2 article about Alternative Energies

eeyore · Mar 3, 2009

Powerful alternatives on display at NYC convention February 24, 2009 - 3:42pm
Evan Haning, wtop.com
WASHINGTON - Unexpectedly high electric bills are showing up at many homes in the Washington region, but cheaper power is on the way as New York's Greener Gadgets Convention hopes to demonstrate, when it opens Feb. 27.
New prototypes and products on display will include:
SunCat solar batteries recharge by soaking up sunlight. They are wrapped in flexible photovoltaic panels -- solar panels.
Samsung's Blue Earth phone has a full solar panel on its back which can generate enough power to recharge its battery. No more plugging in the cell phone at night. The Power Hog piggybank is an energy-saving teaching tool. This little piggybank plugs in the wall, and kids plug their TV or video game in its nose. It supplies all the power they need -- as long as they keep feeding it their coins.
The RITI Coffee Printer uses the grounds from your Breakfast Blend to make ink for your printer.
Flexible computer screens are very thin, and Hewlitt-Packard says they're indestructible.
Conference organizer Jill Fehrenbacher says heat pumps aren't the only things that run up your electric bill. "Electronics are responsible for 25 percent of home energy use."
Click to expand...

http://wtop.com/?sid=1609488&nid=108

'Wonder gas' from cows cuts farm's fuel consumption
February 25, 2009 - 9:49am
UNDATED - New energy sources are being sought everyday in this country, but there's one, smelly energy source that a California dairy is now taking advantage of.
A California dairy farm has converted a pair of 18-wheelers to run on biomethane produced from cow manure, creating what is believed to be the nation's first cow pie-powered truck.
The dairy will use manure from 10,000 cows to generate 226,000 cubic feet of biomethane daily. That's enough to reduce the diesel fuel consumption on Rob Hilarides' farm by 650 gallons per day.
How in the world do you fill up a tractor-trailer truck with cow-pucky? The manure is flushed into holding tanks where bacteria breaks it down, then methane is pumped out to a refinery that removes the impurities. The methane is then pressurized and ready to pump.
Converting cow manure to biomethane, which some are even calling "wonder gas," cuts greenhouse gases in two ways. Burning biomethane methane produces less pollution. Also, producing biomethane cuts down on the methane released in the atmosphere by the manure itself.
Hilarides received a $600,000 grant from the California Air Resources Board's Alternative Fuel Incentive Program for his biomethane project. He now plans to convert five pick-up trucks to use the same fuel.
Click to expand...

http://wtop.com/?nid=456&sid=1610180

Clyde · Mar 3, 2009

A year's worth of Diesel at $3.00/gallon would cost $684,000ish. IF that is the case, why would the taxpayers foot the $600,000 bill when the guy will be saving as much as it looks like?

ITs called environutsinthehead.

CraftyMofo · Mar 3, 2009

Can't really think of anything that uses exposed batteries....not enough light during the day to charge my cell in the office...guess I'm a tough customer.

Best Bumper Sticker I've seen lately on a 3/4 ton Chevy:
"Drive a hybrid: I need your gas."

Seawolf1090 · Mar 4, 2009

Best stupid answer to the power problem I have seen.....

Solar powered flashlight.

Log in or Sign up

2 article about Alternative Energies

eeyore Monkey+++

Clyde Jet Set Tourer Administrator Founding Member

CraftyMofo Monkey+++

Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

Log in or Sign up

2 article about Alternative Energies

eeyore Monkey+++

Clyde Jet Set Tourer Administrator Founding Member

CraftyMofo Monkey+++

Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

Useful Searches