Year End Raves: New Sources of Energy
Big Oil will have less influence on US energy policy in the coming years. That’s good news for consumers and entrepreneurs.
Weeds
Algae thrives when fed carbon dioxide, a leading contributor to global warming. Harvesting algae for energy therefore reduces our dependence on fossil fuels while eliminating dangerous greenhouse gases.
The US Department of Energy has studied the use of algae as fuel for decades, but their research concentrated on naturally grown organisms. A team of researchers from the University of Virginia believe that supplying algae with extra carbon dioxide and organic waste could boost its oil yield to as much as 40 percent by weight.
Kudzu was introduced to the southern United States in the 1870s. The roots of this invasive plant are rich in the carbohydrates needed for ethanol production. Like switchgrass, no one grows kudzu for food, and neither plant needs to be reseeded every year. That makes these plants superior for ethanol production; especially as existing ethanol plants are converted to use new sources of carbohydrates.
Waste
Thousands of farm animals living together in a confined space produce a lot of raw sewage, which often ends up in open lagoons that contaminate the air and water. Some farm owners are now working with public utilities to install digesters, which convert organic waste into electricity.
Waves
Off the coast of Portugal, a Scottish company has installed electricity generating devices that resemble giant sea serpents. The devices capture the energy from waves that rock individual segments of the mechanical snakes back and forth. On the other side of the pond, a New Jersey company is capturing wave energy from the bobbing of a 90 foot buoy tied to the ocean floor.
The future of energy is all around us.
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