Energy

Driving in Circles People often wonder whether the world would be able to do something about its dependence on oil and its effects on the environment. A child asked the following question on Hidden Science (a mobile phone app developed by Orange Telecom and the Science Council UK where schoolchildren ask questions about science) “Are electric cars really better for the environment than current petrol and diesel cars?” One would think this is a pretty straightforward question, but the truth is that the answer is a lot more complicated because automobile technologies are constantly tilting the…

The energy from those Russian warheads I feared as a child is coming to me right now. However, it is coming at a much slower and more controlled rate than I had originally feared. In fact, that energy is lighting the office and allowing me to write this. In regions with nearby nuclear power plants, such as near Chicago, about half of the electricity generation is from material that was originally in Russian nuclear weapons. Those warheads probably were once targeted for the U.S., but soon after the Cold War ended, the U.S. and Russian Federation agreed to a program, Megatons to Megawatts…

Energy use and environmental sustainability are deeply entwined. The impact of environmental degradation has been an important factor in the development and decline of civilizations. It has been suggested that many agricultural societies collapsed by overextending their reach for resources, including energy. Most of the case studies focused on agricultural societies because of their simplicity relative to industrialized societies. It is important to take a look at recent connections between energy and the environment to see if we are following the paths of these simpler societies. In the…

For most of human history, technology changed very little during a person’s lifetime. Certainty, their life was not constant with the hard agricultural life being interrupted by war, disease, and famine. However, very few new technologies would come into their life. In contrast, my grandparents saw tremendous change throughout the 20th century as planes, cars, electricity, radio, and computers enter during their lives. Politically, the U.S. grew from a minor player to a world leader. Socially, many rights were obtained. In my life, I have also experienced rapid change, but it seems a bit…

Green house gas mitigation has become a business and unfortunately different interests clash in this manner. Asking for funds ? Global fund ? Some more offices ? Some more five star conferences with executives traveling first class. Spending lavish money on conferences in 7 star hotels in poor countries. Calling top level CEO , NGO, heads of states and coming to no conclusions has become order of the day.  Such conferences produce no results and increase global polarization of interests only as the real issues are side tracked. Participation from real workers is ignored and its more "…

Google is doing some spring cleaning and booted seven projects that were outside what they regard as their core business, the most high-profile of which was its attempt to make solar energy cheaper than coal. It was a grand effort and Google is a smart company but solar is simply too inefficient in its current state.  The Department of Energy has a huge chunk of its $36 billion 'venture capital' efforts riding on current solar energy companies but they did it in a rush - a plan that had been in effect since 2005 but with no companies passing muster suddenly was handing money to every…

If you've studied the martial arts, or know anything at all about Asian culture, you have heard of the ch'i.  It's spelled lots of different ways, which happens when you turn Eastern sounds into Western letters, but essentially it means a life force.(1) As a young guy, open to the world, it's easy to be drawn into discussions and thoughts about lots of ideas and a life force essential to all humans might as well be in the mix. Some proponents even believe that all matter derives from ch'i, which at least has a science parallel. You may not agree on what ch'i (Qi in Chinese-  氣气, 気…

The current energy quandary means a lot of basic research is being done in alternative energy solutions; that's good, it's what basic research is for.  It also means political darlings of some politicians and environmentalists should be disqualified from future consideration if they are shown to be untenable. The production of ethanol from lignocellulose-rich materials such as wood residues, waste paper, used cardboard and straw sounds like a great idea but that isn't a reason to start subsidizing it. A cost comparison in Biofuels, Bioproducts&Biorefining has concluded that…

Growing Jatropha for biofuel is hot topic and  claims of 10 tonnes per ha of Jatropha are laudable but need to be replicated and verified under different environmental conditions Still it has great scope as its the only plant that can grow in wastelands and still produce biofuel in terms of oil, biodiesel. Its time Jatropha experts pool their expertise to make it a success. 

The 99%, those people protesting current government and corporate greed, think banks are the problem, yet they don't seem to realize banks aren't the biggest problem - the government that enables them and other kooky schemes is.  Likewise, Hollywood capitalists are having a field day joining in on calls to make changes - unless it is to their incomes. While Kanye West, one of those rich people (worth $400 million), showing up at Occupy Wall Street wearing a $350 shirt and gold chains to show support might seem stupid or even ironic, in reality he has a lot to thank poor people for, as do…