| Fast Times at Russ College of Engineering and Technology |
[Aug. 7th, 2007|08:16 am] |
cheap abundant hydrogen is about to become a reality
Frank Neukomm is a smart man. ok he's not Dean Kamen, but man o man would i love to be involved in the games this guy -CEO of American Security Resources Corporation-is playing. He seems like some Gordon Geko but for good worldchanging! Just a month ago he bought MagWind, one of the coolest VAWT companies there is (i guess Mr. Perot Jr. makes better deals than his dad :p ..but what he did this week blew me away! Blew-me-away.
Not content to wait for companies to develop the technologies we need, he went to the core, and just struck a deal with Ohio University to bring chemical and biomolecular engineering associate professor Gerardine Botte's brand new technology to market. And what does it do? It efficiently turns amonia into hydrogen! And he's a nice guy, OU also gets equity in the company --brand new ASRC subsidiary American Hydrogen Corp. See, ASRC was looking at hydrogen feeds to satisfy the hunger of (yet) another subsidiary; HydraFuel Cell Corp, they read Dr. Botte's research and pounced! Well it took a year to do the deal, but now they are ready to go! And why not? Ammonia is made everywhere... you can make it from fermenting waste, and when you look at the molecular structure, it's as easy to split as water. Maybe easier.
 .
I still like making H out of methane myself, as we end up dealing with mitigating a greenhouse gas as well... but heck, cheap hydrogen would be a way to get us using the stuff regularly, and building up the demand for the slightly more expensive approaches. Just one more small step for Frank Neukomm, one giant step for humankind!!
[important note: i have to put a caveat vaporptor on this story. I'd like to believe it's true, but MagWins while a cool idea, may not really be all that hot, and hasn't really produced anything. And that last pitch they has in TH a month ago with a GIANT sized magwind was so pie in the sky... so that, plus a Fuel Cell company, and we have to make sure that this guy isn't just doing one more vaporware stock push... you know like Zapworld does, or Hybrid Technologies, no real product just lots of green hype. we have to at least keep one eye open, ok cowboys?] |
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| Did you hear the one about the Sanibel Beach Inevntor? |
[Jul. 8th, 2007|07:27 am] |
Florida Islander Invents Salt Water Fuel(?)
This article is a little high on claims and kinda light on details, but interesting none the less... it seems that a man in Florida was tinkering with some machines... from what i can tell he was playing around with some sort of Rife/Prioré/Clark frequency generators for cancer treatment (While that part may sound odd to you, check out those three links up there, it's really no different than an opera singer hitting the resonant frequency of crystal and shattering that -just a lot smaller...)
"Observing a bright blue flame, John Kanzius claims that it is salt water and salt water alone that is burning inside a test tube ....During his garage experiments Kanzius says he ignited plain old salt water with the same radio wave generator he was using in his cancer treatment." Wow. If this is true, the implications are huge!! read more: "Kanzius gave technicians at a Pennsylvania machine manufacturer a demonstration of his discovery. 'We saw it go up to 1500 degrees centigrade. That temperature, that's incredible,' exclaims a lab technician." And back shed or not-- this guy is not some backwoods invent, he's been using the flaming salt water to power a stirling engine, so obviously he knows a thing or two.... way to go Mr. Kanzius! This shows promise, and I hope to read about your name tree times for every one time i come across those stupid Steorn people :DD |
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| won't nobody drive the million dollar HFC?? |
[Aug. 3rd, 2006|11:01 pm] |
Strange times in Chula Vista CA as no city employees want to drive the Honda FCX fuel cell cause it's just too daunting....
So here's the story: Honda gave the City of Chula Vista a sweetheart deal, they got to lease a FCX vehicle for $500 a month. This is a pretty great price considering at this point the cars still cost around $1 million. So, what's hapened is that everyone is afraid of driving the car. Seriously no one wants to be known as the guy who crashed the million dollar car. So even though they have a local electrolizer to refill the fuel cell, and even though the car emits nothing but watter, no one wants it. They offered it to Steve Padilla, Chula Vista mayor, he said thanks but no thanks. Everybody's chicken. Even though any employee can take the car out, even for a quickie spin. No one want to be the guy who crashes it. Except for one bold young employee, yeah, you guessed it; an intern. At least the intern's got style...
[swear i'm not making this up] |
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| SHEClabs free-form private-placement memorandum |
[May. 27th, 2006|05:06 am] |
...remember that part in Forest Gump when his shrimp partner told him he invested their money into 'some fruit company'? this LJ post might be one of those...
I've mentioned SHEClabs, the Saskatchewan solar hydrogen energy corporation a few times before, and since then, dozens or even hundreds of websites have talked about it. even a nice treehugger piece by good 'ol jacob gordon in lalaland..
WHY? Because SHEC-Labs Hydrogen Generator uses a 'proprietary catalyst', new solar collection technologies, solar tracking and process software developed in-house to produce hydrogen from methane gas ((actually from landfill gas)), or by disassociation of water at temperatures of 800 degrees Celsius. The SHEClabs technology allows for pollution free manufacturing of hydrogen. And yes it's been marginally covered that the City of Regina unanimously passes ordinations not only allowing them to build the their commercial plant (a commercial hydrogen makin' fillin' station), not only that but that they signed up to be the first clients, planning to run as many city vehicles on hydrogen as SHEClabs can fill.. ((ok, seriously the name... Guys, an 'R' would be great! (Renewable? solar hydrogen renewable energy corporation? come on! it rolls off the tongue).. I mean who wouldn't want to fill up with Hydrogen at their corner Shrec?)). Anyway, the news don't stop in Saskatchewan! They also recently got Pierre Rivard, Hydrogenics CEO to take a seat on their board! They kick ass!
But now here's something that hasn't been widely publicized: and you ought to be among the first to know.. even though the news has been around for over 20 days... They are raising funds to build this, the worlds first solar/hydrogen gas-station. And you too can get in on it. Just request an Official Offer of memorandum and have the right to invest through this Private Placement. So, for as little as $2,500 you can get in on the ground floor of the world's first solar hydrogen fillin' station! When there's 5500 SHrEC Station dotting the globe, and you're ensconced and early-retired, don't forget where you heard it from. |
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| Las Vegas to get second hydrogen station for fuel cell vehicles |
[May. 22nd, 2006|09:36 am] |
A second hydrogen fuel station is being planned to open in October in Las Vegas, a boost to local plans to introduce fuel cell vehicles. The station will open at the Las Vegas Valley Water District's main campus and is a joint venture with the UNLV Research Foundation. The Water District will have two small hydrogen-powered trucks that will use the station. The hydrogen for the new station also will be produced via solar-generated electricity. |
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| I WANT ONE!!!!!! (new toy hydrogen car!) |
[May. 22nd, 2006|08:57 am] |
The H-Racer from Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies is a palm-sized toy hydrogen car with its own fuel cell refueling station that creates hydrogen fuel by combining solar power and water. OK it's not the first one but to compare it to either the Thames lucide less-is-less model or that inaccessible metal one fomr Japan, this one kicks ass! Thanks gizmodo! |
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| it's official! Bill H.R. 5143 passes 416 to 6 |
[May. 11th, 2006|06:34 pm] |
from private Xprize to public HPrize
Fun times in the House! They just passed a bill funding a Hydrogen Fuel Cell prize. A grand prize of $10 million, and smaller prizes reaching millions of dollars is offered to anyone who can make one of these things viable... it's pretty muchin teh same vein as that Ansari X-Prize. The Energy Department announced earlier this year that it would provide $119 million in funding for research into hydrogen fuel cells, including $100 million over the next four years to projects to improve components of fuel cell systems.I guess the extra couple of million is incentive for the engineers and scientists to quit stalling or something...
[thanks anonymous tipster!] |
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| Browns Gas, easy and abundant energy! now on Fox News (?) |
[May. 11th, 2006|04:29 am] |
if even FOX News believes in Browns Gas (finally).....
Yul Brown (1922-1998) invented a gas some call HHO (as opposed to H2O) but most call Browns Gas it comes from a process that makes more hydrogen than regular electrolyzers. It also can be used to weld through metal (but interestingly enough, if it's not cutting through metal, you can touch the flame and not get burnt).
Now, there are just as many people who will tell you its all bunk as who will tell you it works fo shizzle. SO u be the judge. But one thing i can say is that now even Fox News has covered it, and tested it and seem to believe in it. Watch the video news report!
[BrownsGas: believer, non-believer] |
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| Xcel + Wind + NREL + Hydrogen + DOE =? |
[May. 11th, 2006|04:05 am] |
The U.S. Department of Energy, NREL, and Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) recently signed an agreement for a "wind to hydrogen" research, development and demonstration project. Pretty cool. As the focus is electrolizing water into Hydrogen with air power :DDD
The new wind-electrolysis system will be at NREL's National Wind Technology Center, where hydrogen will be produced, compressed and stored to be used as a vehicle fuel or to generate electricity. The project will compare electrolyzer technologies and researchers will examine issues related to system efficiency, integration, compression, storage, cost and the use of a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas. "One unique feature of this system is the direct connection between the wind turbine and the electrolyzer, which will make the system more efficient," (yeah.... fairly unique... in Toronto on the lakeshore there's one of those that's been making H from wind for almost 2 years now). Still a good bigger-than-a-baby step!
[fuelcell works] |
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| daily plug... |
[Apr. 28th, 2006|06:28 am] |
OK It's an article about Troy New York and their new Tech Valley. But who are the two examples of the turnaround and rebirth?? None other than DayStar and Plug Power! ...and if you've been reading this for anytime now, you know just how much i love these two companies!! So you can imagine how happy I was to read an article in the Troy Record, talking about both of these companies! Hmmm will there be a daystar solar powered electolyzer on the horizon? That would just be too kewl. |
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| fuck fuel cells.... |
[Apr. 15th, 2006|12:46 pm] |
Seriously, why wait forever for a fuel cell, when there are
Hydrogen I.C.E. vehicles running fine, working fine and rocking it out??
 
ok that's a MiniCooper Internal Hydrogen Combustion Vehicle, and that's a
straight Hydrogen filling station. Notice no mushroom clouds?
OK, check out this article from Canadian Driver, from 18 months ago(!!) where they talk about BMW's Hydrogen-ICE cars (been running for half a decade, no hindenburgs), now that hot MiniCooper, and even about how they have been filling up at the Munich Airport for years no (again, with no hindenbergs). In fact they say; " Any gasoline engine can theoretically be adapted to use hydrogen fuel and provide the various benefits offered by the gas in the type of vehicles we're already driving." And it's true. It's about as easy to convert your car to run on hydrogen as it is to turn a diesel into a biodiesel (which is WAY easy). So what are we waiting for? There are solar powered electroliyzers EVERYWHERE! And it's just that easy. We could all be driving on a brew we make in our basements, who's exhaust is water. So maybe instead of swapping one hundred year old system (ICE Engines) for another hundred year old system (fuel cells, i mean you didn't think they were new, did you?) instead of that overhaul, why not just upgrade??. Fuel Cell Vehicles and their drive trains will take a lot longer to implement than converting all of our vehicles (yes even those stupid SUVs --which wouldn't be that bad if they burnt water...) So seriously, what do we have to do to get people to wake up and smell the hydrogen? |
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| more cheap hydrogen!! |
[Apr. 2nd, 2006|11:49 am] |
Virent Energy makes H from Korn
UWisc Madison is awesome. Long known as the only place for hippies in the Midwest, they have been tearing it up lately on the eco sphere! First there was the "UWMadison Process" a way to make ethanol much more efficiently (they got it from 1:1.1 all the way to 1:2.2). But now here comes another UW spin-off, Virent Energy with yet one more way to make cheap hydrogen. This time from Korn.
Virent's aqueous-phase reformation (APR) uses a precious-metal-based catalyst to convert the sugars from the corn, to a mixture of Hydrogen, methane, ethane, propane, CO2 and steam. The H2O is removed by condensation, then Hydrogen of 99.999% purity is recovered through a palladium membrane filter or by something called pressure-swing absorption. Eric Apfelbach, Virent's CEO points out that APR is simpler than the conventional alternatives, such as producing, then reforming ethanol, or gassifying biomass and recovering Hydrogen from the "syngas". A test system is producing enough Hydrogen to power a 5-7-kW fuel cell. All from corn! neat (now, some people say we eat corn, but actually most-- almost 70% of our corn-- is used to feed cattle and pigs. So, I'm not suggesting that everyone go vegan (well ...wouldn't be so bad unless you're a pig farmer), but if we were all able to eat meat lets say, 15% less, then we will have all the corn based hydrogen we could possible need! |
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| 1/2 price on hydrogen |
[Apr. 2nd, 2006|11:35 am] |
A neat steam-electrolysis system is being developed by SRI International i Caifornia with the DOE. Carbon monoxide is fed to the anode side of a solid-oxide cell and depolarizes the anode, decreasing the high-temperature electrolysis voltage. The use of CO as a depolarizer also generates heat at the anode, enough to sustain the reaction temperature of 800-850C in a 5-10-kW electrolyzer. What does this mean? Well it means they get the job done with %30 less lelectricity, and that the price to electrolize water and produce Hydrogen gets cut in about half! So far it's a lob-only process, but SRI wants to set up near a chemical process plant or integrated coal- gasification plant, where CO is readily available and much better to be re-used than emitted into the air, right? Win win....
[$2M has been invested by DOE and the prototype seems to be a rockin'] |
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| Ion America claims are pretty huge.... (fingers crossed) |
[Feb. 20th, 2006|02:16 pm] |
is this snake oil?? I hope not--
Publication Date:18-February-2006 10:30 AM US Eastern Timezone Source:AP
"It looks like just a large white box, not too impressive expect for its size. Then you hear what it can do. The solid oxide fuel cell generates enough electricity to power a 6,000 square foot home. But that's not all... Congressman Zach Wamp, (R) 3rd District: "This unit, in a home or in a commercial operation, will not only make electricity, it makes hydrogen for your vehicle, so it solves both problems at the same time, being demonstrated in the Tennessee Valley."
It's just one of two fuel cells in the country producing both hydrogen and electricity, and it's located in UTC's SimCenter. The other one is found in Silicon Valley. This box runs on natural gas for now, then eventually bio-fuels like ethanol. And that means cleaner air. Dr. K.R. Sridhar, Ion America: "We put very little of sulfur oxide and other oxides which are not good for the environment almost no particulates into the air. Once we start using renewable fuels, we get to zero emissions with this technology." The SimCenter's fuel cell already produces electricity that goes straight into the power grid, and could be providing power to your home."
...there isn't all that much info on this one. Sorry! I got this really half-assed report from a Chattanooga TN News team and then did my best to find out whatever is out there... If this thing works the way they say it does, it has revolutionary implications... These guys don't have a website yet (people call them "stealthy") but if you want to find out more about IonAmerica you can check out the following links.. they seem to be up on it: the silicon beat, FuelCellWorks, and/or CleanTech Investing ... oh and here's a cute littel piece MSNBC did on them.. look forward to getting to the bottom of this one! |
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| Rich Diver for President! |
[Feb. 16th, 2006|01:15 pm] |
Sandia Does it Again: Solar/Stirling/Hydrogen manufacturing
It seems like these days I have a Sandia story a week! And they do kinda deserve it, looking at all the milestones pass, regularly.... And today it has been announced that Sandia researcher Rich Diver (6218) has invented a whole new way to make hydrogen to power automobiles and homes!! Way To Go!!
His invention, the Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (CR5, for short), splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, using a simple, two-step thermochemical process (it acutaly sounds a lot like a stirling engine version of that Rothman Technique i gushed over last year) It's a stack of rings made of a reactive ferrite iron oxide materials. Every other ring rotates in opposite directions. Concentrated solar heat is reflected through a small hole onto one side of the stack of rings. The side of the rings in the sunlit area is hot, while the other side is relatively cold. As the rotating rings pass each other in between these regions, the hot rings heat up the cooler rings, and the colder rings cool down the hot rings. This arrangement results in a conservation of heat entering the system, limiting the energy input required from the sunlight. Steam runs by the rings on the cooler side causing a chemical reaction to take place, allowing the ferrite material to grab oxygen out of the water, leaving the hydrogen. The hydrogen is then pumped out and compressed for use. Rich Diver says: “We are combining a mechanical engine with a chemical producing device — something not done before to produce hydrogen.” This is still in early stages.. They talk about high yields of hydrogen but the testing has just begun... Expect to only see this come online over the next couple of years, still a major step has been taken!!
[source:the always amazing FuelCellWorks] |
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| Hat Trick! |
[Feb. 13th, 2006|07:52 pm] |
Millennium Cell scores a triple crown!
Wow! Things change fast, but not usually as fast as they have been lately over at Millennium Cell. They've had quite the month! It all began a few weeks ago when they got $1.7M from the 2006 Defense Appropriations Bill for their Protonex 30-watt portable soldier power systems (P2), and their now famous Hydrogen on Demand® systems.
Then late last week Millennium entered into a strategic development and licensing agreement with Jadoo Power Systems Inc (you may remember I was gushing about Jadoo's new camera Fuel Cells just before the CES show in Las Vegas). Focused primarily on the professional broadcast and law enforcement markets* for the past two years, Jadoo recently announced a move into such new markets as first responders and portable office users. The agreement will grant Jadoo the rights to design, manufacture and sell products using Millennium Cell's technology for their targeted markets. The Millennium Cell Hydrogen on Demand® technology will provide Jadoo with a high energy density, safe and cost-effective fuel cartridge to complement their existing fuel cell power units. "We have been selling one of the lowest cost fuel cell solutions in the market - around $1000 - for over two years now," said Larry Bawden, President and CEO, Jadoo Power. "Millennium Cell's technology will allow us to provide a lighter, longer runtime option for our current products and will allow us to continue to pursue and dominate new markets".
Then to make matters better, they made another announcement today! It turns out that Protonex Technology Corporation, a fuel cell supplier and existing licensee in the military market, has exercised its option to license Millennium Cell's Hydrogen on Demand® technology for industrial and medical markets. Protonex was involved with the P2, and again in a Swords to Plowshares move they are forging ahead in more civilian arenas. As Scott Pearson, Protonex CEO said; "We are pleased to now be able to offer industrial and medical customers the same innovative power system technology that can deliver more power in a smaller, lighter package than many batteries in use today for those markets."
It certainly looks like Millennium Cells will be a major player in the hydrogen economy!
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*it should be no surprise that Jadoo is involved with both TV production and Law Enforcement, seeing how Jadoo is financed by Mohr Davidow Ventures, Venrock Associates and Sinclair Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc |
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| the Savanah River Site changes with the times... |
[Feb. 13th, 2006|05:42 pm] |
yet more swords into ploughshares.....
So it was a few years ago already that I met some people from the Savanah River Site, one of the United State's leading producers of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen used in nuclear weapons. Back then they were already playing with hydrogen fuel cell buses (heck they've been involved with Hydrogen for 50 years, not not all of it simply to blow things up). Well it appears that they never gave up their quest to turn away from the dark side, and now it looks like they may have really turned the corner! They're now working with GM and Toyota working out all the various needs of a hydrogen economy! SRS is now investigating a sort of metallic sponge that would allow hydrogen molecules to bond to the metal and be released through heat, and looking into storing hydrogen in small glass "microballoons" or in carbon-based nanotubes. Very cool. And what could be more inspiring than a company that used to make nuclear bombs making microballoons? Yay! |
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| twenty seven myths |
[Jan. 31st, 2006|01:15 am] |
Mythbusters: green special
Remember those posters in the college dorms "How to win an argument with an omni/carnivore?" Well, i think i just found the clean-energy equivalent of those... and of course, here they are for you, for the next time someone says "oh yeah solar's good, but PV is too expensive and will never compete with "the big boys" you can smile and tell them how: actually, the price of solar was $50 a peak watt back in the 80's, is at $3 now, and that works out to about $0.15 a Kw just like dirty coal... Yes it's the DOE-EERE's the myths of solar electricity, and Rocky Mountain Institue's 20 Hydrogen Myths. So, like always, enjoy the education!
[BTW that pic is from Saskatchewan's SHREC] |
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| roadmaps and rushes..... |
[Jan. 26th, 2006|12:17 pm] |
U.S. Gov announces $119M for research as part
of the new $1.2Billion Hydrogen Fuel Roadmap
The US Department of Energy announced today a new $119 Million dollar fund to advance fuel cells and the hydrogen infrastructure. "“This funding will help overcome technical barriers and bring hydrogen and fuel cell technology from the laboratory to the showroom,” Said Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman. He made this announcement at the Washington DC Auto Show, good chioce of venue, if you ask me. In addition, Secretary Bodman announced the selection of 12 competitively awarded, cost-shared projects that will receive $19 million in federal funding over five years for polymer membrane research ($19 million in federal funding; $4.75 million in applicant cost sharing). The lucky winners were Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Giner Electrochemical Systems, Newton, MA; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN; Case Western Reserve University (two projects), Cleveland, OH; FuelCell Energy, Danbury, CT; Clemson University, Clemson, SC; General Electric (GE Global Research), Niskayuna, NY; Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; and University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.
Lastly, Secretary Bodman also unveiled DOE’s Roadmap on Manufacturing R&D for the Hydrogen Economy. The 80-page document addresses challenges to manufacturing, storage and production of fuel cell technologies and proposes R&D solutions to overcome such challenges, focusing primarily on near commercial technologies. And of course, you can get your copy here! |
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| tailor made biology |
[Jan. 17th, 2006|08:26 am] |
The Lowdown on custom made microbes....
...and no, they aren't all as useful as the microbes pictured up there who have learnt how to "blink on and off like a christmas tree light," some are WAY more useful. Keywords like BioBricks, writing code for cells, microbial hydrogen, spliced genetric wormwood for anti-malaria (OK thats a shitty keyword), cancer killing sleeper cells, and a host of other neat-o inventions covered in this great read from today's New York Times (and of course it's subscriber only, so either sign up or read past the LJ Cut).
( Read more... ) |
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| in the future we'll all be cool! |
[Jan. 17th, 2006|08:14 am] |
more clean motorcycle news....
Intelligent Energy, makers of those uber beautiful hydrogen fuel cell motorcycles, announced that they will in fact be exhibiting their good at the second international FC Expo in Tokyo, to be held at the ‘Big Sight’ from 25th – 27th January 2006. This event will mark the inaugural appearance in Japan of Intelligent Energy’s ENV (Emissions Neutral Vehicle), their hydrogen fuel cell motorcycle. The bike has been getting loads of accolades, won a Popular Science ‘Best of What’s New Award’ and was recently named as one of the ‘Greatest Innovations of 2005’ by TIME Magazine. Also winning the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track Research and Development Award and being named as one of only 8 British companies to be nominated as a Technology Pioneer 2006 by The World Economic Forum.
...not to mention it's a pretty hot ride! |
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| inspiration in Scottsdale |
[Jan. 5th, 2006|08:26 am] |
E-Magazine's Hydrogen House story
((...and I'm wondering what is with all the refernces today? I'm starting to feel like the Green Readers Digest...))
Seriously great article in E-MAgazine today! It's all about Bryan Beaulieu, an engineer and inventor, and the home he built. Gorgeous home, very SouthWest stylee but with thatched green roof and many many goodies. Like his hybrid solar/hydrogen system! By day the solar panels collect the juice and fire up his in-house electrolizer. They (the whole Beaulieu family) use the hydrogen it to cook, heat water, AC, light (and they even hint, run a car).... Of course this guy's no dummy, so E explains, he also mimnimized the house's need for speed-- green roof and succulent vegitation to cool, putting the wiondows in the right direction, even being slighly underground where it's cooler... not only does the article have great links and groovy tips for any DIYers out there, but they also mention that the home is a partial-education center.. so if you happen to be in Scottsdale, it's pronounced Bo-Lee-yuh (and Beaulieu actualy means 'Beautiful Place' in french, sometimes names are really accurate...) |
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| perma 'sposta mean permanent |
[Dec. 26th, 2005|10:19 pm] |
the "big news" today is that the permaforst will melt away
no, really, that's the big story today. Now nothing against (this study's author) David Lawrence, or the guys at NCAR (actually I love the guys at NCAR and totally understand why this paper was released last week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, sure makes total sense). But the shock and awe that the mainstream media is displaying behooves me to poke some fun.
I mean come on guys... really! Is this a shocking story? is this even 'news'? The permafrost, once believed to be a permanently frozen stretch from Alaska and British Columbia all the way up the tundra, has been melting for a few years now. It's pretty wild, huge stretches of highways totally unusable as they buckle and ripple under the melting mud (see, it's easy to lay a road down on top of frozen mud, but as soon as it starts to thaw, its a big mess). So the report concludes that with global warming the top 12 feet of permafrost will melt away. This should come as a surprise to no one, except maybe a few caribou, but they're already aware of it and they don't even get CNBC!
It will be interesting to see how this affects that desire for my american cousins to drill in the ANWAR. I mean, if you have nothing in which to stick your drill, it may not be a great place to drill for oil...
..And I have a suggestion for all those wanna be Jed Clampets. Maybe that black gold texas tea thing won't happen but you know what? There's a way to pipe a gas back down to the grills and heaters of america that can actually be beneficial to all of humankind. And I would suggest that you take it somewhat seriously (regardless of the fun I sometimes poke...) more than some what seriously, cause you can make boatloads of $$$ and get good green PR for helping slow down the greenhouse effect. Interested? Good! Read on...
( Read more... ) |
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| a first(!) a comercial solar/landfill/hyrdogen plant |
[Dec. 14th, 2005|10:35 pm] |
Fast Times in Dog River
As you know-- whenever I get some PR saying something is a first, it just gets me obsessively searching to see if there were any firsts before that first. But tonight I am pleased to tell you that this first is really a first. And Canadian! (BTW, that guy, its a Canadian thing, you wouldn't understand...)
So, it appears that Saskatchewan's Solar Hydrogen Energy Corporation has completed their pilot phase and is now ready to beguin building the world's first solar-hydrogen production station. This project, 'SHEC Station #1', when completed will have the capacity of producing 1.2 million kg of renewable hydrogen per year! All from methane that would have otherwise waft up from the bowels of the landfill, only to add greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. Instead, the solar power will be used to break those C's away from the H's and then use the 1.2 Million Kilos of Hydrogen to do fun stuff, like run fuel cells (ok not the really-BMW-style-fun stuff like hydrogen internal combustion, but hey, it's Saskatchewan... this is pretty advanced for that place!).
Wow, a real first!
[thanks to open source energy dot com] |
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| now some real groovy fuel cell news |
[Nov. 26th, 2005|03:33 pm] |
Move over Oscar! There's energy in that there trash!
3 Tons of garbage a day = energy for 2 houses! Japan's ancient city Kyoto has just launched a pilot project to generate electricity for fuel cells with hydrogen derived from raw garbage. Organizers of the project (Kyoto University, the Environment Ministry and Kyoto's Mayor Yorikane Masumoto), aim to put their garbage-based power generation scheme into practical use in 2013.
The project uses a daily 3 tons of raw garbage to produce biogas made up primarily of methane gas, for conversion into hydrogen. From 3 tons of raw garbage, they produce 500 to 600 cubic meters of hydrogen, enough to generate electricity to sustain two households for one month. By 2013, the Kyoto municipal government will build a biogas generation facility that is expected to help generate electricity to cover the daily consumption of 18 million households by using 60 tons of raw garbage a day to be collected from 160,000 households.
I know what you're thinking... and i agree! We are getting close to that point where we'll have our very own Mr. Fusions! And they thought Jim Ignatowski was braindead!
[from Fuel Cell Works] |
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| ...does Virgin fly to Russia? |
[Nov. 19th, 2005|08:20 am] |
OK, i applaud the baby step, sure, yay. But if you think that's going to shut me up you got another thing coming. Did you know that they have been flying hydrogen powered airliners since 1988? Didn't think so....
As everyone is pretty much aware, Virgin mega-man, Sir Richard Branson, has announced that he's now dedicated to flying his Virgin planes on "Green Fuels." The fuel of choice is cellulose ethanol, very similar to regular fuel, not many changes needed to the engine, made from agricultural waste, blah blah blah...
ok and we need cheerleaders, of course, because if you don't cheer the baby when he takes a step, he may not take another one... but you know what? That's not my job. Ethanol is one of the most useless alternative fuels there is. Aside from one experimental technology, almost all ethanol used today is made through a process that works like this: for every 1 unit of energy spent, you get 1.1 units back. It uses so much energy to make the stuff that in the end you have just offset your emissions to other places. To add insult in injury, Brazil likes ethanol so much that they will let you replace some rainforest with sugar plantations just to make the fuel (and hopefully sell it on the global market).
We know better. when someone tells us that their new technology is "100% environmental," that that is just PR. What is 100% environmental? EVs with lead-acid batteries? Recycling (which placates mad consumption as well as being another energy-hog)? Solar Panels (with all the chlorine wasted and incredible energy demands)? really there are things that are better for the environment, but everything has a cost, and there is no such thing as 100%. Unless you are in the PR industry.
But I do want to congratulate him. Baby took a nice step (remember there is no Virgin plane flying on ethanol even, just a dedication to make it happen). But if I had a way to get him to see what's really going on, I would go on one of those fancy Virgin planes with him to Russia.
See since April 15 1988, they have been flying these babies in Russia:
this is the Tupolev TU155. It is one of the many cryogenic and/or straight hydrogen airliners. They have worked on these from 1988-2002 (what happened after that? i don't know). Tupolev has documented their success (and no hindenbergs, thank you very much), and they prove how easy and safe it is. Sure, Hydrogen can be made clean or dirty, so it still depends on where and how the H is made... but there are so many clean ways to make hydrogen that that issue is almost moot. So Mr. Bransen, if you really wanna impress the pants off us, you might want to go check out some real alternatives. |
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| awesome home the kids have made! |
[Oct. 13th, 2005|08:53 am] |
...the Who? No. But i couldn't resit the gag, as the kids really are alright! Especially the kids at New York Institute of Technology. They have made a green-home, small (800sqft) but totally the future! its got solar panels, hydrogen fuel cell (to take up the excess energy, yes! solar powered electorlized water. killer!)...a couch who's materials cool and heat the sitter, and a host of other amazing gadgets. It's part of the Solar Decathelon in Washington DC, and i would be surprised if it doesn't come out the winner!
so hats off to David Schieren (energy team leader), Heather Castelli, Jason Dames, Hetaher Korn (architect team leader)and Mary Merges (interior designer). I can't wait till y'all have graduated and are out in the field doing this for us! |
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| that's one small step for FCT, one giant step for humanity!! |
[Sep. 29th, 2005|06:21 am] |
seems like i always roll doubles ...never just one groovy story about fuel cells, always a pair! and check this one out! big news!! this little gizmo is now street legal!
That's right! this is a 5KW fuel cell made by Kingston's Fuel Cell Technologies. and guess what they did yesterday? they got certified with the "ANSI/CSA America FC1- 2004 standard" so, this fuel cell stack, which produces enough juice for two homes, is now legal. You can put this baby in your basement and use it 24/7 without the need for all the complicated red tape! No special permits, no inspectors (who have never seen a fuel cell before, but still regulate them) ...no nothing! just plug & play...
just in case you are wondering, it is a solid oxide fuel cell (Solid oxide fuel cells have a solid metal oxide as the electrolyte. They function at the highest temperature of the different types of fuel cell (about 900-1000°C) and can reform most fuels internally)... which means no messy methanol.
ok, so now what is the excuse again?? |
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| do u think it can be true?? do u?? |
[Sep. 6th, 2005|06:03 am] |
ok.. i've been living in Toronto for a little more than a year now, and still have not found the elusive Rothman Technologies. In all actuality it's probably a holy grail for good 'ol me. I mean really, if they are ferreal then i can understand why they are keeping all of this sub-rosa. And if they are just a figment of some new age guy's imagination well then it's easy to understand why no one knows who they are.... Now, doubt gets suspended for two reasons; 1)I have personally videotaped inventors in their warehouses and see that years later both they and their 'free energy machines' are hard to find, like you cant even google them,... 2) if they were dennis lee style scamsters, they would be a little easier to find, after all they would be wanting your wallets. ok and 3) because i really really want this to be true.
seems that Mr. Rothman (whoever you are) has developed a method of electrolyzing water (splitting it into the H and the Os) that uses virtually no electricity. I say virtually because there are some metallic-alloy powders that get dropped into the water, and obviously it took some juice to make those powders. As soon as the alloys are dropped into the water, the water starts bubbling and electrolyzing like mad. No electrodes... just like making chocolate milk! Its a twist on good 'ol Yul Browns' gas ("Browns gas" you can find a lot about this if you googit). And while i am still looking forward to finding this Dr. Rothman, i figured at the very least i could toss this one out to the lions and guage response... should i track this guy down?? if you want to read more and/or see a video of this process in real-time, simply click here |
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| 3836 kilometers per litre! |
[Jul. 28th, 2005|01:03 pm] |
((warning: yet another fuel cell story, and no i don't even know if i'm being ironic anymore))
see that car there? its the PAC-II and it just broke the fuel efficiency record in France at something called Shell's EcoMarathon (um, yeah, that Shell). it did 25.2 Km on 1.75 grams (!) of hydrogen (which works out to that whopping 3836 Km/l). Of course, when you want that kind of craftsmanship, there is no place to look other than the Swiss (look what they did with watches ...or the army knife) and this badass was made by the Ecole Polytechnique Federale in Zurich. Way to go guys!
ok the actual ShellEcoMarathon winner of the "first annual Climate Awards" (see i really dont know if i'm being ironic here) went to some SULEVs (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle ( Read more... ) |
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| let's hear it for the man who's in charge of the manatees! |
[Jul. 2nd, 2005|07:53 am] |
solar panels + Fuel Cell Stacks make for happy sea cows!
ok little quickie.... i am happy to say that someone seems to be finally getting it right. Certain that this is just one of what will soon be many hybrid Solar/FuelCell stories, i want you all to know that in Florida, land of many polarities, they have just launched a new system. At the Homosassa State Park (home to many manatees) they have just turned on their newest energy system and obviously its a winner. The fuel cells are supplied by Toronto FC Giant Hydrogenics, and the power to make the hydrogen comes from a big solar array... so they wont be using nukes nor coal to get their juice in a land that has sunshine pretty much 12 months a year (ok not during hurricanes, but you get the point)
(thanks energiePortal21) |
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| now honda joins the band! |
[Jan. 28th, 2005|08:45 am] |
((and an apology for being away so long.... long story, but hope y'all didn't miss me too much!))
Released Yesterday
So.... Honda has now jumped ship! sure they're still going to sell those piss-in-a-bucket hybrids to (m)anyone who's willin to buy one, but they have now added gas-to-the-fire by not only sending California a handful of their new and improved HondaFCX (similar to a civic but runs on a fuel cell),
but also by annoucing that later this year they will lease one FCX to a lucky civilian somewhere in the USA (Somewhere near a Hy Station, so Sacramento, LA, LV, or Albany NY)
While i am much more a fan of BMW's internal combustion hydrogen vehicles as opposed to any other sceme (fuel cells are too busy, veggie oil sux for various reasons, NOx aomng others)i have to say that it's exciting to see so many carts leading horses! It has become clear to anyone (especially anyone reading Exuberant Pantephobia) that the industry has decided to forge ahead and start selling these FCVehicles regardless of what the governments say ("we need more studies!") and regardless of what the "industry" (e.g. exxon, phelps..) says about how there is no infrastructure (there isn't*). Running on the philosophy of "build it & they'll come" i applaud Honda, Hyndai, Zappy and the rest for putting these in our hands. Surely someone with some get-go with start building us some HyGas Stations to fill-er-up!
*actually someone is already doing that! say hello to General Hydrogen
and their funky-ass Hydrogen Refillers  brainchild of Dr Jeff Ballard, these are going to be in every fueling station worldwide, and i guess i look forward to one day filling my FCV with their gas, sure.
==one caviat (aside from my real desire to have a car that electrolizes H2O and then burns the H), we may not get there... according to the latest from both Green Consumer Guide and Climate Prediction dot Net it doesn't look like we have that much time to deploy... |
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| ok, it’s definitely National Fuel Cell Week, or something…. |
[Jan. 6th, 2005|01:31 pm] |
Zappy “first”to offer fuel cell vehicle to the public!!
…as if the news couldn’t actually get better, a little story just slipped into the PR-newswire a few hours ago all the way from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It appears that electric vehicle mavens ZapWorld have scored a major coup, announcing today that they (with their partners Anuvu—who I just wrote about for Puff Daddy) will be selling a fuel cell hybrid (fuel cell & electric) pick-up truck this year. That just kicks ass!
For ZapWorld, who have already sold more than 85,000 electric vehicles worldwide (albeit most of those are electric stand-up scooters and kits to hybridize your bicycle), this is an amazing opportunity to eventually supe-up their entire product line, offering greater range and performance. And the deal ain’t hay for Anuvu, apparently Zap’s fuel cell purchase from their new partner, was the largest fuel cell purchase in FC history.
I’ve always been a fan of Zappy, their founder Gary Starr has been a big hero of mine. Although they have had some hits and misses (that underwater “vehicle” is just silly, and yet it pales in comparison to the runaway-lawnmower-for-rolerbladers,  but happily these products have been replaced by efficient and real vehicles, as they loose the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink er, charm, and streamline. While Gary's zeal and idealism was important toactually get Zap off the ground, the steering of CEO Stephen Schneider (not related to climate scientist of same name) has really taken this company to a new level. Bravo!
[source: ZapWorld News] |
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