Biofuel Technology - The Cost of Alternative Energy

Certainly consumers are concerned with escalating fuel prices as well as what fossil fuels are doing to the environment. The concern has led many consumers to find out more about alternative energy sources in the way of solar power, wind power and biofuel technology. However, are these technologies new? Certainly not - although now that energy is such a concern the technologies relative to biofuels, wind and solar can no longer be put on the back shelf. That said, this technology is a very old alternative energy solution. The costs of biofuel technology have to be looked at before solutions can be found.

The creation of a biofuel is not some sort of complex science. In order to create a biofuel the following needs to occur. First you will need to take some form of grain or vegetable and thoroughly grind it up. The grain or vegetable is then mixed with water. The grain or vegetable and water is then cooked for a very short length of time. During this short period of cooking time an enzyme is added to the mixture in order that the starch may be subsequently convert to sugar. The cooking process just described is referred to as Hydrolysis.

You next add some yeast. The yeast is necessary in order that the mixture can ferment. The fermentation of the mixture results in the production of Ethanol. A distillation process is applied in order to separate the Ethanol from the other ingredients. You may not be aware of it, but currently with the concern regarding diminishing fossil fuels and the threat they present to the environment there are a fair amount of websites showing various ways to manufacture the product of Ethanol at home. Even though the steps do not sound all that significant there is truly a great deal of time involved and a good deal of work. Further, some have mentioned it is not all that cost-effective to produce Ethanol at home.

However, on a larger scale a good deal of time and financial resources is being spent currently with respect to manufacturing methods pertinent to biofuels. In example, researchers are looking for ways to produce Ethanol by means that prove less expensive than what is incurred when using grains. This assures food sources are not used too frequently. It is not necessary for part of the population go hungry due to the fact food sources are being used over-extensively in the way of biofuel manufacture. Countries that have been manufacturing biofuels for a relatively long time now grow food products high in sugar content; one example of such a food product is sugar cane. Brazil is one country that grows a considerable amount of sugar cane. Brazil has also been producing biofuels for quite a while now.

It may be said, the majority of Ethanol used commercially is the result of manufacture using the by-product yeast. Ethanol is manufactured as well wherein gasoline is used within the production process. However, the majority of Ethanol produced is the result of using yeast. In manufacturing biofuels corn is considered in areas such as North America where its harvest is generous. However, though corn is generally used in the production of biofuels the process is pricey and the conversion into biofuel a good deal more detailed.

Greg has been writing articles for over 5 years. Please visit his latest website about renewable energy ideas at Alternative Energy Sources, with great information and thoughts surrounding Costs of Biofuel Technology.

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The Latest in Alternative Energy Technology

World resources of fossil fuels are running low, and burning them causes a number of problems to the environment. There is no way to avoid these facts unless we get to replace them completely and take advantage of alternative energy technology. And there are many alternatives to using fossil fuels for our source of energy.

Solar power is one of the best options because most of our energy comes from the sun and there is a lot of energy to power the world 1000 times over. This however has it's drawbacks in areas close to the poles where the amount of sunlight can be limited in winter. Wind power too has its benefits and can be powered through windmills that generate electricity as well marine energy such as energy produced by the waves and the tides. Another exciting source of energy is the magnetic generator which is in use commercially in parts of Europe and Canada

There are other alternative energy technology options, but those mentioned above are the best ones and the only ones in circulation today that have the potential to develop into something really amazing.

Solar power is an alternative energy technology that is being used well today. For centuries it has been known that the sun can be used to produce electricity however, in the early 1900's fossil fuels were cheap and abundant and so they became very popular. We have been using fossil fuels too fast and they are running out.

There is strong evidence to suggest that we could power our whole society by harnessing the heat of the sun on certain technologies. Solar collectors are an alternative technology that is being used by many people worldwide to heat water for showering and washing. This technology has many benefits - it provides hot water in times of electricity shortage, and a cheaper option for electricity too.

It is a good idea to make use of this technology now because solar collectors will only get more expensive as electricity prices increase in the future (due to the shortages of fossil fuels). On top of this, the environmental effects of using solar power is great - instead of burning fossil fuels and causing pollution, your power will come from the sun (a resource that continually replenishes itself).

Wind power is another good alternative energy technology and has proved to be successful in the past. For years windmills were used to mill grain and pump water, and were even used as a source of electricity in continental Europe around 1890. But wind power as been seen as a potential wind source in the last decade and many scientists agree that this is one of the best ways to power the globe without electricity. There are wind farms scattered throughout the globe that are making use of alternative energy technology. The technology works like this: three blades are attached to a rotor and when the wind blows the blades spin the rotor and this allows energy to be produced - it is a rather simple concept but works well. The only problem with wind power is that for the technology to work there has to be wind and some places in the world do not have wind. However, this technology will work in places like Wales in the United Kingdom and in North Dakota and California here in the United States.

Alternative energy technology for marine energy is still being researched and developed fully, but there is some evidence to suggest that this technology works too. It will just take a bit more time until marine energy is in the mainstream, like that of solar power, wind power and the magnetic generator.

Paul Goldman, is an Australian living in Florida who got tired of sky-high electricity prices, gas prices and things that were damaging the environment (and his wallet) so he investigated ALL the options. The ones that WORKED and the others!

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Green Investing and the US Military

The green investments market has recently seen a number of factors come together which act as a strong buy signal. Many green stocks have rallied, and an ever increasing number of investors are looking into the green markets. The tipping point for green investing has arrived, and there can be no doubt that it is no longer a 'fad' sector (as it was considered by many just a few short years back), but in fact the sector of the future: there was the gold rush, the oil rush, and now we are all set for the green rush.

Even the US military is going green - transportation of fossil fuels such as diesel costs lives - the military has calculated more than 250 lives are lost a year in the transportation process. 6000 conveys are needed a year in Afghanistan and Iraq to meet the energy needs of the military in and there is a casualty in one in every 25 conveys. The military is a massive consumer of fuel, using more than many countries. It, for instance, uses twice the amount of fuel than the whole of Ireland.

Solar technologies are of particular interest to the army. These include solar technologies such as portable solar chargers, and low energy lights, such as LED's. The ultimate aim is for army bases abroad to be completely self-sufficient in terms of energy.

The navy aims to make its island bases energy independent as well. It has a wide range of projects currently on the go, amongst which is to generate energy through wave power. This is done by placing a very large buoy offshore which turns the lateral movement of the waves into electricity via a generator, and that electricity is then delivered to where required via an underwater cable.

The US Air Force intends to run its jets on a 50-50 mixture of traditional jet fuel and biofuel. It has recently completed a test flight on a plane using this fuel mix. Biofuels can be produced practically anywhere in the world, even in desert conditions.

Such projects are not based on technologies which are purely experimental and at the laboratory stage, but real products that are on the market right now. One of the forerunning companies in wave power, for instance, is Ocean Power Technologies. The company has already supplied the navy in Hawaii with power generating buoys. As green investments go, this is exactly the sort of company investors should be researching into. There can be no doubt that their potential is huge.

There are a number of US biofuel companies that will be conducting IPO's in the near future, such as PetroAlgae, and Gevo, based in Florida and Colorado respectively.

These sort of companies are well worth observing as a potential future investment. As things are now, the value of these companies needs to be established, and some history needs to be developed. Make sure you do your research, and your green investments maybe the best you ever did!

Click here for a wide range of articles on green alternative energy investments.

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Burning Waste to Produce Energy Has Great Potential As an Energy Source

The human race has used wood to make fire for a very long time. It has been our main source of energy for most of our existence and we have used it to cook food and provide heating.

Use is dwindling but burning waste to produce energy has great potential as an energy source. This is particularly important when you consider the amount of waste produced in the modern world, the problems faced with disposal and the effort being put into recycling.

A Biomass Power Station works in a similar way to a coal fired power station. Waste is burned and used to heat water, the steam produced is used to turn turbines, the turbines turn generators and generate electricity.

Any solid waste can be used including animal manure, woodchip, seaweed, rubbish and any other waste.

Bio-conversion is a related process where plant/animal waste is used to produce bio-fuels such as methanol or natural gas. These bio-fuels can be burned to produce power and vehicles have been developed powered by bio-fuels

Sugar can be used in a similar way because it can be fermented to make alcohol which can be burned.

Alternatively, the left over sugar cane pulp can be burned and often a biomass power station provides energy for a sugar mill as well as the surrounding area.

A Biomass Power Station is planned for Portbury near Bristol which would produce 150 MW of power and this is enough to provide power for two hundred thousand homes. It will burn wood materials brought to the plant by ship from sustainable sources and will annually offset about four hundred thousand tones of carbon dioxide emissions.

Another Biomass Power Station is planned for Longannet in Scotland which will produce 20 MW from wood and waste derived fuel and provide electricity for about thirty three thousand homes. It will also offset one hundred and thirty tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year and prevent one hundred and thirty five tonnes of waste material being disposed in landfill sites.

Bio-fuels could help us reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and most particularly the oil used for transport which is obviously a good thing.

Some people claim that it will take a huge amount of land to grow the bio-fuels needed and this will affect our capacity to grow food. Bio-fuel powered vehicles produce similar carbon emissions to petrol driven vehicles but scientists argue that the plants growing the bio-fuel will take in the extra carbon emissions produced as they respire. Time will tell on this argument.

We should definitely take the opportunity to burn waste materials whenever we can. It is a very cheap source of fuel and would help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It also destroys waste and reduces the need to recycle. We collect waste anyway and have trouble with disposal.

However, growing bio-fuels could cause problems and some fuels may not always be available. Bio-fuels are burned and still produce greenhouse gases in the same way as fossil fuels.

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How to Save Energy and Reduce Fuel Bills

We are all aware of global warming caused by our over dependence on fossil fuels and the need to find some alternative energy sources but can one individual make a contribution or do we need to act collectively?
It is possible for you to install sources of alternative energy in your home and make a difference to the environment but if you are serious about this the first step must be to make your home more energy efficient.

Each house is different but some common themes occur including good insulation and the use of energy efficient machines

Make sure your home is properly insulated and if possible install cavity wall insulation. Your loft should be properly insulated in it's entirety to a thickness of at least 270 mm. This will make a big difference and is a requirement if you are thinking of applying for some grants.

Go to the trouble of plugging gaps in the skirting boards to reduce drafts and if possible fit a heavy duty underlay in all downstairs rooms. This will also make a big difference and will be worth the investment. If necessary look on eBay to see if you can get a good price.

Double glazed windows are the easiest way of reducing energy costs and UPVC windows are the cheapest and easiest option. Some people are reluctant for aesthetic reasons despite the improved insulation they provide. One possible alternative is to attach made to measure safety glass around the window with a plastic strip around the edge. The glass sections are screwed in around the frames costing approximately 350 pounds to effectively double glaze the whole house. In the summer, some or all of the glass sections can be taken down and stored behind wardrobes or sofas if necessary. Either way the double glazing will make a massive difference to heat retention in your home.

All external doors should have draft excluders fitted and it is easy to manufacture a homemade draft excluder for the letterbox.

As far as possible, ensure that all your domestic appliances are A rated. If you are looking to buy anything new e.g. a freezer to store vegetables grown in your garden consider the KWh per year instead of just the energy rating. There are companies which sell only AA rated machines and they are well worth supporting.

You can purchase energy saving plugs which can be connected to fridges and freezers and they save electricity by regulating the power to the machine. Unfortunately some appliances are incompatible so a little internet research will enable you to find out more information.

Convert your whole house to use low energy light bulbs by taking advantage of the many offers made by electricity suppliers and DIY stores. Four for 4 pound is not uncommon

Consider installing a gas combi-boiler which will provide instant hot water for showers, baths and heating and is much more efficient. A wood burner is another possibility which can be used for room heating in the winter and boiling water

Place reflective sheets behind each radiator to reflect heat back into the room which cost about 20 pound for a whole house.

Keep the thermostat turned down. Twenty degrees (or less) should be more than sufficient which doesn't seem bad once you get used to it especially if you wear an extra layer.

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