Sep

30

A Fast Way Out of Using Gasoline

September 30, 2008 | 7 Comments

Here we often discuss hydrogen connected to carbon in forms from methane and methanol up to propane and butanol as ways to substitute using gasoline. All of the fuels from single carbon atom methane and up that can be sourced from anything other than oil imports are good ideas. The issue then becomes a steady [...]

Sep

29

The Nuclear Success That Wasn’t Is Alive and Well

September 29, 2008 | 4 Comments

Its been 19 years since the Fleischmann-Pons Effect (FPE) burst out in a flurry of too much information that was poorly understood, explained and tested. That and the media storm and behaviors that people sometimes use under pressure led to the mainstream throwing out the science with the bad feelings. But, the spark triggered the [...]

Sep

26

Improving the Nuclear Waste Outlook

September 26, 2008 | 11 Comments

One (the) big worry in nuclear power from fission processes is the creation of very heavy atoms, those more heavy than the uranium used for fuel – such as curium and actinium. The group is called “actinides,” the heavy elements that can take millions of years to get through half-lives to less radioactive states. The [...]

Sep

25

A Major Hydrogen Production Milestone

September 25, 2008 | 3 Comments

Whether one is dreaming of a hydrogen economy or looking for hydrogen to support carbon fuel production and carbon recycling the news out of the Idaho National Laboratory is the good stuff. Reversing the technology of a hydrogen fuel cell where the hydrogen and oxygen combine to make electricity the INL group uses the electricity [...]

Sep

24

The New Gasoline

September 24, 2008 | 8 Comments

Competition might be a problem: This is the same fuel we’re currently using, just from a different source. It’s not something that burns like it—it is it. —James Dumesic The breakthrough is a process developed by both Dumesic at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Randy Cortright of Virent Energy Systems, called aqueous phase [...]

Sep

23

Reality Check – Congress’ No Drill Bill

September 23, 2008 | 1 Comment

The House of Representatives has their “Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act” out to the Senate and it can’t be more inaccurately named. I suppose when you make law running a fraud isn’t possible. But the press and media have dutifully followed along as if the bill will be good for people. It’s [...]

Sep

22

Checking Up On Solar Panels

September 22, 2008 | 3 Comments

Plug in hybrids and an ever-increasing growth in electrical appliances plus the worldwide growth of increased incomes is pushing electrical demand just faster than supply can answer. Solar photovoltaic offers a high capital cost but low operating cost answers. But capital costs are projected to come down with more supply of silicon and the thin [...]

Sep

19

Carbon In Nano Form Becomes Graphene For Ultracapacitors

September 19, 2008 | 5 Comments

Carbon laid out in a one-atom thick layer making a structure called “graphene” is being lab tested as an ultracapacitor by mechanical engineering professor Rod Ruoff at the University of Texas at Austin. Ruoff says, “Through such a device, electrical charge can be rapidly stored on the graphene sheets, and released from them as well [...]

keep looking »