Fuel Alternatives and Energy Sources

Fuel Alternatives, the 20th century has built itself mostly around energy produced from nonrenewable sources with harmful emissions, presently much of the world uses oil/gas and nuclear power, and (a renewable source) hydroelectric for power production. In the 1970s, the price of fossil fuels, rose considerably inspiring governments to seek more oil, this solved the problem temporarily now in 21st Century, with the cost of fossil fuels rising higher still, it has sent many of the larger oil companies scurrying to the oil sands project in Alberta. Where there is a plentiful yet hard to get to supply of energy in the form of Bitumen, however with the high carbon emissions from this project. It is hardly a viable option environmentally, with the the high cost of oil and our realization that its carbon emissions cause global warming, this drives consumers and inventors towards renewable energy resources, many areas are being investigated. Fuel Alternative solutions include

* Hydrogen
* Wind
* Garbage
* Geothermal
* Solar
* Tidal

Hydrogen water power is mostly being considered in vehicles, contrary to earlier research it is possible to harness the power of water in various ways, one being separating hydrogen and oxygen atoms and putting them back together to produce energy, this has already been put in action and used in successfully in engines. The Oceans power is being harnessed, by various companies investigating different methods of doing so, some by using turbines that look like large propellers, others have survivable aquabouys floating on the surface, using the up and down wave motion of the to drive turbines and generate power is then sent to a central grid. In tropical areas near the equator the surface of the ocean's water becomes heated, an innovative group of engineers have designed a method of harnessing this heat energy into power using a generator on a floating platform and some very large pipes, to make electricity when the water cools its sent back to the ocean to heat up again, always being recycled. Geothermal heat, is that which dwells deep beneath the earth's service for this method of energy conversion, deep holes are drilled in five or 6000 feet into the earth where it connects with thermally heated water, natural pressure brings his water through the pipe to the station that converts it into power, then sends the water back, to be reheated.

Solar power is one we are all familiar with, having been around for many years, its application is becoming more prevalent as the photovoltaic panels are more efficient. These days wind power from giant wind turbine farms goes to producing electricity, rather and powering a mechanical grinding mill, its then sent to a central collecting station, now there are personal wind turbines around perfect for places where bylaws allow. Wind turbines have been in place, especially in Europe for at the least 25 years.

Another method of energy conversion has been devised, collecting methane from deteriorating garbage, that can be turned into energy, then it can be used in all kinds of applications. With all these energy-saving, energy collecting devices, and reusable resources, the future can be less reliant upon fossil fuels. Energy efficient homes will become a normal necessity as populations increase demand for energy increases, with the demand for food, It is foreseeable that one day, each home can provide its own power, be fuel and water efficient, running with very low carbon emissions algae powered vehicles, solar heated water and wind/sun powered electricity, all running in harmony, what a shame, we wait for conditions to become practically critical in order to implement them.

The old-style electric power stations are an inefficient use of fossil fuels as an extraordinary amount of energy is simply wasted, the cooling towers blow away heat/power that could be harnessed in fact, over two thirds of the energy that is put into them is wasted.

In thermodynamic terms you can run an engine on heat if you have a warm reservoir and a cold reservoir, a heat engine is simply a very conventional system where boiling a working fluid that is then run through a turbine, the turbine is connected to a generator and it makes electricity, after it runs through the turbine, it gets in touch with the cold water and it condenses back to liquid. It's very simple conceptually and it uses the fact that heated liquid flows to cold to run this engine."One of the by-products of the condensation is fresh water, if the system is open-cycle, meaning the working fluid is seawater. In a closed-cycle system, which typically uses ammonia as the working fluid, fresh water is not produced, but the size of the turbine can be significantly smaller, reducing capital costs.

Fuel Alternatives one day will not be so alternative.

Author: Joan Barton

The Case for Renewable Energy

New Delhi, One of the most debated topics today is the future scenario of energy use. The focus is now on a range of technologies that are expected to emerge in the coming years and decades. There is universal recognition of the fact that new technologies and much greater use of some that already exist provide the most hopeful prospects for mitigation of emissions of gases that threatens our planet.

The good news, experts agree, is that renewable energy can deliver half of the world’s energy needs by 2050.Some reports show that it is economically feasible to cut global CO2 emissions by almost 50% within the next 43 years. They also agree that commercial production of renewable energy on large to massive scales is technically possible.

Alongside global warming, other challenges have become just as pressing. Worldwide energy demand is growing at a staggering rate. Over-reliance on energy imports from a few
countries and volatile oil and gas prices have together pushed security of energy supply to the top of the global energy-economy agenda.

Renewable energy is not a dream for the future – it is real, mature and can be deployed on a large scale. Decades of technological progress have seen renewable energy technologies such
as wind turbines, solar photovoltaic panels, biomass power plants and solar thermal collectors move steadily into the mainstream. The global market for renewable energy is growing dramatically; in 2006 its turnover was US$ 38 billion, 26% more than the previous year.

Supplies of all fossil fuels – oil, gas and coal – are becoming scarcer and more expensive to produce. Uranium, the fuel for nuclear power, is also a finite resource. By contrast, the reserves of renewable energy that are technically accessible globally are large enough to provide about six times more energy than the world currently consumes - forever.

Renewable energy technologies vary widely in their technical and economic maturity, but there are a range of sources which offer increasingly attractive options. These sources include wind, biomass, photovoltaic, solar thermal, geothermal, ocean and hydroelectric power. Their common feature is that they produce little or no greenhouse gases, and rely on virtually
inexhaustible natural sources for their “fuel”.

The forecast is that by 2050, 50% of primary energy demand in India will be covered by renewable energy sources.

Source: ‘Energy [R]evolution: A sustainable India Energy Outlook’

What is an Independent Oil and Gas Company?

The basic definition of an Independent Oil and Gas Company is a non-integrated company which receives nearly all of its revenues from production at the wellhead. They are exclusively in the exploration and production segment of the industry, with no downstream marketing or refining within their operations. The tax definition published by the IRS states that a firm is an Independent if its refining capacity is less than 50,000 barrels per day on any given day or their retail sales are less than $5 million for the year. Independents range in size from large publically held companies to small proprietorships. Many independents are privately held small companies with less than 20 employees. The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) recorded in a 1998 survey that “a large percentage of independents are organized as C Corporations and S Corporations at 47.6% and 27.7%, respectively. A total of 91.4% of responding companies are classified as independent (versus integrated) for tax purposes. More than one fifth of responding companies reported their stock is publicly traded. “

Independent producers derive investment capital from a variety of sources. A 1998 IPAA survey reports that 36.2% of capital is generated through internal sources followed by banks 27.8 % and outside investors (oil & gas partners) at 20.3 %.

Supplying Future Energy Needs

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) states in their Annual Energy Outlook 2007, “Despite the rapid growth projected for biofuels and other non-hydroelectric renewable energy sources and the expectation that orders will be placed for new nuclear power plants for the first time in more than 25 years, oil, coal, and natural gas still are projected to provide roughly the same 86-percent share of the total U.S. primary energy supply in 2030 that they did in 2005.” In this report the EIA also predicts consistent growth in U.S. energy demand from 100.2 quadrillion Btu in 2005 to 131.2 quadrillion Btu in 2030.

Maturing production areas in the lower 48 states and the need to respond to shareholder expectations have resulted in major integrated petroleum companies shifting their exploration and production focus toward the offshore in the United States and in foreign countries. Independent oil and gas producers increasingly account for a larger percentage of domestic production in the near offshore and lower 48 states. Independent producers’ share of lower 48 states petroleum production increased form 45 percent in the 1980’s to more than 60 percent by 1995. Today the IPAA reports that independent producers develop 90 percent of domestic oil and gas wells, produce 68 percent of domestic oil and produce 82 percent of domestic gas. Clearly, they are vital to meeting our future energy needs.

Author: Chris Jent

Rescue the American Dream From the Tyranny of Foreign Oil

In The Ordeal of Change, Eric Hoffer, American philosopher and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1983) said “In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” Timeless words for rapidly changing times.

Let’s Face It, We’re Addicted to Oil

America, let’s face it, we’re so addicted to oil, not only do we divert hundreds of billions of dollars a year from our own communities to obtain it abroad, we devote vast military and political resources to court hostile anti-American regimes, corruption, and instability in countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Bottom line: We must simultaneously diversify sources of oil supplies, dramatically slash oil consumption, and increase production of alternative-energy sources to clean up the environment, increase our energy efficiency, protect national security interests, reduce the military and political leverage of OPEC oil, revitalize the U.S. economy, and shrink trade deficits.

It is of vital military and political importance we end our uneasy alliance with the House of Saud and our footprint in the unstable Persian Gulf region. We should start by forming an oil consortium with other non-OPEC nations, including Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Norway, and the United Kingdom to compete directly with OPEC for world oil revenues. We should follow this up by seizing the assets of Petróleos de Venezuela in the United States as compensation for President Hugo Chávez’s seizure of assets of American oil companies operating in his “Bolivarian Republic.” This seizure should include the assets of the CITGO Petroleum Corporation.

Role of Domestic Production and Refining Capacity

We also need to ramp up the domestic production and refining capacity of oil. World energy consumption has surged due to the rapid growth of economies in countries like China and India. It also has surged due to the growing energy needs of non-producing countries like Germany and Japan. This wouldn’t matter one iota if supplies were keeping pace with the growth in demand. Global exploration and development as a percentage of oil-related revenues has fallen well below long-term averages since the early 1990’s. With at least 100 billion barrels of untapped oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge of Alaska, the lower 48 states, and off U.S. shores, we are shooting ourselves in the foot by not developing the domestic sources at our disposal. We should start by uncapping the numerous closed oil fields in America’s heartland, creating jobs for Americans and revenues for America. We also need to construct new refineries on closed military bases, on tribal reservations, and on land in defunct communities like Cheshire, OH. In addition to exploiting our untapped oil reserves, we also must exploit our untapped natural gas supplies, whether they’re located on or off shore.

Role of Automotive Technologies and Alternative Fuels

As nearly half our domestic and imported oil is consumed primarily in the form of gasoline to fuel personal vehicles, this is where we need to focus a great deal of our attention and investment dollars. We need to nurture breakthrough automotive technologies and investment in commercially-viable alternative-fuel sources (i.e., ammonia, bio-diesel/bio-fuels, compressed natural gas, gas/electric hybrids, plug-in electrics, etc.) through targeted financial and tax incentives. Credit trading mechanisms that currently enable automakers to “borrow” or “swap” fuel efficiency should be suspended entirely. Instead, we need to put mechanisms in place that reward automakers for producing (and consumers for buying) vehicles that perform better than Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Whatever mechanisms we put in place should require market-driven increases in the CAFE threshold on an annual basis. We also do not necessarily need to end federal subsidies for “Big Oil,” rather we need to force Big Oil to reinvest these subsidies in retrofitting retail gas station pumps to handle multiple alternative fuels. One thing is certain, OPEC nations, including state-owned sovereign wealth funds, should be prohibited from investing in or controlling our alternative-fuel resources, as it would make no sense for us to allow OPEC to maintain its death grip on our economy as we shift from oil.

Automakers can drive up CAFE thresholds in a couple of ways. One is by substituting the same lighter-weight carbon-fiber composite body panels used by our military for steel. Another is by harnessing kinetic energy from the natural motion, rotation, and vibration of the vehicle and its parts as a supplemental power source.

We also must replace current “flex-fuel” (a.k.a. E85) vehicles with “multi flex-fuel” vehicles capable of using any pure or blended fuel source. This should include bio-diesel/bio-fuels, and not the kind made from valuable food crops, such as corn. Switchgrass or some other source of so-called “cellulosic ethanol” might be a better fit, but we must learn to produce it in a way that doesn’t increase air pollution, global warming, soil erosion, or water pollution, or harm environmentally-sensitive habitats. In addition to excluding valuable food crops, we also must exclude bio-fuels produced on cleared old-growth forest or tropical rainforest lands. To fully move the U.S. away from oil, we must use bio-fuels as an alternative to gasoline rather than as an additive; we also must phase out petro-diesel in favor of bio-diesel. Additionally, we must create a viable national high-speed passenger and freight rail network to ease traffic congestion and improve logistics. Imagine “land ferries” that transport people and their vehicles from point A to point B.

While hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, most of it remains locked up in more complex compounds such as ammonia, methane (natural gas or propane), or water. Not only does it require tremendous amounts of energy to separate the hydrogen from its natural compounds, it requires tremendous amounts of energy to liquefy and condense hydrogen; however, scientists are experimenting with electrolyzers, genetically-engineered bacteria, and various reactive metals that might one day lead to an abundant alternative-fuel source. According to Kevin Mayhood in a June 30, 2008 article in The Columbus Dispatch, Gerardine Botte, director of Ohio University’s Electrochemical Engineering Research Laboratory, is working on a method to pull hydrogen from the ammonia in animal and human urine. This is important for several reasons. First, we already have the infrastructure in place to distribute ammonia to retail gas station pumps, as it’s been used to make fertilizer for decades. Second, separating hydrogen from ammonia does not produce “greenhouse gases” as long as the required electricity comes from a source which produces no greenhouse gases. (The same can be said for gas/electric hybrids and plug-in electrics.) Third, ammonia is more easily liquefied and condensed than hydrogen.

Role of Power Production for Businesses and Homes

In addition to transforming our automotive fleet and fuel-distribution infrastructure, we need to transform power production for our businesses and homes. This can be accomplished through farm-waste power generation, geothermal heating systems, landfill-gas power generation, solar panels, and wind turbines. We’ve already noted that nearly half our domestic and imported oil is consumed primarily in the form of gasoline to fuel personal vehicles. Likewise, nearly one quarter of all electricity we produce is used to light our businesses and homes. We need to scrap incandescent lights in favor of more-efficient compact fluorescent lights and light-emitting diodes, not in phases, but immediately. We also need to invest in dual-fuel furnaces and water heaters, providing the end-user with the power to automatically switch between electricity and natural gas, depending on real-time energy costs. Buildings and homes must be retrofitted to make better use of daylight and heat gain/loss. Imagine advanced roofing materials that are white (to reflect heat) in the Summer to reduce cooling load and black (to absorb heat) in the Winter to reduce heating load. Additionally, new appliances and electronic devices must be developed that do not require “stand-by” power. Finally, we need to deploy wind turbines across The Great Plains from North Dakota to Texas, harnessing the power of an emissions-free, inexhaustible energy source that does not require oil or other fossil fuels, radioactive materials, or water.

Role of U.S. Dollar and Speculation

A large chunk of the price of every barrel of oil can be tied to the strength of the U.S. Dollar and speculation. Government policies should focus on strengthening the U.S. Dollar and reining in rogue speculators with federal oversight. We’ve provided ample opportunity for energy traders to responsibly exercise the rights of a free market, and they’ve squeezed every drop out of our wallets. Remember Enron?

Role of the Environment and Other Issues

Our thirst for oil and other fossil fuels spews enormous quantities of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere each year. Every effort we make now to diversify sources of oil supplies, dramatically slash oil consumption, and increase production of alternative-energy sources will enable us to clean up our act and reduce our “carbon footprint.” In addition to the measures mentioned above, we need to develop chemicals, lubricants, plastics, and road pavements that do not require oil as a feedstock. Not only will this dramatically slash oil consumption, it will enable the heat content traditionally locked up in these products to be used elsewhere. For existing oil-based products, we must implement mandatory recycling or reuse programs. It’s senseless for oil to end up in our landfills or to be poured out on our highways. Additionally, we should explore using “energy labels” on foods and other products detailing the amount of energy required (and the CO2 emissions generated) to produce and transport it, with particular emphasis on the amount of oil and its source. Back to wind turbines: it’s hypocritical for environmental “advocates” to vehemently oppose an emissions-free, inexhaustible energy source that does not require oil or other fossil fuels, radioactive materials, or water.

Author: Christopher M. England (www.christophermengland.com)