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Biofuels - National Geographic Magazine - 0 views

  • A century ago, Henry Ford’s first car ran on alcohol, while Rudolf Diesel fired his namesake engine with peanut oil. But both inventors soon discovered that “rock oil,” when slightly refined, held far more bang per gallon than plant fuel, and was cheap to boot. Oil soon left plant fuels in the dust. Only in periods of scarcity—like the OPEC oil embargo of 1973—did the U.S. and other countries turn back to ethanol, mixing it into gasoline to stretch supplies.
  • A century ago, Henry Ford’s first car ran on alcohol, while Rudolf Diesel fired his namesake engine with peanut oil. But both inventors soon discovered that “rock oil,” when slightly refined, held far more bang per gallon than plant fuel, and was cheap to boot. Oil soon left plant fuels in the dust. Only in periods of scarcity—like the OPEC oil embargo of 1973—did the U.S. and other countries turn back to ethanol, mixing it into gasoline to stretch supplies.
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Why Solar Powered Energy Is Better Than Fossil Fuels - 2 views

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    In only one hour, the amount of energy that shines on the Earth equates to the amount used by the world's population in an entire year. Mankind has developed a way to utilize the sun's vast energy by converting its sunlight into electricity via photovoltaics and other solar power methods.

fossil fuels BP - 0 views

started by blackmerbru98 on 03 Oct 13 no follow-up yet
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Hydrogen Basics | Fuel Cells 2000 - 0 views

  • .  To store hydrogen in liquid form, hydrogen must be cooled to -423 °F, requiring a tremendous amount of energy.
  • Hydrogen vehicle fueling stations may generate hydrogen on-site or receive deliveries of trucked-in hydrogen.
  • Hydrogen’s energy density is 52,000 Btu/lb., which is three times greater than that of gasoline.
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Geothermal Energy and the Environment - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding E... - 1 views

  • eothermal power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity, so their emission levels are very low. They release less than 1% of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal plants use scrubber systems to clean the air of hydrogen sulfide that is naturally found in the steam and hot water.
  • Geothermal plants emit 97% less acid rain-causing sulfur compounds than are emitted by fossil fuel plants. After the steam and water from a geothermal reservoir have been used, they are injected back into the Earth.
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Wind Energy and the Environment - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy ... - 0 views

  • They may also reduce the amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels and therefore reduce the amount of air pollution, carbon dioxide emissions, and water use of fossil fuel power plants.
  • Modern wind turbines are very large machines, and some people do not like their visual impact on the landscape. A few wind turbines have caught on fire, and some have leaked lubricating fluids, though this is relatively rare. Some people do not like the sound that wind turbine blades make. Some types of wind turbines and wind projects cause bird and bat deaths. These deaths may contribute to declines in species that are also being affected by other human-related impacts. Many birds are killed from collisions with vehicles and buildings, by house cats and hunters, and by pesticides. Their natural habitats may be altered or destroyed by human development and by the changes in the climate that most scientists believe are caused by greenhouse gases emissions from human activities (which wind energy use can help reduce).
  • Making the metals and other materials in wind turbines and the concrete for their foundations requires the use of energy, which may be from fossil fuels.
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Are Fuel Cell Vehicles Too Expensive For Mass Production by 2015? - 0 views

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    "An FCV is currently valued at around US$1.1 million. Toyota leases its FCV for US$9,400 a month, or US$110,000 a year.""
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Energy Studies - How Fuel Cell Works - 2 views

  • Hydrogen is the simplest of all elements with one electron and one proton. Two hydrogen atoms form one hydrogen gas molecule, or H2, but this gas is rarely found in large quantities in nature. Hydrogen’s chemical properties allow it to combine easily with other elements to form other molecules.
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    "Hydrogen is the simplest of all elements with one electron and one proton. Two hydrogen atoms form one hydrogen gas molecule, or H2, but this gas is rarely found in large quantities in nature. Hydrogen's chemical properties allow it to combine easily with other elements to form other molecules"
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of alternative tidal power as an energy source - 1 views

  • Advantages: Tidal energy is an alternative energy. The energy produced is clean and non polluting. There is no carbon dioxide or any other by-products released. It produces no greenhouse gases or other waste.It is a renewable energy that will help reduce our reliance on the burning of fossil fuels. There are two tides every day and they can be relied on. The energy is there for the taking.So the electricity supply is constant and efficient.Once you've built it, the energy is free because it comes from the ocean's powerIt needs no fuel.It produces electricity reliably.Not expensive to maintain.Tides are definitely predictable. There are two tides every day and they can be relied on. So the electricity supply is constant. Offshore turbines and vertical-axis turbines are not ruinously expensive to build and do not have a large environmental impact.A plant is expected to be in production for 75 to 100 yearsUses an abundant, inexpensive fuel source (water) to generate powerMay protect coastline against damage from high storm tides and provide a ready-made road bridge
  • Holding back the tide allows silt to build up on the river bed.The dams and barrages sometimes interfere with shipping. You will need to find a way to connect the electricity to the grid.Pose same threats as large dams, altering the flow of saltwater in and out of estuaries, which changes the hydrology and salinity and possibly negatively affects the marine mammals that use the estuaries as their habitatTurbidity decreases as a result of smaller volume of water being exchanged between the basin and the sea.The average salinity inside the basin decreases, also affecting the ecosystemA barrage across an estuary is very expensive to build, and affects a very wide area - the environment is changed for many miles upstream and downstream. Many birds rely on the tide uncovering the mud flats so that they can feed.There are few suitable sites for tidal barrages.Only provides power for around 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out.
  • It only provides about 7% of the power needed for England and Wales that means that some people get their energy close to free and some pay a lot of moneyWater is not replenished, it cannot flow away so any dirt or pollution lingers around the coast much longerNeeds a very big piece of sea to be cost effectiveCannot be used inlandBarrage systems require salt resistant parts and lots of maintenanceAffects the lives of the people who rely on fishing for a means of livingLimited because the tide never speeds up or slows down, and occurs on 6 hour cycles. It is also dependent on the fetch distance. The fetch is the distance the tide rises and falls, so some beaches have a very small fetch, and others have a big fetch but hardly any have a large enough fetch to support tidal energy
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Energy Resources: Wave power - 3 views

  • Waves are a powerful source of energy.
  • The problem is that it's not easy to harness this energy and convert it into electricity in large amounts.
  • wave power stations are rare
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  • Once you've built a wave power station, the energy is free, needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution
  • The energy is free - no fuel needed, no waste produced.
  • Not expensive to operate and maintain.
  • Can produce a great deal of energy.
  • Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem.
  • Ocean waves are caused by the wind as it blows across the sea. Waves are a powerful source of energy.
  • Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem
  • At a wave power station, the waves arriving cause the water in the chamber to rise and fall, which means that air is forced in and out of the hole in the top of the chamber. We place a turbine in this hole, which is turned by the air rushing in and out. The turbine turns a generator. A problem with this design is that the rushing air can be very noisy, unless a silencer is fitted to the turbine. The noise is not a huge problem anyway, as the waves make quite a bit of noise themselves.
  • At a wave power station, the waves arriving cause the water in the chamber to rise and fall, which means that air is forced in and out of the hole in the top of the chamber. We place a turbine in this hole, which is turned by the air rushing in and out. The turbine turns a generator. A problem with this design is that the rushing air can be very noisy, unless a silencer is fitted to the turbine. The noise is not a huge problem anyway, as the waves make quite a bit of noise themselves.
  • A company called Pelamis Wave Power are developing a method of offshore wave energy collection, using a floating tube called "Pelamis"
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    " Advantages   The energy is free - no fuel needed, no waste produced. Not expensive to operate and maintain. Can produce a great deal of energy. Disadvantages Depends on the waves - sometimes you'll get loads of energy, sometimes almost nothing. Needs a suitable site, where waves are consistently strong. Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem. Must be able to withstand very rough weather."
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    One of them works like a swimming pool wave machine in reverse. At a swimming pool, air is blown in and out of a chamber beside the pool, which makes the water outside bob up and down, causing waves.  
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How Geothermal Energy Works | Union of Concerned Scientists - 1 views

  • Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use. For example, more than 8,900 megawatts (MW) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity in 24 countries now produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of nearly 12 million typical U.S. households (GEA 2008a). Geothermal plants produce 25 percent or more of electricity in the Philippines, Iceland, and El Salvador.
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    "The U.S. Department of Energy found that heat pumps can save a typical home hundreds of dollars in energy costs each year, with the system typically paying for itself in 8 to 12 years. Tax credits and other incentives can reduce the payback period to 5 years or less.10                                                  "
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    "Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping systems. This heat energy, known as geothermal energy, can be found almost anywhere-as far away as remote deep wells in Indonesia and as close as the dirt in our backyards. FROM OUR BLOG The Latest on Renewable Energy from Our Experts and Analysts Will Clean Energy Research and Development Be Sequestered? Laura Wisland PTC Extension Already Making a Big Difference for Wind Steve Clemmer The Local Energy Movement: Coming to a Town Near You Laura Wisland Subscribe to the Energy blog feed Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use. For example, more than 8,900 megawatts (MW) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity in 24 countries now produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of nearly 12 million typical U.S. households (GEA 2008a). Geothermal plants produce 25 percent or more of electricity in the Philippines, Iceland, and El Salvador."
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Biofuel Facts - 0 views

  • Much of the gasoline in the United States is blended with a biofuel—ethanol. This is the same stuff as in alcoholic drinks, except that it's made from corn that has been heavily processed. There are various ways of making biofuels, but they generally use chemical reactions, fermentation, and heat to break down the starches, sugars, and other molecules in plants. The leftover products are then refined to produce a fuel that cars can use.
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    On the face of it, biofuels look like a great solution. Cars are a major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming. But since plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, crops grown for biofuels should suck up about as much carbon dioxide as comes out of the tailpipes of cars that burn these fuels. And unlike underground oil reserves, biofuels are a renewable resource since we can always grow more crops to turn into fuel.
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Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future - Green Living Ideas - 3 views

  • Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides.
  • Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected.
  • The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
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  • The pattern of tides is extremely stable and not strongly affected by weather conditions which suggests that it would be a very stable source of green energy.
  • Moving water can exert a much greater force on a turbine than wind which means the turbine can turn slowly and still produce a great deal of electricity. The slow and stable tidal forces are ideal parameters for engineering energy solutions. The fact that the turbines can be slow-moving makes it easier to avoid interfering with local ecosystems
  • While the initial cost of building tidal energy plants is high, the plants are expected to run for a very long time which will make them more cost-effective in the long run
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    "Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future JANUARY 4, 2013 BY GUEST CONTRIBUTOR LEAVE A COMMENT Join GLI's 10,000 other followers on Twitter! Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides. 1. Tidal Energy is Renewable Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected. The gravitational relationship between the Earth and the moon is extremely stable in the long term just like solar, wind and geothermal energy. 2. Tidal Energy is Green The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. However, the marine ecosystem is fragile and great care must be taken to avoid interfering with the lives of organisms that depend on the tide."
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HowStuffWorks "Biofuels vs. Fossil Fuels" - 0 views

  • The U.S. currently produces 9.2 billion gallons of ethanol a year and consumes 9.6 billion gallons.
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Unearthing the True Cost of Fossil Fuels : TreeHugger - 0 views

  • “true” cost of coal: Depending on how you factor in the costs of climate change, it could be between a few additional cents per kWh to a whopping ¢26.89 extra per kilowatt hour—the high-end estimate from the Harvard study. By way of comparison, the average American paid ¢11.54 per kWh on their residential electric bills last year.
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The hidden costs of fossil fuels - and biofuels, too - CSMonitor.com - 1 views

  • Climate considerations aside, damages wrought by ethanol made from corn were usually similar to, or even slightly worse, than damages from gasoline. That’s because of the extra energy needed to convert corn to biofuel.
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