Energy Options » ARTICLES

THE YEAR 2010 WAS THE WORLDS HOTTEST EVER ON RECORD

Editor — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:42:14 +0000

New climate data

shows warming world

January 21, 2011 – 2:12PM

Last year tied for the hottest year on record, confirming a long-term warming trend which will continue unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut, the World Meteorological Organisation says.

The first 10 years of the millennium proved to be the hottest decade since records began in the 19th century, it said.

“The main signal is that the warming trend continues and is being strengthened year after year,” WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud told a news conference on Thursday.

“The trend, unfortunately, will continue for a number of years but the amplitude will depend on the amount of greenhouse gases released,” the Frenchman added. “It will depend on action taken to minimise the release of greenhouse gases.”

Mr Jarraud said the latest data should convince doubters about the growing evidence for man-made climate change.

“If they look at it in an unbiased way, it should convince them, or hopefully a few of them, that the sceptical position is untenable.”

2010 was also marked by further melting of Arctic ice – in December its extent was at its lowest on record, the WMO said – and by extreme weather, including Russia’s heatwave and devastating floods in Pakistan.

Rising temperatures, already about 0.8 degree Celsius above pre-industrial times, mean the world will struggle to limit warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, a target agreed by almost 200 nations at UN talks in Mexico last month.

Many experts see 2 degrees as a threshold for dangerous climate change, such as more heatwaves, droughts, floods and rising seas.

“We have to act very fast and strongly [to limit emissions],” said Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He noted that many sceptics say global warming has stopped because of no new records since 1998, when temperatures were boosted by a strong El Nino event that warms the Pacific.

“But they cannot explain away the fact that nine of the 10 warmest years have occurred since 2000,” he said.

“Data received by the WMO show no statistically significant difference between global temperatures in 2010, 2005 and 1998,” the United Nations body, which compiles its ranking from data provided by British and US agencies, said in a statement.

Data from British institutes on Wednesday showed last year was the world’s second warmest behind 1998, while the other two main groups tracking global warming, based in the United States, said 2010 was tied for the hottest on record.

Over the 10 years from 2001 to 2010, global temperatures have averaged 0.45 degrees Celsius above the 1961-1990 average and are the highest ever recorded for a 10-year period since climate records began, WMO said.

The difference between the three hottest years was less than the margin of uncertainty in comparing the data, according to WMO, whose assessment is based on climate data from land-based weather and climate stations, ships, buoys and satellites.

The fight against global warming suffered a setback in the wake of the financial crisis, slowing funding for renewable energy projects and knocking momentum from international efforts to agree on a climate deal to succeed the Kyoto Protocol in 2013.

Reuters

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

ALGAE CONVERSION TO BIOFUEL WELL ADVANCED

Editor — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 07:18:12 +0000

‘First Economical Process’

For Making Biodiesel Fuel From Algae

Science (Mar. 31, 2009) — Chemists reported development of what they termed the first economical, eco-friendly process to convert algae oil into biodiesel fuel — a discovery they predict could one day lead to U.S. independence from petroleum as a fuel.

The study was presented recently at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

One of the problems with current methods for producing biodiesel from algae oil is the processing cost, and the New York researchers say their innovative process is at least 40 percent cheaper than that of others now being used. Supply will not be a problem: There is a limitless amount of algae growing in oceans, lakes, and rivers, throughout the world.

Another benefit from the “continuously flowing fixed-bed” method to create algae biodiesel, they add, is that there is no wastewater produced to cause pollution.

“This is the first economical way to produce biodiesel from algae oil,” according to lead researcher Ben Wen, Ph.D., vice president of United Environment and Energy LLC, Horseheads, N.Y. “It costs much less than conventional processes because you would need a much smaller factory, there are no water disposal costs, and the process is considerably faster.”

A key advantage of this new process, he says, is that it uses a proprietary solid catalyst developed at his company instead of liquid catalysts used by other scientists today. First, the solid catalyst can be used over and over. Second, it allows the continuously flowing production of biodiesel, compared to the method using a liquid catalyst. That process is slower because workers need to take at least a half hour after producing each batch to create more biodiesel. They need to purify the biodiesel by neutralizing the base catalyst by adding acid. No such action is needed to treat the solid catalyst, Wen explains.

He estimates algae has an “oil-per-acre production rate 100-300 times the amount of soybeans, and offers the highest yield feedstock for biodiesel and the most promising source for mass biodiesel production to replace transportation fuel in the United States.” He says that his firm is now conducting a pilot program for the process with a production capacity of nearly 1 million gallons of algae biodiesel per year. Depending on the size of the machinery and the plant, he said it is possible that a company could produce up to 50 million gallons of algae biodiesel annually.

Wen also says that the solid catalyst continuous flow method can be adapted to mobile units so that smaller companies wouldn’t have to construct plants and the military could use the process in the field.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

BURIALS BY ACID BATH CALLED FOR IN SOME COUNTRIES

Editor — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:30:07 +0000

Going Green In Death. Resonation.

The process of dissolving human remains

Has a lower carbon footprint than cremation.

You think you have bad acid reflux, then check this out>>>

Want to go green in death? Here’s a process that may allow you to do just that. Resomation involves an alkaline hydrolysis process that dissolves a body into both a liquid and a powdery white mass. Experts call it the green alternative to cremation, which notoriously releases nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The process is legal in several U.S. states, and one undertaker wants to bring it to Belgium. But as American Public Media Marketplace reports, resomation is being met with some trepidation in Europe.

The process, which emits none of the toxic carbon ash common with crematoriums, uses much less energy than other death preparation practices. It is a zero-emissions process. The body is placed in a bag and lowered into a resomator. The resomator is filled with water and potassium hydroxide, which is heated to around 160 degrees Celsius. The result is a greenish, DNA-free liquid and a powdery mass of white bone. In the U.S. it is a common way to dispose of bodies donated to medical science.

Now Belgian undertaker Bruno Quirijnen wants to bring the process, which was developed by a Scottish firm, to Antwerp. Quirijnen hopes city officials will approve the process. As he told American Public Media, “People don’t like to have chimneys in their backyard. So with resomation, you don’t have that problem. It’s very natural and it’s more eco-friendly.”

But not everyone sees resomation as a viable solution for their post-mortem existence on Earth. Many everyday citizens are completely opposed to the idea of dissolving their body after death. When people were interviewed about the idea, their responses were vehement. One man retorted, “I don’t like it. It’s not so … No. Not to be dissolved in a liquid or something like that, no. I don’t see it as a good solution.” Others erroneously felt cremation was the better eco-solution.

But cremation and embalming are both notoriously toxic. More than 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid is interred in the earth annually and most of it is swimming in formaldehyde. Why is this bad? Formaldehyde is listed as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency and as a known carcinogen by the World Health Organization. In the U.S. alone, the death industry buries 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete, 827,060 tons of toxic embalming fluid, 90,000 tons of casket steel and 30 million tons of hardwood board each year.

Ultimately, it may be the high cost of resomation that keeps it from catching on in Belgium. The Belgian government covers the cost of cremation and would likely be expected to pick up the tab for resomation–something critics are likely to resist. So for now, the U.S. will remain at the forefront of resomation.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

SMASHING GOOD SORTS SAY THE INSURANCES COMPANIES – WOMEN ARE TO BLAME, BUT MEN ARE PIGS

Editor — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 06:57:34 +0000

Short skirts and fender benders

Do wandering eyes lead to traffic accidents?

A British insurance company says so — they say they have the numbers that prove men are destructive pigs. In fact, the company — Sheilas’ Wheels — says accidents among men rise when the short skirts come out.

A company survey finds that 29 percent of men say they’re distracted by short skirts and revealing tops. To which I say… bull! One hundred percent of us are distracted by them — but apparently, 71 percent had a wife or girlfriend present when they answered the survey.

Sheilas’ Wheels also says that in 2009, men made 16.4 percent more insurance claims in summer than during any other time of year… and that around 25 percent of men say they had either a summer crash or near miss over the last five years, compared to 17 percent of women.

Now, if you think “Sheilas’ Wheels” is a funny name for an insurance company, you’re right. It’s an insurance company aimed at women… so naturally, the men-are-pigs approach to marketing will appeal to its clientele.

And hey, maybe we are pigs.

But the numbers here don’t really prove anything. Women are always commenting on how other women are dressed — so how many of them are distracted by short skirts? How many men and women are distracted by other things, like puppies, clouds or the radio? How many men are on British roads versus women?

So there’s not a lot of science behind this one. But maybe it’s true — I know I’ve certainly turned my head to gaze at a pretty gal, and a short skirt might even get a second look.

But let’s be fair here: Maybe male drivers are distracted by pretty gals. But on the other hand, I’ve never seen a man put on makeup while driving.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

OIL MUNCHING BACTERIA EAT OIL SPILLS IN OCEAN

Editor — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:40:15 +0000

Oil-hungry microbes aid spill cleanup

NEW YORK (UPI) — Among workers involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup will be some very tiny ones, U.S. researchers say — microbes that love to munch on crude oil.

One of the hidden stars of the cleanup effort is an oil-hungry bacterium called Alcanivorax, one of a class of microbes that can disassemble hydrocarbons, the building blocks of oil, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

It and other similar microbes can clean up oil in a process called biodegradation.

A report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said early observations showed oil from the spill “is biodegrading quickly.”

Microbial swarms were feasting on most remaining effects of the spill, including dispersed oil and oil forming a sheen on or just below the surface, the report said.

“Colleagues who have been sampling tell me that the intrinsic biodegradation rates are high,” Ronald M. Atlas, a microbiologist at the University of Louisville, said.

“I believe that most of the oil will not have a significant impact. That’s been the story with spills that stay offshore.”

Received & published by Henry Sapiecha

FRASER COAST COUNCIL QLD OZ SEEKS COMMENTS ON ITS SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER

Editor — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:07:38 +0000

Fraser Coast Regional Council

www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au

is inviting the community to make submissions on its draft of

our Sustainable charter

View it on the council web site or at council offices/service centres or libraries

SUBMISSIONS CLOSE NINTH JULY 2010

Register on line or address your comments to:

Chief Executive Officer

Fraser Coast Regional Council

PO Box1943

Hervey Bay Q4655

Published by Henry Sapiecha

ECO MAGAZINE FOR ENERGY INVESTORS

Editor — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:30:38 +0000

Eco Investor is Australia’s specialist environmental investment magazine. It focuses on companies and funds whose business activities can solve environmental problems. These solutions include clean technology, clean energy, recycling, waste management, and a variety of other environmentally positive products and services.

Eco Investor assists environmental, ethical, sustainability and general investors to add and manage an environmental investment theme to their share portfolio. It identifies companies and funds with a strong environmentally positive business activity and commitment, analyzes their business stage and investment performance so investors can identify if they may be suitable for their investment strategy, and provides ongoing news and analysis.

More details can be found at www.ecoinvestor.com.au.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha

HAVE YOUR OWN BIO-DIESEL PLANT

Editor — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:07:30 +0000

Heat & Biodiesel

Heat is needed during the biodiesel conversion process

for the following reasons:

1. Preheating your oil.
2. Heating your biodiesel during the settling process.
3. Drying water out of water-washed biodiesel.
4. Recovering methanol from biodiesel.

We have compiled a guide to heating systems here for you to be able to make

a more informed decision on which system is best for you. If you have questions

about any of this information call 1-800-679-1398.

The three main types of heating systems offered today are:

- Oil Preheating Systems.
- In-Line Heating Systems.
- In-Tank Heating Systems.

Oil Preheating Systems
Good For:
Pre-heating your oil.

Drawbacks:
May take up to 4 hours to reach optimal temperature.

Oil preheating systems are a safe traditional method of pre-heating the oil prior

to processing. The system conists of a steel drum with at least one thermostat

controlled barrel heater and insulation. This is a very safe method because there

are no heating elements in contact with the liquid. The standard Freedom Fueler

comes with this type of heating system.

In-Line Heating Systems
Better For:
- Pre-heating your oil.
- Drying water-washed biodiesel

Drawbacks:
- Requires a pump to operate.
- Cannot heat throughout entire process.
- Elements must be replaced periodically.

In-line heating systems are better than a pre-heating system but they have one

common flaw, they all require a pump to circulate the oil through the heater in

order for the heater to work. They are mainly intended to pre-heat the oil and

dry the water out of biodiesel that has been water-washed. With an in-line heater

using submerged elements, the user must remember to start the flow of liquid

before turning the heater on.

Note: All heaters have what is called a Watt Density. Watt density is the number

of watts the heater puts out divided by the surface area of the heaters element.

Our heating systems supplier recommends no higher than 30 watts per square

inch in the biodiesel process. All of our heaters have a watt density of 28 watts

per square inch.

In-Tank Heating Systems
Best For:
- Preheating your oil.

- Heating biodiesel during settling.
- Drying water out of water-washed biodiesel.
- Removing methanol from dry-washed biodiesel.

An In-Tank Heating System is the ultimate in biodiesel heating systems, with

the ability to maintain the batch temperature even if the temperature in your

shop drops overnight. Home Biodiesel Kits is proud to offer the only In-Tank

Heating System for home processors on the market. Each of our three

Deluxe Biodiesel Processors now come with our new In-Tank Heating Systems.

All three sizes come with sealed housings, a built in thermostat with high limit

controls preset for the biodiesel process and an incoloy sheathed element to

prevent corrosion.

The entire unit is built into the top of the processor ensuring no leaks and a

completely closed system. These heaters will allow you to heat your batch

throughout the entire process and will maintain temperature with a built in

sensor located in the center of the tank. Our custom heating units were

designed and built specifically for our tanks and the biodiesel process with a

watt density of 28. This is not an off the shelf product built for water or any

other purpose but a professionally made heater manufactured by the leader

in biodiesel heating systems. Call Jess or Ryan today to discuss our new

In-Tank Heating Systems or to order one of our Deluxe Biodiesel Processors

at 1-800-679-1398.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 19th July 2009