Nov
23
Something of Far More Concern Than an Oil Shortage
November 23, 2010 | 1 Comment
Most folks think an oil embargo or a running out of supply would be a disaster, some even realize oil could drive nations to war. But there is a much more frightening prospect – a shortage of phosphorus – that if suddenly short would dramatically cut food production. Phosphorus is an element needed by both […]
Nov
22
Faster Biofuel Plant Growth
November 22, 2010 | 7 Comments
In the real wild world plants have to make tradeoffs such as growth and reproduction for example. In cultivation and agriculture plant choices are manipulated for harvesting the desired product such as seed, leaves or stalks. At the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) manipulating a single gene may give perennial grasses more […]
Nov
19
More American Oil
November 19, 2010 | 2 Comments
The rapidly getting famous Bakken Shale of the Williston Basin that stretches across a large portion of central North America is what most people consider as the latest great American oil field. But the Bakken is just one of the reservoir formations in the Williston. There are more. The Williston Basin is a vastly prolific […]
Nov
18
A New Electric Motor Design
November 18, 2010 | 19 Comments
Al Fin found a new motor design that was talked up at Greentechmedia. The excitement is due to the new design not needing rare earth magnets for high efficiency. NovaTorque released its first products; two and three horsepower 1800 RPM motors, at the end of October. The company, which has received funds from NEA, has […]
Nov
17
Warning – Oil Will Run Out Before Replacements Are Ready
November 17, 2010 | 6 Comments
So says UC Davis Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Debbie Niemeier in a forecast that published on Nov. 8 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Sound nuts? Wait a moment . . . Niemeier is working from the theory that long-term investors are good predictors of whether and when new energy technologies will […]