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• Algae Power From Carbon Emissions in Missouri
  Srikant Rajan 01:17:24 pm on September 18, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: algae power, biofuel, carbon emissions, doe, green energy, Missouri

  Algae power goes practical.  A pair of Missouri universities and electric companies plan to use the carbon dioxide pollution from coal-fired power plants for algae growth that  could be further processed for biofuel.This project plans to employ a relatively small portion of carbon emissions for growth of algae.The science behind the use of algae for biofuel processing has been around for some time .From 1978 to 1996, the U.S. Department of Energy funded a program at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., to develop renewable transportation fuels from algae.However of late there has been a renewed effort into finding eco-friendly ways of cultivating the same , to mitigate environmental damage.

   

• Hybrid Air Conditioners ?
  Srikant Rajan 04:56:50 pm on September 17, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: green energy, greentech, hybrid air conditioner, hybrid cars, ice bear, ice energy, power grid

  Heard about hybrid cars , now how about hybrid air conditioning ? This is the latest in a series of technologies to emerge in the rather bewildering domain of Greentech.Hybrid air conditioning essentially seeks to tap into the power grid late in the night at times of low demand (  oh no not again !!!!   )and put the excess power to some use.The “   Ice Bear   “ a patented concept from Ice Energy is the core of this new system.This device is similar to a three dimensional refrigerator but is around four feet high and four feet across with rows of coil filled with water.The system uses power from the grid during nighttime to freeze the water using a conventional refrigerant.During daytime this ice is used as a cooling medium for conventional air conditioners , thereby reducing the demand for power.

  Hybrid air conditioners are designed to work for about six hours, long enough to cover the peak demand times. One unit can cool down about 2,000 square feet of space using the power required to turn on a couple of high-wattage light bulbs.Ice Energy executive says  “   We’re like a plug-in air conditioner.Once the coils are frozen, they can satisfy a building’s demand for cool air during the day without using a traditional, power-hungry air compressor-based air conditioner.So we reduce the overall cost, we reduce greenhouse emissions and we mitigate the need for extra power plants, so really everybody wins   “