In the ongoing battle to improve the way we manage CO2 emissions, some scientists at MIT proposed a unique system that uses solid oxide fuels to produce power from fuel without burning it. Using existing technology, they would be able to provide electricity with zero carbon emissions, at a cost comparable or less than current natural gas plants.

Post-doctoral associate Thomas Adams and Paul I. Barton, the Lammont du Pont Professor of Chemical Engineering joined forces and found a way to combine existing components with under developed technology and shape it into a novel configuration that illicits electricity with zero carbon emissions. It runs on natural gas, which is more environmentally friendly than coal or oil. This system would emit a stream of pure carbon dioxide that could be stored underground using carbon capture and sequestration (CCS).

Adams also said that their fuel-cell based system produces clean water that could easily be treated to provide potable water as a side benefit.

Some Clear Obstacles to Success

One challenge is that the duo is not sure if the technology can compete with conventional power plants. The second challenge is their price point is only truly competitive if the government sets a price on the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

The current pending legislation on carbon pricing is the Waxman-Markey “American Clean Energy and Security Act” passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in July of this year, through its “cap and trade” provisions. (A corresponding bill has not yet reached the floor of the U.S. Senate.) If this program becomes law, the actual price per ton of carbon emission would vary, determined through the free market.

According to the MITnews, “Natural gas accounts for 22 percent of all U.S. electricity production, and is likely to rise if carbon prices are put into effect.” Carbon legislation makes  the zero emissions technology a more competitive option, as its able to produce electricity from natural gas at a similar price to coal without the side effects.

With some form of carbon pricing (which takes into account the true price exacted on the environment by greenhouse gas emissions), Adams says, their technology can be “competitive at a price point of $15 per metric ton of emitted carbon dioxide.”

And a few more…

Some additional obstacles I see right off are consumption.  If natural gas consumption continues at current rates, there are only 60 years worth of fuel left. That does not seem like an extraordinary amount to work with, and if this technology takes off, won’t we be consuming even more of it at a faster rate?

I am also unsure sure how safe it is to be storing all this carbon underground. What does that do the land and surrounding ecosystems? What are the true ramifications of technology like this?

What are the Predictions?

According to Adams, this new system’s predicted efficiency is so high it beats the life cycle cost of a combined-cycle natural gas plant, even without carbon pricing. The study recently done by Adams and Barton also shows that a very low level of carbon tax ($5 to $10 per ton) would make their technology cheaper than coal plants, which are currently the lowest cost option for electricity generation.

All this is well and good, but there are a lot of “what ifs” that need to come together for this to even be considered viable, or better yet, a good option.

I am still pretty skeptical about this approach to working with natural gas, and I think there are others who may feel the same. This technology may be appropriate if used on a small scale in some specific situations, but as a larger market power producing option for the masses, it doesn’t seem like the best alternative.

by Katrina Pfannkuch

Solar power is often considered an alternative fuel source for a variety of earth-bound power needs ranging from homes to electric vehicles. Now scientists are looking at ways to harness the sun’s energy for a solar powered concept plane called Odysseus. Designed as an autonomous surveillance craft, Odysseus can fly above the earth for over five years straight using only solar power generated from strategically placed solar panels, according to Popular Science magazine.

The Odysseus is actually a combination of three smaller planes comprised of 164 foot-long wing shaped structures. Each is launched separately, and then are combined once in the stratosphere where the air is calmer. Solar panels line the top of the plane to ensure maximum exposure to sunlight, and the Odysseus can also autonomously change shape to maintain continued sun exposure and trap sunlight. For example, an accordion “Z” formation allows the plane to absorb sunlight at low angles at dusk, and a flat aerodynamic shape is a more efficient wing for night travel.

When fully assembled, the craft is 492 feet long and is capable of traveling at 140 miles per hour at an altitude between 60,000 to 90,000 feet. Researchers are exploring alternative fuel options for when the sun is unavailable, including fuel cells, flywheels and/or batteries embedded throughout the frame. Weight is also a factor in the amount of fuel required to fly Odysseus, so the plane is constructed with featherweight carbon composites and is targeted to weigh under 7,000 pounds.

To the naked eye Odysseus would appear as a star like glint in the sky, so researchers feel it is ideal for border patrol or monitoring nuclear-reactor sites. Some of the more civilian applications suggested include environmental surveillance such as storm development, and monitoring climate change and the ozone layer. Researchers plan to have a full concept prototype within the next five years.

* * *

I see Odysseus as more than a creative, scientifically advanced prototype –- it’s an evolution in aviation that comes with positive and negative potential as the price tag. While Odysseus is helping us expand our reach into the atmosphere in a clean, green way and lays the ground work for solar powered commuter planes (as well as its above mentioned environmental surveillance applications), it also brings up arguments about personal privacy. I wonder how these planes could potentially be used to monitor all aspects of civilian life, and how that information will be used. For now the full potential of solar surveillance is the million dollar question. – K. Pfannkuch

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About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

by Katrina Pfannkuch

Cars that run on hydrogen are not necessarily news, but technology in development to better manage hydrogen storage and resources has gotten pretty creative. In fact, it’s one of the biggest challenges for scientists today, and they have come up with some “out-of-the-box” ideas that are not only effective, but cheap and eco-friendly.

Let’s start with hydrogen storage. According to CleanTechnica.com, a car with a 20-gallon hydrogen storage tank made from carbon nanotubes or metal hydrides– two of the best solutions so far, but very expensive — adds $30k respectively to the price of the vehicle. Not only is that cost prohibitive in terms of development, but its not practical for the consumer. In addition, its difficult to store enough of the fuel on-board to give the car a cruising range similar to that of gasoline or diesel fuel. The current storage options also require placing the hydrogen under extreme pressure, which adds significant weight to the vehicle and increases the potential for explosions.

Presenting the solution…chicken feathers?

Scientists at the University of Delaware were researching the potential of keratin derived from chicken feathers to improve the performance of the microcircuits required for hydrogen fuel use. Instead, they unexpectedly discovered that by heating the keratin fibers in the feathers they could strengthen the structure of the storage tank enough so that it’s comparable to the strength of nanotubes needed for hydrogen fuel storage. The best part — ALL the tank requires is chicken feathers as raw material, and costs only $200.

This solution also provides a great (and only) way to dispose of the 2.7 billion kilograms of chicken feathers generated each year by commercial poultry operations. The new method can also help turn chicken feather fibers into a number of other eco-products like hurricane resistant roofing and lightweight car parts, as well as bio-based computer circuit boards. Talk about recycling at its best!

Introducing pee-power

With a new and eco-effective way to store and transport the hydrogen fuel, scientists are also exploring other sources of hydrogen-based fuel. According to Discover.com, using a nickel-based electrode, scientists can create large amounts of cheap hydrogen from urine that could be burned or used in fuel cells.

They discovered that one molecule of urea, a major component of urine, contains four atoms of hydrogen bonded to two atoms of nitrogen. Stick a special nickel electrode into a pool of urine, apply an electrical current, and hydrogen gas is released. “A fuel cell, urine-powered vehicle could theoretically travel 90 miles per gallon,” said Gerardine Botte, a professor at Ohio University developing the technology.

Botte’s current prototype measures 3×3x1 inch and can produce up to 500 milliwatts of power. However, Botte and her colleagues are actively trying to commercialize several larger versions of the technology.
This is the first time anyone has ever considered ways to produce, store, transport and use urine economically. “The waste products from a chicken farm for example could be used to produce the energy needed to run the farm,” said John Stickney, a chemist and professor at the University of Georgia.

For livestock farmers who are required by law to pool their animals’ waste, large scale prototypes could turn that urine into power within six months. Smaller versions likely won’t be available until after that, so the average consumer probably shouldn’t start saving their pee just yet.

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About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

Stove, Generator, Refrigerator Combo for Developing Nations

by Katrina Pfannkuch

A new biomass powered, burning cooking stove currently in development by the SCORE project (Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration and Electricity) brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “all-in-one”. The stove converts heat into acoustic energy and then to electricity in one contained unit. This makes it a useful and practical option for rural communities where access to power is very limited, and where families need an affordable way to cook and refrigerate food.

The project brings together experts from across the world as part of a consortium to develop and test the new stove, which is designed to improve methods of food preparation while reducing the strain on the environment. The University of Nottingham, University of Manchester, Imperial College London, and Queen Mary University of London are the primary partners in the SCORE project, along with Los Alamos Laboratories in the U.S.

How It Works

The stove is based on thermoacoustic technology under active development at Los Alamos Laboratories. It operates similarly to a Stirling engine, a heat-based engine that operates by cyclical compression and expansion of air or helium, which is also highly efficient, quiet, and able to work with a variety of fuel sources.

A furnace is attached to a pipe that is shaped like a pulse jet engine. The heat from the stove drives a resonant wave in the tube, which also sucks heat out of the air at the other end. This enables the stove to provide heat at one end of the tube and refrigeration at the other end. To generate electricity, a membrane is placed in the tube, which vibrates back and forth with the resonating gas, similar to a “reverse loudspeaker.” This can then be used to generate electricity.

Device schematic

A prototype device

Researchers in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Nottingham are working on the generator’s Linear alternator, the part that turns the sound energy into electricity which uses special configurations of magnets that generate electrical energy from sound. Computer simulations of the linear alternator have been successful, and tests are underway.

Big Plans for SCORE

The SCORE project is focused on creating the low-cost, high efficiency generator that can be used in the world’s poorest countries. The generator has a cost target of £20 per household, based on the production of a million units. The generator will weigh between 10 and 20kg. The target is to generate an hour’s use per kilogram of fuel — which could be wood, dung or any other locally available biomass material.

The project will work with governments, universities and civil organizations across Africa and Asia, many of whom have already offered support. This collaboration will ensure the device is affordable, socially acceptable and that there is scope for communities to develop businesses to manufacture and repair locally. Practical Action, a charity which promotes the development of sustainable technology to tackle poverty in developing countries, is already leading field trials in Nepal and Kenya. The charity will expand the test sites when more units are made available.

The SCORE team is now looking for sponsorship to fund testing in the countries in which the generator will eventually be deployed. Germany’s Department of International Development (GTZ South Africa) has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide funding to test the stove in southern Africa. There are plans to have more units available for testing in field trials at the start of next year, with full production of the Score generator taking place after 2012.

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About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

by Andrew Micheler

Not much is worse than a stuffy, over heated house in the summer time. You can’t sleep, you can’t move, you can’t think. Modern cities exist just as much because of air conditioning as they do because of the automobile. With A/C you can build the same house from coast to coast, from the Mexican border to a Canadian crossing—all you have to do is press a button and, presto, no more heat! It is easy and the equipment is relatively cheap, at least until the electric bill arrives.

A/C takes a lot of power. When I mean a lot, I mean that your utility is desperate to make enough energy with all those A/C units humming all afternoon. Your utility is paying dollars per kilowatt hour even though you are paying maybe a dime. They are cranking out a lot of carbon to boot. (Wind energy is at its lowest in the summer so “buying” wind power is not the solution.)

This is called the long tail pipe, when what you do at your home affects what goes into the air hundreds of miles away. With this in mind, not to mention the endless drone of an A/C and the monthly bill, let‘s look at other ways to keep cool.

• First off, don’t build or buy a “stupid” house. In this case, a “stupid” house is one with BIG windows facing east and west (read Dude, tune your windows). Even with air conditioning you won’t keep cool, and indoor shades are like locking the doors when the burglar is already inside.
• Keeping lights, computers and other heat producing products off can help keep your home cooler.
• Ceiling fans are an obvious choice, just remember that they cool not by pushing hot air up but creating a breeze across your skin.
• Next is investigating overhangs for the outside of your windows. This can get more involved but can make a big difference on the southern side.
• Skylights are a big culprit so shading them also helps.
• Think about shade plants for the east and west sides and a big tree or two on the south side, just don’t block all that sunshine in the winter time.

If you still need a button to press, here are a few options:

• Evaporative coolers are very cost effective in low humidity areas. Coolerado is a new generation of evaporative coolers that uses a heat exchanger. (Night cooling works in low humidity areas too.)
• A well sealed whole house fan gets rid of the built up hot air from the day and replaces it with cool evening air.
• Take a peek into your attic and see if the insulation is at least 12 inches thick and uniform.
• Air infiltration in the summer can take its toll too so hire an energy rater to test your house for air leaks.
• If you are in a muggy climate and need air conditioning, look for a high SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) and, just as importantly, do not over size the unit for the space. The AC will never get enough air across its coil to remove the humidity.
• Have an older unit checked for its refrigerant charge and condition. Your local utility may even do this for free.

Really cool, eco friendly stuff is out there (pun intended) like green roofs, ground source heat pumps, reflective barriers, low SRI (solar reflective index) roofing, and thermal mass implementation.

Last, but not least, relax and cool down with your favorite beer knowing that your long tail pipe just got a lot smaller.

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About the Author: Andrew Michler, LEED AP has lived “off-the-grid” in Colorado since 1995. He started Baosol Sustainable Building Consulting in 2007 to cultivate the low entropy revolution. He is also the co-founder of the BeLocal Northern Colorado Green Builder’s Guild.

Clean Air Lawn Care CEO, Kelly Giard, has been nominated to be Entrepreneur Magazine’s Emerging Entrepreneur of 2009! This is an incredible honor for all of Clean Air Lawn Care and a testament to the changing face of business – a commitment to being green, setting high ethical and environmental standards, and being an example to others.

Clean Air Lawn Care is a lawn maintenance business that uses clean electric and biodiesel powered equipment. The vehicles hauling this equipment have mounted solar panels which charge the electric equipment during the workday. The equipment is clean and quiet; the fertilizer is organic; the business is carbon neutral.

Clean Air Lawn Care is the pioneer of sustainable lawn care franchising. In the October 2008 print issue of Entrepreneur Magazine, Clean Air Lawn Care was identified as one of the top 5 green franchises in America. The January 2009 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine showcases the Franchise 500 and Clean Air Lawn Care again is listed as one of the major players in a green franchise movement. The sustainable company has been receiving other national attention as well. In May of this year, the company graced the cover of Turf Magazine, an indication that change is indeed coming to the lawn care industry. Noting the sustainable methods used by Clean Air Lawn Care, the magazine stated, “Clean Air may have a jump on competitors who are clinging to traditional techniques.”

Why Sustainable Lawn Care…

• 5-10% of the nation’s air pollution comes from gas powered lawn equipment.
• In one hour, one gas lawn mower can pollute as much as an SUV driven 23,600 miles.
• The company saves $10,000 a year on gas and spends less than $500 to charge the equipment through renewable energy.
• Electric lawn mowers cut noise emissions by 50%-75%.

Through the use of electric equipment powered by renewable energy, Clean Air Lawn Care removed 32,000 pounds of air pollution equaling over 1,000,000 vehicle miles in 2008. The positive impact of Clean Air Lawn Care’s business is parallel with growth. The company’s growth equals a larger reduction in national air pollution.

The online vote is taking place at http://www.entrepreneur.com/e2009/vote/emerging.php.
Watch the video and learn how Clean Air Lawn Care is starting a revolution in lawn care and changing the way America mows the lawn.

For further information, please contact Kelly Giard, CEO at (888) 969-3669.

Earth Hour 2009 is tomorrow, March 28 2009, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. your local time!!! Do your part by switching off all your lights and uncessessary electronics during this time and cast your vote for a warming planet!!

Find out more at EarthHour.org or by watching the video below.

I am from the South. In East Tennessee, Winter means two months of rain and school cancellations when the forcast calls for “a chance of flurries.” Now I find myself in the Northern Colorado…the Mountain West..where something called “wind chill” is becoming a terrifying member of my vocabulary. Though I may be lamenting its skin-peeling qualities, I admire the wind for it’s energy generating ones, and had to share this cool company that is turning the wind energy industry on its frozen ear.

The concept of wind generated power seems so simple, but then you throw in a monstrous turbine, converting technology and geographical needs, and the concept springs out of reach of the common man…or so you thought.

Quiet Revolution Ltd. is a British company that believes that “Within fifty years we will be living in a world which is powered predominantly by renewable energy, with no sacrifice to quality of life.” Quiet Revolution develops and supplies elegant renewable energy solutions, especially small wind products optimised for use at the point of energy demand. Their goal is to promote and enable wind energy as a key technology to renewable and distributed energy generation and microgeneration.

After seeing a need for a less conspicuous turbine that would work well in the urban environment, where wind speeds are lower and wind directions change frequently, the company developed the QuietRevolution (QR) with an elegant helical (twisted) design that ensures a robust performance even in turbulent winds. It is also responsible for virtually eliminating noise and vibration. “At five metres high and three metres in diameter, it is compact and easy to integrate, and with just one moving part, maintenance can be limited to an annual inspection.” QuietRevolution turbines can be ground or roof mounted and come in two different mast sizes for each.

Watch a Video of the qr5 Turbine in Action

But the company’s plans for the wind turbine don’t stop there. The QR will soon be available in a unique model capable of creating a striking visual display that is part artwork, part renewable energy device, part communications medium. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) embedded in each of its three S-shaped blades will fire in sequence as the blades rotate, painting a video screen that appears to hang in the air. This full color and motion image will be clearly visible day and night. The quietrevolution display can be used either as a temporary installation at a high profile event or as a permanent feature. Early customers for quietrevolution display have included mostly city councils across the UK attracted to this unique means of communicating with the local community on climate change and its solutions.

Learn more at http://www.quietrevolution.co.uk

- The Team at GenGreen

The sun is a beautiful and mysterious ball of gas and fire. It makes flowers, heat, light and sunburns possible. And now, thanks to one creative Carribean based musician, it also makes music.

“I wouldn’t call myself a ‘green musician’,” said Turtuga Blanku (meaning ‘white turtle’), ” sunlight has so much more colors in it…”

Blanku uses only solar power to produce his music. “Solar energy can power up any kind of business, including the music business. It enables me to be environmentally conscious and to produce music with modern day’s luxuries at the same time,” says Maarten Schuit, the sun bronzed creative mind behind Turtuga Blanku.

Blanku creates and records his fresh and catchy songs in a studio he calls the Green Machine, which runs completely on solar power.

Sunlight is captured by panels on the roof of the studio, and the converted energy is lead to a special meter cupboard and six deep loading batteries. Those are a bit different from your regular car battery. They are 6 Volts, but connected in parallel as to put out 12 Volts DC. A converter further changes this into 110 Volts 60 Hz AC.

Because of the batteries, the Green Machine is also operational after the sun has set. However, to keep the power usage low, the set up of the studio itself has deliberately been kept simple; some basic hardware (including instruments like guitars, bass and piano) and then a lot of software.

If you want to hear what such sunny music sounds like, check out Blanku’s website where he releases singles as they are produced! The catchy lyric-melody combinations with a touch of funky reggae sound sunny and fresh at the same time, and are sure to keep you smiling….even in winter.

- The Team at GenGreen

Note: This interview was conducted and written by Sagan Schultz, a GenGreen Ambassador from St. Paul, Minnesota. Ambassadors are highly motivated, eco-conscious individuals across the country that promote awareness of the mission of GenGreen and GenGreen Life.com and help educate themselves and others about ways to live a more locally-focused, sustainable lifestyle.

Interested in becoming an Ambassador? Click here to learn more.

Interviewee: Wanda Davies
Title: Director of Development, Midwest Region
Company: Navitas Energy (Northern Alternative Energy)

Q: What is the mission of your business?
A: We are a wind energy development company. We deal with everything that is necessary to develop a wind field, but we don’t do the building. We lease land, get permits, make connection agreements, and get everything in place for the builders to do their side of the job.

Q: What is the most important thing for people to know about alternative energy?
A: It is very economically competitive right now, as well as in the long run. Since there is no cost for fuel, it will be more affordable than current energy sources, assuming fuel prices continue to rise. Eventually wind power will be more economical.

Q: What is an easy way for people to conserve energy or utilize alternative energy that they might not know about?
A: They can sign up for the wind source program offered by Xcel Energy, which gives you a fuel cost adjustment. You pay them a certain amount to get some of your power from renewable sources, and they give you the adjustment on your bill. Right now, prices are very similar.

Q: What current projects are you working on?
A: We have about 20 projects throughout the midwest, some of which are being actively developed right now. I estimate that in about 5 years, southwestern Minnesota will be covered by wind fields.

Q: Is there anything you personally would like people to know regarding alternative energy or more sustainable living?
A: I would say people should start taking small steps. You can start with compact fluorescents, the wind source program, riding your bike, having your kids take the school bus instead of picking them up and dropping them off. There are basically just a lot of small things that can be done that will equal up to making an impact.

Learn more about Navitas Energy here.