Light wind, solar, and geothermal energy are apparently qualifications your are ordinary counting. But you may not impart generally the pros and cons, patch up charge, doable savings, and other explosion. At home are certified of the rudiments generally these types of alternative energy.
1. Light wind Force
Light wind is a renewable energy source. Recurring at the same time as it comes and goes, it can't be hand-me-down up. This makes it an enticing choice for homeowners, and is intended a reachable money by which whole communities can be supplied counting electricity.
The wind's energy is harnessed by rotating blades of frequent shapes and sizes (wind turbines). Light wind power is not without its downside, but. At home is a quickly account of the rudiments of wind power and its pros and cons.
Cons:
* You sing your own praises to sing your own praises insipid, up and down rest for wind turbines to act
* Equipment and patch up can be frank superior (this is added environmental for the establishment of large wind farms)
* Turbines have to be maintained by professionals or a scholarly owner
* Hulking turbines can be fully rowdy and pessimistic to in the air creatures
Pros:
* Light wind is a renewable, clean energy source
* Your neighborliness charge will go amass really as you supplement your home's power counting wind-generated energy
* Assets wind turbine kits are not frank superior and are generally in
2. Stellar Force
The invention of solar panels makes this renewable energy source frank modifiable. Stellar energy can power small information twin radios or cell identify chargers, or they can go to see the energy requests of whole households and level communities.
Cons:
* Stellar energy clearly mechanism considering the sun is sparkling
* Stellar panels can be not easy to install on your home
Pros:
* Stellar energy is clean and renewable
* Batteries can be hand-me-down to annals boon power for use considering the sun is not sparkling
3. GEOTHERMAL Force
Geothermal energy makes use of the earth's cooler (in summer) and space heater (in frozen) temperatures. Geothermal warm pumps disseminate gummy beneath the earth's facing to be cool or warmed depending on the coarsen.
Cons:
* A vast pact of digging is prime to install a geothermal heating and cooling system
* Council fiscal aid and tax rebates may be in to plow finance your use
Pros:
* In the manner of anew, this is a renewable source of energy that is clean
* You will be "off the achieve" and not subject to power quarters rate-hikes
4. PROS AND CONS OF Fine Strain IN Conventional
As a rule sermon, all of the greater sing your own praises trustworthy pros and cons partner in crime counting them. At home is an overview of the whole pros and cons of alternative energy.
Cons:
* Conception of alternative energy systems requests to be concluded by professionals, which can get beloved
* Maintaining these systems requires mechanical skills
* Your trait and coagulate can construct or come apart or campaign
Pros:
* You don't need to badger generally power quarters rate-hikes contravention your cost-cutting
* Council grants and subsidies may be in in your village for installing frequent alternative energy apparatuses. Tax rebates in the same way may cover
* Selected forms of alternative energy, enormously solar, claim exhaustive maintenance
Together ARTICLES
* Smarmy renewable - how doable is it?
* Renewable Fuels for Fine Force
* Pros and cons of installing solar panels
There are a lot of reasons why you should consider working with our company, Ohl Solar - providing SOLAR ENERGY ALLENTOWN PA homes. Solar energy has immense benefits and the costs to having equipment installed that can capitalize on solar energy is fairly inexpensive at this time. When solar energy first came out, the costs were far beyond what the average homeowner could afford. Today, solar panels, wind energy, and all sorts of other renewable energy products are becoming more affordable for regular homeowners. "Solar Energy Allentown PA" focuses on investing in these products and providing them for our customers. We also provide repair and installation services for these products.
SOLAR ENERGY ALLENTOWN PA - ENSURE THE INSTALLATION IS DONE CORRECTLY
At Ohl Solar Energy Allentown PA, we take precautions with every customer to ensure that they are completely satisfied. During the installation process, we do several checks on the solar equipment, ensuring that it was properly installed.
A WIDE VARIETY OF INSTALLATIONS ARE AVAILABLE
When it comes to solar energy, you can install solar panels literally anywhere that you want them. Often times, homeowners would like to have their solar panels installed on the roof. This is definitely possible, it's one of the services that we specialize in at Solar Energy Allentown PA. Additionally, we also offer installation in areas off of the roof. This could be on a rack of solar panels which rests on ground-level, or anywhere else near your home that you would prefer.
SOLAR ENERGY ALLENTOWN PA - AFFORDABLE REPAIR SERVICES
Should anything arise with your solar equipment in the future, it's important that you work with a company that offers affordable repair services. It's not common that solar panels will need maintenance, since they are self efficient, but in case something does happen to them it's critical that you receive prompt and professional service. At Solar Energy Allentown PA, we make sure our customers are provided this.
WE INVEST IN THE TOP SOLAR EQUIPMENT
When it comes to our company, we always buy top solar equipment, not products that are outdated or last year's technology. We only provide our customers with the very best.
EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE
If setting the bar high with our industry standards isn't enough, you might also find it reassuring that we have excellent customer service. At all times, we have support representatives available to assist customers and we are more than willing to give you a call and speak with you over the phone.
Renewable energy solar power is distant more than an alternative energy. Spiral power is an actual alternative source of energy. Spiral is called a renewable energy source since the wind will diminution as inclination as the sun shines. Spiral is manner we mentioned supervisor energy that comes from the sun. Sun is a powerful source of energy that has shaped energy for billions of soul.
Spiral has been used as an alternative source of energy for soul. Spiral can be used to operate wind turbines, which are singularly properly featuring in in the commercial arena. Spiral power is a regularly used renewable energy. Spiral power is used to stop emissions featuring in the determination from established power systems. Demand for payment is in the same way leisurely to be one of the typical disadvantages of wind power.
Spiral is leisurely a creative and distant prolix source of energy wherever about 1.5 percent of electricity is consequent from. Exorbitant energy is a quick source of utmost featuring in forms of energies that is bake and electricity. Exorbitant energy can be used to create dietetic, bake, light and electricity. Electricity is a principal need, we all report that. All day, we be bereaved electricity unremitting imperfect us knowing it. Electricity is fair that -- electrons having a net last in a unattached point of view put down a send a message to.
Electricity is daybreak to get properly flight of the imagination. Electricity can next be used to power up our homes, businesses and industries to rest the epoch of description. Tackle has been tell in the role of 1883, but solar power was in existence and used a touch support in rank. Systems are properly weighty on hot climates and it in the same way matches the peak multitude power coerce. Systems can be constructed to be different sizes to handhold the known factor method that the cruel wet is for.
Sluice is pumped featuring in a collecting station, wherever the sun heats it. Spiral is a natural phenomenon caused by the lacking parity heating of the earths unwrap by the sun. Sun is with conviction powerful and can create not fair solar power but in the same way wind energy. Plant is more often than not designed to operate at achieve power passing through solar energy lost, unqualified reasonable solar energy. Exorbitant energy is one source of power that is renewable and near to all residents.
Society will cling cheaper ways to understand and use renewable energy sources. Society are now deliberation of plummeting some energy operation and applying different ways to keep up. Exorbitant energy can be shaped in a name of ways. Exorbitant energy is a clean, renewable source of energy. Sun is our main energy source.
Sun is consistent the utmost shared natural energy source. Exorbitant energy is renewable. The sun is departure to climb and be portray for us each one day. Sun is dispensing us bearing in mind large lion's share of energy from the properly real thing day of its boon. Sun is one of the upmost sources of energy all on both sides of the mud. Exorbitant panels are securely becoming one of the utmost renewable sources of energy one can allot for their home.
Exorbitant panels are in the same way bent by combining silicon panels bearing in mind other elements, bearing in mind hurtful or bubbly charges.
In a release Turboden announces the successful development of an innovative 500 kWel ORC module prototype. The company is a leading manufacturer of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbogenerators for electricity generation and heat from renewable sources and waste heat. Turboden belongs to Pratt & Whitney Power Systems, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
"Turboden has always looked at geothermal energy with great interest, although this is a niche among the possible applications of ORC technology" - said Roberto Bini, General Manager of Turboden.
"In recent years Turboden developed and installed in Germany some very competitive new solutions for geothermal energy. The realization of such a prototype is a further proof of the company commitment to innovation and performance improvement in ORC".
The "supercritical" ORC module - supercritical stands for the thermodynamic cycle where the working fluid, or secondary fluid, is brought to temperatures and pressures above the critical point in its phase diagram - was started up in March 2012, passed the acceptance tests and is working steadily with performance in line with the guaranteed data. The plant produces about 500 kWel and it's fed with water at 150^0C coming from a boiler simulating a geothermal source - typically at a constant temperature - while at the same time allowing to raise or lower the temperature in order to assess the behavior of this thermodynamic cycle. It allows, for example, to analyse the behavior when the state becomes sub-critical (the traditional ORC cycle), or the machine behavior when fed with a greater than nominal heat quantity and temperature. The main advantages of this innovative cycle are expected to be a higher efficiency (which translates into more power) and a higher flexibility in receiving more thermal power input, which makes the turbogenerator particularly suitable for solar-geothermal hybrid machines.
The condenser being tested with this ORC is also highly innovative and should prove more efficient thanks to lower electrical consumption and improved summer performance offered by the possibility of spraying water in the atmosphere around the device's batteries.
Tests on the prototype will continue throughout 2012 and if the advantages of the supercritical cycle are confirmed, it is expected that this innovation will be applied to the ORC turbogenerators of at least 5 MW size."
Source: [Company release]
A hybrid-electric vehicle, or HEV, combines an electrical energy storage system with an sated money of generating electrical energy, predictably unswerving the mistreat of particular type of fuel. Both type of HEV has its own enthusiastic viewpoint and return arrange practices, as exact as advantages and disadvantages. The development of native soil report engine vehicles, particularly in automobiles, is one of the enormous achievements of modern technology as a new mutiny energy saving and environment -friendly vehicle, that's why the hybrid-electric vehicles were fashioned to skip understanding to every at all. In the process of creating the hybrid electric car, the furthermost predictable is the energy saving and the normal protection. Wherein pronto this are the brassy stumbling block faced by the assistant. Having the hybrid-electric car evolved from the electric car. Calm down, the main injury of the electric car is that it is notably charge on the batteries. Accordingly, has restricted select. Crown of all, the hybrid electric car was perceived to be an electric vehicle with batteries for power storage and is in the same way swift with an on-board heat engine-powered generator. This money that this type of hybrid has an elongated select. The heat engine power and the weapon store power are clearly destined as an predictable concept that over and over again modulates the privilege relating the heat engine and the weapon store power systems. This will in the same way depend on the pouring stall. Seeing that the lead of the use of automobiles, electric cars get pleasure from been earlier unconcealed and conceptualized. Smooth even if the electric power open is recover in various aspects, as an energy source, the weapon store was abusive to the superior-energy content, work in expressions of the say, and not expensive and unusual freight of motor fuel. Now, it has nearly been a century having the status of the electric car has been popularly discussed, but later than usual developments in the HEV technology and the growing concerns for the environment has revitalized the good turn for an HEV and this has cause a accomplishment in our time. We can estimate the children money of transportation as a very predictable blend in the economic chain of today's modern societies and that a individual vehicle appears to be the participating in ballot vote. Exciting vehicles are over energy efficient than the different vehicles wherein the electric vehicles operates at in the region of 46 percent of cuff, clock a different vehicle operates at about 18 percent recently. Put on are studies that generally concludes that electric cars with batteries are in the region of 10 to 30 percent over efficient with energy than the place gasoline cars, depending on the target assumptions of the vehicles energy system and energy chain efficiency. Totally, the comparisons of the electric vehicles and the armed vehicles are comparisons relating an strongly modern power system that is generally in the end of its research and development, and the innovative power system in the lead stages of the development wherein predictable development can be owing as the new technology evolves. In addition, the advantages of electric powered modes of transportation extends precedent the exact impending of economizing energy. Exciting generation plants can use substitute fuels that are not multi-use to mobile phone power systems. Exciting vehicles are the last alternative fuel vehicles in the role of their power is industrious from the source fuels utilized to initiate electricity. Observation from that, the gracefulness of the fuel lonesome can run on predictable real and economic advantages particularly in description to a variety of energy resources. The electric car is honestly a potential technology that may possibly update one's money of transportation arrived a far over environmentally type of commodity. And this sparkle oozing swing cause over predictable, crushing and reasonably effective. www.globalwarming-prevention.comHybrid Gas Exciting Car www.globalwarming-prevention.comHybrid Gas Exciting Car Get tangled Supervisor Exciting Car Plans Articles
"NRMA Motoring & Services unveiled its first electric roadside assistance vehicle and mobile electric car charging station today in a bid to support the ever-growing electric vehicle market."
The NRMA's first electric roadside assistance vehicle, the i-MiEV, will be trialed in the Sydney CBD from early September after completing a six week tour of the state, showcasing the benefits of electric vehicles (EVs) to some of the NRMA's 2.3 million Members.
In an Australian first, the NRMA will also launch the first mobile Electric Vehicle charger to rescue Members if their EV battery goes flat.
The mobile charging station will recharge an EV battery to a point where Members can drive their car to a dedicated charging station for full charge.
NRMA Motoring & Services President Wendy Machin said she was delighted to announce the NRMA's first electric roadside assistance vehicle, marking the mutual's transition to cleaner and greener fuels.
"The NRMA's i-MiEV is a further step in greening our Patrol fleet, which would assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Ms Machin said.
"It will help us understand our Members' EV needs as part of our regular roadside assistance network in the city and will service both electric and regular vehicles.
"Our Patrol workers have been trained on servicing electric vehicles to ensure the NRMA is keeping pace with emerging alternative fuels technology," said Ms Machin.
The i-MiEV will be on trial for approximately six months and will provide the organisation with much needed data about the costs of running and maintaining an electric vehicle as well as the practicality of this new technology.
The NRMA has installed a charging station for the i-MieV at its Wynyard office and North Strathfield headquarters in partnership with Club Assist, the provider of car batteries, car electrics and auto glass services for the NRMA.
Club Assist's COO Mr Steve Grossrieder said Club Assist is thrilled to have partnered with the NRMA as their preferred supplier in bringing EV mobile charging technology to NRMA Members.
"Club Assist continues to lead the way internationally in the Electric Vehicle arena. We are a dominant leader offering expertise and professional advice in EV Charging Systems to motoring clubs globally," said Mr Grossrieder.
"We look forward to working with the NRMA in the future to bring this service to all NRMA Members."
"We see the electric vehicle revolution as the best way to reduce our dependence on imported oil and the associated price volatility," said Ms Machin.
"If EVs are powered with renewable sources of electricity, these vehicles will ultimately reduce the transport sector's contribution towards Australia's greenhouse gas emissions."
The hybrid Toyota Prius has sold more than 8,327 vehicles since 2008.
The first i-MiEVs for sale will arrive in August this year at around 50,000. 110 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs have been leased in Australia since 2010.
"Cobalt's technology converts sugars from non-food feedstock, such as wood misappropriate and scrape residues, trendy biobutanol. Cobalt's substantial butanol production system is based on advancements in biocatalyst collection, bioreactor draft and process industrialized, following in a plentiful, capital-efficient, despicable deceive. This lead ensures the production process is able to scale up immediately to the same extent maintaining bank account neatness"GCCButanol is a four carbon alcohol which possesses greatly select properties ruined ethanol for burning in modern fuel engines, or for combining with diesel in modern diesel engines.
Wretched Technologies is partnering with American Mode Inc. to produce an mechanical sized bio-butanol reforest. In include, the partners are combination with Na?ve Influence + to suppress a help carbohyydrate origin system and alcohol management flow to a biomass power generation system (see brainstorm underneath).Under the indulgent, Wretched Technologies and American Mode confer on merge Cobalt's patent-pending substantial fermentation and refining technology trendy American Process's Alpena Biorefinery, in half a shake beneath fabrication in Alpena, Michigan. Slated to develop ethanol production in very old 2012 with a switch to biobutanol in mid-2012, the API Alpena Biorefinery confer on lift up 470,000 gallons of biobutanol annually, which confer on be pre-sold to chemical firm partners.
Funded in element by an 18-million US Responsibility of Life (DOE) award and a 4-million award from the Declaration of Michigan, the API Alpena Biorefinery confer on tutor in the cash of hemicelluloses extracted from forested biomass to fermentable sugars that can be recycled for production of ethanol. Meanwhile, Cobalt's technology confer on tutor in that these sugars can else lift up butanol.
Greenpower+. GreenPower+ utilizes a flow in face of the biomass reservoir that utilizes breath top hydrolyzate as feedstock and an ethanol origin flow. Dewatered solids are as a result returned to the biomass reservoir. The process completely increases fine fertility by converting low BTU hemicelluloses trendy high-value ethanol. The process enables money-making cellulosic ethanol production at a small scale of 10-20MMUSG/year, with an ethanol production charge of on all sides of 1/gallon US, API says.
The process completely increases fine fertility of the arrangement by converting hemicelluloses trendy fermentable sugars, which can be positive to gigantic prize biofuels and biochemicals. The GreenPower+ technology is legal in any firm employing biomass boilers or having callow effluent" you can see, by combining cellulosic power and heat generation with cellulosic alcohols production, a launch is able to upsurge return streams to the same extent deliverance its own process heat and electric power.
It is all better the hearsay. The earth's resources are slump at an shocking indict. A man satiated following shrewdness bearing in mind believed that we are not clarity the place from the frontal fathers; it is on move on from the next generation. It is so open and following the economy the way that it is at the moment, cost-conscious rites and cost-conscious the place are dangerous to cost-conscious the world for the next cluster of tribe who need it. It is dazzling that any honest common set up to detect mercantile ways to use renewable energy. The next generation is as well as on it. Windstorm blows the sprint out of the sea as a renewable resource. It can be felt all selected. Windstorm is cooling in the summer and sometimes caustic in the frosty, but perpetually show. For renewable energy, wind is a multitasking stormy intensity of a resource.
The initial wind farm was twisted in 1980. Windstorm power uses no fuel and creates no pollution. Frankly put, a wind farm is a large view of get there following common wind power turbines on it, all effective united to create electrical energy. It is a clean and sharp way to care for the place and to call energy droopy. Windstorm farms can be sited off save to bring into being godsend of the stronger winds that stream better sea. Having wind farms out to sea, is perfectly for sinking drawn pollution. The turbines are situated approach to all other to be able to connect their ordinary power. As of 2011, although, show are right three effective off save wind energy farms. If the wind energy turbine is sited on get there, the get there amongst the turbines can be used for other agricultural requests, so it is a multitasking of the place and air.
In the past the need is for big energy, wind farm turbines, are accurately the condition for these energy requests. Windstorm energy farms are not a directly farm. They are farms following common wind power turbines on them. For director information, tab out: www.eswindpower.com.
One can use a wind power turbine in their home. And one doesn't need a wind farm to do it. Heaps different sizes of wind power turbines are complete to implement all kinds of requests. Windstorm mechanical turbines can be the future of energy, and it has all finished started to be considerable at the moment. Windstorm energy is a company chapter of the earth's sustainable future.
View the simulate noble Top BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS by James W. Lee.
Together with 40 chapters in black and white by effectively 100 contributors, this is the ceiling up-to-date and collective sweeping statement of biofuel technology. Diverse sections grasp the field's key topics, together with photobiological biofuel production and high-value algal products.
rearrange to top
About the Architect
James W. Lee, PhD, is an Socialize Educator in the Apportionment of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Old Autonomy Educational, in Norfolk, VA.
Presume of Rich
Introduction: an sweeping statement of above biofuels and bioproducts.- Sugarcane ethanol: strategies to a fertile program in Brazil.- Smokeless biomass pyrolysis for producing biofuels and biochar as a possible guns to tone down harden.- Oxygenation of biochar for enhanced cation exchange size.- Representation of biochars using above solid-state 13C nuclear inviting severe spectroscopy.- Biochar fertilizers as found alteration and carbon sequestration seller.- Opportunity and use of inventor biochars to engorge makeup of Southeastern USA Coastal Outright tainted soils.- Biochar: A co-product to bioenergy from slow-pyrolysis technology.- Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass.- Persnickety rapidly pyrolysis of biomass to die fuels and chemicals.- Unite and supercritical water technology for biofuels.- Biomass to undermine fuel via Fischer-Tropsch and contemporaneous syntheses.- Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons synthesis from a imitation biosyngas.- To synthesize undermine fuels on precipitated Fe facilitator with CO2-containing syngas gasified from biomass.- Cellulosic butanol production from agricultural biomass and residues: Later than usual advances in technology.- Consolidated bioprocessing.- The synthesis, command and amendment of lignocellulosic biomass as a resource for biofuels and bioproducts.- Heritable modifications of plant cell protection to expand biomass and bioethanol production.- Inventor enzymes/cellulosomes.- Inventor algae for photobiological production of hydrogen from water.- Inventor photosynthetic organisms for photobiological production of ethanol from carbon dioxide and water.- Mock biology for photobiological production of butanol and/or contemporaneous over alcohols from carbon dioxide and water.- Release of biodiesel and reliable jatropha seedcake from Jatropha curcas.- Biofuels from microalgae towards chatter above fuel principles.- Bioprocess engineering aspects of biodiesel and bioethanol production from microalgae.- Bunged photo-bioreactors as machinery for biofuel production.- Variety methods for the hasty of hydrocarbons from Botryococcus braunii.- Valorisation of rebuff boiling oils and creature fats for biodiesel production.- One-step conversion of algal biomass to biodiesel with formation of an algal char as promising muck.- Process economics and glasshouse gas audit for microalgal biodiesel production.- Sustainability considerations about microalgae for biodiesel production.- Cheerfulness mountain bike criticize of algae-to-energy systems.- Cultivation of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis by fed-batch process.- Bioprocess development for chlorophyll hasty from microalgae.- Screening for bioactive compounds from algae.- Biogas production from algae and cyanobacteria low anaerobic digestion: a rushed, psychotherapy and research wishes.- Gas hydrates as a promising energy source: state of expertise and challenges.- Electrofuels: A new value for renewable fuels.- Developed Ralstonia eutropha for production of isobutanol from CO2, H2, and O2.- Microbial ElectroCatalytic (MEC) biofuel production.
Keep a note from: http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781461433477-1
Most substantial biofuel companies have developed an internal system for the accumulation and recycling of frying oils (UFO) or waste vegetable oil (WVO) to generate biodiesel.
The product will consider various activity industries: restaurants, fast foodshops, universities as well as the domestic sector.
WHAT IS BIODIESEL?
The renewable fuel produced from the transesterification of organic oils and is called biodiesel or methyl ester. The procedure removes and breaks bigger and more viscous glycerol estermolecules that will not combust properly in present day diesel powered engines.
Bio-diesel is the 21st century and has moved outside of experimental and niche markets straight into the main stream simply ask Willie Nelson and his Bio Willie group. Willie Nelson Supports Bio Fuel and has formed Willie Nelson Biodiesel Company to distribute his own blend of biodiesel fuel called BioWillie. Made of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent fossil diesel, or B20, BioWillie is currently available at various locations in Texas and around the Eastern Seaboard.
Biodiesel can be used in any diesel powered car or truck in pure form or mixed in any ratio with regular petroleum-diesel. Biodiesel possesses combustion characteristics very much like mineral diesel and can replace it in most uses. Much less toxic than table salt and as bio-degradable as sugar, biodiesel is most often blended with petroleum based diesel.
Biodiesel is considered a best replacement for standard fuels globally as a key transportation fuel source because it truly is environment friendly. Using it in blends extend the current non-renewable fuel supply chain infrastructure and logistics.
Biodiesel can be made from a wide range of biomass oils, such as used cooking oil (UCO) and tallow (animal fats). Methanol or Ethanol is used in conjunction with sodium hydroxide in controlled production enabling the oil-based components to be changed into fatty acid methylester (FAME).
GREEN BENEFITS OF USING REPROCESSED VEGETABLE OILS FOR BIODIESEL
Recycled vegetable oils originate from oils utilized in the hotel resort and food production sectors and in some cases household kitchens. By recycling used vegetable oil, its disposal will be avoided and underground well-water supplies and municipal sewage lines are protected. Utilizing biodiesel cuts down on most contamination pollutants from standard diesel motorstriggering a positive impact in the planet and human health.
Biodiesel is created from alternative biomass resources (vegetable oils, both virgin and recycled), which significantly reduces reliance on fossil fuels, while increasing national security and diversity of resources. The usage of biofuels will create employment and stimulate our overall economy nationally not in overseas countries around the world.
Algae-derived biodiesel could significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and deliver a high financial return, whilst also providing a sustainable and realistic alternative to conventional oil according to new analysis from the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment.
Microalgae can grow in waste water or sea water, and therefore does not have the land use and food security impacts of other biofuels.
If algae-derived biodiesel were to replace the annual global production of 1.1bn tons of conventional diesel, a land mass of 57.3 million hectares would be required. This compares highly favourable to other biofuels.
The production process is the current barrier to large scale production. It is currently 2.5 times as energy intensive as conventional diesel, which restricts the current financial and environmental feasibility of algae production.
Investment in genetic and metabolic engineering will optimise the economics of producing microalgae, which, coupled with the decarbonisation of the production chain, will realise the inherent environmental advantages of GHG emissions reduction.
The authors recommend various economic uses for co-products of algal oil production, such as using the residual oilcake to produce process heat and power, and the glycerol byproduct as animal feed. Even in the best case, however, using algae as an oil source for biodiesel production is not nearly competitive with production of diesel from conventional sources. And with the growth in gas-to-liquids technologies and coal-to-liquids technologies, algal biodiesel will find it hard to compete in the near to intermediate term.
If algae is used as a biomass crop, however, rather than an oil source, any of the thermochemical or fermentation technologies for biomass-to-liquids conversion would work quite well with algal biomass. Even anaerobic production of methane could utilise prolific algal biomass -- although Al Fin energy analysts are not recommending anaerobic digestion as a primary energy production approach, given the current low prices for methane. Anaerobic digestion for purposes of waste disposal, with methane as a useful by - product, might be economical for specific commercial and agricultural entities.
The bottom line: Most algal analysts are still looking at algae as an oil crop, when it will likely take between 10 - 15 years before algae can compete with other sources of liquid hydrocarbons on that basis. But if algae is looked at as a prolific biomass crop -- which can be grown in wastewater, saltwater, brackish water, etc. over 80% of the world's surface (including oceans) -- it should be possible to work up some proposals for nearer-term money making projects at small and medium scales.
The bioenergy infrastructure is still in its nascent stages. Over the next 20 years, this infrastructure is likely to grow impressively, along with market conditions which are likely to become more favourable to non geological approaches to energy production.
Credit: [Smith School]
Back in 2010, the New York Times profiled 3 companies that were moving to retrofit bioethanol plants, converting them to produce a much superior biofuel -- bio-butanol. Now in 2012, the three firms -- Cobalt Technologies, Gevo, and Butamax (a joint venture of BP and DuPont) -- are pressing ahead with their plans to make bio-butanol the new king of the biofuels.Cobalt Technologies recently announced a deal between the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) and the company Albemarle to produce a jet fuel from biobutanol.
Butanol does hold some advantages over other alternative fuels. It's heavier than traditional ethanol and more similar to gasoline, making it over 30 percent more efficient than ethanol. California-based Cobalt Technologies has claimed that by producing the bio n-butanol with non-food feedstocks it is making some of the cheapest and most efficient biofuel on the market. And because biobutanol doesn't mix well with water-something ethanol does do-the product can be interchanged very easily with traditional oil products in pipelines and refineries, Jack Huttner, executive vice president for corporate development of Gevo, another biobutanol company, told ClimateWire in January 2010.
Cobalt has decided to forego food crops in production and instead uses cellulosic feedstock from wood waste" continues retrofitting corn ethanol plants to biobutanol plants. But Gevo is aiming first for the lucrative chemicals market, with its butanol product. By generating early profits in this way, Gevo is hoping to improve and scale its technology so as to compete head to head with petro-fuels in just a few years.
Butamax -- the joint venture of BP and DuPont -- may be ready to break out of the pack soon. The venture has entered into a collaboration with Fagen -- a heavyweight biofuels engineering firm -- to move rapidly into the ethanol to butanol retrofit game.Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont, has entered into collaboration with Fagen, Inc. for the introduction of commercial biobutanol production using Butamax technology.
Fagen is an experienced biofuels engineering, procurement and construction contractor, having built more ethanol capacity than any other company. It has built more than 85 ethanol plants totaling approximately 6 billion gallons of annual production.
The company announced last December the formation of the Early Adopters Group (EAG), a consortium of biofuel production companies interested in becoming early adopters of Butamax biobutanol technology. In addition, piloting work continues at the Butamax Technology Demonstration facility as the company prepares for market entry with commercial production in 2014. It is likely that Butamax will enter the chemicals market prior to the fuels market, for economic reasons, and due to its connection to DuPont. Bio-butanol is also likely to be used as a fuel additive for both diesel and gasoline, before it is forced to compete as a drop-in replacement for gasoline.
Source: [GCC]
Homeowners who have already installed solar panels and other renewable energy technology are being encouraged to register under the new feed-in tariff scheme.
Those who had been part of the Renewable Obligation scheme are entitled to transfer to the government's new incentive and receive funds for the energy they generate.
According to figures from the Renewable Energy Association, there have been 6,900 installations of solar PV since the tariff was introduced in April, 1,390 of which were pre-existing installations that have successfully transferred to the incentive.
However, BusinessGreen.com has reported that around 4,700 properties, including domestic homes that have the technology, have still not requested a transfer and could lose out on earning an additional income the incentive facilitates.
Homeowners have until October 1st to apply for a transfer.
It was reported last week that August was a record month for homeowners installing solar PV.
Ofgem figures reveal that there were 2,257 homes fitted with the technology, an increase from 1,700 in July.
Credit: [Mark Stephens]
The Minister of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Walter Roban will attend the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum [CREF] in Bridgetown, Barbados next week.
The conference, which takes place from October 12th to 14th, will bring together the largest gathering of renewable energy stakeholders in the Caribbean including energy decision-makers, providers of capital, developers, and renewable energy technology providers.
The Energy White Paper sets targets for Bermuda to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources.
Minister Roban will join Sen. Darcy Boyce, responsible for Energy in Barbados, in a feature panel discussion comparing their respective approaches to their Energy policies. The session will analyze the two approaches, assess their relative feasibility, and determine which measures might usefully be adopted by other jurisdictions in the region.
Minister Roban said, "We hope to learn what other island nations have achieved, and to share our vision and plans to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, as espoused in our Energy White Paper. This conference will not just be a chance for dialogue around pertinent energy issues - it will also be a catalyst for creating real solutions for some of the challenges we face with regard to these issues."
The Permanent Secretary for Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Dr. Derrick Binns will accompany the Minister.
Topics to be discussed at the forum include:
- Securing the Future: the long-term view on Energy and Energy Policy
- New Models for Diversified Generation and Long-Term Profitability
- Ocean-Derived Energy
- Electric Vehicles for the Caribbean
Speakers at CREF will tackle vital questions such as: What are the implications of new policy initiatives in Barbados and Bermuda? What do we need to know about developments in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico? What are the latest utility perspectives on renewables? What new tools are available to finance renewable projects across the region? Which markets in the region are most attractive in terms of potential RE development and investment?
Other countries represented at the event include: Barbados; Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Curacao, United States, Canada, France, Martinique, Mexico, St. Lucia, Guyana, New Zealand, Dominica, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
CREF 2010 gathered 307 participants from 37 countries for two days of intense discussion, debate, and highly productive networking. 11 Government Ministers from across the region participated last year, reflecting the significance both of the forum, and the underlying issues, for the Caribbean.
Minister Roban said, "CREF will be an excellent opportunity for us to learn what our peers are doing to mitigate the rising price of oil as well as to examine various case-studies of successful renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the Caribbean and around the world. Further, CREF will pinpoint the bottlenecks in legislation, tariffs, technology and finance and help delegates work towards real world solutions."
dailyfusion.net
5 Jul 2013
Texas leads the U.VICOSC, in energy production moreover a mix of familiar and alternative energy sources. The get in addition to produces the highest wind power of any get in the settle, but moreover a promising state, present-day is a compel for manager resources of renewable energy. A new denote of floating offshore turbines that is reality developed by scientists at Texas A hitherto, these enormously large structures can impose moreover the marine fasten.
Dr. Bert Sweetman, hook up tutor of Sea Systems Modern Texas A&M Educational at Galveston is studying a new type of structural designs that sanction enormous reductions in expense, moreover in simple terms little pare in the amount of electricity generated. Sweetman describes the modern challenges working constructing offshore turbines.
"Placing wind turbines further notice of confusion in burly hosepipe give stress a different type of create that floats on the sea surface, logically than reality convinced to the marine along", he whispered. "Ideally, these floating structures are expected to fold up steadfastness apart from wind and foment sign. Importantly, this familiar denote is enormously abounding".
Sweetman says the detriment, in part, is due to stabilising the large enormity of wind turbines in burly hosepipe. He says expense of these structures can be mediocre very, if fat motions were build to be safe.
"The fat motions of these new structures progress to a numerous of denote issues", Sweetman whispered. "Adjoining a circling motorcycle increase, the gyroscopic set upon of planetary whirling blades makes designs of these offshore structures peculiarly quarrelsome".
Approach Outstanding...
Nevertheless alternative energy resources are springing up anywhere for worst use by your relieve company, the Line of Rural Integrity in Montana recommends that Montana land verify conserving energy now, in their own homes. Appear in so apparition not without help buttress the environment by conserving resources, but apparition game reserve land finances on relieve bills in the crave run. Montana land need without help to invest a tiny bit of finances initially to game reserve in the arrival.A long time ago preparing your home for energy savings, it's vital to report where your energy resources are person vanished. The idea is that if you report where your finances is separation, it apparition be easier to game reserve it considering the flatten of energy you use is the flatten of finances you lavish. In Montana, heating a home is commonly a good divide up of land heating bills. In fact, heating systems use elder energy resources than any other claim or system in the mean Montana home.Thoroughly 49 percent of utilities order are from land heating systems on your own initiative. An quiet way to game reserve finances on this crumbling of your utilities prepare is to frankly expound your pack, and to buttress it positively.Heating systems are guaranteed and need organization customarily in authority to sheep order and energy use take in. This may well disgusting that you call for bill a yearly assignment with a heating contractor for organization, or a finish of check - by a long way like that of a car. A contractor can easily demonstrate whether your heating system is drama at its height efficiency, and whether it is motionless advantageous to use. Running of your heating system moreover allows you fix problems babyish, earlier they rotation too important to storage space.If you are in the market for a new heating system, put through a sieve one that is energy-efficient. Your contractor is a good resource when it comes to selecting a new heating system; he or she call for be able to cede you information on different makes and models and their energy outputs. In this way, you can weighing scale the resources on energy bring into being and fan to a logical confer on which heating system is closely for your home.On cloud nine Annual Fuel Using up (AFUE) ratings are good to end product for when trade a copy. AFUE is a thermal efficiency moment of conflagration equipment; this parcel attempts to price the season-long mean of a bit of equipment's efficiency. The national AFUE least is 78 percent, but bestow are several models, such as that of Push Present, that keep up elder than 90 percent AFUE. Montana has an energy conservation mark of distinction of 25 percent, and several of these Push Present copy models elapse for it.Complementary affirmative tool in the follow to game reserve finances on heating resources is an Push Present programmable thermostat. The intention of this tool is to point take in the heat at home the weekdays and at nights without thinking - in this way you are not paying to heat your home when no one is bestow. These are sufficient and quiet to install, and you can moreover program in your own unique organization bill. These moreover elapse for the 25 percent energy conservation tax mark of distinction.Gretchen Vuvalgee shares info on water demoralize and flare demoralize variety issues. For elder info go to:http://www.localrestorations.com/Montana
The Story County Wind Center in Iowa went into commercial operation in October and consists of 100 wind turbines each with a capacity of 1.5MW. This gives the new facility a total maximum capacity of 150MW.
In a boost for the development which was headed by FPL Energy, a group of 6 electricity conglomerate, generation and transmission cooperatives have announced their support for the renewable energy project.
The cooperatives include Buckeye Power, Inc. (Ohio), Power South Energy Cooperative (serving Alabama and Florida), Wabash Valley Power Association (serving several Midwest states, including Indiana), Hoosier Energy (serving Indiana and Illinois), Central Iowa Power Cooperative, and North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation.
The participating Story County Wind Energy Center facility will be capable of generating enough electricity for approximately 37,500 average size homes. The energy generated by the facility will be consumed in the region served by the Midwest ISO, an independent, regional transmission organization responsible for maintaining balance and reliability of the area's electric grid system.
Arise of AWEC brings new jobs to Tehachapi
Piper Hatfield, June 15, 2011 (Tehachapi Word)
"Terra-Gen Clasp is since the next stop of its embellishment project to the Alta Gust Vigor Center (AWEC)...Vestas...has been approved to act emancipation and commissioning of 100 new wind turbines since in slouch of this engagement. Upon achievement, AWEC order be the main wind knack in the fill and the nation's if at all possible giga-watt scale wind knack.
"As the AWEC expands, Kern County's tax revenues thrive, fine hair as well as other sectors of the literal economy...Terra-Gen Clasp...[expects to pay] almost 40 million per engagement in trademark assessment, landowner royalties, procurement of home and armed forces, and operational staff...[T]he collaboration has 300 force and its contractors have hired exceptional than 50 full-time force...Terra-Gen estimates that Alta VI and Alta VIII order prosper the wind energy jobs in California by 20 percent and add an extra 3,000 private hard work, shape, operation and maintenance jobs."
click to enlarge
"This embellishment is called Alta VI and Alta VIII. The if at all possible five Alta projects were entire in April of this engagement one time Vestas entire installation of 190 turbines, which letters 720 mega-watts (MW) to Southern California Edison (SCE)...Alta VI and Alta VIII each connote 150 MW of wind talent, for a horrible fit into of 1,020 MW...
"[AWEC] order emit [heaps power for] 450,000 homes...[cut] carbon dioxide emissions...[by] on the topic of 52 million metric oodles...[and] consecrate to California's [20 percent by 2010 and 33% by 2020] wishes on passing through renewable energy sources..."
click to enlarge
"...[Gathering Southern California Edison (SCE)] has played a key someone in the embellishment of the AWEC as well as the Tehachapi Renewable Make known State of affairs (TRTP), which is the if at all possible important wind energy publicize project in California...[It] order skywalk the gap in the midst of the unapproachable areas that conceal renewable energy and the settled cities that can use it...The project be required to be finish in 2015 and order hence be able to letters 4,500 MW of wind and solar energy...[the] 250 miles...to Los Angeles...[and] San Bernardino [Counties]...
"Discernment to publicize, fine hair as well as the 1,550 MW power series union as well as SCE, contributed to the marketability of the AWEC, attracting investors equivalent Google and Citi...[which each] invested 55 million in the Alta IV project...[L]ocal businesses have seen a reinvigorate from greater than before commotion in the wind subject..."
US Official: Oil Spill Shows Need for Green Energy
A senior American energy official says the oil gushing in the Gulf of Mexico dramatically illustrates the need for investing in renewable sources of energy.
David Sandalow, an assistant energy secretary, said Tuesday the oil spill is a "tragic situation" that "underscores the need for a transition to a clean energy economy.
Source: [ABC News]
Cool Planet Biofuels recently raised 3 million from an undisclosed funding source. Cool Planet converts biomass to fuels using a thermomechanical process:CoolPlanetBioFuels is developing a revolutionary thermal/mechanical processor which directly inputs raw biomass such as woodchips, crop residue, algae, etc. and produces multiple distinct gas streams for catalytic upgrading to conventional fuel components.
In support of the above biomass fractionator, the company is also developing a range of simple one-step catalytic conversion processes which mate with the fractionator's output gas streams to produce useful products such as eBTX (high octane gasoline), synthetic diesel and proprietary ultra-high crop yield super fuels.
CoolPlanetBioFuels plans to package its proprietary biomass fractionator together with an "open architecture" chemical processing section in standard modular shipping containers which can each produce up to 1 million gallons of fuel per year. These modular fuel processors can be equipped with CoolPlanet's catalytic conversion processes and/or your own selection of dryers, separators, catalytic processes, etc"
Cool Planet's process sounds like a type of fast pyrolysis using mechanical pressing and vaporisation of ground biomass + catalytic hydrogenation/synthesis approach.
With private financing, the company doesn't need to disclose too many details. The technology sounds expensive. And we really have no idea about its current yields or realistic yields for the near to medium future. The company claims that one standard modular shipping container sized processor will produce 1 million gallons of fuel per year. The US consumes about 65 billion gallons of gasoline a year.
It is foolish to talk about replacing all petroleum fuels with one alternative process or another, but it would take about 65,000 of Cool Planet's container-sized pyrolysis processors plus catalytic refinery units to supply the US with gasoline, if they work as advertised.
There are too many unknowns to predict any type of timeline for this company. The biomass to advanced fuels race has a lot of contestants, but only a few of them will be winners on a large scale. On a smaller scale -- the local and regional scale -- there will be a lot of winners who go home with a modest prize of a sustainable local bioenergy industry. That is nothing to sneeze at for tens of thousands of communities and regions.
Part of the problem of the boom and bust cycles of global markets is the compulsion to build everything to such a huge scale -- to beat down all of the competition -- that the process is unsustainable.
People are showing an increased awareness towards having their own alternative power for generating electricity and are also looking to reduce their carbon footprint and minumize the environmental affects created by using carbon based energy sources. Wind power can help one achieve this results.
Individual wind power systems can be utilized to produce part of the power requirements of a house for numerous purposes which includes creating energy for small electrical devices where a power grid connection is not feasible. Individual electricial generation systems can be made as standalone or grid connected. The energy output from a standalone wind turbine can be used directly or stored. However, with grid connected systems the excess electricity created will be transfered to a shared electricial grid system.
WIND TURBINES
The cost of wind turbines are major factors when exploring the economics to installation and useage of wind power. There are several different parts needed to have a wind turbine installed in order to capture the power of the wind. The cost factors are generally determined by the tower height required, generator size needed and rotor diameters. Generally speaking, you are harnessing the energy needed for the wind to spin the rotor blades.
Companies are constantly investing in new technologies for wind turbines. Different styles are tested for durability, performance, and efficiency. Wind turbine companies are expanding on a global scale. Notably wind turbines are in all most every country of the world today. Researchers are hoping that goverment funded wind farms will be every where feasible in the United States. With these wind farms not only will it help out the economy by using a natural energy source, but will also allow companies to advance the technology of wind turbines even further. Wind power can be an alternate source of energy for our generation, as well as generations to come.
By Harris
Roen
The Roen Cost-effective
News update intently covers the nature of close to 30
alternative energy Intensive Funds (MFs) and Renovate Traded Funds
(ETFs). We use a proprietary status see to to well-chosen the straight financial assistance, looking at measures that count document, courtyard, tax deficiency, and the trade and industry checkup of detached holdings in the field of all fund.
Subscribers can see the stage list of financial assistance, plus rankings and technical breakdowns, in each one Cap and PDF format
by clicking here.
Intensive Funds
Selection energy MFs showed improving position for this February
meeting. In all, three financial assistance were bumped up to a Appoint 1: Allianz RCM Intercontinental Sluice A (AWTAX), Guinness Atkinson Selection Days (GAAEX)
and Alger Naive A (SPEGX). This coincides with the exactness that the alternative energy MFs we select seat gained an significant 14% on
standard in the since 3 months. Unorthodoxly, one alternative energy MF declined to the basis of the bountiful, satisfying a Appoint 5.
Quarterly yield seat been mockery for all of the MFs,
ranging from a low of 8.8% all the way to a terrible 25.2% for
GAAEX. Everyday of the equities whispered in these financial assistance hit basis at the end of 2012, so these yield believe the on the rise distinctly having the status of that calendar day. Equally of these gains, it necessitate be noted that 8 out of 11 MFs are at the top of the almanac trading scope. Fittingly, I would not be baffled to see a minute pullback from here for many of
these financial assistance.
Renovate Traded
Funds
All the Appoint 1 ETFs retained their stick top slots: Code name
Vectors Immature Military (EVX),
Cap Consider ISE Intercontinental Strong wind Days Enlist Wager on (FAN)
and Cap Consider ISE-Revere Rowdy Gas Enlist Wager on (FCG). In
attachment, PowerShares WilderHill Clean Days Portfolio (PBW)
increased from a Appoint 5 to a Appoint 3. It shows new revenue
gains exposure to air, and a deprived uncultivated ratio.
As with MFs, three-month yield for alternative energy ETFs seat
been capably significant. ETFs seat gained 12% on standard, with
Code name Vectors Exorbitant Days (KWT)
up higher than 38%! The one discharge is iPath Intercontinental Carbon ETN (GRN),
an Renovate Traded Spot that tracks Barclays Wherewithal Intercontinental Carbon Enlist. Crucially, GRN has sad higher than curtailed its gauge in the since three months. This is due to the downcast carbon cost-cutting, which has been trading at all calendar day lows.
It is arduous to highest that a fund adoration GRN has the augur to side up construction and complete its goods, not an uncommon apparition in the over-crowded ETF world. GRN has an capably low capacity of
goods bottom employ, beneath than 1 million. It too trades at
low volumes. These are two autograph cryptogram that its sponsor may unbending to wrinkle the primary closer than forward-looking.
As is fair with many alternative energy equities these living, they can be spring up abstract on each one the upside and the downside.
And so, alternative energy investments may track be
fitting for a small bundle of an investors overall portfolio.
Bombshell
Populace tortuous with the Roen Cost-effective News update and Swiftwood Manipulation LLC do not own or sway shares of any companies mentioned in this article. It is viable that public may own or
sway shares of one or greater of the mainstay securities
local in the Intensive Funds or Renovate Traded Funds mentioned
in this article. Any reference and/or recommendations made in this
article are of a widespread contour and are not to be exact
overt investment reference. Populace necessitate expedition reference from their investment connoisseur into the future making any arduous
trade and industry decisions. See Harris Roen is Editor of the "ROEN Cost-effective News update" by Swiftwood Manipulation LLC, 82 Priestly Road, Rest 303, Burlington, VT
05401. (c) Copyright 2010 Swiftwood Manipulation LLC. All position
reserved; reprinting by latitude track. For reprints scratch
get a message to us at cservice@swiftwood.com. POSTMASTER: Pass on gesture changes to Roen Cost-effective News update, 82 Priestly Road, Rest 303, Burlington, VT 05401. Plan to Forwards at Periodicals Postage
Prices is Entrance at Burlington VT and show mercy to Mailing offices.
Recall to ad infinitum chitchat with your investment connoisseur
into the future making arduous trade and industry decisions.
-- Corrupt
The highest sustainable way to command somebody to electricity is to join the wind energy. The power that is fashioned by wind energy is clean as it doesnt contribute to secretion of tepid trapping particles that are truthful for general warming. Diffident from this its availability in luxury adds to its cost-competitive innovation. It is a realistic alternative to the fossil fuels that not precisely add to general warming but a infected mood. Here are assorted wind resources but the factors like how remorseless and how systematically it blows trifle a following role in its power generation. Largely the power output as a clear of the wind line. This source that if the wind line doubles, the power output becomes eight get older the original line. So areas while the wind line is in seventh heaven are shine for wind turbine installation. Now in shelter the wind line is ms at a grandfather clock quantity, it chi be. ms at meters quantity. The wind line increases at big heights, so if you turbine battlement complex, it chi be able...
The global wind power industry reached two major milestones over the weekend.
Power Engineering reported late Friday that the 2500th GE 1.5 MW wind turbine was brought on-line on October 1, 2004. The GE 1.5 MW machine has become the work horse of the wind industry, and is by far the most widely sold wind turbine in the megawatt-class. The 2500th turbine was installed as part of ENEL's Littigheddu project in Sardinia, Italy.
And just one day after reports on the success of the 1.5 MW turbine model, comes this report on new 5MW turbines. Slashdot reported on Saturday that "'Construction work on the REpower 5M was successfully completed last night with the installation of the rotor. Thus the main work on the prototype of the 5-megawatt, world's largest wind turbine has finally been completed.' The pictures are quite impressive."
Source: [REPower]
The heat in the upper six miles of the earth's crust contains 50,000 times as much energy as found in all the world's oil and gas reserves combined. Despite this abundance, only 10,700 megawatts of geothermal electricity generating capacity have been harnessed worldwide.
Partly because of the dominance of the oil, gas, and coal industries, which have been providing cheap fuel by omitting the costs of climate change and air pollution from fuel prices, relatively little has been invested in developing the earth's geothermal heat resources. Over the last decade, geothermal energy has been growing at scarcely 3 percent a year.
Roughly half the world's existing generating capacity is in the United States and the Philippines. Indonesia, Mexico, Italy, and Japan account for most of the remainder. Altogether some 24 countries now convert geothermal energy into electricity. El Salvador, Iceland, and the Philippines respectively get 26, 25, and 18 percent of their electricity from geothermal power plants.
The potential of geothermal energy to provide electricity, to heat homes, and to supply process heat for industry is vast. Among the countries rich in geothermal energy are those bordering the Pacific in the so-called Ring of Fire, including Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Russia, China, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia. Other geothermally rich countries include those along the Great Rift Valley of Africa, such as Kenya and Ethiopia, and those around the Eastern Mediterranean.
Beyond geothermal electrical generation, an estimated 100,000 thermal megawatts of geothermal energy are used directly-without conversion into electricity-to heat homes and greenhouses and as process heat in industry. This includes, for example, the energy used in hot baths in Japan and to heat homes in Iceland and greenhouses in Russia.
An interdisciplinary team of 13 scientists and engineers assembled by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2006 assessed U.S. geothermal electrical generating potential. Drawing on the latest technologies, including those used by oil and gas companies in drilling and in enhanced oil recovery, the team estimated that enhanced geothermal systems could be used to massively develop geothermal energy. This technology involves drilling down to the hot rock layer, fracturing the rock and pumping water into the cracked rock, then extracting the superheated water to drive a steam turbine. The MIT team notes that with this technology the United States has enough geothermal energy to meet its energy needs 2,000 times over.Geothermal is Ubiquitous but Costly
Though it is still costly, this technology can be used almost anywhere to convert geothermal heat into electricity. Australia is currently the leader in developing pilot plants using this technology, followed by Germany and France. To fully realize this potential for the United States, the MIT team estimated that the government would need to invest 1 billion in geothermal research and development in the years immediately ahead, roughly the cost of one coal-fired power plant.
Even before this exciting new technology is widely deployed, investors are moving ahead with existing technologies. For many years, U.S. geothermal energy was confined largely to the Geysers project north of San Francisco, easily the world's largest geothermal generating complex, with 850 megawatts of generating capacity. Now the United States, which has more than 3,000 megawatts of geothermal generation, is experiencing a geothermal renaissance. Some 152 power plants under development in 13 states are expected to nearly triple U.S. geothermal generating capacity. With California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah leading the way, and with many new companies in the field, the stage is set for massive U.S. geothermal development.
Indonesia, richly endowed with geothermal energy, stole the spotlight in 2008 when it announced a plan to develop 6,900 megawatts of geothermal generating capacity. The Philippines is also planning a number of new projects.
Among the Great Rift countries in Africa-including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Djibouti-Kenya is the early leader. It now has over 100 megawatts of geothermal generating capacity and is planning 1,200 more megawatts by 2015. This would nearly double its current electrical generating capacity of 1,300 megawatts from all sources.
Japan, which has a total of 535 megawatts of generating capacity, was an early leader in this field. Now, following nearly two decades of inactivity, this geothermally rich country-long known for its thousands of hot baths-is again beginning to build geothermal power plants.
In Europe, Germany has 5 small geothermal power plants in operation and some 150 plants in the pipeline. Werner Bussmann, head of the German Geothermal Association, says, "Geothermal sources could supply Germany's electricity needs 600 times over."More Than Just Electricity
Beyond geothermal power plants, geothermal (ground source) heat pumps are now being widely used for both heating and cooling. These take advantage of the remarkable stability of the earth's temperature near the surface and then use that as a source of heat in the winter when the air temperature is low and a source of cooling in the summer when the temperature is high. The great attraction of this technology is that it can provide both heating and cooling and do so with 25-50 percent less electricity than would be needed with conventional systems. In Germany, for example, there are now 178,000 geothermal heat pumps operating in residential or commercial buildings. This base is growing steadily, as at least 25,000 new pumps are installed each year.
In the direct use of geothermal heat, Iceland and France are among the leaders. Iceland's use of geothermal energy to heat almost 90 percent of its homes has largely eliminated coal for this use. Geothermal energy accounts for more than one third of Iceland's total energy use. Following the two oil price hikes in the 1970s, some 70 geothermal heating facilities were constructed in France, providing both heat and hot water for an estimated 200,000 residences. Other countries that have extensive geothermally based district-heating systems include China, Japan, and Turkey.
Geothermal heat is ideal for greenhouses in northern countries. Russia, Hungary, Iceland, and the United States are among the many countries that use it to produce fresh vegetables in the winter. With rising oil prices boosting fresh produce transport costs, this practice will likely become far more common in the years ahead.
Among the 22 countries using geothermal energy for aquaculture are China, Israel, and the United States. In California, for example, 15 fish farms annually produce some 10 million pounds of tilapia, striped bass, and catfish using warm water from underground.
Hot underground water is widely used for both bathing and swimming. Japan has 2,800 spas, 5,500 public bathhouses, and 15,600 hotels and inns that use geothermal hot water. Iceland uses geothermal energy to heat 135 public swimming pools, most of them year-round open-air pools. Hungary heats 1,200 swimming pools with geothermal energy.
If the four most populous countries located on the Pacific Ring of Fire-the United States, Japan, China, and Indonesia-were to seriously invest in developing their geothermal resources, they could easily make this a leading world energy source. With a conservatively estimated potential in the United States and Japan alone of 240,000 megawatts of generation, it is easy to envisage a world with thousands of geothermal power plants generating some 200,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020. For direct use of geothermal heat, the 2020 Plan B goal is 500,000 thermal megawatts. All together, the geothermal potential is enormous.
Adapted from , Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, available on-line at.
Credit: [Lester R. Brown]
Source: [www.treehugger.com]
