Jan
19
More Fuel From Less Oil
January 19, 2011 | 3 Comments
The UK’s University of Bradford researchers are proposing a method for increasing the yield of the middle distillates, gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel fuel at the refinery by applying catalytic hydrotreating (HDT) to raw crude oil. Current technology uses HDT on the fuels after they’re drawn from the crude by distillation, the process of heating [...]
Jan
18
Solid Oxide and Molten Carbon Fuel Cells Take Another Step
January 18, 2011 | 4 Comments
The Tekes Fuel Cell Programme at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is testing fuel cell unit modules from Lappeenranta University of Technology and Aalto University in Finland research. VTT has built a system that uses fuel cells to produce grid electricity from natural gas. The Finland effort differs from the Bloom business in the [...]
Jan
17
Cold Fusion From Italy Nearly Commercial Ready
January 17, 2011 | 41 Comments
Friday and Saturday, January 14th and 15th of 2011 seem to be a threshold for energy production. Sergio Focardi and Andrea Rossi at the University of Bologna demonstrated and conducted a news conference about their “cold fusion”, or Low Energy Nuclear Reaction (LENR) or as they suggest it be called, a “catalyst reaction” energy uprating [...]
Jan
14
One Giant Leap For Fusion Power with Focus Fusion
January 14, 2011 | 5 Comments
Eric Lerner and his team at Lawrenceville Plasma Physics (LPP) cleared a significant hurdle in the quest for fusion beyond the breakeven of more power out than consumed using Focus Fusion. Focus Fusion has now come to the billion-degree plasma temperature that yields the confinement of ions with energies in excess of 100 keV, the [...]
Jan
13
Grass Source Bio Fuel Land Mapped Worldwide
January 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment
University of Illinois researchers have identified land around the globe available to produce grass crops for biofuels with minimal impact on agriculture or the environment. Civil and environmental engineering professor Ximing Cai led the team and the results have been published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The study team’s calculation shows using only [...]
Jan
12
A Big Break For Miscanthus Farming
January 12, 2011 | 3 Comments
University of Illinois researchers report that several herbicides used on corn also have good selectivity to the potential biofuel feedstock Giant Miscanthus. That opens the door to much faster cultivation adoption through known farm management practices. Weeds are the nemesis for every crop and being able to control them is a first order management practice. [...]
Jan
11
Please Lord Set My Economy Free
January 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Considering the state of the economy a little divine intervention might be worthwhile. In view of the trends in politics a little divine intervention might be worthwhile, too. Believer or not, a little introspection can’t hurt. A driver or an idea to light off something big for the economy doesn’t seem to be out there [...]
Jan
10
Thoughts With a Beautiful Mind
January 10, 2011 | 8 Comments
Last Friday Gail Tverberg, a wonderful person and “Beautiful Mind” offered a comment on the day’s post. Ms. Tverberg is one of the leaders at the oildrum site, where oddly, the argument continues on the petroleum to ethanol matter. As an actuary and experienced in business and economics Gail offers what might be the world’s [...]
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