Archive for November, 2008

3 Future Resources for Biodiesel

Sunday, November 30th, 2008
drohilm asked:


Biodiesel – the fuel of the future is still not a practicable fuel like other resources. The reason for that is that we still unable to produce enough vegetable oil to produce the amount of fuel required. As you already read some article about biodiesel (and if you didn?’t – start now biodiesel) you probably knows that already.

Bio diesel and biofuels in general, don’t only raise concerns about the production capacity but also originated fear about the possibility that we will found ourselves with a nutrition shortage, if we will use our crops for fuel instead of food.

Here I present 3 future alternatives for biodiesel source:

Algae – one of the most promising sources for renewable energy is unicellular algae. algae is a primitive photosynthetic creature that can efficiently convert carbon dioxide to sugars and fats, Since it is easy to grow and harvest it, and its growth rate is very high, It promises a great foundation for developing a biodiesel factory that can produce an enormous amount of biofuel with low cost, and without jeopardising our food supply.

Another promising source of renewable energy is agriculture waste! a vast amount of organic waste is being produced all the time. We use to throw this waste away since we are unable to reuse it, because it is mostly made of cellulose which is hard to break with normal means. But there are bacteria which are able to digest and bread cellulose easily. Most of these bacteria live in symbiosis with cellulose eating animals like cows or termites. Scientists are now works on a way to use these germs to digest agriculture waste and use it for biofuel production.

Third, the future of biofuels might be held in the hands of genetic engineers. The major advances in the fields of genetic manipulation of plants, promises the ability to manipulate plants and bacteria in the future to produce much more oil, in a more efficient way, to solve the insufficient production of the present.

If you are a green energy enthusiast like me, you’ll soon find out that biofuels are probably will be the renewable resource of the near future, and some of the ideas proposed here might make it happen soon.



These are the Main Functions of the National Biodiesel Board

Sunday, November 30th, 2008
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


The National Biodiesel board, or the NBB as it is widely known, is the trade association that represents the Biodiesel industry as the body that coordinates the research and development of the industry in the US. During the early 1990s, the state commodity groups were giving the financial support to the research and development series for the biodiesel development. The NBB was then founded during the year 1992 by the same group and has since then grown up as a wide-ranging industry association. It main functions are the bringing together and communicating with the vast range of cooperators that include business, administration and academic world.

The members of this board are the technology providers, fuel marketers and distributors, biodiesel suppliers, the state, national, and international feedstock and feedstock processor organizations. While starting the association, the board of members had recommended a mission of the association. The mission states that the primary objective of the board is the progress the significance of members by making a substantial growth in the biodiesel industry. The expansion of industry can be achieved through excellent guarantee agenda, proper technicalities, extensive communication and public affairs. The board has dedicated itself to comprehensiveness and reliability.

The board has devised an agenda that makes sure that by 2015, the biodiesel industry will be known as one of the most important aspects of the energy policy of the nation that depends upon the renewable fuels which are clean and harmless to use. The market for the biodiesel by then will be stabilized with the help of the positive marketing. The board, with the help of efficient advisors has also projected that, by the year 2015, around 6% of the demand of diesel will be substituted by the biodiesel or the large number of blends of the biodiesel.

Around the year 1993 and 1994, the NBB or the National Biodiesel Board formed a subdivision known as the National Biodiesel Foundation or the NBF. Its primary task was to carry out numerous activities in fields of literature, science and education. It also consisted of the research and development of the uses of fuels and other goods that are obtained from the soybeans. The basic goal of the foundation is to acquire funds from outside the biodiesel industry and to enhance the funding of the development plants of the biodiesel.

The NBB has been up-to the mark till date as can be seen by the website of the board. The website, on its homepage provides us with the information of biodiesel as well as the current news that is associated with the biodiesel industry. The most important aspect of the website is that, it has provided direct links to the most frequently requested information about the industry as well as the fuel. This helps the new enthusiasts who want to join the industry.

The website also provides us with a direct search link on the top of the website so that you may search any information that you want. The website also provides you with direct links with the market segments and the site index which facilitates you to choose which ever topic you want. There is also a ‘members only’ area on the homepage.



How come Obama does not support Nuclear Energy, but supports using food for fuel, corn?

Friday, November 28th, 2008
No Pinheads asked:


Can a liberal answer this simple question, exactly what is Obama’s plan to get off foreign oil? Don’t embarrass yourself with an answer like “green jobs or alternative fuel”, define his plan in detail.

Is it about time that we end “renewable” energy subsidies?

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008
BB asked:


We taxpayers have dumped $Billions into wind, solar…etc. and have gotten no return. Shouldn’t we allow the Free Market determine what forms of energy we use?

From the Wall Street Journal:

“Congress seems ready to spend billions on a new “Manhattan Project” for green energy, or at least the political class really, really likes talking about one. But maybe we should look at what our energy subsidy dollars are buying now.

Some clarity comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), an independent federal agency that tried to quantify government spending on energy production in 2007. The agency reports that the total taxpayer bill was $16.6 billion in direct subsidies, tax breaks, loan guarantees and the like. That’s double in real dollars from eight years earlier, as you’d expect given all the money Congress is throwing at “renewables.” Even more subsidies are set to pass this year.

An even better way to tell the story is by how much taxpayer money is dispensed per unit of energy, so the costs are standardized.

For electricity generation, the EIA concludes that solar energy is subsidized to the tune of $24.34 per megawatt hour, wind $23.37 and “clean coal” $29.81. By contrast, normal coal receives 44 cents, natural gas a mere quarter, hydroelectric about 67 cents and nuclear power $1.59.

The wind and solar lobbies are currently moaning that they don’t get their fair share of the subsidy pie. They also argue that subsidies per unit of energy are always higher at an early stage of development, before innovation makes large-scale production possible. But wind and solar have been on the subsidy take for years, and they still account for less than 1% of total net electricity generation. Would it make any difference if the federal subsidy for wind were $50 per megawatt hour, or even $100? Almost certainly not without a technological breakthrough.

By contrast, nuclear power provides 20% of U.S. base electricity production, yet it is subsidized about 15 times less than wind. We prefer an energy policy that lets markets determine which energy source dominates. But if you believe in subsidies, then nuclear power gets a lot more power for the buck than other “alternatives.”

The same study also looked at federal subsidies for non-electrical energy production, such as for fuel. It found that ethanol and biofuels receive $5.72 per British thermal unit of energy produced. That compares to $2.82 for solar and $1.35 for refined coal, but only three cents per BTU for natural gas and other petroleum liquids.
All of this shows that there is a reason fossil fuels continue to dominate American energy production: They are extremely cost-effective. That’s a reality to keep in mind the next time you hear a politician talk about creating millions of “green jobs.” Those jobs won’t come cheap, and you’ll be paying for them.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121055427930584069.html?mod=opinion_main_review_

After School that gives enough energy and tastes good Snack-AT SCHOOL before sports?

Monday, November 24th, 2008
Field Hockey Girl asked:


Well I’m starting high school next week, and I have my field hockey practice every day after school for the next two months. The school does have a study program in between the sport and class, so I can stay after school and then go to my practice after, instead of having to go home and then come be driven back to the school. Well anyway, my problem is what snack would give me enough energy and taste really good at the same time w/e any use of a a microwave or fridge or what, that I could eat during that study time. I really hope someone can help me, and just a memo about the snack, I’m a really picky eater, and despise the taste of green vegis, and not much of a meat eater (tho some). So can someone please help me out by giving suggestions for a snack other than a sandwich and stuff? Thanks a lot.

How can I use Solar Power in my home?

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
Josh C asked:


I am wanting to power just a couple household items with a small solar panel. What will I need? I know I need a solar panel, and some kind of AC-DC converter, and a battery perhaps? How would I wire it up?

I do NOT want to spend a fortune doing this, I am only in an apartment, so it needs to be small and self-contained.

Thanks!

how to solar power for my house and where to get eqipments in India?

Sunday, November 16th, 2008
Thiru asked:


Hi,
I already have a battery powering by house in case of power outage. I want to connect that battery to solar power so that i can reduce the consuming of electricity and save environment. Where to get equipments and how much will it cost for me? I am from Salem, Tamil Nadu, India.

Ordering forms of electromagnetic energy from the shortest wavelength to the longest?

Sunday, November 16th, 2008
emily beth asked:


a- green light
b- radio waves
c- x-wrays
d- red light
e- ultraviolet light
f- infared
g- microwaves
h- blue light
i- gamma wrays

I know that gamma wrays are the strongest, right?

Im now a registered Dem–but was in the past, a Green-but do you think the Greens would welcome me now?

Sunday, November 16th, 2008
Markus K asked:


I support -more drilling for fuel, more nuke plants for energy, more research for electric and solar power and dont agree that we can adjust our lives to how Europeans live (Im sorry- but our infrastructure has been built around autos–Europes’ hasnt) I also think ethanol is a dumb idea—so I guess with that–they would consider me an evil right-winger??

How to Go About Biodiesel Production

Saturday, November 15th, 2008
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Biodiesel production is a process of synthesizing biodiesel, it is a liquid fuel source highly compatible with petroleum based diesel fuel. Synthesis is method which is used by manufacturer, in which reaction of a glyceride containing plant with short chain alcohol like methanol or ethanol in a step called as transesterification.

The reaction which occur during this process is below,

Animal and plant fats and oil are made up of triglycerides. There are esters of free fatty acids with tryholic alcohol, glycerol. Here the alcohol is deprotonated with a base to make it stronger nucleophile. Generally in esterfication ethanol or methanol is used. From reaction one can easily find out there us no other input than the triglyceride and alcohol.

This reaction occurs very slowly or may not occur. Acid or base are used to make the reaction more quickly, also can used heat. It is very much important to not that acid or base should not be consumed by esterification reaction. Base catalyzed technique is used for most economical process which requires low temperatures and pressures. It produces more than 98% conversions yield.

Processing Steps

Purification:

If you are using waste vegetable oil, it should be filtered and remove dirt, charred food and other non oil material often food.

Water used to be removed from process because its presence causes the triglycerides to hydorlyze which gives to salts of the fatty acids. It is accomplished by heating the filtered oil approximately 120C. At this temperature any suspended water get boil off. When water gets boils, it used to spitters, so to prevent injury to container, there should be sufficiently large container, they should be closed but not sealed. In laboratory to remove water, they used drying agent like magnesium sulfate.

Neutralization of Fatty acids:

Titration of cleaned oil with standard solution of base which used to make for determines the concentration of free fatty acids (RCOOH) which is present in waste vegetable oil. Base quantity is measure which is required to neutralize the acid.

Transesterfication:

The measured quantity of base used to added slowly to the alcohol. It is then stirred until till it get dissolves. Three full equal size triglyceride are made by adding sufficient alcohol. Excess alcohol is added to complete the reaction.

The solution of sodium hydroxide is being added to a warm solution of waste oil, then the mixture is heated to process transesterification.

Workup:

After completion of reaction glycerol get sink. Emulsion used to occur when ethanol being used. It is being broken by standing, centrifugation, also by addition of low boiling, decanting, distilling. Then the top layer mixture of biodiesel and alcohol is decanted, where the excess of alcohol is distilled off or it is used to extracted through water. Biodiesel should be dried by distillation. It can also be done with the help of drying agent.

Benefits of Process

It is continuous process

It’s FAME=98.59 before washing process

It’s FAME=99.85 after washing process

It reduces space requirement

It is very low in process inventory

It require minimum manpower

Oils and fats can be produced

Reactors from 1GPM up to 500GPM are available

This process is successful for even poor quality of crude oil.