Technology
Hydrogen fueled cars
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We are starting see some real momentum in the adoption of electric cars. There are more models to choose from, and public charging stations are starting to show up in our neighborhoods. [Read more…] about Hydrogen fueled cars
Fuel cells for refrigerated trucks
Refrigerated trucks are a crucial part of our food delivery system. Approximately 300,000 of them are on the road in the United States. Most of them use an auxiliary power unit, which is a small diesel engine that burns about 10 gallons of fuel a day keeping food cold. [Read more…] about Fuel cells for refrigerated trucks
Easing private investment in renewable energy
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Energy is essential to a robust economy. At least until the 1980s, fossil fuels were the only game in town. Over the years, the US government has designed a number of marketplace incentives to encourage investment in the energy sector. [Read more…] about Easing private investment in renewable energy
Virtual net metering for apartment dwellers
Homeowners across the country are increasingly taking advantage of the benefits of solar power, either by leasing or purchasing photovoltaic systems for their rooftops. Unfortunately, apartment dwellers have not had much opportunity to use on-site solar electricity because it would require installation of separate PV systems for each tenant, which is complicated and expensive, even if building owners were agreeable. [Read more…] about Virtual net metering for apartment dwellers
Next Generation Science Standards
Students around the country will soon be exposed to the concepts of evolution and climate change at an earlier age, thanks to the Next Generation Science Standards. The new standards are the result of collaboration among 26 states, and non-profit science and education groups. [Read more…] about Next Generation Science Standards
Trapping carbon in rock
Fossil fuels like coal are relatively cheap and abundant, which is a huge motivation for finding a way to burn those fuels without releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The most obvious approach is sequestration – capturing the CO2 during combustion and storing it away. While simple in concept, carbon sequestration is a huge challenge to accomplish on a large scale, and at an acceptable cost. [Read more…] about Trapping carbon in rock
Solar philanthropy
About 20% of the Earth’s population – roughly 1.5 billion people – live without electricity. Mostly, these people are in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, along with some in Latin America and the Middle East. [Read more…] about Solar philanthropy
Mapping renewable energy
Developing and emerging nations face serious energy challenges and renewable energy sources represent key resources that they need to exploit. Many of these countries have abundant renewable resources but at the same time have substantial portions of their population without any access to electricity. [Read more…] about Mapping renewable energy
Lots of fuel from pond scum
Algae contain lots of oil – or lipids – and these can be used to produce biodiesel. There are other biofuels that can be derived from algae as well. There is enough promise in this technology that researchers in academia and industry are investigating ways to improve it by growing algae that contain more oil, that live longer, and that live in a wider range of environments. [Read more…] about Lots of fuel from pond scum
Global dimming
Scientists refer to the reflectivity of a surface as its albedo. Snow and ice have high albedo relative to soil and water. The average albedo can be measured for any area that contains a diversity of surfaces. [Read more…] about Global dimming
A greener way to heat and cool your home
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Heat pumps are a special type of air conditioner that can not only cool your home by expelling heat to the outside, but can also heat your home by bringing heat back in. There are two types: air source and ground source. [Read more…] about A greener way to heat and cool your home
To invest, or divest: that is the question
This fall, as college and university students return to campus, we’ll hear more about divestiture—a demand by student activists that universities cease to invest in companies that produce energy from sources that add climate-warming carbon dioxide to our atmosphere. [Read more…] about To invest, or divest: that is the question
There’s a whole lot of shaking going on
One of the side-effects of the extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracture, widely known as fracking, is the possibility that the injection of water into gas-bearing rocks will cause earthquakes. There is no doubt that this can happen, but as summarized in a recent paper by William Ellsworth of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center, the earthquakes from these oil and gas wells are too small to pose a significant hazard. Most are below magnitude 2.0, which can barely be sensed by humans. [Read more…] about There’s a whole lot of shaking going on
Sharing is caring
One of the best and least expensive ways to reduce the amount of energy we use is by using it more efficiently. Efficiency measures can have as big an overall impact as the use of newer energy technologies such as wind and solar power. [Read more…] about Sharing is caring
The U.S. carbon bank account
Carbon dioxide emissions in most nations are dominated by the use of fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. In the tropics, however, deforestation is also a major source of CO2 to the atmosphere. [Read more…] about The U.S. carbon bank account
What do we mean by peak oil?
Peak oil is the date when the world’s production of oil will hit its maximum, or “Peak.” A peak in production is mathematically inevitable for any finite resource. [Read more…] about What do we mean by peak oil?
It’s all done with mirrors
The world’s largest solar energy plant is going on line this summer in the Mojave Desert in California. The Ivanpah plant is a 377-megawatt power station that doesn’t use photovoltaic technology. Instead, it is a solar thermal energy plant that uses sunlight to heat water in boilers to make steam, which then turns turbines to generate electricity. [Read more…] about It’s all done with mirrors
Gill nets have a devastating impact on seabirds
According to recent research, gill nets used by fishing vessels are responsible for the deaths of at least 400,000 seabirds each year. [Read more…] about Gill nets have a devastating impact on seabirds
Oil on the water
