Algae biofuel can have a four times higher carbon footprint than diesel fuels
The idea of growing algae to produce biofuels seems to be a very good idea, but could this “green” fuel save our planet from harmful emissions? Until now I was very sure that algae could reduce global emissions, but it seems that I was partially wrong. The “Energy and Fuels” journal recently published a study saying that algae growth can have a four times higher carbon footprint than other fossil fuels. This is not a strict rule, but it all depends on how you grow your algae.
Standard batteries that we use in many of our gadgets could be replaced by a new revolutionary device. The Vibration Energy Cell is a vibration-harvesting generator which can produce electricity after a strong shake. It was produced by Brother Industries, a Japanese electronics firm, and it was presented at an recently event in Tokyo. They have made a demonstration of their product powering a LED flashlight, a TV remote control and a lamp, but I wonder if these batteries could be used in all our gadgets.
EnSol AS, a Norwegian company, recently announced that they have developed a new technology that could turn every house window into a solar panel. It is about a new spray-on solar film, having a transparent composite matrix embedded with metal nanoparticles.This new solar film can be applied on windows but it also works well on other parts of your home (roof or walls).
Lotus, a well known British company, famous for its Formula 1 and Elise sports cars, designed a new taxi powered by hydrogen in order to serve London by 2012 Olympics. This new “green” car looks like any other black London taxi cab, but under its hood lies the latest hydrogen fuel cell technology. With two small electric motors to run the rear wheels, this new taxi cab does not produce any emissions and still can run for 250 miles, reaching a top speed of 81mph.
A startup small company called Genie Lens Technologies, has found a new way to improve solar cells. They managed to boost solar cells efficiency by applying a polymer film sticker on their surface. This polymer sticker has a special design, embossed with some micro-structures able to focus and retain sunlight on a certain area. After applying the polymer film on solar cells, researchers foud that it can improve light converting efficiency by 10%.
Companies from all around the world are developing new ways to produce cheap and mor efficient butanol from renewable sources. One of the first methods to make biofuels from plants started from the sugars in the starch of corn and sugarcane. Gevo, a company in Colorado, has engineered yeast that can convert the cellulose found in pland plant stalks or wood into butanol. Butanol molecular structure allows to convert it into other chemical products that refineries make today using petroleum fuels.
Some days ago I found out about an amazing solar powered USB charger, called “the USB Solar charging 4-Port Hub with Torch”, which is both a flashlight and a mobile charging device. Unless you are underwater or in a cave, the USB 4-port charger is able to charge your phone, Nintendo, MP3 player, or PDA using just solar energy.
I recently heard that a Stirling engine powered stove-fan, could help heating a room much faster, using less energy. I Googled it and I found a special designed fan which can disperse the heat generated by a stove, in all your room, faster. Normally, a stove warms a room gradually. With a Stirling powered fan on it, the heat will spread faster in your room, so after few minutes (a shorter time than before) you can stop the fire in your stove, saving some energy.
Wind power may be the perfect solution for all your home energy needs. With these high energy prices today, everybody wants to reduce their electricity bills. Was demonstrated that wind turbines can reduce these energy costs, but not in any situation. In this post you will find if wind power can be useful for your home. To install an efficient wind energy system you need to know something about how it works.
I think we’ve all heard that algae can be used to produce biofuels. Marine biomass, could save each year significantly amounts of fossil fuel,but to ensure this,we need to know more about the usefulness and the efficiency of this “substance”. Researchers estimated that today there are between 200,000 and one million species of algae. 