High sea temperatures and nitrogen runoff from agriculture blamed for 400 sq km of enteromorpha heading for coast
Jonathan Watts, Asia environment correspondent guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 7 July 2010 15.46 BST
Chinese authorities have dispatched a flotilla of more than 60 ships to head off a massive tide of algae that is approaching the coast of Qingdao.
The outbreak is thought to be caused by high ocean temperatures and excess nitrogen runoff from agriculture and fish farms.
Scientists involved in the operation say the seaweed known as enteromorpha needs to be cleaned up before it decomposes on beaches and releases noxious gases.
According to the domestic media, the green tide covers an area of 400 sq km. Newspapers ran pictures of coastguard officials raking up the gunk as soon as it reached the shore.
As well as the 66 vessels sent to intercept the approaching algae, a net has been stretched offshore as an extra defence. Ten forklift trucks, seven lorries and 168 people were clearing up the many tonnes of seaweed that still got through.
Li Delin, the engineer in charge of the beach clearance, estimated that his team had collected about 3,900 tonnes as of today. The seaweed has been taken away to be processed, possibly for use as natural fertiliser or animal feed.
And more is on the way. Northern China has been experiencing the hottest week of the year – in some areas, such as Beijing, temperatures have reached highs not seen in decades – which was accelerating the growth of the algae.
Green and red tides have become increasingly common across the world since the 1970s. Usually they occur in coastal water near densely populated areas or where there is large-scale runoff of agricultural chemicals from farmland.
China has been particularly affected in recent years. An even bigger outbreak off Qingdao, estimated at 170,000 tonnes, in 2008 threatened to ruin the sailing events for the Olympics, prompting the authorities to call on hundreds of local fishermen to help them in the cleanup operation.
The green tide is a sign of eutrophication, a build up of algae caused by excess levels of nitrogen in the water. At low levels this simply means a green slime on the water's surface, such as that often seen on polluted lakes.
In its worst form, the algae can be toxic or so dense that it chokes the life below it, creating underwater "dead zones".
The green tide approaching Qingdao is harmless in its current form and, if quickly dealt with, could even help to clean up the coastal waters.
Li said that given the size of the algae plume, it would be unwise to let it decompose naturally. "If the enteromorpha on the beach can't be cleared on time, it will rot and affect the ecosystem in the bay area. Also the smell will be really bad," he said.
Preventing future algae outbreaks is a challenge. Scientists have advised the government to discourage overuse of fertiliser and to build more water treatment plants. But many experts believe the cause is deeper.
"At a fundamental level, the way to deal with this should be to combat climate change and control pollution," said Mao Yunxiang, a professor at the College of Marine Life, Ocean University of China, who is a consultant on the operation.
"We should also consider the possibility that the green tide are inevitable so we should make use of them. The algae can clean water, and be harvested for animal feed and biofertiliser."
Additional reporting by Cui Zheng
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
NCSU researchers discover efficient process for biofuel production
Posted by: Aditi Justa | 21 hr. ago
Eco Factor: Process involving gaseous ozone could lead to more and better biofuels.
Lately we have seen many researches making way to the production of biofuels. Adding to the list is the new research at that took place at the North Carolina State University. The conventional process of producing biofuels from woody plants involves the use of toxic chemicals and also wastes a good amount of the carbohydrates in the form of a liquid byproduct. The researchers at North Carolina claim to have found a solution to the problem.
The North Carolina team has found a way of producing better and larger quantity of biofuel using a single process. The new process involves the use of gaseous ozone, resulting in no liquid or solid waste. News of another research comes from the University of Florida, where researchers have been tackling the lignin problem from another angle by using a tobacco-derived enzyme to break it down.
As of now, the research centers around biofuel from crop waste such as tobacco stalks and orange peels, but researchers have plans to use newspaper, straw, and other woody biomass for biofuel production. The high-risk fossil fuel harvesting will be history soon, courtesy the rapid development of more sustainable biofuel crops and processes.
Eco Factor: Process involving gaseous ozone could lead to more and better biofuels.
Lately we have seen many researches making way to the production of biofuels. Adding to the list is the new research at that took place at the North Carolina State University. The conventional process of producing biofuels from woody plants involves the use of toxic chemicals and also wastes a good amount of the carbohydrates in the form of a liquid byproduct. The researchers at North Carolina claim to have found a solution to the problem.
The North Carolina team has found a way of producing better and larger quantity of biofuel using a single process. The new process involves the use of gaseous ozone, resulting in no liquid or solid waste. News of another research comes from the University of Florida, where researchers have been tackling the lignin problem from another angle by using a tobacco-derived enzyme to break it down.
As of now, the research centers around biofuel from crop waste such as tobacco stalks and orange peels, but researchers have plans to use newspaper, straw, and other woody biomass for biofuel production. The high-risk fossil fuel harvesting will be history soon, courtesy the rapid development of more sustainable biofuel crops and processes.
Choose Biofuels and Efficiencies, Not More Oil
by Dr. Sergio C. Trindade, International Fuel Technology
Published: 06 July 2010
The Gulf oil spill is the latest in a series of warnings that we must reduce our dependency on petroleum with an eye toward moving away from oil entirely. While "getting off oil" remains a distant goal, we can choose to halt oil expansion today. Technologies exist to improve the efficacy of biofuels and to stretch the availability of existing petroleum supplies through increased efficiency. Rather than choosing more offshore drilling, we can choose demand-side innovation to meet our current energy needs without the risks associated with further oil expansion.
Biofuel, and biodiesel in particular, can help mitigate the need for additional oil supply. According to Emerging Markets Online, total worldwide biodiesel production alone took off from 2.2 million tons in 2002 to an estimated 11.1 million tons in 2008. However, first generation biofuels will likely be limited to 10-20 percent of global liquid fuel consumption, largely due to constraints in feedstock and infrastructure. Therefore, we must make the most of every gallon of biofuel.
Successfully doing so requires addressing a number of problems. Biodiesel, for instance, presents several significant deficiencies when compared to diesel fuel. Most significantly, biodiesel contains less energy value than petrodiesel, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced engine power output. Other problems include limited oxidation and storage stability, a tendency to form deposits, corrosion issues, cold flow problems and questionable stability from diverse feedstocks. These limitations are greatly exacerbated with the increasing content of biodiesel in fuel blends, from B5 to B30 and higher.
These negative characteristics reduce biodiesel’s overall green profile for efficiency and emissions. Yet as a green product, biodiesel can be made significantly “greener,” by improving the fuel so that it performs more like regular diesel. One way to help achieve this is through the use of already available fuel enhancing technologies.
International Fuel Technology, Inc., (IFT) for example, has developed a fuel efficiency enhancing additive that helps biodiesel blends to function similarly to diesel. It allows less biodiesel to be consumed compared to non-additized biodiesel for the same energy output. This technology not only improves the biofuel’s environmental footprint, but reduces the amount of biodiesel needed for a given power output, expanding biofuel capacity and further offsetting oil use. Another line of IFT additives provides oxidation stability to biodiesel and its blends. This is crucial to smooth operation of biodiesel blends and for long term storage stability.
As biofuels continue to expand and become more efficient, we must also take advantage of technologies that permit us to use less oil in the first place. The rail industry, for instance, is increasingly seeking to reduce costs and improve its environmental footprint with better fuel efficiency. Rail offers an excellent opportunity for employing such demand-side technology, as the industry is highly centralized among regional operators and is among the more predictable forms of transportation, allowing for reliable demonstration and fuel efficiency analysis.
Rail can help us reduce the need for expanded oil supply by increasing the fuel economy of petrodiesel, which is heavily used by trains around the globe. International Fuel Technology has developed an additive that “atomizes” the fuel injected into a train’s diesel engine combustion chamber, burning the fuel more completely and emitting less waste. The technology achieves 3-6 percent greater fuel economy and reduces atmospheric emissions.
If a 4.5 percent diesel fuel efficiency gain were extended beyond rail to all U.S. diesel fuel consumption, we would eliminate the need for over 2.2 billion gallons of diesel every year. When combined with other demand-side savings opportunities, the potential to reduce oil consumption is significant.
By making the most of biofuels and the petroleum we already have access to, we can reduce our need for continued oil expansion. Technologies for demand management, improved efficiency and conservation are available and expanding. The optimal choice for our fuel future is not to require any extra oil. We simply have to choose.
Dr. Sergio Trindade, International Fuel Technology’s Director of Science & Technology, is a globally recognized consultant and expert in sustainable energy and alcohol fuels. His experience within the international energy field is abundant, especially concerning alternative energies. Dr. Trindade is a Co-laureate of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He also served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) for Science and Technology for five years and continues to provide consulting to the UN system, including the World Bank, and many other organizations regarding energy and environmental issues. He holds a PhD. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The information and views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of RenewableEnergyWorld.com or the companies that advertise on its Web site and other publications.
Published: 06 July 2010
The Gulf oil spill is the latest in a series of warnings that we must reduce our dependency on petroleum with an eye toward moving away from oil entirely. While "getting off oil" remains a distant goal, we can choose to halt oil expansion today. Technologies exist to improve the efficacy of biofuels and to stretch the availability of existing petroleum supplies through increased efficiency. Rather than choosing more offshore drilling, we can choose demand-side innovation to meet our current energy needs without the risks associated with further oil expansion.
Biofuel, and biodiesel in particular, can help mitigate the need for additional oil supply. According to Emerging Markets Online, total worldwide biodiesel production alone took off from 2.2 million tons in 2002 to an estimated 11.1 million tons in 2008. However, first generation biofuels will likely be limited to 10-20 percent of global liquid fuel consumption, largely due to constraints in feedstock and infrastructure. Therefore, we must make the most of every gallon of biofuel.
Successfully doing so requires addressing a number of problems. Biodiesel, for instance, presents several significant deficiencies when compared to diesel fuel. Most significantly, biodiesel contains less energy value than petrodiesel, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced engine power output. Other problems include limited oxidation and storage stability, a tendency to form deposits, corrosion issues, cold flow problems and questionable stability from diverse feedstocks. These limitations are greatly exacerbated with the increasing content of biodiesel in fuel blends, from B5 to B30 and higher.
These negative characteristics reduce biodiesel’s overall green profile for efficiency and emissions. Yet as a green product, biodiesel can be made significantly “greener,” by improving the fuel so that it performs more like regular diesel. One way to help achieve this is through the use of already available fuel enhancing technologies.
International Fuel Technology, Inc., (IFT) for example, has developed a fuel efficiency enhancing additive that helps biodiesel blends to function similarly to diesel. It allows less biodiesel to be consumed compared to non-additized biodiesel for the same energy output. This technology not only improves the biofuel’s environmental footprint, but reduces the amount of biodiesel needed for a given power output, expanding biofuel capacity and further offsetting oil use. Another line of IFT additives provides oxidation stability to biodiesel and its blends. This is crucial to smooth operation of biodiesel blends and for long term storage stability.
As biofuels continue to expand and become more efficient, we must also take advantage of technologies that permit us to use less oil in the first place. The rail industry, for instance, is increasingly seeking to reduce costs and improve its environmental footprint with better fuel efficiency. Rail offers an excellent opportunity for employing such demand-side technology, as the industry is highly centralized among regional operators and is among the more predictable forms of transportation, allowing for reliable demonstration and fuel efficiency analysis.
Rail can help us reduce the need for expanded oil supply by increasing the fuel economy of petrodiesel, which is heavily used by trains around the globe. International Fuel Technology has developed an additive that “atomizes” the fuel injected into a train’s diesel engine combustion chamber, burning the fuel more completely and emitting less waste. The technology achieves 3-6 percent greater fuel economy and reduces atmospheric emissions.
If a 4.5 percent diesel fuel efficiency gain were extended beyond rail to all U.S. diesel fuel consumption, we would eliminate the need for over 2.2 billion gallons of diesel every year. When combined with other demand-side savings opportunities, the potential to reduce oil consumption is significant.
By making the most of biofuels and the petroleum we already have access to, we can reduce our need for continued oil expansion. Technologies for demand management, improved efficiency and conservation are available and expanding. The optimal choice for our fuel future is not to require any extra oil. We simply have to choose.
Dr. Sergio Trindade, International Fuel Technology’s Director of Science & Technology, is a globally recognized consultant and expert in sustainable energy and alcohol fuels. His experience within the international energy field is abundant, especially concerning alternative energies. Dr. Trindade is a Co-laureate of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He also served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) for Science and Technology for five years and continues to provide consulting to the UN system, including the World Bank, and many other organizations regarding energy and environmental issues. He holds a PhD. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The information and views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of RenewableEnergyWorld.com or the companies that advertise on its Web site and other publications.
Energy Efficiency: Twice the Impact of Renewables, Nuclear and Clean Coal
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 07. 6.10
Science & Technology (alternative energy)
"The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency will deliver 65 per cent of worldwide carbon cuts in the energy sector by 2020, and 54 per cent by 2030. This means that in 2020 energy efficiency could have almost twice the impact of renewable energy, nuclear power and clean coal combined."
Such were findings of the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) of Australia, who late last month released report entitled Energy Efficiency: Australia's Low Carbon Opportunity, with the subhead of Boost Profits, Cut Emissions, Create Jobs. The EEC believe that increasing the uptake of energy efficiency could save more greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 than taking every Australian car off the road.
The Energy Efficiency Council also point out that Australian electricity prices are about to rise up to 42% in the next three years, as energy utilities gear up to spend $40 billion AUD over five years expanding the grid. The EEC say customers will wear the flow on of this, the single largest ever investment in the electricity grid. A cost that could be avoided were energy efficiency given more importance.
They cite, for example, one company who has discovered they can save so much energy at one plant that it would equal to powering 100,000 homes. And that's butt one business. The report notes that "just 220 companies, mainly in manufacturing, mining, and construction, use more than 40 per cent of the energy consumed in Australia." As the Sydney Morning Herald points out this is "almost twice as much power as all households combined."
Not that any of this would be news to the Rocky Mountain Institute's co-founder, Amory Lovins, who way back in 1989 introduced the term Negawatt, as a measure of energy efficiency, being a unit in watts of energy saved.
More than twenty years on, with energy costs rising and our home planet under stress we still don't appear to be listening to such sage advice. Yet we call ourselves Homo sapiens sapiens, or wise wise man. What's the Latin for 'stupid dumb arse?'
Let's hope we don't need to find out and households, businesses and governments finally see the rightness of energy efficiency and start acting appropriately.
The Energy Efficiency Council suggest such action could begin with cutting energy use by 20% below business as usual by 2020 and introducing a National Efficiency Scheme (NES). And that's just the first two of seven actions.
Read the full story in the report which is available as free PDF download from the Energy Efficiency Council.
Science & Technology (alternative energy)
"The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency will deliver 65 per cent of worldwide carbon cuts in the energy sector by 2020, and 54 per cent by 2030. This means that in 2020 energy efficiency could have almost twice the impact of renewable energy, nuclear power and clean coal combined."
Such were findings of the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) of Australia, who late last month released report entitled Energy Efficiency: Australia's Low Carbon Opportunity, with the subhead of Boost Profits, Cut Emissions, Create Jobs. The EEC believe that increasing the uptake of energy efficiency could save more greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 than taking every Australian car off the road.
The Energy Efficiency Council also point out that Australian electricity prices are about to rise up to 42% in the next three years, as energy utilities gear up to spend $40 billion AUD over five years expanding the grid. The EEC say customers will wear the flow on of this, the single largest ever investment in the electricity grid. A cost that could be avoided were energy efficiency given more importance.
They cite, for example, one company who has discovered they can save so much energy at one plant that it would equal to powering 100,000 homes. And that's butt one business. The report notes that "just 220 companies, mainly in manufacturing, mining, and construction, use more than 40 per cent of the energy consumed in Australia." As the Sydney Morning Herald points out this is "almost twice as much power as all households combined."
Not that any of this would be news to the Rocky Mountain Institute's co-founder, Amory Lovins, who way back in 1989 introduced the term Negawatt, as a measure of energy efficiency, being a unit in watts of energy saved.
More than twenty years on, with energy costs rising and our home planet under stress we still don't appear to be listening to such sage advice. Yet we call ourselves Homo sapiens sapiens, or wise wise man. What's the Latin for 'stupid dumb arse?'
Let's hope we don't need to find out and households, businesses and governments finally see the rightness of energy efficiency and start acting appropriately.
The Energy Efficiency Council suggest such action could begin with cutting energy use by 20% below business as usual by 2020 and introducing a National Efficiency Scheme (NES). And that's just the first two of seven actions.
Read the full story in the report which is available as free PDF download from the Energy Efficiency Council.
Automotive X Prize: putting electric cars through their paces
Will a $5m eco-car race, the Automotive X Prize, show the world the future of green driving?
By Tom Chivers
Published: 3:41PM BST 06 Jul 2010
The Automotive X Prize, the finals of which take place this month, aim to find a car that is both eco-friendly and fun to drive. So far, it's proving tough, New Scientist reports.
Several major motor companies now offer electric cars, including Honda, Toyota and the newly floated Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors, with General Motors' Chevrolet Volt joining them from next year.
'Sporty' emphasis for new Lexus hybrid As the electric car becomes mainstream, the race to make a car that gets drivers' hearts racing without ruining the environment is on.
Entrants in the X Games race are aiming to find a car that can manage 100 miles to the gallon (or the equivalent in electric motor energy use), while still maintaining standards for performance.
For example, cars in the "mainstream" category have to be able to seat four people, carry cargo, reach a range of 200 miles and get from nought to 60mph in less than 15 seconds.
In the easier "alternative" category, cars have to seat just two people, reach 100 miles, and have an acceleration of 0-60 in 18 seconds.
Cars will take part in time trials while also meeting the requirements, and the winner of each category will take home a $5 million (£3.2 million) prize.
To reach the finals, cars had to get past a qualifying "knockout" stage of reaching 66 miles to the gallon, giving teams time to improve their designs.
15 cars from 12 teams made it through in the alternative category, but just one team - out of nine entrants - managed in the mainstream class.
Brad Jaeger, head of research and driver for the only remaining mainstream team, Edison2, said: "We thought there might be a few more contenders than there are at this stage." But the organisers aren't discouraged.
"We realise that that set of requirements is incredibly difficult, so for anyone to hit them is an achievement," said Julie Zona, director of team relations for the Automotive X Prize.
She says that this is because the mainstream prize is meant to reflect the requirements of the real motoring market.
By Tom Chivers
Published: 3:41PM BST 06 Jul 2010
The Automotive X Prize, the finals of which take place this month, aim to find a car that is both eco-friendly and fun to drive. So far, it's proving tough, New Scientist reports.
Several major motor companies now offer electric cars, including Honda, Toyota and the newly floated Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors, with General Motors' Chevrolet Volt joining them from next year.
'Sporty' emphasis for new Lexus hybrid As the electric car becomes mainstream, the race to make a car that gets drivers' hearts racing without ruining the environment is on.
Entrants in the X Games race are aiming to find a car that can manage 100 miles to the gallon (or the equivalent in electric motor energy use), while still maintaining standards for performance.
For example, cars in the "mainstream" category have to be able to seat four people, carry cargo, reach a range of 200 miles and get from nought to 60mph in less than 15 seconds.
In the easier "alternative" category, cars have to seat just two people, reach 100 miles, and have an acceleration of 0-60 in 18 seconds.
Cars will take part in time trials while also meeting the requirements, and the winner of each category will take home a $5 million (£3.2 million) prize.
To reach the finals, cars had to get past a qualifying "knockout" stage of reaching 66 miles to the gallon, giving teams time to improve their designs.
15 cars from 12 teams made it through in the alternative category, but just one team - out of nine entrants - managed in the mainstream class.
Brad Jaeger, head of research and driver for the only remaining mainstream team, Edison2, said: "We thought there might be a few more contenders than there are at this stage." But the organisers aren't discouraged.
"We realise that that set of requirements is incredibly difficult, so for anyone to hit them is an achievement," said Julie Zona, director of team relations for the Automotive X Prize.
She says that this is because the mainstream prize is meant to reflect the requirements of the real motoring market.
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