Your mail could be delivered using green energy. This story from NPR says that the U.S. Postal Service has the largest fleet of alternatively-fueled vehicles in the country… 43,000 strong. And that’s just the beginning of its green efforts: It’s using solar cells to power some buildings. It’s using eco-friendly packaging. It’s so hip, it even has a vice president …
Study: Hydrogen Could Replace All Oil in 50 Years
A new study shows that hydrogen-powered vehicles have the potential to eliminate the use of all petroleum from American transportation in the next 50 years. This story from TradingMarkets.com says the National Research Council study also recommends biofuels should be used in the meantime: In a press call with reporters, the Department of Energy’s Mike Ramage analyzed the findings of …
French Firm to Develop Va Tech Ethanol, Hydrogen Technologies
French firm Biométhodes has inked an exclusive deal with Virginia Tech’s Intellectual Properties Inc. division to option-to-license the school’s processes to convert biomass into ethanol and hydrogen. This story from the school says the processes were invented by Percival Zhang, assistant professor of biological systems engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech: An integrated biorefinery …
Students Build Hydrogen Car, Win Competition
A group of junior high students from Boise, Idaho has won first place in the National Fuel Cell Competition at the 2008 National Middle School Science Bowl in Golden, Colo. This story from KBCI-TV in Boise says it was a good chance for the students to learn… and the sponsoring U.S. Department of Energy to get some new ideas: “Each …
Honda’s Hydrogen Car to Hit American Streets
What debuted as a concept vehicle just three years ago will soon be driving on American roads, running on hydrogen and producing nothing but water for exhaust. This story on CNN says Japanese carmaker Honda announced today the first five people who will receive the new hydrogen-powered vehicle: The FCX Clarity, which runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water …
Investment Banks Bank on Alternative Energy
A growth sector focused investment bank is hosting its annual Alternative Energy Conference today at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York. The Thomas Weisel Partners one-day event will focus on the opportunities and challenges of the Alternative Energy industry for 2008 and the future. The conference will showcase presentations from over 30 established and emerging public and private companies, …
Energy Abundance
This weekend I visited the RIT/NASA AstroZone exhibit in St. Louis. The free exhibit was offered in conjunction with the 212th meeting of the American Astronomical Society and it offered all kinds of fascinating scientific demonstrations: from seeing yourself in infrared to star-gazing in a portable planetarium to being enveloped in Cosmic Collisions while watching a video a portable dome. …
Airplane Builders Looking at Biodiesel, Alt Fuels
Some of the world’s biggest airplane manufacturers are looking at renewable fuels… made from everythig from hydrogen to algae… to fly the friendly skies. This AP article from the Seattle Times says companies at the the famous Berlin, Germany Air Show were showing off some of their alternatively-fueled aircraft: Boeing displayed a one-seater demonstration airplane that can fly on batteries …
Hythane Gains in Popularity
,A new fuel made by mixing natural gas and hydrogen is gaining in popularity. Eden Energy owns the technology to “Hythane” purported to reduce greenhouse gases and particulates that affect air quality. In a company press release, Eden Energy says Hythane® was developed to help make a practical and affordable transition from petroleum-based fuel to hydrogen: “Like Xerox, Hythane has …
President Talks Ethanol in Press Briefing
President Bush talked about the farm bill, higher food and energy costs, expanding domestic oil production, ethanol and other alternative energy sources during a press briefing on Tuesday morning. The president was critical of Congress blocking efforts to explore in ANWR and to expand capacity and build more refineries, as well as a “massive, bloated farm bill that would do …