it turns out, also pushes electrons along the tube, creating a substantial electrical current.

Practical uses may be limited to “micro” devices or what Strano intriguingly describes as “environmental sensors that could be scattered like dust in the air,” however, it is far too soon to rule out larger applications as well.

Strano is the lead author of a paper published in Nature Materials that details the experiments, though online access to the full text of the paper is limited. However, you do have full access to a video of the process posted on Treehugger that, in just one minute and seven seconds, showcases a pretty impressive presentation of these “chemically-driven carbon-nanotube-guided thermopower waves” in action.

Image source: MIT

Meredith Simonds Battery Technology, Renewable Energy alternative energy, Carbon, Electricity, energy, Michael Strano, MIT, nanotube, researchers, thermopower waves

Based on new research from two teams of scientists, the hype of a hydrogen economy could be realized through solar and wind.

Theoretically, a hydrogen economy is ideal – the simplest element in the universe fueling our lives through clean energy. The problem, of course, lies in its creation. Hydrogen isn’t just lying in wait for us to capture. Hydrogen must be created and our current means of doing so is through the use of fossil fuels. In other words, we are using dirty energy to produce clean energy. This irony is the inspiration behind the work of two research teams convinced that solar and wind can turn the hype of a hydrogen economy into a reality.

FLYING HIGH FOR HYDROGEN

A Korean research team says a 6.5 million-square-foot parafoil (i.e., kite) – flown a mile high over the ocean, and tied to a catamaran equipped with a hydroelectric turbine – can produce enough electricity to separate hydrogen from seawater.

As reported by Wired, the research team notes in the March issue of the journal Energy:

“If such ships are deployed at 20-km (12.4-mile) intervals over two temperate zones, one in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere and the other everywhere in the Southern Hemisphere, the total power produced will be many times that needed by the world.”

Again, in theory this sounds ideal, but as of now that’s all it is – theory. Currently the largest parafoil manufactured is just 6,835-square-feet. The parafoil the research team envisions would need to be of a size 954 times bigger!

HYDROGEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Though not a new concept, using the sun to separate hydrogen from water has historically proven too inefficient to serve as a viable contributor to a hydrogen economy … until now.

Treehugger reports on a breakthrough among a team of scientists led by Dr. Thomas Nann at the University of East Anglia:

“The concept of water + sunlight = hydrogen is not new. But turning 60% of the energy in light into hydrogen power is. The trick lies in the nanophotocathode used by Nann’s team.

“A gold electrode coated with nanoclusters of indium phosphide absorb incoming photons of light (that is the wavy line marked ‘hv’ in the image). The nanoclusters then pass electrons liberated by the sun’s energy into an iron-sulfur complex which acts like a match-maker between the negatively charged electron and a hydrogen proton in the surrounding water molecules. Gaseous hydrogen results.”

At a time when the U.S. is intent on gaining ground in the renewable energy race, it would be interesting to know how much of the $90 billion set aside for clean energy investments is going toward hydrogen research, which would fall under the $26.6 billion earmarked for “renewable generation.”

Meredith Simonds Hydrogen Economy, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind Power clean energy, Hydrogen Economy, kite, parafoil, Solar, Treehugger, Wind, Wired

In response to China's urging that the U.S. clean up our climate act, consider 1) our investment of billions in clean energy technology, 2) a new climate bill in the works and 3) incentives for greening American homes.

Last year at the Copenhagen climate conference, the U.S. made a promise that China today urged us to make good on – not only that we cut down on our own greenhouse gas emissions, but that we make investments in developing countries to help them do the same. The U.S. and China are among other developed nations who made similar commitments, including Brazil, South Africa, India and the European Union.

Granted, the U.S. has a long way to go in the pursuit of our green-geared ambitions – and we may disagree on the best direction to take,  from wind, to solar, to nuclear – but we do seem to be on the right track.

WE’RE INVESTING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CLEAN ENERGY

The U.S. has $90 billion in federal stimulus funding set aside for clean energy investments. This includes $100 million announced last week for funding the innovation of green technology, particularly for 1) energy storage, 2) electropower technology and 3) thermodevices.

WE’RE WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE BILL

Just yesterday President Obama met with 14 U.S. Senators to press them on a commitment to passing a comprehensive climate and energy bill this year. Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman were all in attendance, authors of the KGL proposed climate bill that would require the U.S. to cut our emissions 17 percent by 2020 and presumably provide a “fair share” of aid to help developing countries clean up their own climate act.

WE’RE INCREASINGLY TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AT HOME

From the Homestar program that reimburses homeowners for green investments, to home efficiency rating systems that highlight the long-term savings inherent in energy-efficient houses, it’s clear that greening our homes is the way to go for both the environmental and financial incentives.

WHAT WE’RE NOT DOING IS BEATING CHINA

Though by their own admission China says they have a long way to go in cleaning up their own climate act, they’re still beating the U.S. in the renewable energy race. In fact, China leads the world in both solar and wind technology manufacturing, for which we are a contributing factor.

Maybe we should take China’s advice and invest more funds in supporting clean energy technology in developing nations (and in our own country) instead of paying China to manufacture the wind turbines and solar panels we could be making here at home!

Meredith Simonds Climate change, Renewable Energy China, clean energy, climate bill, Climate change, Graham, Homestar, Kerry, Lieberman, nuclear, Obama, Renewable Energy, Solar, technology, U.S., Wind

Through a new pocket-sized laboratory at Harvard University, researchers can discover new biofuels resources faster, cheaper and more energy-efficiently.

Instead of spending years researching new biofuels resources, Treehugger is reporting that a new “pocket-sized” laboratory at Harvard University can now achieve better results in a matter of months. And it’s not just faster than your big, bulky, “run-of-the-mill” laboratories, but it’s cheaper and more energy-efficient too. In what is remarkably described as a mini-lab smaller than an iPod Nano, a new “microfluidic sorting device” is poised to revolutionize the  biofuels industry  as a means of supplementing wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.

Here’s how this mini laboratory works:

1) As drops of microscopic fluid pass through the system, a laser “reads” the fluorescence level inside an individual cell contained within the drop.

2) The higher the fluorescence level, the higher the cell’s activity and, in turn, the more optimal it is for biofuels.

3) Drops with the higher levels of fluorescence are passed into a “keeper” tube while others are sent through a second tube into the “discard” pile, so to speak.

Not only is all of this happening within a lab that is smaller than an iPod Nano, but it is happening at a rate 1,000 times faster than regular robotic sorting systems currently used in biofuels research.

Though located at Harvard University, this new microfluidic sorting device is a team effort that also includes MIT, the Universite de Strasbourg, YNano LLc, the National Science Foundation, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and the Agence National de la Recherche.

For a deeper understanding, check out Treehugger’s post, which includes a video demo of the new mini lab. Though a pretty primitive graphic demonstration, the video does its job of making the general gist of the technology crystal clear.

Meredith Simonds Biofuels, Renewable Energy Biofuels, energy, Harvard University, iPod Nano, laboratory, microfluidic sorting device, microscopic, mini lab, Treehugger

The Earth Advantage Institute's new Energy Performance Score provides a more comprehensive means of helping buyers and sellers rate a home's energy efficiency.

Whether you’re buying a home or looking to sell, the new Energy Performance Score (EPS) will give you an advantage, just as the creator’s name implies. The Earth Advantage Institute (EAI) is a non-profit organization in Oregon that created the EPS system as a means of grading the energy efficiency of homes. It’s a way for buyers to choose a home that will save them the most energy (i.e., money), and a way for sellers to increase the efficiency (i.e., value) of their homes through clean energy renovations. Perhaps the EPS system will serve as an effective supplement to the Obama administration’s aggressive encouragement of clean energy home upgrades.

In his article, “Energy Performance Labeling as a Green Home Market Driver,” EAI’s Program Manager David Heslam notes:

“The US has put aside $5 billion in the stimulus package for weatherization with the intent to upgrade at best a million homes (at an estimated $5,000 per job). But this raises a serious question about the scale of our commitment. One million homes is one percent of the estimated number of residences in the U.S.

“If we are really serious about energy savings, what about the other 100 million American homes that representing 20% of our annual energy consumption?”

EAI believes the answer to this question lies in the creation of a comprehensive rating system that not only takes into account energy savings, but also carbon emissions.

To that end, the EAI’s Energy Performance Score rates homes on 32 data points covering a wide range of home energy elements, including efficiency as it relates to:

• Air leakage
• Ceiling and attic insulation
• Wall insulation
• Floor insulation
• Windows insulation value and tightness
• Heating and cooling
• Ducts seals and insulation
• Water heating
• Lights and appliances

The Energy Performance Score system has attracted nationwide attention, with all of the following considering the recommendations outlined in the pilot program’s 2009 report — the City of Chicago, the City of Houston, the Clinton Climate Initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

In fact, EAI welcomes any state or municipality to test the pilot program. For more in-depth information about getting your community on board, check out the EPS pilot resource page. Beyond that, the EPS initiative serves as a welcome reminder that – no matter what sort of rating system you use – the best way to sell a home these days is to paint it green.

Meredith Simonds conservation David Heslam, EAI, Earth Advantage Institute, energy efficiency, Energy Performance Score, EPS, home

What does the KGL proposed climate bill entail? What does Senator Graham mean by "cap-and-trade is dead"? And what sense can be made of the subsequent media coverage and commentary?

Considering the media scrutiny of the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman (KGL) proposed climate legislation in recent days, you would think the three U.S. senators would make a concerted effort to outline details of the bill on their websites, in their own words. However, not only is the bill for cleaner energy legislation not prominently addressed on their home pages, but after quite a bit of digging, not anywhere on their sites did I find a single mention of it. Perhaps this is by design for political reasons of which I am ignorant, but as a result my only source of reference is a patchwork of media explanations and commentary.

FROM THE WASHINGTON POST

Let’s start with The Washington Post article in which Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was quoted as saying “Cap-and-trade is dead.” Instead of applying a blanket cap on emissions that all industries would be subject to, the KGL climate bill would apply different controls to different sectors. As the Post outlines:

• Power plants would face an overall cap on emissions that would become more stringent over time
• Motor fuel may be subject to a carbon tax
• Industrial facilities would be exempted from a cap on emissions for several years before it is phased in
• Domestic oil and gas drilling offshore and would be expanded
• Federal assistance would be provided for constructing nuclear power plants and carbon sequestration and storage projects at coal-fired utilities

The Post article goes on to explain the possible “cap-and-dividend” option:

“The change in policy, which might even include giving money raised through carbon pollution allowances directly back to consumers, a scheme known as ‘cap-and-dividend,’ could appeal to some wavering senators.”

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

In response to “cap-and-trade is dead” quote,  The New York Times offers more of Graham’s thoughts to help put the quote in context:

“This started with the planet is heating up and Iowa is going to become beachfront property,” [Graham] said.

“Now people go around not saying that much. I think they’ve oversold the consequences to climate change, to global warming. And the momentum around this large cap-and-trade bill to save the planet has been replaced by a business model: How do we create jobs and stay ahead of the Chinese and clean up the air?”

FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST

For The Huffington Post’s Dan Rosenblum, the proposed carbon tax on motor fuels is of greatest concern, noting:

“[The Senators] appear to recognize that carbon taxes make sense and can fly politically. The bad news is that the type of carbon tax that is likely to be proposed for the transportation sector bears little or no resemblance to a well-designed carbon tax, incorporates some of the worst elements of cap-and-trade and would be ineffectual and counterproductive. It almost makes cap-and-trade look good.”

FROM GRIST

Grist’s David Roberts marvels at the “Stupid things senators are saying about the [KGL] proposal,” which he calls “a torrent of confusion, nonsense, and outright falsehoods,” going on to note:

“It’s become pretty clear that most conservative and ‘centrist’ senators don’t have even a rudimentary understanding of carbon pricing. They think the KGL plan is better, but at no point does any of them offer any coherent policy rationale for that preference.”

FROM POLITICS DAILY

Finally, Politics Daily reports on John McCain’s characterization of the bill as as “joke,” specifically in reference to the funding of more nuclear power plants: “It’s a joke when there’s no site recycling and there’s no storage. Nuclear power is not viable without recycling and without storage. Period.”

FROM LITTLE OLE’ ME

In weeding through all this media coverage of the KGL climate proposal I am compelled to offer my own commentary on two points:

1) Graham’s reference to the bill as a means of “staying ahead of the Chinese.” We can’t very well “stay ahead” of a country that is already ahead of us when it comes to clean energy development. Yes, it’s a race we seem intent on winning, but one in which we seem to be sabotaging ourselves.

2) McCain’s concern over no proposal within the bill for how to recycle and/or store nuclear waste. Might I suggest the Bill Gates-endorsed TerraPower, a “traveling wave nuclear reactor design” that utilizes nuclear waste as fuel for producing clean energy.

What to expect? Only one thing for certain – the KGL climate bill will need 60 yes votes to pass the Senate.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, nuclear power bill, climate, Graham, Grist, Kerry, Lieberman, McCain, media, Politics Daily, proposal, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post

Instead of chopping down trees to cook with, Haitians need only biomass waste to heat Lucia biochar stoves.

When natural disasters strike, it only exacerbates pre-existing environmental problems. Case-in-point: Haiti’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake in January that has called greater attention to this impoverished country’s most devastating threat to conservation efforts – deforestation. So in the rebuilding efforts, it would seem a prime time to introduce clean energy alternatives to chopping down trees for cook stoves – biochar.

Biochar is the end-product created through the burning of biomass under oxygen-free conditions. Instead of relying on the logging of forests for fuel, the biochar creation process known as pyrolysis can utilize twigs, and plant and animal waste.

World Stoves CEO Nathaniel Mulcahy sees biochar as the ideal solution for Haiti where they currently burn the equivalent of 30 million trees a year. In fact,this practice is the primary reason 98 percent of Haiti’s tree cover is gone, with just 100,000 acres of forest left!

BIOCHAR TO HAITI’S RESCUE?

In partnership with the NGO International Lifeline Fund and a private Haitian company, World Stoves has a production center in Port-Au-Prince with the goal of:

“Producing approximately 2,000 ‘Lucia’ emergency stoves for institutional and household use during its first month of operation alone. These super-efficient woodless stoves, which are … fueled entirely with agricultural waste such as twigs, groundnut shells, rice husk and dung.

“At a cost that can be brought down to as little as about $6 per unit, the Lucia emergency stove will enable a woman to cook for a 5-person household using an average of just 300 grams (about a handful) of fuel per meal.

“Furthermore, as a result of the pryolytic cooking process it employs, the Lucia stove creates biochar – a substance that functions as a highly effective fertilizer and that can be sold on the market, thereby turning the stove into an income generator for each of its users.”

BIOCHAR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT IN THE U.S.

World Stove is not alone in its development of biochar technology. There are numerous companies, organizations and individuals engaged in biochar projects, including the United States government.

Scientists with the federal Department of Agriculture are studying biochar with other researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Washington State University.

And according to the Associated Press:

“The USDA estimates biochar has the potential to replace about 25 percent of the annual oil consumption in this country. They say it especially seems promising as a soil amendment and to lock up greenhouse gases.”

LUCIA STOVE SEEMS A VIABLE SOLUTION

Biochar is not without its critics, though the main objection seems to be the growing and harvesting of trees specifically for biochar production, which would seem to defeat the purpose, of course. However, World Stoves is positioning its product as a means of utilizing biomass waste, not new wood grown specifically for that purpose.

At a time when the Women’s Refugee Commission is reporting that “Haitian women are resorting to burning trash, furniture or scraps of organic materials scrounged from the rubble—just to be able to cook for their families,” the Lucia stove certainly seems a viable solution.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, conservation, global warming biochar, biochar stove, biomass, deforestation, earthquake, Haiti, Lucia, pyrolysis, waste, wood, World Stoves

If the U.S. is so intent on creating clean energy jobs at home - through programs like Homestar - why can we not expect the same of American Recovery Act renewable energy projects?

In addition to cash rebates for homeowners who invest in clean energy upgrades, central to President Obama’s announcement of his proposed Homestar Program is the creation of U.S. jobs. Specifically, Obama says he wants to jump-start the flailing construction industry, as homeowners will employ professionals to install more energy-efficient windows, water heaters, insulation, etc.  However, as a group of Democratic senators suggest, if Obama is so concerned with creating jobs in the U.S., why are the majority of materials for U.S. renewable energy investments, for projects like wind and solar, being manufactured in other countries?

U.S. SENATORS WANT RECOVERY ACT JOBS KEPT AT HOME

Coincidentally (or not), Obama’s endorsement Tuesday of the U.S. energy-saving, job-building Homestar Program came on the same day that four U.S. senators wrote to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner asking for a moratorium on clean energy investments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The letter signers include Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Jon Tester of Montana.

As noted in the related Associated Press article:

“The lawmakers cited a report by the Investigative Reporting Workshop which found that a majority of the program’s grants went to foreign-owned companies, and that a majority of the turbines purchased with the money were built by foreign manufacturers.”

More to the point, the Senators’ letter to Geithner states:

“A critical Recovery Act priority is investment in the domestic renewable and clean energy industry, not investment in foreign manufacturers.”

WHY ARE WE HELPING CHINA CORNER THE MARKET ON WIND, SOLAR MANUFACTURING?

You may recall this article in The Wall Street Journal in which Rebecca Smith reported that “China is planning on future investments in the U.S. renewable industry as a way of creating a market for Chinese wind and solar equipment manufacturers.

“‘This is just the beginning,’ said Lu Jinxiang, chief executive of A-Power Energy Generation System Ltd., which controls Shenyang Power. He said the U.S. ‘is an ideal target’ as it seeks to shift to renewable energy from fossil fuels.”

As President Obama adamantly expressed in his State of the Union Address in January, “I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders — and I know you don’t either.”

So with China now the world leader in the production of wind and solar technology, the Senators’ concern expressed in yesterday’s letter seems well within reason.

As invaluable as the Homestar program may be to the creation of U.S. construction jobs, it does seem hypocritical and counterproductive to use funds for the American Recovery Act to help further China’s end goal of leading in the manufacture of clean energy technology.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Solar China, clean energy, construction industry, Democratic senators, Homestar Program, jobs, Obama, Senator Schumer, Solar, Wind

From federal approval to buy and sell clean energy, to development of a cheaper solar thermal mirror prototype, Google is intent on greening the world.

Like it or not, Google is almost synonymous with the internet. Could it be they’re shooting for a similar equation when it comes to Google and clean energy? On the heels of the announcement that Google  received federal approval to buy and sell clean energy at wholesale prices, we’re now hearing details of the the internet search giant’s offline search for cheaper mirrors for solar thermal power plants.

One of the main obstacles to the viability of solar thermal power plants is the high price tag attached to the mirrors these power plants need to work. Mirrors help focus the sun’s rays on a substance that heats in order to turn a turbine that creates electricity. Google is working on a prototype they say will cut mirror costs in half.

Research into solar thermal mirrors is part of Google’s Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal program, just one of many of Google’s clean energy initiatives, including:

• Recharge IT, aimed at accelerating the adoption of plug-in vehicles and “smart charging” applications
• Google PowerMeter, a device allowing people to see detailed home energy information in near real-time right on their computer
• Clean Energy 2030, a commitment to helping wean the U.S. off electricity produced by coal and oil within 20 years time
• Solar Panels, powering Google facilities with 9,212 solar panels that produce 1.6 MW of electricity – enough to power approximately 1,000 average California homes

It’s also worth noting that Google was the first customer of the Bloom Box, the new fuel cell technology that creates electricity by combining oxygen with natural gas, bio-gas or solar power.

Personally, I”m fascinated with Google’s ability to creatively and consistently tap into our needs and interests, online and off. However, I cannot shake my mother’s warning that Google knows too much already, as she loves to cite a TV special in which one critic noted we tell Google’s search box things we wouldn’t tell our best friend. With systems like the PowerMeter, for example, do we want Google knowing every detail of how we’re using energy too?

Meredith Simonds Solar clean energy, federal approval, google, internet, mirrors, PowerMeter, prototype, solar thermal

How are we spending the $90 billion set aside for clean energy through the 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act?

Last Thursday I blogged about South Dakota schools and non-profits as the most recent recipients of clean energy stimulus funds under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). These SD organizations received $2.8 million of the $2.7 billion allocated by the EECBG, a zero-interest, long-term loan program funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (i.e., the stimulus bill).

To put this $2.7 billion clean energy spending in perspective, below is a breakdown of how federal stimulus money for clean energy is being divided among nine categories – numbers provided by the President’s Council on Economic Affairs and shared on Treehugger on Friday via an article from CleanTechnica.

Of the $90 billion of federal stimulus money set aside for clean energy investments in the U.S., here is the breakdown:

• Renewable generation – $26.6 billion
• Energy efficiency – $19.9 billion
• Transit – $18.1 billion
• Grid modernization – $10.5 billion
• Advanced vehicles and fuels – $6.1 billion
• Green innovation and job training – $3.5 billion
• Carbon capture – $3.4 billion
• Clean energy manufacturing – $1.6 billion
• Other – $.4 billion

So what does all this spending really mean?

“Once spent,” writes CleanTechnica’s Susan Kraemer, “the funds set aside for renewable energy will have bought us 16,000 megawatts of wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy capacity propelled by the stimulus.

“That is enough to permanently take 4 to 5 million homes 100% off the dirty grid. Not just for a week. Forever. This use of the stimulus funding is a good investment for America. Not only will it make energy cleaner, but in the long run, it makes energy cheaper (and healthier) for all of us.”

Beyond that, Treehugger’s Brian Merchant writes:

“The bulk of funding is going to renewable generation, which is good news, in my opinion (and so is the handsome chunk going to grid modernization). We need to get renewable power plants up and running, begin to build public perception that they’re going to be a permanent part of the power mix, and help get the industry some real legs.

“It’s a solid start.”

Of course, what these numbers do not divulge is how these clean energy investments will be broken down among wind, solar and, of course, nuclear. With the President’s additional $54 billion set aside as loan guarantees for nuclear energy projects, and the administration’s recent promotion of nuclear power in general, I suspect nuclear is going to predominate, though not if Friends of the Earth get their way.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, clean energy, CleanTechnica, EECBG, South Dakota, stimulus, Treehugger, U.S.

We're cleaning up our seas and skies through innovative alternative energy technology fueled by algae, waste and the sun.

From the world’s first algae and waste-powered planes, to the world’s largest solar-powered boat, new conservation technology is cleaning up transit by sea and air. Just yesterday we got our first look at the world’s largest solar-powered boat. Also this month, we got wind of U.S. and British plans to fly planes using two new alternative energy technologies — algae-fueled jets for the U.S. military and waste-powered planes for British Airways.

BY SEA

Thirty-one meters long and 15 meters wide, the new PlanetSolar is now the world’s largest solar-powered boat, equipped with 500 square meters of photovoltaic solar panels. Though it can currently travel at an average speed of 9 mph, that rate is expected to double – hopefully in time for PlanetSolar’s scheduled 2011 voyage around the world.

Equipped with what are considered the highest efficiency solar cells on the market today, it is no surprise that the world’s largest solar-powered boat comes with a hefty pricetag — $24.4 million.

BY AIR

Algae-Based Jet Fuel

Under the Obama administration, there is a commitment of $80 million toward the research and development of a new generation of algae and biomass fuels. To that end, the Pentagon says they are just months away from making algae fuel for military jet planes cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels.

Here’s how it works. When algae grows it absorbs carbon dioxide. When algae is burned in the form of jet fuel, it releases the previously absorbed carbon dioxide. So in theory, algae produces a zero-carbon fuel .

Aside from helping the military achieve its goal of getting half of its energy from renewable fuels by 2016, algae-based jet fuel could improve the logistics of delivering fuel for jets in the field as it can be produced on site.

Waste-Based Jet Fuel

On the commercial end of alternative jet fuels, British Airways is ahead of the curve. To meet its own goal of generating 10 percent of its fuel from renewable resources by 2014, the airline is investing in the development of waste-based jet fuel. This goal is part of a broader mission of cutting British Airways greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050.

British Airways is building a plant that will convert waste into fuel – specifically, 500,000 tons of organic waste into 16 millions gallons of jet fuel, annually. The process is one in which trash is turned into a biosynthetic gas that is then converted into liquid fuel.

Certainly we’re a long way off from algae, waste or solar providing an affordable, practical means for fueling boats and planes on a mass scale. However, what is on the horizon, especially by way of jet fuel, is a promising migration toward a real revolution led by those best-equipped to inspire large-scale change — the military and business enterprise.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Solar, conservation algae, boat, conservation, jet fuel, photovoltaic cells, PlanetSolar, Solar, U.S. military, waste

South Dakota schools and non-profits awarded $2.8 million for renewable energy projects.

Add another $2.8 million awarded under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). South Dakota schools and non-profits are the recipients of a zero-interest long-term federal stimulus loan for clean energy projects – like wind and solar – in K through 12 school districts, state technical schools and non-profits.

The EECBG is a grant program funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. There is $2.7 billion available through this grant program, of which more than $2 billion has already been awarded through more than 1,800 loans to communities all across the United States.

With its $2.8 million, South Dakota can invest in:

• Wind turbines
• Solar panels
• Heat pumps
• Installation of efficient lighting
• Energy-efficient heat and a/c systems

You can take a look at all grantees of these zero-interest long-term loans for clean energy projects, including the 1) name of applicant, 2) state, 3) type of grantee, and 4) loan amount. It’s a long list to scroll through, but all 50 states appear to be represented!

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind Power American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, clean energy, EECBG, federal stimulus, Renewable Energy, Solar, South Dakota, Wind, zero-interest loan

Bloom Energy says the Bloom Box will get us off the grid.

Since the world got its first glimpse at the Bloom Box during 60 Minutes Sunday night, Bloom Energy has monopolized the clean energy news. This ”secretive Silicon Valley startup,” as it is has come to be known, produces fuel cell technology that promises to get us off the grid and power our homes and businesses cleaner and cheaper. Skeptics expect we’ll be disappointed, doubting the Bloom Box can replace wind or solar as the renewable energy alternative of choice.

THE BLOOM BOX

As Bloom Energy founder K. R. Sridhar explained to Lesley Stahl during the 60 minutes interview, the fuel cell itself is made of beach sand. They bake this sand then cut it into squares. Each side of this square receives a different coat of secret formula paint — one black, one green.

The more of these fuel cells they stack on top of one another, the more power it’s going to produce through a combination of oxygen and fuel. It’s the chemical reation of these two elements combined that produces electricity.

“Our system can run on fossil fuels,” says Sridhar, “like natural gas. Our system can run on renewable energy from the landfill, bio-gas. You can use solar.”

THE PROMISE

Sridhar, who originally invented a similar device for NASA, also says:

• 2 Bloom Boxes can power one American home
• 1 Bloom Box can power one European home and four Asian homes
• 64 Bloom Boxes can power a small business, like a Starbucks
• The cost of a Bloom Box will ultimately be as low as $3,000
• Every home will have one within 10 years time

THE PESSIMISM

Skeptics say it’s doubtful Bloom Energy can do what no other clean energy company has been able to do thus far — produce fuel cell technology that can be produced on a mass scale both quickly and affordably. In fact, Bloom Energy is only able to produce one Bloom Box a day, and that’s with 10 years of development and $400 million behind it.

THE PROOF

Though the potential for mass production remains to be seen, one thing is certain. The Bloom Box does work, as can be attested by Google, eBay, FedEx and Staples, just a handful of the 20 bigname companies who Sridhar counts among his clientele.

In fact, Bloom Energy’s official launch today is at eBay headquarters where the technology has saved the company over $100,000 in electricity bills in just a few months time.

“It’s about seeing the world as what it can be,” says Sridhar, “not what it is.”

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, fuel cells Bloom Box, Bloom Energy, clean energy, ebay, fuel cell, launch, Sridhar

By 2020, California needs 33 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources.

It’s been a little over a year since California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the executive order requiring the state to generate 33 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, like wind and solar, by 2020. This week two announcements are helping to pave the way toward that end goal.

On Monday, the California State Senate approved a bill that could help the California Energy Commission speed up the permit process for pending renewable energy projects — 11 of them that state officials are hoping will garner federal loan guarantees for their completion. Swift action is required, as receving these loans is dependent on breaking ground on these projects by the end of 2010.

Case in point: Also on Monday, the federal government gave a tentative greenlight to a federal loan guarantee for a huge solar energy project in the Mojave Desert. Specifically, this loan would provide $1.4 billion toward the construction of three solar energy plants that will produce enough electricity to power 140,000 homes.

Both devlopments are pending finalization. The California State Senate bill now goes to the Assembly for approval. As for the Mojave Desert solar energy project, there are some environmental and financial loose ends to address. However, each appears poised to move forward.

At a time when nuclear energy development seems at the forefront of U.S. renewable energy ambitions, it’s nice to see support of California’s own solar and wind ambitions in the mix.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Solar, nuclear power 2020, California, California Energy Commission, Governor Schwarzenegger, Mojave Desert, nuclear, Renewable Energy, Senate bill, Solar, Wind

We talk about wind and solar, but the race we seem to be running is nuclear.

“Made in China.” Them are fighting words in the renewable energy race. And as The New York Times reported earlier this month, China is winning, now the world leader in the production of wind and solar energy technology. As noted  by the CEO of a  Beijing private equity fund that focuses on renewable energy, “Most of the energy equipment will carry a brass plate, ‘Made in China.’”

Fast forward to Friday at a renewable energy jobs summit in Aurora, Colorado. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu referenced China’s $9 billion per month investment in renewable energy — motivation to rally the troops, stating “America has the opportunity to lead the world in a new industrial revolution.” Yet his big announcement on the heels of that statement was less than impressive.

The federal government plans to invest $8 million in stimulus money toward helping 43 communities across the country make emergency plans to restore power systems in the event of natural or other disasters. Certainly it is a noble endeavor, but $8 million divided among 43 communities doesn’t sound like enough to make much of an impact.

Presumably these emergency plans will involve renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, though all the coverage I’ve read from the event notes Chu’s promotion of nuclear energy. In fact, nuclear seems to be the Obama administration’s golden child of renewable energy sources, as President Obama’s budget includes $54 billion set aside for nuclear power projects.

Though the administration is seemingly making strides toward the development of other renewable energy sources too (e.g., working with 11 East Coast states to expedite the process of offshore wind turbines), something tells me the only renewable energy race we’re truly intent on winning is the nucelar one with a sign at the finish line that reads “Made in the USA.”

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind Power, nuclear power China, Made in China, nuclear, Renewable Energy, renewable energy race, Solar, Steven Chu, U.S. Energy Secretary, Wind

ETI announces world's largest indoor facility for testing offshore wind turbines onshore first

With the Global Wind Energy Council reporting that worldwide wind power was up more 30 percent in 2009, we’re seeing a growing dependence on wind energy. Naturally this leads to an increased interest in technology enabling us to more efficiently and cost-effectively build new wind farms. In addition to the new point-and-click wind (and solar) prospecting tools I blogged about yesterday, there’s another key innovation in wind power development on the horizon.

UK-based Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) this week announced plans to develop the world’s largest indoor testing facility for the next generation of offshore wind farms.

Testing turbines onshore first, within an enclosed controlled infrastructure:

• Lowers electricity costs
• Decreases technical risks associated with mass production
• Generates new prototypes for more efficient and cost-effective equipment
• Increases deployment of new turbines and offshore wind farms

“This test rig will help develop the next generation of offshore wind technology and beyond, meaning that turbine designs can be tested more quickly and cheaply,” says David Kidney, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change.

ETI Chief Executive Dr. David Clarke adds:

“When complete, this world-leading facility will allow turbine manufacturers and engineering teams to test the reliability of their equipment under realistic load conditions without the expense and risk of deploying them offshore.

“It will also offer opportunities to component suppliers and research teams who will be able to test new technologies and designs more comprehensively and to offshore developers who will be able to validate the performance of equipment before putting it into service.”

The ETI is a partnership between international industrial companies with a strong focus on energy, and the UK government. Dr. Clarke notes that this project will serve to attract investment into the UK from companies looking to get involved in the offshore wind sector. If so, I suspect we’ll see the rest of the world take note and invest in indoor turbine testing facilities of their own.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Wind Power Energy Technologies Institute, ETI, Global Wind Energy Council, indoor testing facility, offshore wind farms, UK, wind energy

New prospecting tools simplify wind power siting

For the folks on Denmark’s Samso Island, siting the perfect spot for a wind turbine isn’t too much of a challenge. The wind never stops blowing which is why the the island’s 4000 residents are able to get 100 percent of their electricy from wind power. For most people in the rest of the world, utilizing wind to its greatest potential presents more of a challenge, thus the excitement surrounding 3TIER’s adanced prospecting technology, not only for maximizing wind power but solar power too.

3TIER announced this week the launch of its advanced prospecting tools for enabling renewable energy professionals to find the most ideal locations for wind turbines and solar panels.

“These tools provide – for the first time ever – instant and unlimited access to seasonal variability data of wind and solar resources, around the world,” says 3TIER founder and CEO Kenneth Westrick. “Ultimately, these tools will help accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and bring more reliable energy onto the grid.”

POINT-AND-CLICK SYSTEM SIMPLIFIES WIND AND SOLAR SITING

Through what Westrick describes as a simple “point-and-click” system, users of this technology should be able to determine the following wind variables anywhere in the world:

• Monthly mean wind speed
• Annual mean wind speed
• Annual mean wind direction
• Data available for 20 m, 50 m, and 80 m above ground heights

And capabilities regarding solar siting include ability to determine annual and monthly mean Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) and mean Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DIF).

NEW PROSPECTING TOOLS INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIC FEASABILITY

Over the past 20 years the average height of a wind turbine has grown from 40 meters to 90, with some reaching heights of 100 meters. Though the end goal is maximizing the efficiency of wind power, the taller the tower the higher the pricetag. Perhaps 3TIER’s new generation of prospecting tools can help. As Westrick notes, “It is a smarter, faster and more cost-effective way for the industry to identify and prioritize potential sites for more in-depth assessment.”

Click here to learn more about 3TIER’s new prospecting tools for siting wind and solar locations anywhere in the world.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind Power 3TIER, Denmark, prospecting tools, Renewable Energy, Samso Island, solar power, Wind Power, wind turbines

Bill Gates endorses traveling wave nuclear reactor technology

Though nuclear energy emits zero carbon emissions, the potential hazards associated with disposing of its radioactive waste is a threat that has historically positioned solar energy and wind energy at the top of the list when it comes to producing electricity through alternative fuel sources. However, if Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is right about TerraPower, the clean energy game could change.

BILL GATES TOUTS TRAVELING WAVE NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

At the TED Conference on Friday, Gates endorsed TerraPower as the clean energy solution to our climate change problems. Gates is a principal owner of this technology based on a “traveling wave nuclear reactor design” that utilizes nuclear waste as fuel for producing clean energy. Not only does Gates say it’s safer than current nuclear plants, but also that it is more reliable than solar or wind.

Though most applaud the technology itself, critics say the price makes TerraPower impractical, as further research and testing will cost millions of dollars and building a test unit will run into the billions. However, Gates says the market will drive this price down once the technology is proven.

TERRAPOWER TURNS RADIOACTIVE WASTE INTO CLEAN ENERGY

“Today we are always refueling the reactor so lots of controls and lots of things can go wrong,” says Gates. “That is not good. With this, you have a piece of fuel, think of it like a log, that burns for 60 years and it is done.” So in addition to emitting zero CO2, TerraPower seemingly provides a viable use for radioactive nuclear waste - a key development considering that:

• There are more than 400 nuclear power plants in the world today (producing 17 percent of our electricty)
• New nuclear power plants are in construction all over the world
• President Obama just announced plans that the government will finance the first nuclear power plant to be built in the U.S. in three decades

“We need energy miracles,” says Gates. ”The microprocessor and internet are miracles. This is a case where we have to drive and get the miracle in a short timeline.”

COULD TERRAPOWER BE THE “MIRACLE” WE NEED TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE?

Unlike Gates, I would not elevate the microprocessor or the internet to the level of divine intervention a “miracle” suggests, much less TerraPower technology Bill Gates has an invested financial interest in. Yes, he is a powerful man who has proven he can do powerful things with his money but all the money in the world does not a miracle make.

However, if traveling wave nuclear reactors can safely dispose of radioactive nuclear waste - while creating clean energy in the process – it is certainly a technology I could comfortably elevate to one of the most impressive marvels of modern man.

To learn more, check out this video of TerraPower President John Gilleland demonstrating how traveling wave nuclear reactor technology works.

Meredith Simonds Renewable Energy, global warming Bill Gates, Climate change, nuclear energy, solar energy, TerraPower, traveling wave nuclear reactor, wind energy

Date: 2/11/2010

Accurate information about the wind potential in each state is required for federal and state policy initiatives that will expand the use of wind energy in the United States. A collaborative project between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and AWS Truewind has resulted in the first comprehensive update of the wind energy potential by state since 1993.

Using an AWS Truewind national dataset of estimated gross capacity factor (not adjusted for losses) at a spatial resolution of 200 m and height of 80 m above ground, NREL estimated the windy land area and wind energy potential in various capacity factor ranges for each state in the contiguous United States. The table (Excel 75 KB) lists the estimates of windy land area with a gross capacity factor of 30% and greater at 80-m height and the wind energy potential from development of the “available” windy land area after exclusions. These areas are generally considered to have suitable wind resource for wind development.

The “Installed Capacity” is the potential megawatts (MW) of rated capacity that could be installed on the available windy land area, and the “Annual Generation” is the estimated annual wind energy generation in gigawatt-hours (GWh) that could be produced from the installed capacity. NREL reduced the wind potential estimates by excluding areas unlikely to be developed such as wilderness areas, parks, urban areas, and water features (see Wind Resource Exclusion Table in the spreadsheet above for more detail).

Kristy Wesh Wind Power AWS Truewind, National Renewable Energy Lab, NREL wind estimates, wind development, wind energy, Wind Power

BrightSource Energy Inc. has submitted a new design for the Ivanpah solar Energy Generating System project. This mitigation proposal, filed with the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM), would reduce the project’s size from 440 to 392 megawatts (MW) and reduce its overall footprint by 12 percent.

Kristy Wesh Solar brightsource energy, Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System Project, Solar, solar energy, solar power, solar power plants