Environment ⯀  

One of the biggest expenses that many businesses do not properly consider is its energy costs. While the costs of heat and electricity can be very high, there are five things that a business could easily do to be more efficient and lower its energy bills.

Energy ⯀  

Technical innovation has produced a seemingly constant flow of remarkable devices. While many make our lives easier and more enjoyable, only the search for sustainable technologies will support growing populations into the future. 

Judging the value that renewables have for humanity is easier by reflecting on how they've changed our lives and will change our future.

Living Construction

Most people would consider green construction as buildings that utilize recycled materials and solar power. While that's admirable, there are emerging designs that go further by recalling the nature-friendly days of our past. "Living" buildings employ growing grasses for roofing, grape vines on the walls, gardens and fish farms for food, systems for transforming organic waste into methane and ethanol for fuel, and solar and wind power for electricity. Ideally, we'll see rural areas dotted with these green, healthy, sustainable off-the-grid "farms".

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Hybrid Vehicles

The transition from polluting gasoline-powered vehicles to cleaner and more sustainable driving is here. Toyota's hybrid Prius has been around for years, and there's now over 1.2 million electric/hybrid cars globally. Tesla has shown just what's possible with this technology through their high-performance vehicles. Volvo recently announced that they'll be abandoning traditional vehicles to produce hybrids only. As this trend continues, we'll see cleaner air and quieter traffic everywhere, in major cities as well as small towns.

Solar Towers

Instead of bulky and inefficient roof panels, we have thin photovoltaic films that do the same job. Industrially, solar farms now employ giant mirrors to focus the sun's energy into heat-collecting towers or salt reactors where they can turn water directly to steam and drive electric generators. Graduates with a master’s of energy technology will continue to improve upon these plans. Eventually this cheap, simple power source will dot landscapes everywhere.

Battery Stations

The major drawback to solar is that it can't be captured at night or under bad weather conditions. But a new generation of batteries is changing that. Lithium ion designs that charge faster, hold energy longer, and release it more efficiently can be installed as needed in homes or other facilities to provide power through the night. Tesla has already introduced such a battery. As other technologies like hydrogen fuel cells progress, recharging these batteries may be come at nearly zero cost. Tomorrow's structures will be built with a "battery room" ready to go online.

In the past, green progress has often been sacrificed in favor of profitability. But with demand greater than ever, more companies are seeing the wisdom of joining the environmental movement.

By  Dixie Somers	Embed
Author Bio - Dixie is a freelance writer who loves to write about business, finance and self improvement. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.

Energy –  

A researcher at MIT has suggested that hat we could potentially have nuclear fusion powering electric grids in a few years that is, if we pursue research aggressively. Earl Marmar, the head of MIT's Alcator C-Mod tokamak fusion project, says the technological barriers to fusion may be about to fall.

Harnessing the energy that powers the sun and stars–the dream of fusion nuclear reactors has seemed like the technology that is always 50 years away and just around the corner at the same time. Achieving fusion power could mean unheard of clean energy for the planet.

Now, according to Earl Marmar, the head of MIT's Alcator C-Mod tokamak fusion project, we may potentially have nuclear fusion powering electric grids by the 2030s — that is, if we continue to pursue research aggressively.

“I think fusion energy on the grid by 2030 is certainly within reach by this point,” says Marmar. “2030 is probably aggressive, but I don’t think it’s wildly out of range.”

Fusion's physics are well known today, so Marmar thinks the remaining challenges are mainly technological. Currently, there are a few promising methods to get stable fusion, including changing the shape of the reactor and using high-temperature superconducting magnets.

"I think fusion energy on the grid by 2030 is certainly within reach by this point. 2030 is probably aggressive, but I don’t think it’s wildly out of range."

Marmar thinks fusion will be the power source to get us to a clean energy future, but he thinks we haven’t invested enough to solve the remaining technical issues facing fusion, which could delay the timeline. “I think fusion energy on the grid by 2030 is certainly within reach by this point,” says Marmar. “2030 is probably aggressive, but I don’t think it’s wildly out of range.”

Marmar is part of a leading research team unraveling practical uses of fusion. The Alcator C-Mod is an experimental device called a tokamak: a configuration considered for future fusion reactors.

C-Mod creates a high-field – up to 160,000 times the Earth’s magnetic field – that allows the small device to create the dense, hot plasmas, which are greater than 100 million degrees.

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Electricity runs through the center of the tokamak's donut, and the outside edges are circled with electromagnets. Gas is pumped into the chamber and charged by electricity running in the hole of the donut. This turns it into plasma, which hovers in the chamber because of the magnetic fields.

As the pressure and temperature of the gas increases, fusion happens when atomic nuclei squish together.

“So we know that fusion works; we know that the nuclear physics works. There are no questions from the nuclear physics,” says Marmar. “There are questions left on the technology side.”

So far,  the problem with fusion is that researchers haven’t been able to get the reaction to be sustainable for long enough that it can actually produce energy. So far, fusion has produced less energy than it takes to run the machine to create the reaction. He says, to be cost-competitive, the reactors mainly need to be smaller.

Marmar suggests there are already some good technological solutions that could solve the problem.

For instance, in the UK, Tokamak Energy has decreased the size of the donut hole in their tokamak to try and get more plasma compared to the total pressure and magnetic energy. This would potentially allow for a fusion reaction that was smaller and, therefore, cheaper to run. “That may well be true but not demonstrated yet. And I hope they will be successful,” he says.

 “We think that opens a new pathway for more efficient utilization of the magnetic field, which could be a faster and more economical way to get fusion energy actually on the grid,” says Marmar.

For C-Mod, following completion of operations at the end of last year, the facility has been placed into safe shutdown, with no additional experiments planned at this time. Without programs like this, it looks like fusion, may remain a dream for many years to come.

SOURCE  Inverse

By  33rd Square	Embed

Solar Energy  

With our continued collective destruction of the planet's natural resources, rampant consumption, and devastating amounts of carbon dioxide being emitted, technological progress in solar energy is a necessary step in the right direction for our future.

One of the most important technologies humanity possesses today is solar energy. As people continue to cause destruction from the unearthing and exploitation of natural resources, rampant consumption and inefficient distribution of limited goods and services, and devastating amounts of carbon dioxide being emitted, the progress achieved in the solar energy space is a much needed step in the right direction for humanity's future. Here is a summary of what this type of power source does for all of us.

Cost Savings

Monetary benefits come secondary when contrasted with the planetary benefits that solar energy provides, such as environmental preservation. However, being able to save money is a benefit that stimulates interest from the public. Switching to solar panels for your home can rake in monthly savings of up to $100 in many parts of the US. Over a 20-year time frame, this can translate into more than $30,000, according to One Block Off the Grid.

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Streamlined Agriculture

Solar energy can be integrated into water pumps, storage systems, electric barriers, heating and cooling lines, and other agricultural products. In fact, an increasing number of farmers worldwide are making the switch to solar energy in an effort to move to a more sustainable future. An example of solar in the agricultural department is a conduction dryer designed by students in India. The tool dries out crops so that farmers can sell food at a much better price and, subsequently, minimize food wastage.

More Energy-Efficient Cities

Major cities around the world are the largest consumers of energy, from the vast fleets of public and private transportation being driven on the ground, air, and water to the electricity being used to power televisions, ovens, and washers. Solar power outlets, clothing, backpacks, and even the possibility of a solar road in the future are all important tools that will help keep energy supply and demand in the future at bay.

Key Power Source of the Future

Solar energy has the characteristics of being both sustainable and renewable. As long as the giant ball of fire in our skies continue to rise, solar energy is viable. Creation and conversion of solar energy also requires minimal maintenance once it has been installed and working at optimal efficiency by a solar energy provider like Renewable Solar Resources.

So, what's the future of solar energy? This depends on future government policies that will be implemented concerning it. If governments around the world continue to improve the tax benefits of switching to solar energy and private companies continue to lower the price point for getting panels installed in residential and commercial properties, the future of solar and of humanity looks bright.

All in all, solar energy is here to stay. Not only that, but it is spreading throughout the world—impacting communities where electricity hasn’t always been available. Imagine living in a world where everyone has the luxury of power that makes life so much simpler. That, my friends, is the true future of this technology.

By  Hannah Whittenly

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Solar  

At a time when choosing to go solar is becoming increasingly popular, you may be asking yourself why so many people are choosing to install solar panels on their homes. Solar energy is good for both the environment and your pocketbook.

We have compiled a list of seven reasons homeowners are choosing to go solar and why now is the the best time to install panels on your home.

Save Money on Energy Bills

It’s likely that, more often than not, you dread seeing the amount due on your monthly energy bill. Energy prices seem to be on the rise constantly in recent years, making it nearly impossible to cut down on your utility bills. With the installation of solar panels, you will see an immediate decrease in energy costs.

Solar Panels Can Help Protect Your Roof

While you may be concerned that the installation of solar panels will leave holes in your roof that will ultimately weaken it and lead to leaking, in reality, solar panels add an extra layer of protection for your roof. Not to mention, they lend a sleek look to your home.

Increase Home Value

As with all energy efficient upgrades, solar panels add value to your home and help to make it more marketable by offering an excellent selling feature that will no doubt set your home apart from others on the market.

Become More Self-Sufficient

Self-sufficiency is becoming more popular and more necessary as the cost of living is increasing in most American cities. Installing solar panels on your home ensures you will no longer be at the mercy of your local energy company.

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The Solar Investment Tax Credit

With the extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit, you are able to benefit from a 30% tax break through the end of 2019. This percentage drops to 26% from 2020 through 2021, then 22% from 2022 through 2023, at which time it will no longer be available. Going solar now allows you to reap the full benefits of this credit.

Help Preserve Environmental Resources

Choosing to go solar is an excellent way to decrease your carbon footprint and do something good for the environment. Unlike traditional energy that sends harmful byproducts into the ozone during production, solar energy is made from a clean and renewable resource. Going solar is important and necessary to help preserve the environment for future generations.

Have Peace of Mind Knowing You’re Doing Your Part

In a world where ice caps are melting, animals are going extinct, and the ozone is rapidly depleting, we all need to do our part to protect the world around us. When you go solar now, you can have peace of mind knowing you are doing everything you can to protect the environment and preserve our natural resources.

Take Advantage of Solar Today

With all of the benefits going solar can offer your household, what are you waiting for?

By  Rachelle Wilber

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Energy  

With nonrenewable resources becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to extract more and more people and nations are beginning to recognize the importance of investing in alternative sources of energy to supply the world's demand. Are biofuels the answer?

As the supply of natural nonrenewable resources becomes increasingly scarcer and as the price of oil and coal continuing to increase in the long term, more and more people and nations are beginning to recognize the importance of investing in alternative sources of energy to supply the world's demand. Furthermore, people are concerned with utilizing green energy sources that will have a less harmful impact on the environment because it is becoming incredibly evident that society can survive otherwise.

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Turning Away From Conventional Fuels

Alternative options to conventional fuels include renewable energy like solar, wind, and hydroelectric hydrogen power, which is becoming increasingly more efficient to harness; air engine power, which utilizes cheap, compressed air; and biofuels, which include any fuel that is derived from living, organic matter. One fuel source in particular, alternative biofuel, is regarded as possibly being the energy source that saves the world from the clenches of fossil fuels.

Junk or Genius?

The purpose of any fuel is to store chemical energy inside a substance to be used later. Petroleum, natural gas, and coal all do this, but so do many other compounds. Biofuels ultimately derive from living organisms and must be composed of at least 80% renewable matter. Furthermore, biomass fuel technology is heavily reliant on the process of photosynthesis, so it is technically refined solar energy. Over the years scientists have continuously made breakthroughs in biofuel technology to make it more efficient and less harmful on the environment.

Types of Biofuels

Any organic matter could be used as a biofuel, but several particular candidates stand out among the rest. Cellulose, or fibers, are sugars that can be found in grass, trees, and corn and are abundantly available. Algae is popular because, since it grows in water, it does not take up much-needed land and it grows very rapidly. Agricultural crops, such as corn and soy, can be refined to ethanol and are readily available, but these are currently viewed as mostly short-term solutions. Waste byproducts, such as refining animal or paper refuse, can serve as sources of biofuel either from paper scraps, animal manure, or leftover animal fat.

Paving the way, countries like Australia and New Zealand have long been seen as pioneers of the green energy movement. Companies like MTA Australasia use biogas and compressed air treatments to provide consumers with a clean, friendly energy alternative. As this technology spreads, more countries will follow suit and it will not be long before it becomes the predominant energy choice for consumers.

By  Kara Masterson

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Biofuels  

Research and technological experimentation has yielded a form of power that's quite literally green: algae. Algae are photosynthetic microorganisms that grow in abundance in the world's marine environments, and there are thousands of species, each with its own unique characteristics. Recent advances have made significant progress in harnessing algae to meet humanity's ever-increasing energy needs.

A growing awareness of the hazards posed by climate change has led to a wave of innovation in finding clean sources of energy.

Algae photosynthesize energy by collecting and processing light from the sun. As they grow and reproduce, this energy accumulates within the population. When the time is ripe, they can be harvested and refined into biofuel, which can replace gasoline, diesel and other petroleum-based products. In contradistinction to traditional fuels, those made from algae are inherently carbon-neutral because any CO2 released had been previously captured by the algae from the atmosphere.

There are quite a few biofuels on the market today, including those made from corn, soybeans and other crops, but algae yields multiple benefits in addition to its service as a fuel source. The yields per acre of algae are considerably higher than with other biofuels, allowing us to conserve arable land areas. Biofuels sourced from food crops drive up the prices of agricultural products, which is not the case for algae although it is used – in a limited quantity – as food.

There are also many useful byproducts of algae harvesting, including animal feed, cosmetics and dietary supplements, which means that growers aren't tied exclusively to fuel prices as the be-all and end-all of their economic well-being. Finally, algae has shown promise as a means of filtering waste-water, so it could be used to generate power while cleaning up our waterways at the same time. This final virtue is what makes algae-power particularly desirable, as clean drinking water is projected to become ever more scarce in the face of looming climate change.

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Plenty of work needs to be done, however, before energy derived from algae is ready for prime time. Current processes are inefficient, and it often requires more energy to operate the needed infrastructure than can be obtained from the algae in the end. In order to promote rapid growth, some producers employ a lot of water and fertilizers, which have a large carbon footprint even though the algae themselves don't. Right now, algae-based biofuels aren't cost competitive with gasoline, and that would have to change before consumers decide to switch over to it especially in market-oriented cultures like the United States.

Despite these problems, several real-world studies have found immediate applications for algae. Researchers from Rice University placed algae in wastewater treatment areas in Houston, and they found that it led to a 90 percent reduction in nitrates and a 50 percent drop in phosphorous in the treated water. There chemicals can pose issues if they're released back into the natural environment or into the drinking water supply. Meanwhile, the government of Canada is exploring ways of using algae to consume greenhouse gas emissions even as it creates biofuel, and Canadian energy provider Alberta Energy has even developed procedures to use certain types of algae to clean up oil spills.

Besides replacing dirty gasoline, diesel, and other automotive fuels, algae could have a place in the homes and offices of tomorrow. A few scientists are trying to create an algae battery, which would be able to charge up much more quickly than traditional batteries and would therefore be able to power our lights, HVAC systems and almost any other electrical appliances contained in any building. The widespread potential of algae for clean, renewable energy generation is exciting because we'll need all the help we can get in the coming years to hold global warming down to acceptable levels.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the energy sector was responsible for the release of more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions in 2010, and the lion's share of this was caused by burning fossil fuels. It's clear that any reductions in the use of these poisonous types of energy will pay off in the form of improved worldwide ecology both now and in the future.
A lot of work still needs to be done before algae becomes a viable alternative to fossil fuels. The rewards would be great, however, so it's worthwhile to further pursue this line of energy production. Besides a halt to global warming, we could also see lower prices for food, cleaner water and a wealth of other benefits.

By Spencer Blohm

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Infographics  

This infographic demonstrates how every digital transaction we make—sending emails, Tweeting, texting and even searching the web all produce carbon dioxide, which adds to global warming.

When we think of things that are affecting our environment, we tend to think of car fumes or factories etc. But did you know that sending a Tweet or an email is also causing damage to the planet?

In this infographic Fuel Fighter show just how much damage is being done by the digital world by breaking down the amount of CO2 that is produced every time we tweet, email, watch TV, download music and even when we purchase something online. For example, the amount of C02 released by people watching football’s European Championships is the equivalent of 13 trucks of gasoline and searches for the term “Star Wars” equate to the same amount of C02 as burning 50 barrels of oil.

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On a more positive note, it is clear that many of the big tech companies behind this are doing their best to make sure they are carbon neutral. Google has been carbon neutral since 2007 and its data centres use 50% less energy than typical data centres. Not to be outdone, Facebook continues to focus on sustainable operations and invests in the Open Compute Project, which has brought together more than 150 organisation to develop more efficient data centre technologies. This infographic also shows how much better for the environment shopping online is than shopping in-store and how much better it is to stream media over buying physical copies.

The infographic will also show you what huge companies like Google and Amazon are doing to counteract the amount of CO2 that they produce.

So take a look, it might make you think twice about retweeting that funny cat video!

Carbon Footprint of the Digital Age by Fuel Fighter.

By 33rd Square

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Energy  

From the projected worldwide growth in energy demand, to what is being invested to change the outlook and including eco-friendly innovations that have been made by technology companies, this infographic demonstrates what energy production may look like in 2040 and what is being done to make the world a greener place. 

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As the world tries to become more and more eco-friendly, the team at Fuel Fighter asked the question, “What will energy production look like in 2040 and what is being done to make the world a greener place?

Examining the outcomes predicted by some of the leading environmental agencies including, what’s being invested, who’s trying to stop global warming, how energy production could match demand and the projected worldwide growth in energy demand, they came up with the infographic below.

The infographic covers the projected worldwide growth in energy demand, what is being invested to change the outlook and some awesome eco-friendly innovations that have been made by technology companies.

Source: Fuel Fighter

By 33rd Square

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Fusion Power  

Angela Merkel switched on the first hydrogen plasma reactor at Germany's Wendelstein 7-X experiment, marking the start of scientific operation of the project. The objective of fusion research is to develop a power plant that derives energy from the fusion of atomic nuclei just as the sun and the stars do. 

The billion dollar Wendelstein 7-X fusion device at Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald produced its first hydrogen plasma on February 3rd.

"With a temperature of 80 million degrees and a lifetime of a quarter of a second, the device’s first hydrogen plasma has completely lived up to our expectations."

This marks the start of scientific operation. Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s largest fusion device of the stellarator type, is to investigate this configuration’s suitability for use in a power plant.

Since the start of operation in December last year, Wendelstein 7-X has produced more than 300 discharges with the rare gas, helium. These served primarily to clean the plasma vessel. The cleaner the vessel wall, the more the plasma temperature increased, finally attaining six million degrees.

In addition, plasma heating and data recording were tested, and the first measuring facilities for investigating the plasma were put into operation. This included complex instrumentation such as X-ray spectrometers, interferometers, laser scattering and video diagnostics.

“This makes everything ready for the next step”, states Project Head Professor Dr. Thomas Klinger. “We are changing from helium to hydrogen plasmas, our proper subject of investigation.”

The first hydrogen plasma, which was switched on at a ceremony attended by numerous guests from the realms of science and politics, marks the start of scientific operation of Wendelstein 7-X. At the push of a button by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, a 2-megawatt pulse of microwave heating transformed a tiny quantity of hydrogen gas into an extremely hot low-density hydrogen plasma. (see video below, queued to Merkel's big moment).

This procedure involves separation of the electrons from the nuclei of the hydrogen atoms. Confined in the magnetic cage generated by Wendelstein 7-X, the charged particles levitate without making contact with the walls of the plasma chamber. “With a temperature of 80 million degrees and a lifetime of a quarter of a second, the device’s first hydrogen plasma has completely lived up to our expectations”, states Dr. Hans-Stephan Bosch, whose division is responsible for operation of Wendelstein 7-X.

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The present initial experimentation phase will last till mid-March. The plasma vessel will then be opened in order to install carbon tiles for protecting the vessel walls and a so-called “divertor” for removing impurities. “These facilities will enable us to attain higher heating powers, higher temperatures, and longer discharges lasting up to ten seconds”, explains Professor Klinger. Successive extensions are planned until, in about four years, discharges lasting 30 minutes can be produced and it can be checked at the full heating power of 20 megawatts whether Wendelstein 7-X will achieve its optimization targets.

The objective of fusion research is to develop a power plant favourable to the climate and environment that derives energy from the fusion of atomic nuclei just as the sun and the stars do.

As the fusion fire only ignites at temperatures of more than 100 million degrees, the fuel – a thin hydrogen plasma – must not come into contact with cold vessel walls. Confined by magnetic fields, it floats virtually free from contact within the interior of a vacuum chamber. For the magnetic cage, two different designs have prevailed – the tokamak and the stellarator. Both types of system are being investigated at the IPP. In Garching, the Tokamak ASDEX Upgrade is in operation, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator is operating in Greifswald

SOURCE  IPP

By 33rd Square

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Graphene  

Graphene, impermeable to all gases and liquids, can easily allow protons to pass through it, researchers have found. The discovery could open the door to a whole new type of energy production.

Researchers from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom have discovered a new way to use graphene to turn air — or hydrogen in the air — into usable energy. Of course, this technology is still years away from being commercially viable, so don't expect to see air-based generators anytime soon.

The team published their report in Nature, an international journal of science, and it describes the process behind the technology. The graphene is worked into a membrane-like structure, which can be used to sieve hydrogen out of the air. In this way, they could use the technology to create generators that are powered by burning hydrogen.

But graphene is not exactly what you'd call a well-known material. Researchers have been working with it for years, and it will take many more to come up with something truly viable. It was first isolated back in 2004 by another team from Manchester University, and since then, they have been continuously working to broaden their understanding of it.

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More recently, researchers from Korea University in Seoul composed a way to grow graphene in bigger quantities. This means we can now create sheets of graphene with more surface area.

However, it still begs the question: What is graphene?

What Is Graphene?

If the term graphene sounds familiar to you, that’s because it probably is. It has an atomic structure identical to graphite, the type of material commonly used in pencils.

Graphene is one atom thick, which means it’s one of the thinnest and lightest materials on the planet. It is a two-dimensional crystal, the first in scientific history actually, and its properties are what make it so promising. Graphene is thin, light and remarkably strong — so strong, in fact, that it is both harder than diamond and about 200 times stronger than steel. It’s impermeable to gasses and liquids, despite its size. In addition, it is transparent, incredibly flexible and works extremely well as a conductor — even better than copper.

Furthermore, silicone has been called the next generation semiconductor because it offers many benefits over other materials. If the recent discoveries about graphene are true, however, it would take the cake, especially considering how conductive it is.

With all of those benefits, it’s impossible to shrug away the incredible potential of this material.

Just imagine what wearable technology, mobile technology and the future of technology as a whole have to gain from a substance like this. It’s so thin and transparent, it could theoretically be used to attach paper-thin interactive displays to pretty much anything, even fabric.

How Can It Be Used to Harvest Hydrogen?

"Graphene can be produced these days in square meter sheets, we hope that it will find its way to commercial fuel cells sooner rather than later."

Modern fuel-cell technology calls for membrane-based cells which trigger a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen as a fuel, and then convert chemical energy into usable electricity. During the process, these membranes separate the protons, and that is essentially what creates the energy. However, with traditional fuel cells, there is a pretty high rate of inefficiency because some of that fuel can leak across the proton membranes, becoming lost or contaminated.

By using graphene to create the membranes, those fuel cells could become extra efficient by stopping that leakage, generating more power. Plus, due to their makeup, they would also be more durable.

During the Manchester University study, researchers found that protons passed through the graphene membranes just fine.

The aforementioned process can be augmented to harvest hydrogen from the air, generating usable electricity.

Co-author of the study, Marcelo Lozada-Hidalgo describes it in more detail:

When you know how it should work, it is a very simple setup. You put a hydrogen-containing gas on one side, apply small electric current and collect pure hydrogen on the other side. This hydrogen can then be burned in a fuel cell. 

We worked with small membranes, and the achieved flow of hydrogen is, of course, tiny so far. But this is the initial stage of discovery, and the paper is to make experts aware of the existing prospects. To build up and test hydrogen harvesters will require much further effort.

Dr Sheng Hu, a postdoctoral researcher and the first author in this work, added: “It looks extremely simple and equally promising. Because graphene can be produced these days in square meter sheets, we hope that it will find its way to commercial fuel cells sooner rather than later”.

More work needs to be done with graphene to understand how protons pass through membranes created out of the material. Even if scientists find a way to create a generator with such technology, in the end, there’s no way to know just how much electricity can be generated from it. This is because there really is not that much hydrogen present in the atmosphere.

Still, it’s a fascinating discovery, and it means we’re just one step closer to the future. We can all agree that efficient and environmentally-friendly energy systems are becoming more and more of a necessity as we push forward.

Source - The University of Manchester

By Kayla Matthews

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Author Bio - Kayla Matthews is a technology journalist and blogger, as well as editor of ProductivityBytes.com. Follow Kayla on Facebook and Twitter to read all of her latest posts.

Energy  

Biofuels are one path we could use to meet our ever-expanding energy needs in the future. Read on for more information about this important development.

We rely on transportation to drive to work, take vacations, move food and products to stores, and enjoy the conveniences of modern life. Many of us use gas without thinking about its effects on the environment. However, scientists have been researching the negative aspects of traditional fuel and inventing new fuel alternatives as a result. These fuels, called biofuels, may help reverse pollution in the future. Let’s explore what biofuels are and discuss their sustainability.

What Are Biofuels?

Biofuels are fuels made from living things like plants, wood chips, or algae. They are considered a natural alternative to fossil fuels, which are the remnants of prehistoric biological matter. Petroleum and coal are geologically derived, while ethanol or biodiesel are biologically created.

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Types of Biofuels

After earning a bachelor of science in biology or pursuing graduate degrees, professionals and researchers have come up with a variety of biofuel options. They’re divided up into four generations, since ongoing research provides ever-increasing sources for biofuel. The first generation creates fuel from sugars, oils, animal fats and starches. The second generation of biofuels are derived from agricultural waste like willow or wood chips. Third generation of biofuels come from algae, which is a sustainable and quick-growing resource. Fourth generation fuels include plants specifically engineered to create biofuel.

The Sustainability of Biofuels

Scientists started looking for greener alternatives to traditional fuel once they realized the negative impact on our environment. Today, over half of the earth’s pollution is caused by vehicle emissions. These emissions contain harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, carcinogens, and nitrogen and sulfur dioxides. Smog can cause health problems for all who breathe it, or trickle down into water sources and pollute our food. Not to mention, traditional gasoline tears away at our ozone layer, which protects life on earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

In contrast, biofuels don’t put off any greenhouse gas emissions at all. In fact, switching to biofuels can actually reduce the carbon dioxide in the air. How? Growing crops to create biofuel (like sugar for ethanol) provides more plants that suck up and neutralize carbon dioxide. In this respect, biofuels can partially reverse the damage we’ve done to our planet.

The Risk Factor

The world hasn’t seen a full shift to biofuels yet. This is because of the ongoing debate about risk factors and potential problems associated with the switch. Some opponents of biofuel debate the impact on global food systems, our natural environment, oil prices, sustainability, and loss of biodiversity, to say the least. Biofuels have a huge potential promise, but there are also serious hurdles researchers and developers must overcome in order to not create more problems than they solve.

While we can all agree that fossil fuels harm our environment, biofuels may not fully be the savior we’re looking for. Yes, they reduce emissions, but bring with them a host of new potential problems. Researchers still have a long way to go before biofuels replace fossil fuels at your local gas station.


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By Anica Oaks

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Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. She was raised in a big family, so she's used to putting things to a vote. Also, cartwheels are her specialty. You can connect with Anica here. Anica writes on behalf of the University of Florida, with degree programs such as a bachelor of science in biology that advance the development of biofuels and other conservation directives.

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Artificial Photosynthesis  

Creating an artificial leaf has been the goal of researchers looking to break down the limitations of traditional solar power generation. Now they have made major advances toward this goal, with the creation of the first complete, efficient, safe, integrated solar-driven system for splitting water to create hydrogen fuels.

Creating and storing renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, is a key barrier to a clean-energy economy. When the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) was established at Caltech and its partnering institutions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Innovation Hub had one main goal: a cost-effective method of producing fuels using only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, mimicking the natural process of photosynthesis in plants and storing energy in the form of chemical fuels for use on demand.

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For the past five years, the researchers have made major advances toward this goal, and they now report the development of the first complete, efficient, safe, integrated solar-driven system for splitting water to create hydrogen fuels.

"This result was a stretch project milestone for the entire five years of JCAP as a whole, and not only have we achieved this goal, we also achieved it on time and on budget," says Nate Lewis, professor of chemistry, at Caltech and the JCAP scientific director.

The new solar fuel generation system, or artificial leaf, has been published in the journal Energy and Environmental Science. The work was done by researchers in the laboratories of Lewis and Harry Atwater, director of JCAP and Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science.

 "The device reported here grew out of a multi-year, large-scale effort to define the design and materials components needed for an integrated solar fuels generator," Atwater says.

The artificial leaf system consists of three main components: two electrodes—one photoanode and one photocathode—and a membrane. The photoanode uses sunlight to oxidize water molecules, generating protons and electrons as well as oxygen gas. The photocathode recombines the protons and electrons to form hydrogen gas.

A key part of the new artificial leaf design is the plastic membrane, which keeps the oxygen and hydrogen gases separate. If the two gases are allowed to mix and are accidentally ignited, an explosion can occur; the membrane lets the hydrogen fuel be separately collected under pressure and safely pushed into a pipeline.

"This new system shatters all of the combined safety, performance, and stability records for artificial leaf technology by factors of 5 to 10 or more."

A major advance that allowed the integrated system to be developed was previous work in Lewis's laboratory, which showed that adding a nanometers-thick layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2)—a material found in white paint and many toothpastes and sunscreens—onto the electrodes could prevent them from corroding, like typical solar panels do, while still allowing light and electrons to pass through.

The new complete solar fuel generation system uses such a 62.5-nanometer-thick TiO2 layer to effectively prevent corrosion and improve the stability of a gallium arsenide–based photoelectrode.

Another advance is the use of active, inexpensive catalysts for fuel production. The photoanode requires a catalyst to drive the essential water-splitting reaction.

Rare and expensive metals such as platinum can serve as effective catalysts, but in its work the team discovered that it could create a much cheaper, active catalyst by adding a 2-nanometer-thick layer of nickel to the surface of the TiO2. This catalyst is among the most active known catalysts for splitting water molecules into oxygen, protons, and electrons and is a key to the high efficiency displayed by the device.

The photoanode was grown onto a photocathode, which also contains a highly active, inexpensive, nickel-molybdenum catalyst, to create a fully integrated single material that serves as a complete solar-driven water-splitting system.

A critical component that contributes to the efficiency and safety of the new system is the special plastic membrane that separates the gases and prevents the possibility of an explosion, while still allowing the ions to flow seamlessly to complete the electrical circuit in the cell. All of the components are stable under the same conditions and work together to produce a high-performance, fully integrated system. The demonstration system is approximately one square centimeter in area, converts 10 percent of the energy in sunlight into stored energy in the chemical fuel, and can operate for more than 40 hours continuously.

"This new system shatters all of the combined safety, performance, and stability records for artificial leaf technology by factors of 5 to 10 or more ," Lewis says.

"Our work shows that it is indeed possible to produce fuels from sunlight safely and efficiently in an integrated system with inexpensive components," Lewis adds, "Of course, we still have work to do to extend the lifetime of the system and to develop methods for cost-effectively manufacturing full systems, both of which are in progress."

SOURCE  Caltech

By 33rd Square

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Energy  

A new report published on the costs of various energy sources concludes that if all the costs of generation are included (known as the levelized cost of energy), renewables turn out to be cheaper than fossil fuels.  This new data may be a spur to new investment and acceptance of renewable energy.

New numbers are showing that the promise of exponential gains in renewable energy sources are beginning to take hold and threaten traditional industries.

Citigroup has published a detailed report on the costs of various energy sources, and it concludes that if all the costs of generation are included, then renewables turn out to be cheaper than fossil fuels.

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“We should think of installing renewable energy as a benefit rather than a cost to society,” write the authors.

Instead of estimating the capital cost requirements to enable a transition in the global energy market, thee Citi analysis is based on the overall costs of energy procurement. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) approach captures both the fuel and capital costs over the useful life of an asset. Effectively the LCOE answers the question: “At what price does a certain power plant have to sell electricity to break even for a plant operator?”

“This is one of the key benefits of examining total spend on an LCOE basis, as it demonstrates well the shifting relative economics of different generation technologies. Most important is this point that as renewables become ‘cheaper’ than conventional, there is effectively a net saving to using them.”

As the report outlines, the gap in costs between renewable energy and fossil sources like coal and oil, will widen significantly in coming years. This is chiefly because capital costs of wind and solar are falling as their production rates increase, whereas conventional fossil energy source costs are leveling off, as resources become more scarce, driving up exploration and recovery costs.

If other factors, like a carbon tax, are accounted for, renewable energy will be even more cost competitive and attractive to further investment. Getting past the up-front capital costs of new energy sources is one of the biggest barriers to wider use of renewable sources. As the graph below from the Citi report shows, taxes are already unfavorable to clean energy sources when the LCOE is analyzed.

On other hand, fuel costs can account for 80 per cent of the cost of gas-fired generation, and more than half the cost of coal. In terms of the environment, we need to burn a lot of fossil fuels to get more fossil fuels.

Citigroup says it is “dangerous” to rely on assumptions of capital expenditure when the pace of change in an industry is so rapid, and the rate of evolution so fast. “Examining CAPEX [Capital Expenditures] on a standalone basis runs the risk of overstating the cost of renewables, and understating the total cost of conventional generation technologies,” Citigroup noted.

This graph above illustrates that the lowest cost wind energy production is already more competitive than coal and gas. The sunniest solar regions are on track to do the same by 2020 too.

"Examining CAPEX [Capital Expenditures] on a standalone basis runs the risk of overstating the cost of renewables, and understating the total cost of conventional generation technologies."

The cost of solar and wind power continue to fall. Moreover, Citigoup claims these estimates rely on relatively conservative estimates of the cost falls in solar which do not take into account innovative technological improvements.

Citigroup estimates a “learning rate”  that operates like Moore's Law, where solar costs will fall that much with each doubling in capacity. They set this value at 19 percent which translates into cost reductions in solar generation of two percent per year.

In reality, solar power gains are on a steeper exponential trend with efficiency improvements occurring faster than that.

For instance, one of the big solar module manufacturers, Trina Solar, said costs had fallen 19 percent in the past year, and would continue to fall by at least five percent to six percent a year in coming years as efficiencies improve and manufacturing and labor costs fall.

Citigroup says that between 2014-2040, the world is likely to invest some $US190 trillion into energy – whether it takes action on climate change or not.

“The greater upfront investment in energy could also help to boost growth and act as a partial offset to the effects of secular stagnation being witnessed currently. Lower long-term energy costs as a percentage of GDP could ultimately serve as a significant boost to GDP, especially compared to the potential lost GDP from inaction.”

The authors do acknowledge that what they are saying means we may be leaving oil in the ground.

"There is enormous investor demand for low carbon investment, with investor groups representing tens of trillions of dollars under management committed to investing in a more environmentally friendly manner," write the authors.

SOURCE  RENew Economy

By 33rd Square

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