Jun
23
Learning How Biomass Comes Apart
June 23, 2010 | 3 Comments
A team of University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) has developed a powerful new tool that promises to unlock the secrets of biomass degradation. Understanding the chemical activities needed is a critical step in the development of cost-effective cellulose based biofuel creation. Getting out the […]
Jun
22
Its How You Make Things That Makes the Difference
June 22, 2010 | 3 Comments
The Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Graduate School has announced electrode materials made by adding lithium iron phosphate (positive-electrode material, LiFePO4) and tin oxide (negative-electrode material, SnO2), respectively, inside carbon. The new process drastically improves the performance of the materials in lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries by using an ultracentrifugal processing technology to add an […]
Jun
21
They Say The Wind Can Provide Reliable Power
June 21, 2010 | 15 Comments
The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) asserts in a study released last month that the power grid for five western states – Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming – the WestConnect territory – could operate on as much as 30 percent wind and 5 percent solar without the construction of extensive […]
Jun
18
A New Super Yeast to Make Ethanol
June 18, 2010 | 20 Comments
Purdue University researchers have genetically engineered a super yeast using genes from a fungus to re-engineer a yeast’s genetic code. The improved a strain of yeast can produce more biofuel from cellulosic plant material by fermenting all five types of the plant’s sugars. Nancy Ho, a research professor of chemical engineering at Purdue explains, “Natural […]
Jun
17
A Focus Fusion Update About the Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Fusion Effort
June 17, 2010 | 7 Comments
Eric Lerner’s Focus Fusion team let go a little information at Focusfusion.org on the progress. While not a milestone, for those watching with interest the posting is welcome news. The Lawrenceville plan for the current course is made of eight steps: Get the machine to pinch, i.e. achieve a focusing of the input energy – […]