Burned Garbage Could Become Hydrogen Fuel

John Davis

Researchers at a Swedish university might have come up with a way to turn ash from burned garbage into hydrogen. Lund University reports a scientist there has a thesis that says the process could produce 20 billion litres of hydrogen gas a year, enough to power 11,000 homes. “The ash can be used as a resource through recovery of hydrogen …

Hydrogen

Cal Energy Comm. Gives $5.5 Mil for Green Projects

John Davis

Several projects ranging from biodiesel to electric vehicles to propane will be the benefactors of $5.5 million in California Energy Commission awards from the Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program: “These investments are moving the state forward toward a clean transportation sector,” said Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller. “Today’s awards will help to expand renewable biofuels, …

Biodiesel, Electric Vehicles, Propane

American University Switching to More Biodiesel

John Davis

Well, we might not like a lot of things coming out of the nation’s capital, but this one’s pretty good. American University in Washington, D.C. is switching to a 20 percent biodiesel blend for its campus shuttles. This article in Biodiesel Magazine says they’ll highlight the change during an April 2 event with the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition …

Biodiesel, USB

Algae.Tec Using Shipping Containers to Grow Algae

John Davis

When it comes to alternatives to some of the more conventional sources of oils for biofuels, many companies are looking to go green. And some, such as the folks at Algae.Tec, are looking to green shipping containers to grow a literal green feedstock. “What we wanted was a significant bulk outcome, in other words fuels and possibly food, producing the …

algae, Audio, biofuels

Fracking Subject of Next Farm Foundation Forum

John Davis

Getting natural gas out of the ground, especially by using hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking,” has been a hot topic lately, especially in agricultural areas. Our friends at the Farm Foundation will sponsor a free forum to talk about the issue from 9-11 am EDT, Wednesday, April 3, at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. Issues and policies related …

Farm Foundation, Natural Gas

OriginOil Claims Solution for Fracking Water Problem

John Davis

The folks at OriginOil say they have the solution for the problem of what to do with all of the wastewater leftover from hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking,” the process used to free petroleum and other non-renewable fuels from the ground. Riggs Eckelberry is the CEO of OriginOil, a company dedicated to extracting oil from algae for a variety …

algae, Biodiesel

Wind Tax Credits Helpful But Require a Little Help

John Davis

Credits for wind energy production and investment were approved as part of the deal to avoid the fiscal cliff at the beginning of this year. But deciding which credit is right for your operation and investment takes some good professional advice. Leah Karlov is a lawyer at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, a firm that specializes in the domestic sector, …

Audio, Wind

Alltech Gears Up for Algae Symposium

John Davis

Animal health company Alltech will hold a symposium on algae with hopes of expanding the pond scum’s potential beyond biofuels and into sustainable food production. The 29th Annual Alltech International Symposium is to be held in Lexington, Ky., May 19th-22nd: “We will focus on algae as part of the foundation of the food chain by identifying the importance of DHA …

algae, biofuels

California Solar Projects Get Feds’ Go Ahead

John Davis

Earlier, I told you how a Nevada wind energy project got the green light to proceed from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Add two more renewable energy projects in California, this time solar and both in the state’s Riverside East Solar Energy Zone, also to be put on Bureau of Land Management property: The McCoy Solar Energy Project, located …

Government, Solar

Feds Give Nevada Wind Project the Green Light

John Davis

A project to build wind turbines to be built on federal lands got the government’s approval to move ahead. KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reports Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-NV) office announced the Department of the Interior has a approved the 200-Megawatt wind project in Searchlight, Nevada, just the second utility-scale wind energy project to be allowed in the state: The permanent …

Government, Wind