A Few Cartoons

I thought this was a humorous cartoon. It compares our use of fossil fuels to a person addicted to smoking. The smoker realizes smoking is a problem and is harming him, but is addicted, so he won't/can't quit. Similarly, we are addicted to using fossil fuels, and we can't cut our dependency from them.
























I thought that this was pretty funny, because I could actually see it happening. A solar tanning-powered tanning bed...a very amusing concept. I could seriously see a shop on a beach that advertised "green" tanning, and it being a huge hit!

















A crack at Americans tendency to take everything and make it bigger. We obviously have bigger cars than most of the rest of the world. This cartoon has taken an entirely electric Segway scooter and turned it into something that looks like it could plo
















Another entertaining cartoon. This cartoon comments on the price of producing alternative fuels. It jokingly states that people don't even realize that it takes as much energy to produce ethanol and hydrogen as it produces.



























I thought this cartoon was kind of cute. The young boy is looking outside of an airplane window to find a reindeer powering the plane. His mom is conveniently reading a news paper article about alternative energy.

just a few links

http://www.alternative-energy-resources.net/

This site is not an informative site. Rather it is a site that points you in the right direction. It has very basic summaries about the most popular of the alternative sources and for those that are not as popular there are many links that provide resources for them.

http://www.icax.co.uk/alternative_energy.html

Since we all have been writing about alternative energies and since oftentimes those energies can be very... technical, I found a glossary that defines many of the terms that have anything to do with the ideas behind the energies as well as global warming.

http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/15-10/ff_plant

After our ethanol debate I became really interested in the prospective use of cellulosic ethanol. This site gives all you would ever need to know about the pros and cons, the process used to convert the cellulosic into fuel and the likelihood of it actually being used.

Heres a short post of a few cartoons.

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I really enjoy the one mocking the prospect to drill oil in Alaska. I have always been against this because of the pipelines imposition on the region's preserved natural state. There is simply too much risk involved in that plan of action for me to accept it as a viable option.

Here’s a website that is incredibly informative, as well as interesting…

http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/index.cfm

This site provides knowledge for those who would like to learn more on the dangers that could potentially occur, in addition to some that have already occurred, as a result of global warming and the basic science behind climate change. It also addresses what we can do to turn our poor habits into habits that will benefit our Earth so that it is a healthier and better place – and believe me you will want to do all that is possible to help our Earth once you Calculate Your Impact at:

http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/carboncalculator.cfm

There is also a blog called Climate411 that is accessible from the website where experts explain the facts, news, and policies relating to climate change:

http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/category/science/

12 Year Old Boy Invents New Type of Solar Cell

Last year, a twelve- year- old boy named William Yuan who lives in Beaverton, Oregon invented a new type of solar cell that puts previous 3D cells to shame. According to Columbia Encyclopedia, a solar cell is a type of semiconductor that transfers light into energy that is made normally out of silicon crystal. From the silicon crystal a specially constructed diode is made. When light strikes the exposed active surface, it knocks electrons loose from their sites in the crystal. Some of the electrons have enough energy to cross the diode junction and, then, cannot return to positions on the other side of the junction without passing through an external circuit. Because the current gained from these devices is small and the voltage is low, they must be connected in large series-parallel arrays or solar panels so that useful amounts of energy can be converted.

The kid’s solar cell can absorb both UV and visible light though. Previous research focused solely on one or the other, but Yuan was able to combine the two. Normally, regular solar cells are only 2D and only allow light interaction once. The newly invented solar cell though can create 500 times more light absorption than current commercial solar cells and nine times more light than existing 3D solar cells. Overall, the solar cell invented by the boy is both more efficient and powerful; William Yuan was very surprised by his results.

According to KATU.com, the boy’s project is a highly-efficient 3-Dimensional nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light. William invented a novel solar panel that enables light absorption from visible to ultraviolet light. Nanotubes are cylindrical carbon molecules that have properties that make them useful in many applications in nanotechnology, show extraordinary strength and unique electrical properties, and are efficient conductors of heat(physicsworld.com). He also designed carbon nanotubes to overcome the barriers of electron movement. In the end, this doubles the light-electricity conversion efficiency. Yuan also developed a model for solar towers and a computer program to simulate and optimize the tower parameters. Because of the William’s innovative thinking, the Pacific Northwest may have a viable source of alternative energy in the near future. All Yuan needs now is a manufacturer.

It is quite amazing that a twelve- year- old could invent something so complex. William Yuan ended up receiving a $25,000 scholarship and earned the Davidson Fellow award, which is for those 18 and under. Even though William is so young he has already done great research in nanotechnology and nuclear fission, and it seems that he is on his way to solving the energy crisis we currently have at hand.

http://www.katu.com/news/28432984.html
http://plus.aol.com/aol/reference/solarcel/solar_cell?flv=1
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/1761

So you want to use solar energy...

Alternative energy is a great idea, but how many people actually know how to go about powering their home using renewable energy sources?
One of the most popular ways to alternatively energize your home is solar power. Not only does it reduce pollution but once you have the equipment set up, it doesn’t cost any more money because you don’t have to pay the sun a bill.
Conservation and Efficiency are the first two ways to begin reducing the need to use energy. Doing things like turning off lights when you don’t need them, unplugging phone and lap top chargers once the appliance has been fully charged, save energy, and are considered conservation. Energy efficiency comes from using ‘efficient’ appliances, like compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent. Conservation and efficiency are important when it comes to powering your house with alternative sources because for each dollar you spend on efficiency, you save $3-$5 on the equipment costs of renewable energy systems.
Solar energy is particularly useful because it can be stored, so the solar grid will soak up more than enough energy when there is sunlight, then you’ll still have electricity during seasons when the sun doesn’t shine as often. Another great thing about solar energy is that it’s actually really easy to set up - you basically attach the solar grid to a battery bank, which sends energy directly to your house’s main power grid -and voila! - you have electricity without the utility bill or pollution. Some types of grids also have a back-up generator, just in case you use a lot of electricity or the solar grid doesn’t produce enough, you won’t be without electricity.
A single solar panel probably won’t power your entire home. Using solar energy to its maximum is a process, as the solar grids can be somewhat pricey. Most grids are between $1500 and $2000, and you’ll need a few of them to power your entire house. Many companies will install them for you, though, and they don’t require much maintenance. Despite how expensive the solar grids seem, once you can power an entire home with them, the electric bill is nearly nothing, so the money saved may eventually pay back the money spent. And either way, a solar panel is great for the environment.

Reference
http://www.homepower.com/home/


http://www.earthtechproducts.com/grid-tied-solar-kit.html?gdftrk=gdfV2538_a_7c634_a_7c2338_a_7cgrid_d_tied_d_solar_d_kit

This is a link to what a solar grid looks like, and how it is installed in the home.

http://www.mrsolar.com/

This link will take you to an online retail store for solar panels which produce energy for residential and industrial use. They also have a calculator that will tell you how much solar power your house needs… but you have to insert the voltage and use information about all of your appliances and electricity usage so it’s kind of involved. However I think that for people who are serious about solar energy this is a great resource. Plus its kind of interesting to look at.

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Also, I realized while I was writing this that today is Earth Day. Interesting that the earth only gets a day of our lives while we've been using its resources for thousands of years...

POWERleap!

I was interested in finding new, modern sources of alternative energy. After a quick search, I stumbled upon a concept called POWERleap. POWERleap is a flooring system that converts wasted energy from human foot traffic into electricity. The system uses piezoelectric technology and advanced circuitry design to convert the energy from footsteps into electric energy. The product will be among the first of its kind to take advantage of the unique properties of piezoelectric materials to actually produce usable amounts of electricity.
Besides transferring our wasted energy, how exactly does this alternative energy source work? Well, in simpler terms the product measures pressure, acceleration, strain or force by converting them to an electrical signal. Then, the energy harvesting components are housed in a flooring product that can be custom designed to suit specific applications.
In using piezoelectric technology, the energy source has an extremely high natural frequency and an excellent linearity over a wide amplitude range. Piezoelectricity is a naturally occurring occurrence exhibited by certain materials that generate an electric field when distorted. These materials range from crystals to ceramics and even some polymers, and in these materials, when no force is applied, the atomic structure is in equilibrium and there is no net electric charge. However, when a force is applied, an electric incline is created which generates a voltage across the material. When the material is integrated into a circuit, this voltage will create a DC current. The great advantage of piezoelectric technology is that it is insensitive to electromagnetic fields and radiation, enabling measurements under harsh conditions.
After learning how the product works, I wondered how much electricity the POWERleap could actually produce. According to POWERleap.net, the energy source can generate between 1-5 Watt hours per square foot, depending on the foot traffic volume. Over a 100 meter stretch of sidewalk in daily city traffic, pedestrians can generate around 1 kW of electricity each hour. That’s a lot of energy!
Not only is this particular energy source effective but the electricity generated from this product can be used on a wide variety of applications that meet client needs and create a closed loop system. The energy source can be installed into city sidewalks, public parks, university campuses, and in corporate campuses. It can be put into more entertainment- like atmospheres such as dance clubs, gyms and fitness clubs, sports stadiums, and retail chains as well. In the near future, we could be walking down the sidewalks of Chicago and be creating a new form of alternative energy on-site for immediate use.
The only problem with POWERleap and using piezoelectricity is that this type of technology cannot be used for true static measurements. A static force will result in a fixed amount of charges on the piezoelectric material. Working with conventional readout electronics, imperfect insulating materials, and reduction in internal sensor resistance will result in a constant loss of electrons, and yield a decreasing signal. Another problem concerning piezoelectricity is that elevated temperatures cause an additional drop in internal resistance(concept that helps model the electrical consequences of the complex chemical reactions inside a battery). This means that at higher temperatures only piezoelectric materials that maintain a high internal resistance can be used.

http://powerleap.net/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectric_sensor
http://www.electronics-manufacturers.com/products/sensors-transducers-detectors/piezoelectric-sensor/

Solar Power: A Sci-Fi Solution?

For this blog post, I will be talking about solar power. I am interested in solar power because there is a house by mine that has solar panels attached to it. Solar power seems like such a simple answer to our energy needs. As otherpower.com points out, solar power is currently the only zero maintenance, zero fuel cost electric generator power source (http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_solar.html).

 Solar power is a completely renewable resource and doesn't have the same problems associated with coal in terms of creating electricity. It's cleaner, it's not dangerous to mine, and no parts have to replaced on panels and no energy is used to utilize them. So why isn't solar power more widely used? The problem has always been a matter of surface area. As I had pointed out in my last post with a cartoon, it would take an immense amount of space in order to create the energy we need solely from solar power. Logistically there is just no way to get all the power we need only by, say putting panels on each house, etc. There is no solution... until now.

How about solar panels in space?

In space you say? That's absurd! Complete science fiction! Maybe not. 

"Unfurled in space, the panels would bask in near-constant sunshine - uninterrupted by clouds or bad weather -  and provide a steady flow of electricity day and night.

An artist's impression of the planned solar array which will be launched into space on a rocket and will transmit solar power back to Earth in radio waves

The orbiting solar 'farm' would collect energy from the sun and then convert it into radio waves which would beam the power back to antennae in California.

The radio transmissions would then be converted into usable electricity and fed back into the conventional power grid.

Sunlight in space is at least ten times more powerful than that on Earth, making orbiting solar panels far more efficient than those which are land-based."

Nasa proved the theory of sending solar power through radio waves in 2008 when solar power was beamed 90 miles between two Hawaiian Islands. So what's stopping us from generating unlimited power? Why haven't we sent up armies of solar panels? Because with alternative energy, you know there is always a catch: "even though the solar array would unfurl on its own, the costs of sending the satellite into space are extremely high and repairs on the panels would be impossible." Even so, plans to send a prototype satellite are in place for within the next year. It is estimated that a solar array could create one gigawatt of power almost continuously, making it equal to the output of a nuclear generator. As a final note to this idea, "Daniel Kammen, professor in energy and resources at the University of California, Berkeley, told the Guardian: 'The ground rules are looking kind of promising. It is doable. Whether it is doable at a reasonable cost, we just don't know.' "

source:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1170945/How-solar-panels-space-used-beam-renewable-energy-Earth.html

Alternative Energy Faces Challenges

Searching for something to write about for my post this week, I was curious to find something current about alternative energy. I wanted to see what was in the news now, something new, something relevant. I found an article on the New York Times website Published this past October. Here is the information and citation, if you care to read the article in addition to my comments.

Alternative Energy Suddenly Faces Headwinds
By CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Published: October 20, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/business/21energy.html?_r=1

The premise of this article is that because of the hurting economy, even the development/advancement of alternative energy sources is taking a hit. The credit freeze, in addition to the plunge in oil/natural gas prices is the primary driver for this problem.

As I'm sure we're all aware of, the recent recession in our economy has caused many negative things in our economy. We have seen the value of the dollar greatly decrease in the world economy. Also, the US stock market has taken a great hit. Most all stocks have dipped. Alternative energy companies have been no exception. In fact, these companies have even taken a sharper hit than many other industries. This has caused (and will cause) capital dedicated towards renewable energy projects to decrease.

The logic behind this, experts say,is that if oil prices continue to drop (or remain at a low level), consumers will have less incentive to pursue renewable energy resources. This would obviously lead to less funding. This would create a chain reaction, and less research and development would be done, thus any new innovation would be deterred.

This has created a greater reliance on government subsidies to further research. Common knowledge is that our economy is greatly hurting, and our government simply doesn't have the money to dedicate to so much research. President Obama, in his presidential campaign promised, "creating five million new jobs in renewable energy and nearly tripling the percentage of the nation’s electricity supplied by renewables by 2025." To me, this just doesn't seem realistic with the condition our economy is in. It just seems like another empty promise from presidential candidate that sounds good, but will never happen.

"Venture capital financing for some advanced solar projects and for experimental biofuels, like ethanol made from plant wastes, is drying up, according to analysts who track investment flows. "

There is simply just not enough money to go around to fund all of these projects. Several projects have been forced to be put on hold because of lack of funding. Wind energy companies and ethanol projects have taken the biggest hit. In fact, not unlike other industries right now, an ethanol producer had to file bankruptcy in recent months.

The true question is whether or not the issue of alternative energy is important enough to sacrifice to our nation? At this point, I can't evaluate this question. I don't know what will happen. I think it's obvious that research will be cut due to lack of money. The economy is hurting, and honestly I would think it to be foolish to dedicate large amounts of money to alternative energy right now when there are so many other economic problems the US is facing. I think it's important that we still pursue other options for energy, however I just don't know to what degree. Any thoughts?

Alternative Energy Links and Resources

This is going to be one of my smaller posts. I realized while I was researching my point for the Ethanol Simulation project that there are a lot of websites and organizations devoted to the research of and education about alternative energy.

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/

This website is basically just a collection of news links to things about renewable energy. It has a google-powered search engine and it seems like there is a lot of information, although some of it should probably be taken with a grain of salt because it is 'news' and its on a biased website. There are a lot of ads as well, but the content appears to be very broad and well organized.

http://www.altenergy.org/

Associated with the Alternative Energy Institute, this website provides educational information about various types of alternative energy, including wind, solar, and water energy, as well as information about renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/transportation/index.html

This website is associated with the California Energy Commission. It was last updated in 2005, so there is some recent information or statistics that may be missing, but it provides a "Student's Guide" to alternative energy and fuels, as well as alternative fuel vehicles.

http://ncga.com/

This is a link to the National Corn Growers Association. They are an organization that promotes education about agriculture and its role in alternative energy. It also has information about ethanol and its impact on the environment and the economy.

http://alt-e.blogspot.com/

Another blog about alternative energy. Includes news updates and analyses about alternative energy. Also has some nice pictures and full-length news stories.

just a thought.

I found several articles when I was looking into the prospective use and success of algae as an alternative fuel that really seem to prove that it will be able to be used in the future. However when I was looking at several of the articles – one of which mentioned that Venice would be 100% powered by the stuff by 2011 – they mentioned that the algae would remove CO2 from the atmosphere instead of adding to it. With that in mind, I thought of a few other things. How CO2 is not the only element attributing to a warming trend and how the claim of many eco-organizations is to bring the world back to normal.
Richard Branson, along with Al Gore, is sponsoring a contest to develop a technology that would take out CO2 instead of putting any in. It seems to me that much of the concentration of modern eco-groups is to revert back to normal, but wouldn’t a planet normal be a world without humans? I think so. Current studies indicate that there are elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere right now and the claims that follow these studies state that the levels are so high that they are disrupting the carbon cycle. However there are other studies that show that there are more plants and photo reliant organisms than there ever have been. Further, these plants are growing higher than they ever have. It is true that the human species has created much more greenhouse gasses than any other species through our lifestyle and industry, but the planet seems to have balanced out our additions.
Taking a different approach, by taking the data from the ice cap extractions and condensing it into a graph, it can be shown that there have been trends of fluctuating temperatures due to CO2 levels and other variable elements in the atmosphere. Each of these trends has caused temperature changes to our environment on a planetary scale including times of intense cooling and times of equally intense warming. These fluctuations of those times are similar to the modern fluctuation of temperature, and they occurred without the human element involved.
So my question about the push to remove the CO2 through inventions and now fuels is whether or not we as humans need to think that our way of life is harming the environment. Maybe this developing trend is a natural occurrence, a way for the planet to correct itself. Yes humans can develop a better and less intrusive and environmentally abusive lifestyle. And there must be new studies and inventions in fuels for our way of life but I don’t think that humans should believe that we have had as much of an impact as many scientists would say that we have.