Energy Links ++

One of the more interesting themes in the age of higher oil prices, is the move to turn garbage into energy. The latest effort to do this is a partnership between startup Coskata and General Motors. Coskata aims to produce ethanol from garbage, waste, and old tires.

The new US Geothermal Inc. Idaho geothermal power plant utilises a binary cycle technology.

The Raft River project employs binary cycle technology, in which the geothermal fluid is pumped through a heat exchanger to vaporize isopentane, an organic compound that vaporizes at lower temperatures than water. The isopentane vapor drives a turbine, which spins a generator to produce power. The vapor that exhausts from the turbine is then condensed and returned to the geothermal heat exchanger, forming a closed loop....A new report from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) claims that binary cycle technology revolutionized the geothermal power industry by allowing power production from medium-temperature geothermal resources.

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GM announced the 2009 Saturn "pluggable hybrid" with "two-mode" transmission. The design incorporates regenerative braking, and the ability to combine electric drive with gasoline engine drive for extra power. With a 3.6 liter V6, it should leave other hybrids in the dust.

This ultracapacitor hybrid may turn out to be an example of wishful thinking (150 mpg), but it is clear that the only way to replace internal combustion engines with electric power at this time, is to use batteries + ultracapacitors, with the possible addition of fuel cells.

What is the sound of a banana farting? Vrrroooom! Methane from banana peels and stems may be just the ticket for the methane moon rocket.
With the possibility of a little ice age appearing on the near horizon, it may be time to learn to live with ice--a lot of ice. You may want to schedule your next vacation in one of the ice hotels above.

But just because we will be living in ice is no reason to accept ice crystals in our ice cream. This edible antifreeze may be what we need to keep our frozen desserts nice and creamy.