Showing Tag: "fuel" (Show all posts)

A Boon for Biofuels Research

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, June 12, 2013,

Researchers from the United Kingdom, the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the University of Kentucky have recently published a paper describing a novel cellulose-degrading enzyme from a marine wood borer Limnoria quadripunctata, commonly known as the gribble.

Gribbles are biologically intriguing because they exhibit a relatively unique ability to produce their own enzymes instead of using symbiotic microbes to break down the biomass they eat. New biomass-de...

Fossil Fuels and the Rising Sea Levels

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, January 31, 2013, In : Guest Blogger

As stated in our “How Methane Heating Works” article, “Natural gas derives from animal and plant matter that was heated and pressurized in earth’s layers (hence why it is referred to as “fossil fuel”).” Within the last century, the burning of these fossil fuels combined with other human related activities, has released heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. In effect it has caused the Earth’s temperature and sea levels to rise.

This rise in sea level is linked to thermal ...

NREL/DOE Launch New Alternative Transportation Web Tools

Posted by News Release NR-4212 on Friday, November 9, 2012, In : Guest Blogger

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has launched a new tool and redesigned DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center Web site to help fleet managers, municipalities and consumers choose from a wide variety of alternative fuels and energy efficiency strategies for reducing petroleum use, vehicle emissions, and operating costs.

The AFDC’s new Petroleum Reduction Planning Tool is an interactive Web application that allows fleet managers to evaluate th...

Hybrid delivery vans show nearly 20 percent higher fuel economy

Posted by Guest Editor on Monday, October 1, 2012, In : Must read

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)'s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed a performance evaluation report that showed significant fuel economy benefits of hybrid electric delivery vans compared to similar conventional vans. "During the on-road portion of our study, the hybrid vans demonstrated a 13 to 20 percent higher fuel economy than the conventional vans," said NREL Project Engineer Michael Lammert. "During dynamometer testing, three standard drive cycles were...
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Meet the Zero-Emission Bus (ZBus) Regulation

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, September 25, 2012, In : Must read

In 2000 the Zero-Emission Bus (ZBus) regulation was established. Its intentions were to develop a Californian transit system made up of 15% zero emission buses. This formation of this regulation would also meet California’s air quality, greenhouse gas, and energy security goals.

Source: Zero-Emission Bus Design

Zbus’ produce zero smog pollutants and when compared to diesel-fueled buses, is predicted to reduce greenhouse gases by 46 percent. They have centralized fueling that allows one s...
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What is a Fuel Cell? How does it Work?

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, In : Must read

Since the late 1830’s companies around the world have been striving to create a technology that can replace traditional batteries and generator technologies. They seek a technology that will help to overcome the pressing environmental concerns the world is facing. That is where the fuel cell comes in. Fuel cells are electrochemical energy devices that convert hydrogen and oxygen into water, which can then produce electricity and heat. They are most similar to the average household battery; ...
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Electrofuels: Tiny Organisms Making a Big Impact

Posted by Guest Editor, DOE and ARPA-E on Thursday, July 19, 2012, In : Must read

They say a picture is worth a thousand words — but what happens when what you want to look at is impossible to see?

That’s where the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s Electrofuels program comes in. The 13 projects that make up the program seek to develop renewable liquid fuels that use microorganisms to harness chemical or electrical energy to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuels, without using petroleum or biomass. For example, scientists at Columbia University are using...
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Poland rejects EU carbon emission targets

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, March 9, 2012, In : Must read

Poland has signalled its opposition to an EU plan for deeper carbon emission cuts, which environment ministers will discuss on Friday.

Denmark, currently steering EU negotiations, is backed by the UK in calling for a 25% cut in CO2 emissions by 2020. Previously the target was 20%.

But Poland, reliant on coal for more than 90% of its electric power, fears the move would make energy more costly. Coal and other fossil fuels emit CO2, seen as a catalyst for climate change.

Poland's Gazeta Wyborc...
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