 |
 |
 |
  Start at home ... "Since 1987, Home Power Magazine has dedicated more than 100 issues to home-scale renewable energy and sustainable living solutions, including comprehensive coverage of solar, wind, and microhydro electricity, home energy efficiency, solar hot water systems, space heating and cooling, green building materials, home design and efficient transportation." Hemp in History  Henry Ford demonstrates the strength of his car "grown" from a combo of hemp and other annual crops, and designed to run on hemp fuel, by smashing it with a crowbar. Though it is not well know the idea of hemp fuel has been around since the beginning of the 20th century. Photograph from the collections of the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village |
Home
>
Alternative Fuel Technologies
Restaurant Grease Turned into BioGas
More than 3,000 gallons of restaurant grease, the kind
washed from grills and pans, will be delivered to a plant in Millbrae,
California, each day by grease-hauling companies to be turned into biogas, a
renewable energy to treat the city’s wastewater. Restaurants produce an average of 14 pounds of inedible
grease per capita annually, a total of nearly 4.2 billion pounds each year in
the United States alone. Much of this grease is disposed of in landfills, where
it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as it decomposes, sometimes
directly to the atmosphere.
WSU Alternative Fuel Program The Washington State University Energy Program is interested in biofuels, biopower and bioproducts, which offset petroleum use. They assess sources of plant and animal bio-matter to determine how much is available, how it can be converted to fuel, and at what price. Their alternative fuels experts work closely with the biofuels industry and state and local governments to promote the use and production of biodiesel and ethanol fuels in Washington State. Current activities include supporting the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition, a collaborative effort between public and private agencies and businesses working to promote alternative fuel vehicles and to create a network of alternative fuel facilities. They oversee various alternative fuel efforts including a natural gas powered bus, street sweeper and shuttle van project at the Seattle Tacoma International Airport; a natural gas school bus project at the North Thurston School District; and the deployment of a natural gas powered mobile library van at the City of Seattle. Agriculture's Role in Greenhouse Gas Mitigation - Pew Report
"The impact of human activities on the
atmosphere and the accompanying risks of long-term global climate
change are by now familiar topics to many people. Although most of the
increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations is due to carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels, globally about
one-third of the total human-induced warming effect due to GHGs comes
from agriculture and land-use change. U.S.
agricultural emissions account for approximately 8 percent of total
U.S. GHG emissions when weighted by their relative contribution to
global warming. The agricultural sector has the potential not only to
reduce these emissions but also to significantly reduce net U.S. GHG
emissions from other sectors. The sector’s contribution to achieving
GHG reduction goals will depend on economics as well as available
technology and the biological and physical capacity of soils to
sequester carbon. The level of reductions achieved will, consequently,
strongly depend on the policies adopted. In particular, policies are
needed to provide incentives that make it profitable for farmers to
adopt GHG-mitigation practices and to support needed research.
Willie Nelson Sings the Biofuels
“The main
benefit derived from using Biodiesel comes from the reduction in emissions
generated when using this biodegradable, low toxicity fuel. These emission
benefits are gained all the while you are using a fuel that is made from a
fully renewable energy source, grown right here in the USA.
Ehanol - What Is It?
Ethanol
is a clean-burning, high-octane fuel that
is produced from renewable sources. At its
most basic, ethanol is grain alcohol, produced
from crops such as corn. Because it is domestically
produced, ethanol helps reduce America's
dependence upon foreign sources of energy.
Additional Uses for Ethanol
"Beyond its use as an automotive fuel, ethanol can be produced for
use in beverages and in a variety of industrial applications. Making
fuel ethanol and ethanol for Industrial and beverage purposes are
similar, though separate, processes. Industrial and beverage ethanol is
produced by a certified Distilled Spirits Plant.
Biomass
"Biomass is
the solar energy stored in chemical form in plant and animal materials and is
among the most precious and versatile resources on earth. It provides not only
food but also energy, building materials, paper, fabrics, medicines and chemicals.
Biomass has been used for energy purposes ever since man discovered fire. Today,
biomass fuels can be utilized for tasks ranging from home-heating to fueling a
car and running a computer.
History of Biodiesel/Biofuels
"Over
200 major fleets in the United States now run on biodiesl with entities such
as the United States Post Office, the US Military, metropolitan transit systems,
agricultural concerns, and school districts being major users. The biodiesel
produced today can be used in unmodified diesel engines in almost all temperatures.
It can be used in the individual automobile or larger engines and machines."
Global Warming Solutions
"We
have the technology and ingenuity to reduce the threat of global
warming today. Solutions are already available that will stimulate the
American economy by creating jobs, saving consumers money, and
protecting our national security. By investing in renewable energy and
energy efficiency, and increasing the efficiency of the cars we drive,
we can take essential steps toward reducing our dependence on oil and
other fossil fuels that cause global warming.
|
    Project of the Clean Fuels Development Coalition.  
"Biodiesel fuels can be used in all diesel and compression ignition applications that are in existence today. Its use requires little or no modification to the engines or to the storage and delivery infrastructure. Biodiesel is simple to use. It is non-toxic and biodegradable and can be used neat (pure, 100%), as a blending stock in any percentage, or as an additive. In other words it is an environmentally safe and cost-effective alternative fuel." excerpted from ybiofuels.org
|
Copyright/All Rights Reserved 2006 (whatever) Feel Free to Share.