Navy Adopts Device That Can Produce Hydrogen Fuel From Seawater

For more hydrogen fuel cell news articles. Share on Tumblr US NAVY HAS BEGUN USING THE ELECTROLYTIC CATION EXCHANGE MODULE TO PRODUCE HYDROGEN FUEL The United States Navy has begun using a new machine that could make its armada of ships and other seafaring vessels much more efficient and environmentally friendly. The device is called the Electrolytic Cation Exchange Module, and it is designed to capture carbon dioxide from the sea and produce hydrogen fuel as a byproduct of this process. The device is meant to serve as a way to generate renewable fuel while ships are at sea, giving them a reliable fuel source that will not be quickly depleted.NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY DEVELOPERS NEW MACHINE THAT CAPTURES CARBON AND PRODUCES HYDROGEN The device itself has been developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and researchers have been working on the device for several years. In 2009, researchers were able to modify a fuel cell, giving it the ability to release carbon dioxide from seawater. Using this process, the device was also able to generate hydrogen fuel as it consumed carbon dioxide. The process itself does not require the use of toxic chemicals and does not produce anything but hydrogen, making it environmentally sound.Researchers Continue To Study The Capabilities Of Their New Machine Since the 2009 breakthrough, the device has undergone many studies. Researchers have been working to test the feasibility of the device and determine whether or not it could be used as an effective fuel producer for the Navy. While the device may be ready to be put to use to some degree, researchers are still considering ways to scale up the device to allow it to produce more hydrogen and capture more carbon dioxide from the ocean.Ocean Could Be A Valuable Renewable Energy Resource According to the U.S. Navy, carbon dioxide is one of the most abundant carbon resources in the world. The concentration of this gas in the ocean is approximately 140 times greater than the concentration of this gas in the air. The ocean presents a significant opportunity for the military's endeavors to produce renewable energy while also making itself a more sustainable and environmentally friendly organization. For more alternative energy news headlines today.

Promoting Bioenergy In The Northern Periphery Bioenergy Proliferation And Deployment

BIOPAD - BIOENERGY PROLIFERATION AND DEPLOYMENT

BioPAD is promoting the wider use of bioenergy and developing applications targeting the whole process from supplying fuel to producing energy.

The project is led by the Western Development Commission (Republic of Ireland) and brings together partners from Northern Ireland (Action Renewables), Scotland (Environmental Research Institute) and Finland (Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metla).

BioPAD is funded by the Northern Periphery Programme (www.northernperiphery.eu) of the European Regional Development Fund (Interreg IVB).

It will improve our understanding of the links between supply of bioenergy and the demand for energy by mapping supply chains for different bioenergy fuels and different energy conversion methods.

BioPAD will help us to ensure that targeted policies and actions can increase bioenergy use and help capture the benefits of it locally.Developing local bioenergy supply chains provides sustainable enterprise opportunities for individuals, communities and municipalities in Northern Europe through the use of renewable energy.

FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND HERE OR UNDER: WWW.BIOPAD.EU

Energy And Renewable Electricity

Do you know that average 100w light bulb? Well, one African consumes as much as 7 of those light bulbs a year in electricity, Africa is nearly of the grid while an American consumes as much as 100 light bulbs. Current human energy use is 15,7 terawatts, that is 15,7 trillion watts, if everybody everywhere would start using electricity at the rate Americans do, the global consumption would more then quadruple to 62.8 TW.We produce electricity from several sources of which 87% is from fossil fuels like oil, coal or natural gas. Hydro-electrical power plants using the force of falling water around the world make about 7% of our production while nuclear power plants produce about 4%. Only 2% of the energy humans produce world-wide comes from renewable sources like the sun, the wind, using geothermal waters or tidal waves. So we rely our activity as a race on a dying giant, fossil fuels. They may have been a powerful resource in the past but we're burning through them a million times faster then nature provides them for us. They will go out one day.So let's see if we could rely our society strictly on electricity from renewable sources.The Sun delivers 173.000 TW on top of our atmosphere, that is 11.000 times our current use. The Algodones Dunes near Yuma, Arizona is the sunniest place in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records, there's barely a cloud in the sky 90% of the year. Researchers say that the deserts in South-West US could deliver 80% of the worlds current energy consumption. And there are other deserts much larger, like the Sahara desert in Africa. If we could collect 0.01% of the Sun's energy reaching the Earth it would be more than the humans use today. Of course there is only one problem with solar energy, night. But with more efficient transmission lines and a portfolio of renewable energy program that includes storage, the Sun's potential is vast.Dams around the world can provide 1,9 TW of hydro-electrical energy which is 12% of our current use. The Itaipu Dam on the border of Brazil and Paraguay produces more electrical energy then any other hydro-electrical power plant in the world and it provides almost the entire energy need for the city of Sao Paulo, home to more than 11 million. Sao Paulo is 600 miles away but Brazil decided to build innovative high-voltage transmission lines to minimize energy loss. Dams can't be the solution for every country, they flood landscape and unbalance ecosystems, but Brazil showed renewable energy can go the distance.Plants like corn and sugar cane are used to produce Etanol which is mixed with gasoline or can be used alone as fuel for our cars. If all the gasoline in the would suddenly disappear, Brazil would be the only country that could go it alone and still run it's cars. Today all the cars in Brazil run on FlexFuel a biofuel made out of Etanol or a mix of gasoline and Etanol. Producing fuel out of plants used for food may have an effect on food prices but labs like the NREL in the US have lunched programs to see if biofuels can be made out of agricultural waste. It does work! And researchers are trying to bring the costs down. So with plants capturing roughly 11 times human energy use they are a growing opportunity.New Zealand takes advantage of another energy, geothermal power plants harvest the heat of the Earth brought to the surface by geysers and turn it as much as 10% of New Zealand's electricity. Globally geothermal energy offers 44TW of electricity, 3 times our current use. But we can can mine the heat faster than nature provides it. Heat is present even if you don't see geysers and mud pots so it can be extracted without harming this natural wonders. A study by MIT showed that the accessible hot rocks beneath the US contain enough energy to run the country for 130.000 years. And like hydroelectric, geothermal can provide peaking power, ready to go at a moment's notice if the Sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow.And the wind blows everywhere, here is where US is very lucky. From Texas in the South to the Canadian border lies the Nation's Wind Corridor. All along this nearly 2.000 miles there's the potential to turn free, non-polluting energy source into electricity. But this takes decisions and actions and not by the government. In Texas it was farmers and ranchers who took the decision to rent their land so wind turbines could be installed. Now they receive between 5.000 and 10.000 a year for every turbine and with each farm hosting between 10 and 20 turbines it's a welcomed income. World-wide wind can provide 1.220 TW, that is 78 times current human usage. No form of energy production is free of environmental concerns, in the early days of wind farms there was little to no concerns for migrating birds, but studies showed that well placed wind turbines have no impact on the migrating habits of our little flying friends.And there is efficiency orientated measure that could be taken. Huston is the largest municipal purchaser of renewable energy. LED lights have been installed for the traffic lights and smart meters installation for homes is already ahead of schedule. 30% of the electrical energy city government uses comes from wind, with a target of 50%. That translates into savings of 3.5 million per year. The city already operates a fleet of hybrid cars and now is investing in an infrastructure to make driving this cars easy and practical. Globally, efficiency could cut the demands by a third by 2030.There are many ways to go and we can easily hit that renewable energy target:11.000 times our energy use is sent to our planet by the Sun,.12 times our energy usage comes from dams around the world,11 times our energy demands could be provided by biofuels made out of agricultural waste,3 times of our energy use could be extracted from the Earth hot activity,78 times of our electricity needs could be delivered through wind farms andefficiency could cut the demands by a third.So by 2030 our energy production could transform from one that is 87% from fossil fuels into this:26% solar13% wind13% geothermal5% hydro4% biofuels 61% of our current electricity needs could come out of renewable sources13% fossil fuels26% existing and new nuclear energy sourcesThere is even a viable and realistic plan that could use only Water, Wind and Solar energy to power up our activities, that means 100% energy from free renewable source!To make it short, renewable sources could easily provide the energy we use today and they will always be here. The sources are free, so the costs would be high only for the initial investments after that there would only be the costs for maintaining the infrastructure.We live our lives on this planet as if we are the last ones here when we should be living as if we are the first. In our ignorance and greed we cut down the trees that take in our CO2 and give us fresh air to breathe. We pollute the rivers and catch more fish then we actually need. This little dot in the Universe we call Earth is our playground, we are visitors here, we can enjoy our stay and leave this planet healthier than we've found it.To really change something the old must go, otherwise the new would only be a new form of the old, so all this needs is decision to start something new, to switch entirely to renewable sources for our energy needs. The possibility to run all our activities on green, low-cost, always renewable energy is already here, the technology exists and the sources have been here forever.Sebastian Writes For Find New York;

California Invests 20 Million In Hydrogen Fuel Infrastructure

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STATE AGENCY PLANS TO BUILD 50 NEW HYDROGEN FUEL STATIONS IN ORDER TO BOLSTER THE FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE

The California Energy Commission will be spending 20 million to build 50 hydrogen fuel stations that will comprise California's "hydrogen highway." The hydrogen highway is meant to serve as a fueling structure that extends along the state's most popular highways. This will allow those with fuel cell vehicles to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco without having to worry about running out of fuel during the journey.

LACK OF A WORKING INFRASTRUCTURE COULD PREVENT THE SUCCESS OF FUEL CELL VEHICLES

California currently has 10 hydrogen fuel stations in operation, most of which are located in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. These stations are only serving a handful of fuel cell vehicles that are currently running throughout the state. In the near future, fuel cell vehicles are expected to become more prolific, but their success with consumers is largely dependent on the existence of a comprehensive hydrogen fuel infrastructure.

New Fuel Station Will Enable Convenient Travel From Los Angeles To San Francisco

The California Energy Commission is set to build its first new hydrogen fuel station in the city of Coalinga. This will serve as a fueling point for those traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Fuel cell vehicles have been praised for their efficiency, being able to travel for more than 300 miles before needing to refuel. This is one of the attractive features of fuel cell vehicles, along with their performance capabilities.

Other States Begin Investing In Their Hydrogen Fuel Infrastructure

California is expected to become a very active clean transportation market in the coming years. Automakers have plans to bring their fuel cell vehicles to the state later this year and they have also been investing in the construction of new hydrogen fuel stations. California is not the only state working on developing a hydrogen infrastructure, of course. Other states along the west coast are also building stations to connect to California's hydrogen highway in an effort to make travel via fuel cell vehicles more convenient for consumers.

For more alternative energy news headlines today.

West Virginia Democrats Want Impact Study On Repeal Of Alternative Energy Law

Legislation to repeal a five-year-old law that hasn't fully taken effect yet is moving through the State Senate. But Democratic leaders are calling for a economic impact study on repealing the measure, just as their GOP counterparts have called for the same studies on bills introduced this session.

The Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, championed by then-Gov. Joe Manchin, required utility companies to earn credits by producing electricity from alternative fuel sources, including advanced coal technology, coal bed methane, waste coal, coal gasification, natural gas and pumped storage from hydroelectric projects.

The Act also allows for "net metering," credits given from utility companies back to residents who produce their own electricity through solar panels or windmills. Those residents can sell electricity to their providers, as well.

Measures in both houses now preserve net metering in the West Virginia Code.

Called the "West Virginia Cap and Trade Law" during the campaign last year, the standard's "cap" is generally thought to be the 25-percent minimum requirement of alternative fuels and the trade is ability for small utility companies to buy or trade energy credits.

The federal push for cap and trade calls for capture of carbon emissions, with profit incentives for doing so, and gives those companies the ability to sell or trade their unused credits.

Former House Speaker Tim Miley, D-Harrison, called the original bill a "toothless tiger" last week, and said its repeal would not help state residents in coal-producing counties.

This week, Miley sent a letter to House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, asking for an economic impact study on the bill's repeal. "It's important to know whether the repeal of the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act accomplishes meaningful results, or whether the repeal of the legislation is mere campaign fluff," he said.

"This legislation has been touted by many members of the Legislature and coal industry representatives as a vital jobs-saving bill for the coal industry," Miley said. "I believe it is imperative for members of the Legislature to know the real impact of this legislation - to coal miners and their families and to other industries that may be affected by the repeal - prior to being asked to cast their votes."

The House of Delegates adopted changes to the House Rules on the first day of session that included a provision (House Rule 95C) that permits the Speaker to request an Economic Impact Statement on any piece of legislation to determine how many jobs would be gained or lost as a result of the legislation and any effect on wages and compensation.

Sen. Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, the former Senate president, likewise made the same challenge to leadership in the upper chamber Monday morning. Kessler said he favors repeal, but wants to see if the Legislature is passing "sound public policy."

Sen. President Bill Cole, R-Mercer, said the study is unlikely.

As chair of the Committee on Energy, Industry and Mining, Sen. Jeff Mullins, R-Raleigh, said repealing the law allows free markets to decide what fuels energy companies use.

"(I)f an energy company decides that coal is the cheapest way to provide energy, they will not be limited by state government in ability to provide energy through coal. This in turn will ensure that no coal jobs in West Virginia are limited now or at any time in the future by a cap on coal-fueled energy," Mullins said.

Mullins said he is happy that the committee was able to reach a compromise on net metering so that consumers who generate their own power are given credit for that.The Alternative Energy Act took effect Jan. 1.

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Post from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org

Solar 101

GO GREEN, GO SOLAR.

There has never been a better time to go solar in the United States. Abundant sunshine lights up a landscape interspersed with world-class corporations, banks and Universities that have incubated a culture of innovation and progress.

Now, the United States is positioned to emerge as the leader in solar installation and lead the change in the defining economic shift of this century: RENEWABLE ENERGY ADOPTION.

Solar is now viable and cost-effective. Energy- the world's biggest industry and the engine that moves the modern economy- is close to dramatic change. As renewable energy technology advances, the conventional, centralized, grid-based energy dissemination platform is becoming more and more outdated.

In fact, the energy market is outdated. It hasn't really changed in over 100 years.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ENERGY

In the early 20th century, companies were competing to gain market share of the burgeoning energy market. However, this competition often led to duplicate generation plants and distribution infrastructure, which had high fixed costs and was incredibly inefficient. The capital intensity, paired with the investment uncertainty, posed a significant challenge for participants in the market to operate effectively and efficiently. Because of the inefficiencies of the energy market, the government deemed energy a "natural monopoly" in which regulation fulfills the role that competition fills in a traditional free market. The modern energy market, therefore, is largely based on 100-year-old technology and is incredibly inefficient.

Because this method of electricity distribution crosses city, state and regional lines, the government has to be involved. Government regulation and fossil fuel generated energy are necessarily very closely connected.

PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT POLICIES

The United States has been progressive (albeit not as progressive as many European countries have been) in implementing policies and bills to help propel renewable energy adoption.

Employing the right to regulate within the state provided by the 10th Amendment, States have implemented their own tax-incentives and policies to spur renewable energy adoption.

To encourage solar adoption, there is a 30% Federal Tax credit in place. That means that 30% of the expenditures of the installation of a residential solar system will be credited to the homeowner's federal tax liability.

Additionally, most states provide their own solar installation tax credits that correspond to one's state tax liability.

This site is designed to educate the homeowner with up to date government tax incentive information in a digestible and clear manner.

Most of these tax credits are considerable, but as of now many of them expire in December of 2015.

INDUSTRY SHIFT

Since solar (and other renewable technologies) are becoming more widespread, the energy market is in a volatile stage. After 100 plus years of very little innovation, distributed energy generation is reconfiguring the old energy market into a new, more responsive and more efficient 21st century industry that will only continue to evolve. But changing the world's biggest industry is not going to happen overnight.

ENTRENCHED ENERGY INTERESTS ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PARADIGM SHIFT, AND THEY ARE FIGHTING TO QUELL ANY FURTHER ADVANCEMENT.

The preexisting companies are fighting to prevent solar adoption. Using monopolistic control they are starting to undercut the cost of solar by lowering their prices. It is a market that has historically been opaque, and the emergence of distributed energy is providing consumers with energy options for the first time in modern history. The change may be slow, but solar (and other renewables) will eventually win simply because they provide better economics to homeowners and utilities alike.

Duke Power, of Charlotte, recently unveiled plans to invest 500 million in solar to be in accordance with North Carolina's renewable energy guidelines. In rural stretches of North Carolina, land is cheap and is where construction of CPV (Concentrated Photovoltaic) solar plants will take place. They realize that solar power generation is economically viable. The power behemoth Georgia Power is seeking approval for ten new solar power plants worth a total of 515 megawatts of capacity (put in perspective, that's enough to power approximately 93,357 homes and dwarfs the state's 2013 installed solar capacity of 90.9 megawatts) planned for build-out in 2015 and 2016. The "primary evaluation criterion was economic benefits to customers... a meaningful economic impact on the Georgia economy," wrote the utility in its filing.

The market will undoubtedly go through an awkward stage as entrenched interests fight to prevent innovation, until eventually the best technology wins. Every industry experiences this, where the incumbent fights to maintain market share: landlines to wireless; traditional cameras to digital cameras; carbon based energy generation to sustainable energy generation. Innovation, after all, is foundational to economic growth.

The price of solar may change, it may fluctuate, it may be subject to competition from preexisting energy companies. The industry is in the initial stages of a historic shift. McKinsey and Co has stated that "the world is on the cusp of a resource revolution." Royal Dutch Shell is taking steps necessary to make sure they have the capacity to implement solar and other renewable technologies. Car companies are manufacturing electric vehicles following the runaway success of Tesla. Big, well-established companies are taking notice and pursuing these new technologies.

ACT NOW, NOT LATER

Because of the uncertainty of prices of energy in the coming years as the market shifts and evolves, there is no better time to go solar than now. Across the United States, consumers should take advantage of attractive tax policies sooner rather than later.

The power to change rests predominately in the hands of the consumer; the people purchasing solar systems to put on their roof and generate their own electricity.

Americans can choose to hesitate or they can lead the way in propelling renewable adoption which would, in turn, create jobs, stimulate the economy, mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on foreign oil. That's a nice mix of results.

The United States has been the crucible for innovation. We have built the world's most robust economy, driven by the American ethos founded on freedom and liberty. In order to maintain our competitive edge as a leader in the world, we must lead change in renewable energy adoption.

Economies are driven by consumers in a complex, bottom-up, adaptive system. Free-markets work. The natural monopoly that utilities have enjoyed for years is facing reconfiguration face to face, as they should. Recently, Uber and Lyft and other ride-hailing services have completely disrupted the Taxi industry, an industry, like energy, that was based on market control, not innovation and consumer empowerment. Why should we allow companies to control our energy usage if there are other choices available?

GOING SOLAR IS NOT A GREEN, BLUE OR RED IDEA. IT IS AN ECONOMIC IDEA. GOING SOLAR MAKES SENSE, AND IT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT NOW.

We are in the early stages of an unprecedented economic shift. We must act now to lead the change.

Qld Council Plugs Into Geothermal Power Generation

Cold beer and hot water on tap: Winton has them both.

The Shire Council at the geographic heart of Queensland, Winton, has gotten its electricity supply into a lot of hot water. Literally.

The council on Thursday announced it had stuck a deal with LGIS, the state's Local Government Infrastructure Services body, to draw heat to generate electricity from the Great Artesian Basin via a geothermal energy plant which it says could save it 15 million in energy costs.

The development of the alternative energy power plant sits in stark contrast to dozens of local governments that are at loggerheads with the coal seam gas industry which is keen on extracting the fuel as a lucrative overseas export.

Alternative and renewable energy initiatives by councils used to be primarily about showing environmental values. But in these cash strapped days, most local governments are pursuing projects that put savings straight into their bottom line by paying energy utilities a lot less.

According to Winton's council and LGIS, the new geothermal plant once operational will not only power the council's key buildings, but also has the potential to power all of the small town.

Winton Shire Council Mayor 'Butch' Lenton put the new geothermal plant's payback period at less than seven years. He added the savings garnered will free-up sorely needed extra money for community projects.

Mayor Lenton said a massive drought, economic hardship, and a significant reduction in state and federal government funding for community services and assets had left his town hurting like a lot of Western Queensland.

"When a project comes along that can save our community millions we want to explore it thoroughly,' he said.

The council's chief executive, Tom Upton, who has to manage Winton's limited finances is similarly steamed-up about the project's potential, adding that other communities in the region would be excited by it finally going ahead.

"Geothermal energy is used across the world and here we are in Western Queensland we are sitting on one of the best sources of hot water in the world and not utilising its potential," he said.

But with the fractious politics of water never far away, the council and LGIS (which is designing the geothermal plant) were at pains to stress that it will use water from already running bores to supply heat -- as opposed to so-called 'hot rocks' technology that drills down deep to tap heat by getting closer to the earth's core.

"This technology does not change the geological or chemical composition of water supplies in the region," said LGIS chief executive Jari Ihalainen.

"The Geothermal energy plant to be deployed in Winton will simply use the hot water flowing from existing bores and convert this heat into a sustainable long-term energy source for the town."

"Advancements in geothermal energy generation have opened up the possibility of utilising water temperatures as low as 70 degrees to generate power, which is a great opportunity for those Western Queensland councils located on the Great Artesian Basin,' Mr Ihalainen said.

The council isn't wasting any time plugging its mains into nature's kettle either, with final design specifications due to be completed by the end of May 2015.

Local Government Association of Queensland President Margaret de Wit said geothermal energy could provide "massive savings for communities." photo by:

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