Alternative energy: Nuclear power makes a comeback

Darkfrog submitted, created time 1 month 1 week (www.nytimes.com)

Unlike countries such as France, which maintained a strong tradition of nuclear power throughout the latter twentieth century, the United States has not had an uncancelled commission for a nuclear power plant since 1973. The Arab oil embargo of that decade, as well as the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl disasters, changed the economic and political climate in such a way that made nuclear plants less economically and politically viable.

Still there are over one hundred nuclear power plants in the greater U.S. that have remained in operation all these years

2 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: nuclear energy nuclear plants nuclear power power energy politics alternative energy fuel power plants fossil fuels environmentalism

Carbon-free energy? Already in progress, says Nature.

Darkfrog submitted, created time 3 months 2 weeks (www.nature.com)

Here, Nature magazine gives an overview of the several different means of generating electricity without releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Increasing the efficiency of existing fossil fuel systems is also given its due.

Once again, we see why Nature is at the very top of science writing. Take a look at this:

"The fact that hydroelectric systems require no fuel means that they also require no fuel-extracting infrastructure and no fuel transport

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Enzyme structure reveals key ingredients for making hydrogen

The bright side of biofuels isn't so bright

Darkfrog submitted, created time 4 months 3 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

The argument in favor of biofuels--petroleum-replacement fuels made from plants like corn, soybeans and switchgrass--is that while burning oil releases new carbon into the air, burning biofuels would release only the carbon that the plants had absorbed from the air during their growth cycle. The net effect would be zero.

However, if one looks at the big picture, biofuels lose their luster. Not only has the conversion of food farms to fuel farms driven up food prices worldwide, but in the tropics, farmers are cutting down carbon-absorbing forests for corn plantations

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: biofuels fuel oil petroleum economics ecology carbon pollution politics food agriculture

"Flammable ice" could be mined for fuel

sea-maid submitted, created time 6 months 3 weeks (environment.newscientist.com)

Many signs point toward an energy crisis at some point in the future, so this may come as a pleasant surprise: "'Flammable ice' could be mined for fuel." A team of geologists from Canada and Japan has extracted methane much more efficiently, and without hot water, by pumping air out of drill holes in the frozen structures. This reduces the pressure, raising the melting point of the ice so that the methane could be removed.

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One leap for biofuel-based jets

Biofuels on a Big Scale

sumsung submitted, created time 10 months 3 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

On paper, making biofuels from switchgrass and other perennials that need not be replanted seems like a no-brainer. Use the sun's energy to grow the crop, and then convert it to liquid fuels to power our cars without the need for gasoline.

6 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: energy alternative energy fuel biofuels perennials switchgrass

Automated tailgating cuts pollution

bianjie submitted, created time 1 year 4 months (www.eurekalert.org)

An automated way of allowing cars to drive much closer to each other in heavy moving traffic, so-called platooning, could cut congestion, save fuel and cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to research published today in Inderscience's International Journal of the Environment and Pollution.

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Maple pride is now deep-fried

Darkfrog submitted, created time 1 year 7 months (www.nytimes.com)

Maple syrup growers in the Northeast are starting to use vegetable oil instead of regular fuel oil to prepare the maple sap for syrup. The growers may be doing this because their own industry is "heavily vulnerable to climate change" (NYT): since sugar maples take years to grow, they cannot simply move north if the land becomes unsuitable (though there is some question as to whether any crop could do that).
The biggest downside so far, other than the expense of converting the heaters, is the smell. The sweet aroma of the world's finest maple sugar now mixes with that of cheapo French fries

2 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: sugar climate warming global climate chage climate change innovation agriculture alternative fuels fuel energy alternative energy