Tax on Electric Cars?

Recently in the Chicago Sun-Times there was an article about a possible bill being passed in the state of Washington about actually putting a tax on electric cars. For years of the government and state encouraging people to purchase electric cars and hybrid cars because they help reduce the amount of pollution and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Residents used to recieve tax breaks after purchasing a fuel-efficient vehicle. However, the state of Washington is now moving towards a completely opposite bill. They want to charge residents with electric cars a tax fee of one-hundred dollars per year. This would be the nation's first ever tax fee on electric cars. This is due to the fact that electric cars use the roads but do not have to pay the taxes placed on gas to help maintain the roads and help fund construction. On average, people with electric cars save 1,000 dollars a year on fuel. This includes taking the amount of money it costs to fuel electric cars. The average U.S. electricity rate is 12 cents per kWh (price ranges widely across the U.S. from around 3 cents in Washington to about 27 cents in Hawaii) the consumer would still be paying about a quarter as much for fuel costs with gas. Not to mention it can also save people thirty to forty dollars every few months without the need for a mechanic oil change. The Washington democratic state senate representative said, "Electric vehicles pit just as much wear and tear on our roads as gas vehicles. This [bill] simply ensures that they contribute their fair share to the upkeep of our roads" (Chicago Sun-Times). In the long run, even with the one-hundred dollar fee, residents with electric cars will be saving a significant amount of money. Electric cars can save the environment and , even with a possible tax, save money for the consumer.

Sources:
www.plugincars.com
www.suntimes.com

Save Yourself the Trouble! Tips on how to save fuel

These last couple of weeks, I’ve been waking up feeling more and more anxious for summer to grace us with its presence, and I’m sure many of you share the same sentiment. I’ve been constantly checking the weather updates online, hoping that “maybe this week we’ll finally have every single day hit above sixty degrees” and “maybe this week the rain will finally stop”. I guess it’s pretty safe to say I’m completely fed up with spring and am entirely ready for Mother Nature to swing us right into the lazy dog days of beautiful summer. However, there’s one thing that I am dreading this summer: gas prices. Just like every summer, gas prices are on the rise yet again, and this year is especially bad what with the political turmoil roiling in the Middle East. Trust me, I have every notion of cracking out that bicycle and minimalizing my time behind the wheel, but I also have a couple road trips planned, and my twenty-gallon, eighty-dollar-to-fill-up gas tank ominously looms in my driveway. But what can I do? I have no choice but to fill my old Buick with gasoline, I can’t fill it with water or dirt. Thus, I decided to research ways that I can save fuel this summer, and the reason for posting this on an alternative energy blog? It turns out that saving fuel (and therefore reducing CO2 emissions) is actually good for the environment! Using less fuel means filling up less which means less fuel is inadvertently spewed into our atmosphere. But of course, being in Honors Chemistry and the Environment, we all already knew that, didn’t we…
One of the first rules for saving on fuel and reducing emissions into the atmosphere is to slow down while driving. On that note, another good rule of thumb is to accelerate moderately when coming from a red light to a green. If you lay on the gas you will waste fuel and emit carbon dioxide and other particles into the atmosphere that could have otherwise been moderately distributed in less quantities had you accelerated at a moderately slow pace so that the transmission can shift up into the higher gears (when dealing with an automatic vehicle). Shutting off the air conditioning during moderately slow speeds will help fuel usage, but using the air conditioner during high speeds will actually aid in reducing fuel consumption because having the windows open during high speeds will create a lot of resistance on the vehicle and therefore use more fuel to move said vehicle. Keeping the vehicle moving constantly (and not continuously stopping and going), even if it means rolling ever so slowly at a stoplight, will aid in reducing fuel consumption. By keeping the car moving at all times, this stops the need for pure acceleration, and therefore saves fuel. Another tip that I discovered is to make sure your vehicle’s tires have good pressure. If your vehicle’s tires have low air pressure, then that means you are driving dragging those wheels with you, and they are actually bringing you down in the sense that they are creating drag on the car. More drag on the car means more fuel is used to move said car, and more fuel means more money and more harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Checking your air filter can also help save fuel. A dirty air filter can restrict the flow of air into the engine, which can have harmful effects on the car’s performance and economy. One more tip to consider this summer (and always) is to keep the inside of your vehicle clean. Of course, everyone thinks to keep the outside clean, because that’s the part everyone sees, but keeping the inside clean can actually help you to save on fuel. The more unnecessary weight you put on a car, the more drag it will experience while on the road and the more fuel you will use. The lighter you car is, the more economical it is. And of course, there’s always those alternative forms of transportation that don’t require fuel at all: biking, walking, and skating.
Looking at all of these fuel-saving tips, the thing that they all have in common is that they are very doable, and highly effective. Every little bit counts, and if it means that I will save money on those road trips I have planned, as well as reduce harmful emissions into our precious atmosphere, then I’m all for it.
Sources:
http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/ag_top_fuelsave.htm
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/fuel-efficient/5.asp
http://financialplan.about.com/cs/cars/a/SaveGas.htm

Major IT Companies' Emissions

Greenpeace evaluates major IT companies' energy use and their efforts to use "green" energy. According to this article, Yahoo! had the best clean energy emissions index at 55.9% and Apple had the worst with 6.7%. It also gives an estimate of the coal intensity, and ratings of the companies' transparency, infrastructure siting, and mitigation strategy. Google, with the second-best clean energy emissions index, also just recently announced significant investments in wind energy.

https://www.greenbiz.com/news/2011/04/21/greenpeace-hails-yahoo-google-akamai-green-power-leadership

The Downside of Alternative Energies

Most of the articles in this blog have been about the benefits of alternative energies. However, there are also many downsides to solar, wind, and hydroelectric powers.

First of all, wind power is useful because it does not produce any air or water pollution. However, there are some major concerns over wind power. The public is concerned about the visibility and noise of the relatively large and unsightly wind turbines. There are also some that note that building wind turbines would cause many wilderness areas to be developed. The large wind turbines take many fossil fuels to make and transport to the field. Lastly, wind power is also one to one and a half times more expensive than the electricity generated from fossil fuels.

Next, solar power is a great source of renewable energy because they generate no emissions while in use. However, just like wind turbines, they require a substantial amount of fossil fuels to make and install. The solar panels also have many ill health effects for those that come into contact with them because of the arsenic and cadmium that are used in the panels. John Holdren also said, "Using sunlight to make electricity with photovoltaic cells remains 3 to 5 times more expensive than fossil-fueled electricity generation, despite very substantial reductions in the costs of photovoltaics over the last two decades."

Geothermal energy has come under fire in the last few years for causing many environmental problems. Acquiring geothermal energy is associated with pollution of water and air as well as unsafe disposal of hazardous wastes. The plants that produce the geothermal energy also need a large amount of water for cooling purposes. This could be a problem for the plants that are not close to a water sources, as they have to haul in the water, most likely using fossil fuels.

Hydropower is often criticized for destruction of natural habitats. In fact, existing dams are often attacked by environmental groups because they sometimes cause some of the native plant and animal species to become endangered. Also, the reservoirs that the dams create often damage existing forests, farmlands, and wildlife habitats. Lastly, hauling the enormous amounts of concrete and other materials that are necessary for construction of the dam uses a large amount of fossil fuels.

Clearly, there is no cure-all type of alternative energy. Every type has its positives and negatives. In the future, some of these negatives must be addressed to ensure that our environment is protected as much as possible.

Sources:
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/impacts/environmental-impacts-of.html
http://www.masterresource.org/2009/01/john-holdren-on-renewable-energy-problems-part-v-in-a-series-on-obamas-new-science-advisor/

Using Energy Using Cars

I found an interesting article on the same site from which Nicole got the 5 weird alternatives article. The article discussed a man's efforts to use cars and trucks driving over a plate in the road to compress hydraulic tanks under the road to produce power. The efforts are in the prototype stage, but it looks promising!

Read more here:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/truck-traffic-electricity-dragon-station.php

Photovoltaics

Currently, researchers at MIT are developing transparent solar cells. This new technology could enable windows to generate their own electricity without obstructing the view. Photovoltaic cells could be coated onto a pane of standard window glass. These cells could then utilize infrared radiation to create energy, while still allowing visible light to pass through. The energy could then be used to power lights and other devices. Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into energy via the photoelectric effect, in which electrically charged particles are released upon the absorption of photons of EM radiation.

The best thing about this development is that it would be significantly less expensive than installing solar panel systems. What makes solar panels so expensive are the installation costs and the glass. But since this new technology would utilize existing infrastructure, the cost of installing them would be significantly lower. Another benefit is that the photovoltaic cells use organism molecules instead of silicon like some other solar cells. Since the energy would be coming directly from the sun, it represents a much cleaner way to get energy than burning carbon-containing fuels. Plus the sun is highly abundant, renewable energy source.

The downside is that the efficiency level is not yet up to par with existing solar panel technology. The highest efficiency that the solar cells have been able to reach is 1.7%. They’re hoping they can get it up to 12%, but even that would not be very efficient. This inefficiency occurs because some of the enrgy is reflected by the cell and some of the energy is transformed into heat. Another concern is that because the technology is so new, they have not yet been able to establish the lifetime of the photovoltaic cells.

Another downside is that the sun does not shine everywhere always. The energy can be stored using batteries for use at night, but this is still an inconvenience. The researcher at MIT see photovoltaics as one of a variety of green energy sources that will be needed to make the transition away from fossil fuel towards clean, carbon-free energy. I like the idea of this, but it is too early to see how effective it will be.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/solarcells/
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/transparent-solar-windows-0415.html

Solar Energy

Starting with the basics, solar power, like any other fuel source, has its advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantage is that the sun provides an unlimited resource. There is more than enough solar energy to sustain the Earth’s energy demands. Specifically, every hour, the sun delivers as much energy to the Earth as the entire population uses in a year. Also, solar power is clean and safe. However, the sun only shines in certain places at certain times. Thus, for solar power to be used as a primary source of power, it must be coupled with an alternative or a means must be found for reserving the power for rainy days. Furthermore, the startup costs of utilizing solar power deter people from using this resource. It is expensive to create the solar panels and solar cells which intercept the sun’s rays.

For solar panels to work, photons from the sun must strike the electrons within the solar panel and turn them into conduction electrons. This allows the electrons to carry an electrical charge. The electrical charge is extracted through the semi-conductive materials in the solar panel.

Recently, some intriguing advances have been made in solar energy. At TU Delft (a Dutch University), they discovered that amorphous silicon provides an alternative to crystalline silicon. Crystalline silicon is an expensive material that is used in most solar cells. When made with amorphous silicon, the solar cells can be produced at a fraction of the thickness and consequently at a fraction of the cost. Still, the process of making the solar cells (regardless of the type of silicon) is slow and contributes to the cost. Because of this, Michael Wank (PhD supervisor of TU Delft) examined an alternative production technique. This advances are exciting news when it comes to making solar cells affordable.

Unfortunately, I found that although the US was once the world’s leading producer of solar cells, we have fallen behind in production and now rank 5th. We are also lagging in solar installation. This is mainly because other countries have become devoted to the solar energy cause by enforcing stringent renewable energy requirements. Ironically, Japan and Germany, the highest ranking countries in installation, receive significantly less sunshine than the United States. By enforcing higher restrictions for global warming, the United States can be a competitive part of the solar energy market.

This post is based on the following sources:

http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=23052&s_src=ggad&gclid=CMvl54bwgagCFYS8KgodpGINqQ

http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/how_solar_power_works.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317102557.htm

The Potential of Solar Power

Here is an interesting infographic that I found about how much energy the sun produces. This demonstrates that if we could develop an extremely efficient way to harness the sun's energy, we would have many of our energy needs met. (http://solarenergyfactsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/solar-energy-infographic.gif)

**I know that the photo is a little large to be viewed on the blog itself, but if you click on the photo it will take you to the site where the infographic can be viewed in full.**

California's New Alternative Energy Law

Recently there was a new energy mandate signed into law in California by the Governor Jerry Brown. This mandate is the most aggressive clean energy standard in the nation. “… Requires the state’s utilities to get 33 percent of their electricity from renewable sources like geothermal, wind and solar by 2020” (Hull). This is a high standards bill but the details are being questioned by some. For example there are many permits needed and so the projects could be delayed and this would increase prices. However the law also contains provisions that are supposed to protect consumers from what is happening with the rising fuel prices and requires the approval of renewable energy contracts (Hull). In the article there is several different renewable energy sources cited but the two expected to make up the vast majority of new contracts in the coming years is solar and wind power.

Solar power is a powerful, inexhaustible and clean source of energy. “Every hour the sun delivers as much energy to the Earth as all humanity uses in a year” (Environmental Defense Fund). With this in mind one could wonder why we don’t use that energy as our only source. However, it is more complex to harness the energy in a widespread and inexpensive way. Because solar power is dependent on the sun, if the sun does not shine there is no power. Since the sun doesn’t shine every day all day there needs to be back up electricity and therefore other sources of power still need to be used. Not only this, but solar power is expensive making it undesirable to most. In recent years the price has decreased making the power a more likely method and hence the prediction for it to become a more preferred method.

The second predicted method to become a major source of power in new contracts is wind power. Wind power is considered a type of solar energy because wind is the product of uneven hearting of the atmosphere by the sun. Today it is possible to drive through a wind farm where there are hundreds of huge wind turbines converting wind into energy. “The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity” (US Department of Energy). Because it is wind it is a clean fuel source and so doesn’t pollute the air. The wind supply in the United States is abundant because wind cannot be used up, it is a renewable power. It is also one of the cheapest forms of renewable energy available today. Even though this is true the initial investment for a wind farm is higher than fossil-fueled generators making it more difficult for someone to invest in the wind energy. Most signs point to wind power plants as being successful but many are simply concerned about the noise of the turbines. Which is the worse consequence, noise or pollution?

With this all in mind California now has to consider all types of alternative energy, costs of them and how to reach this 33 percent mark. Many are worried of costs and delays because of permits but it seems as if the CPUC has it under control. “We’ll make sure that ratepayers are protected” (Florio). If this law is enforced California will be an example for the nation. Some of the benefits also include economic ones such as increasing the number of jobs. The solar plant intended to be built is expected to create 350 jobs. Not only is this good for the environment but it would also help to boost the economy. The law has it’s downsides but there is a lot to factor into a standard such as this. Either way the idea of using more alternative energy is a step in the right direction. Whether it is upheld or goes as planned will be the real test of a law such as this.

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17828401?source=most_emailed&nclick_check=1

http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=23052&s_src=ggad&gclid=CLzp7L2gmKgCFYjsKgodi2XuDg

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_ad.html

Chemistry Joke

Completly random I know but I was on stumble-upon and came across this. :) Enjoy!

Cars: “We Shouldn't Become Vegetarians, Yet.”

Gas prices are rising and due to the conflicts in the oil-rich regions of the world, they don’t show any sign of coming back down. In response we humans began to do what we always do when our resources begin to look scarce, improvise and invent. So we begin to devise new ways for automotives to use less of our precious fuel and begin to switch to cleaner alternative fuel. Thus the idea of ethanol is born and with it we hope to find the answers of our fuel crisis. However, despite the growing popularity of ethanol, in this day and age it is most definitely not the answers to our problems, in fact it might even create more issues then solve.

In order to understand why this otherwise ideal fuel alternative is not the best for this time and age, one must understand what ethanol is. Ethanol is an alcohol formed from the anaerobic fermenting of either a type of sugar or a grain. Ethanol is found mostly in alcohol beverages such as beer. The two most common sources of ethanol as of now are sugar beets and corn. While other sources could be used, these two plants show the highest potential for ethanol production. Its chemical composition is very similar to that of petrol or the gas we use to power our vehicles. It has a good amount of oxygen in its composition which allows it to burn more cleanly then petrol. Because of all these things ethanol seems like the ideal choice of an alternative fuel for gasoline but there are many things that point to it not being the best idea as of now.

Mainly there are two reasons why focusing more on ethanol as an alternative fuel is a bad choice. The first reason is the amount of fuel it actually takes to produce the produce and then convert it into ethanol. This whole process, while it seems like its saving energy at the end, really is not. This process actually causes net loss in energy and while ethanol is seen as a great alternative to gasoline, it uses what it replaces to be created. The second major issue is how we would be able to grow enough corn and regulate it so that the fields don’t become barren from overuse. Corn fields take multiple years to get the nutrients back to that it can produce corn again. Also currently there are issues with the abrupt rise in food prices. If we were to start dedicating tons of acres of fields of corn to ethanol production, the prices would go even higher. With the economy as it is and the rising of gas prices, the additional rise of food will be more devastating. And it is for these reasons, though ethanol was a good idea, it is not suited for this time and circumstances.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/ethanol-facts1.htm
http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/alternative-energy/ethanol-fuel/

Hydrogen Fuel

As I began to research alternative energy, hydrogen fuel is one source that caught my eye since I don't know very much about how it works and how it is used, only that people are trying to utilize it as a fuel source in cars. I was curious to find out how hydrogen fuel works. Hydrogen fuel is typically produced through fuel cells, which has an electrolyte in between an anode and cathode. Hydrogen molecules enter at the anode, and the protons pass through the electrolyte while the electrons are directed through an external circuit which generates an electrical current. Oxygen molecules enter at the cathode, where they react with the protons and electrons of hydrogen. The products of the reaction are water and heat.

Like any alternative fuel, it has its advantages and disadvantages, specifically when it comes to its use in cars. An advantage is that it produces no pollutants; its only byproduct is water. It can be produced domestically, reducing dependence on foreign oil. However, it has some obstacles it must overcome before it can be widely used. It poses a risk to drivers when they’re refueling their cars, since there is a chance that the hydrogen can combust with oxygen which causes the pump to burst into flames. Secondly, hydrogen does not exist naturally, so it takes energy to produce and it is expensive to produce. Currently, it's only manufactured at a few sites. Because of the manufacturing costs, fuel cell cars are not affordable for consumers. Thirdly, compared to the same volume of gasoline, hydrogen has much less energy, so it is difficult to create cars that with effective on board storage that will get far in between fill ups.

It is also interesting to note some recent developments that have been made regarding hydrogen fuel. Cella Energy has developed electrospraying, in which hydrogen is absorbed in microscopic sponges. What this technological jargon means for consumers is that refueling can now be safer. The sponges can be exposed to the air, so there is less concern about hydrogen combusting when drivers stop to refuel their cars. Also, another advance in hydrogen storage was made at Los Alamos National Laboratory which addresses the limited amount of fuel that can be stored in a car’s fuel tank. They discovered that ammonia borane has a high hydrogen storage capacity. This new storage system would allow hydrogen powered cars to pass the US Department of Energy’s benchmark requiring that the cars can be driven at least 300 miles on a single tank. Also contributing to the efficiency is that the ammonia borane can be regenerated into a usable form within the fuel tank. This crucial factor increases the practicality of hydrogen cars.

Through this research I have discovered that although hydrogen power has made leaps and bounds, there are still many steps that need to be taken to improve its development.

This post is based on the following sources:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hydrogen.shtml

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydrogen-fuel/

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20049733-48.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321093701.htm