Hydrogen fuel cell power plant in seoul

The initiative will see Seoul being able to supplement its energy demands and provide for emergency power supply in the event of a crisis. Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity by an electrochemical reaction. The resulting power supply is smooth and the process sees no harmful carbon emissions and noise. Till date, hydrogen fuel cells have been used for transportation, residential use and power generation.

To get the ball rolling, the Seoul government has announced that it will work to attract investors from electricity firms as well as private companies. The funding will be used to construct 102 fuel cells in buildings in the next two years as well. If all goes according to plan, the city will see the fuel cells produce about 230MW of power by 2014 which will cater to the energy needs of 400,000 households.

The hydrogen power plants will be scattered across the city to counter any future blackouts and power cuts the city may face in future in water supply systems and subways.

South Korea is increasingly looking towards fuel cells and other renewables to make its mark in the world of green energy. Back in 2011, Daegu City became home to what is pegged to be the planet’s largest fuel cell park. The 11.2-MW facility provides electricity to a utility in Daegu while the heat generated as a byproduct is utilized by a wastewater treatment plant.

Via: Yonhapnews

Oxygen-separation membranes

MIT researchers are in the process of testing a system that eliminates nitrogen from combustion and removes other byproducts like water to deliver a stream of pure carbon dioxide. The experiment is being conducted in a ceramic membrane that separates oxygen from air. Oxyfuel combustion, which involves burning fuel in pure oxygen, can deliver pure CO2. The oxygen-separating membrane is being tested in a small reactor. The researchers are also establishing parameters to test their findings under extreme conditions found inside conventional powerplants.

The researchers will present their study in the upcoming International Symposium on Combustion while the results will be featured in Journal of Membrane Sciences. According to team member Ahmed Ghoniem, the ceramic membrane technology could be a cheap way to sequester CO2 in powerplants.

Current methods to produce pure oxygen are expensive and consume large amounts of energy. With the ceramic membrane technology, the process can be made more affordable and simpler. It’s hoped that the new findings can be applied to new and existing powerplants in the near future. The team of researchers is now working to test the system at various temperatures, fuel conditions and pressures.

Via: Phys

SolarPrint Dye Sensitised Solar Cell Technology

Association of Solar Print with companies like ADI and GSS (Analog Devices Incorporated and Gas Sensing Solutions Limited) has led to the development of the wireless sensor. Innovative minds of Solar Print have shared its Dye Sensitized Solar cell (DSSC) technology. Simultaneously, Gas Sensing Solutions has provided its low-power CO2 sensors which are based on COZIR technology. Analog Devices Incorporated complimented their efforts by contributing the long-range, effectual and wireless networking technology.

This technology compliments the ability to scale more megalomaniac wireless solutions as compared to other solutions. DSSC delivers substantial cost savings by reducing the need for wired networks along with reduced battery related replacement needs when integrated for harvesting energy into wireless sensors in buildings. SolarPrint’s innovative technology gives a platform to tune solar cells in a way that increases and maximizes their performance under interior lighting capacities. It can provide 40% additional power even under such lighting conditions. This sensor comes along with maintenance free and cost effective wireless networks. These networks possess qualities like increased reliability which gives superior flexibility in consuming the sensors. This next generation technology provides integrated customer solutions to meet the needs of wireless sensor applications.

Via: Azocleantech

Mid-Atlantic Solar

Along with the expansion of government tax breaks and extension of incentives, the factors that encourage the use of solar power include, better financing options and lower technology cost. One such option that is being offered to consumers is that homeowners can have solar panels installed for no cost. But, this will be applicable if they agree to lease the system and purchase the same power that they generate.

Although a progressive step forward, the production of 1 gigawatt remains trivial when compared with the production of 186 gigawatt capacity that the grid system of the region has. This power serves thirteen states of the Mid Atlantic, including Washington D.C. Both Virginia and D.C. are currently dependent on oil burning for electricity production, and this is one of the major pollutants that taint the quality of air. Clean Air Task Force, an NGO discovered that 13,000 people died in this region due to pollution from coal fired power plants.

The above account definitely calls for steps that would encourage shifting toward solar power. It will benefit the environment, the health of the people and also safer for the wildlife of the region.

Via: Cleantechnica

East coast wind grid gets a go ahead

The main objective of this research would be to take all collectively all the wind farms off the East Coast and convert them into one colossal generating system that will be given the region’s existing wind prototype and it will ensure, producing a minimum amount of power always for that particular region. The motive that prevails behind this project is very straightforward; a local source of wind power is dependent always on the weather conditions prevailing in the region. The East Coast is rarely calm, and this is the reason why the storms tend to form towards the south and take a more or less northeasterly track along the coast. If the weather remains tranquil, the chances of rousing up things in the vicinity will be good. In the wake of this, the researchers thought of spreading wind generators up and down the coast, which would always be producing power.

According to the conventional setup, the grids in only some areas will be receiving wind power, while the rest will again be striving for some pother source of power generation. But this project, which was proposed in the last few years, planned of connecting them all together, through a single conduction system, and supplying that into a restricted number of areas. This is how those particular regions will be getting intermittent power that will never drop below minimum. The East coast is also looking forward to an offshore wind construction area, though this dream is far from reality but it has already attracted a large number of enthusiastic investors.

Via:Arstechnica

eHighway electric lines to power hybrid trucks in LA

Picture Gallery

eHighway electric lines

eHighway electric lines to power hybrid trucks in LA

The eHighway system was unveiled at this year’s Electric Vehicle Symposium. The technology relies on a network of overhead electric lines that allow trucks to switch seamlessly from diesel to electric-mode. When the vehicles are disconnected from the wires, they switch to their diesel engines. When they brake, kinetic energy is generated which can be fed back to the grid for use by other hybrid trucks.

The Siemens-designed system will be installed in at least one lane of a highway. As the special hybrid trucks pass under the lines, they can either be automatically or manually connected to the overhead wires. The pantograph used has been custom-designed by the corporation itself and will monitor connections between the trucks and wires with precision. Even when the trucks make horizontal shifts, they will remain connected to the wires till they’re disconnected manually or automatically by the drivers.

Heavy vehicles remain a bone of contention with environmentalists for their smoke spewing ways. With the burgeoning population and increasing consumer demands, it’s believed that road traffic may double by the year 2050. Siemens’s eHighway system seeks to temper the problem of pollution on short routes, for instance, in cities, between ports, mines and cargo centers. The company is also looking to partner with manufacturers of heavy vehicles in order to integrate its pantographs, onboard software and engine systems with new and existing trucks.

Via: Designboom

Photo-Realistic Living Grass Images by Ackroyd and Harvey

Picture Gallery

Photo-Realistic Living Grass Images by Ackroyd and Harvey

Photo-Realistic Living Grass Images by Ackroyd and Harvey

The duo use photosynthesis to project photographic images on blades of growing grass by exposing them to a 400-watt projector bulb. The light passes through a negative for certain periods of time to create dark tones and light shadows. For instance, the varying density of the negative’s light and dark areas produce a range of midtones when light levels in certain areas are controlled. More light produces darker tones while less light generates lighter or yellow tones. In a few weeks, the portraits in all their glory began to emerge. There is a downside, however; since the medium used is living grass, they tend to fade away like old photographs.

The two artists began collaborating back in 1990 after noticing pale outlines created by a ladder that was left on a lawn. Seven years later, they started working with the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research who had developed a type of grass that could retain its green hue even under stress. Of course, if the grass is exposed to oxidative bleaching and other processes, it does lose its color, but that was a small price to pay for creating literally living pieces of artworks.

Harvey and Ackroyd have also worked on installing metal rings around the crown of semi-mature trees, detailing the history of each site of the 2012 London Olympics which can be viewed once the event gets underway.

Via: Odditycentral

Fuel Cells are the Real Thing for Coca-Cola

Corporations like Coca Cola are engaged in work that requires large amounts of energy sources in order to meet consumer demands. Reliance on fossil fuels can be heavy and this isn’t conducive in the modern world where lack of energy sources figures on the top of the list of priorities in countries all across the globe. According to the company, the fuel cells adhere to strict emission standards in the US.

The phosphoric cells are PureCell System Model 400 that produce around 400kW of power per cell. It’s believed that they will be able to eventually supply 100 percent of the power and 50 percent of the heating requirements of the East Hartford bottling plant.

Bryan Misenheimer is Coca Cola’s plant manager who stated that they’re satisfied with the performance of the fuel cells and will fine tune the system to achieve the heating target. Fuel cells, while providing power, also release heat that can be utilized alongside energy.

Coca Cola has installed UTC Power cells at its other plant in Elmsford, New York, while its beverage production plant in American Canyon, California, uses five Bloom Energy Server fuel cells. The company has also sent two fleets of hydrogen-driven fuel cell forklift trucks to its distribution centers in San Leandro, California, and Charlotte, North Carolina, which utilize Plug Power’s GenDrive system.

Via: Fuelcelltoday

Largest Wind Farm in India

The state of Rajasthan is lush with blowing winds and thus it was a logical step to set up wind turbines to harness this idle energy present aplenty in the state. The development work on the project started in August 2011 and comprised the entire portfolio of Suzlon’s wind harnessing equipment and technology. From their earliest 350kW model to their latest S9X-2.1 MW series, they brought it all to Jaisalmar. The first S9X wind turbine was commissioned at Tujeva in Jaisalmer.

The wind park is a cluster of wind farm sites within Jaisalmer. These sites include places like Amarsagar, Badabaug, Tejuva, Soda Moda and many others. Comapnies like Mytrah Energy, Hindustan Zinc limited, Rajasthan States Mines and Mineral limited are among the ones that have stationed their projects within this wind park.

Rajasthan the desert state of the country might be considered non productive and barren , when it comes to food production, but its emergence as the hub for India’s renewable energy production is rapidly grabbing attention of the national as well as the international communities, who consider it as a potential site of strategic importance.

Via: Cleantechnica

Massachusetts proposes turning food waste into electricity

The ban will cover such establishments as hotels, restaurants, companies and hospitals. It’s estimated that Massachusetts produces about 1.4 million tons of waste food every year. That’s a massive number which is usually left unutilized. With the ban, not only will thousands of pounds of food be used to generate electricity, but it will help reduce garbage at the landfills.

Modern food waste recycling systems use bacteria to break down food and produce hydrogen or methane gases which are then used to produce electricity. The Massachusetts initiative is currently in the legislative process and officials are hopeful that the ban will slowly extend to residential homes in the future. It’s expected that the proposal will be enacted in the next five years.

According to the UN, the world’s wealthiest nations waste about 222 million tons of food each year. Not only do they clog up landfills but they release potentially dangerous gases into the atmosphere. If the gases can be harnessed instead of being allowed to make their way into the air, then not only would it benefit the environment but serve as an important source of energy as well.

Via: Hydrogenfuelnews