“There is a large amount of electromagnetic energy all around us, but nobody has been able to tap into it,” said Manos Tentzeris. “We are using an ultra-wideband antenna that lets us exploit a variety of signals in different frequency ranges, giving us greatly increased power-gathering capability.”

Tentzeris and his team are using inkjet printers to combine sensors, antennas and energy scavenging capabilities on paper or flexible polymers. The resulting self powered wireless sensors could be used for chemical, biological, heat and stress sensing for defense and industry; radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging for manufacturing and shipping, and monitoring tasks in many fields including communications and power usage. No rats running on wheels here so weight loss pills aren’t going anywhere.

What an awesome study. While the amount of energy they are harnessing now isn’t an exceptional amount, this energy hasn’t been harnessed at all. The scavenging technology can take advantage presently of frequencies from FM radio to radar, a range spanning 100 megahertz (MHz) to 15 gigahertz (GHz) or higher.

Scavenging experiments utilizing TV bands have already yielded power amounting to hundreds of microwatts, and multi-band systems are expected to generate one milliwatt or more. That amount of power is enough to operate many small electronic devices, including a variety of sensors and microprocessors.

By combining energy scavenging technology with supercapacitors and cycled operation, the Georgia Tech team expects to power devices requiring above 50 milliwatts. In this approach, energy builds up in a battery-like supercapacitor and is utilized when the required power level is reached. This can be used as a backup, or even a source of energy for solar powered areas in which during the night they can either keep charging, or they can help keep the energy levels from dropping while no sun is available.

Researchers at MIT have revealed exactly how a molecule called fulvalene diruthenium, which was discovered in 1996, works to store and release heat on demand. This understanding, reported in a paper published on Oct. 20 in the journal Angewandte Chemie, should make it possible to find similar chemicals based on more abundant, less expensive materials than ruthenium, and this could form the basis of a rechargeable battery to store heat rather than electricity.

The molecule undergoes a structural transformation when it absorbs sunlight, putting it into a higher-energy state where it can remain stable indefinitely. Then, triggered by a small addition of heat or a catalyst, it snaps back to its original shape, releasing heat in the process. But the team found that the process is a bit more complicated than that. Keep your Christmas wreaths powered by the sun!

“It turns out there’s an intermediate step that plays a major role,” said Jeffrey Grossman, the Carl Richard Soderberg Associate Professor of Power Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. In this intermediate step, the molecule forms a semi-stable configuration partway between the two previously known states. “That was unexpected,” he said. The two-step process helps explain why the molecule is so stable, why the process is easily reversible and also why substituting other elements for ruthenium has not worked so far.

“This study provides a simple and cost-effective technology for direct water splitting that may generate hydrogen fuels by scavenging energy wastes such as noise or stray vibrations from the environment,” the authors write in a new paper, published March 2 in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. “This new discovery may have potential implications in solving the challenging energy and environmental issues that we are facing today and in the future.”

IF you understand this next part then you are a better man, and obviously quite a better woman (I’m male), than I am. I can probably use a dip bar more efficiently than you though.

The researchers, led by UW-Madison geologist and crystal specialist Huifang Xu, grew nanocrystals of two common crystals, zinc oxide and barium titanate, and placed them in water. When pulsed with ultrasonic vibrations, the nanofibers flexed and catalyzed a chemical reaction to split the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

Researchers at the Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CNRS) developed a biofuel cell that functions using the products of photosynthesis (glucose and O2) and is made up of two enzyme-modified electrodes.

The cell was then inserted in a living plant, in this case a cactus. Once the electrodes, highly sensitive to O2 and glucose, had been implanted in the cactus leaf, the scientists succeeded in monitoring the real-time course of photosynthesis in vivo. They were able to observe an increase in electrical current when a desk lamp was switched on, and a reduction when it was switched off. During these experiments, the scientists were also able to make the first ever observation of the real-time course of glucose levels during photosynthesis. This method could offer a new means of better understanding the mechanisms of photosynthesis.

The medical applications that they are planning to work on along side these findings are interesting as well. They plan to use the biofeul cell that could function autonomously under the skin (in vivo), drawing chemical energy from the oxygen-glucose couple that is naturally present in physiological fluids. It could thus provide power for implanted medical devices such as, for example, autonomous subcutaneous sensors to measure glucose levels in diabetic patients.
driveway alarm

Ocean wave energy is captured directly from surface waves or from pressure fluctuations below the surface. It is as simple as that. For more in depth reading on Ocean Wave Energy, just wander over here to a site dedicated to the process.

Most wave catchers had major issues in that the devices are plagued by battering storms, limited efficiency, and the need to be tethered to the seafloor.

Now, a team of aerospace engineers is applying the principles that keep airplanes aloft to create a new wave-energy system that is durable, extremely efficient, and can be placed anywhere in the ocean, regardless of depth.

The researchers, from the U.S. Air Force Academy, will present their design at the 62nd annual meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics on Nov. 24, 2009, in Minneapolis, Minn.

“Our group was working on very basic research on feedback flow control for years,” says lead researcher Stefan Siegel, referring to efforts to use sensors and adjustable parts to control how fluids flow around airfoils like wings. “For an airplane, when you control that flow, you better control flight–for example, enabling you to land a plane on a shorter runway.”

Also, an interesting development is discussed in combination with the capturing of wave energy for the new system that is being developed. Since the system is designed to effectively cancel incoming waves, capturing their energy while flattening them out, there is an added application as a storm-wave breaker.

“Clearly, we are now beginning to see the breadth of the effects of NSF investments in plant genomics. The knowledge gained in these projects will serve as the basic foundation that will ultimately enable plant biologists and breeders to develop crop plants that are higher yielding and better able to adapt to a changing environment,” said James P. Collins, former NSF assistant director for biological sciences.

The new awards–made to 53 institutions in 30 states–include international groups of scientists from Africa, Asia, Europe and Central and South America.

For a more extensive list of the plant genome projects being funded look here.

Of the many projects they have funded, some will focus on such things as how to better understand plant responses to the changing environmental climates. This will allow more food to be produced in areas that aren’t necessarily prime environments for growth. While in America we probably worry more about weight loss than trying to figure out how to produce better food, these projects should be beneficial in many ways including such things as helping promote the production of alternative fuel sources such as corn, soy, and other plant derivatives.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…” With an annual budget of about $6.06 billion, we are the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing. MORE

“Imagine a bright flower on a plant in a crystal clear growth chamber on the surface of the Moon, with the full Earth rising above the Moonscape behind it; these are the ideas that got me interested in space,” said Jane Poynter, president and founder of Paragon Space Development Corporation.

Paragon isn’t new to growing plants, or even raising animals in space. Paragon previously bred the first animals through complete life cycles in space, and grew the first aquatic plant in space. This would be the first plant grown from a seed outside of Earth, however. An interesting possibility and a step forward in the idea of living a future somewhere other than Earth. With actual food instead of living off the top diet pill of the future, or a cartoon idea of “steak in a pill”.

“The first plant to grow from seed and complete its life cycle on another world will be a significant step in the expansion of life beyond the Earth,” McKay noted. “The sooner we do it the better.”

“I think there’s a flight to quality and we believe there’s a flight to solar because of that,” said Tom Werner, the CEO of California-based solar panel manufacturer and installer SunPower. He noted that big solar projects over the past three or four years have created a track record of delivering expected financial returns.

“Now having said that…the credit markets are different and more measured. Banks are studying things more–the risk profiles and the balance sheets of companies,” Werner said.

The solar industry got some help in the Bailout Bill passed a couple weeks back as well as did other green sectors.

• One-year extension for wind and refined coal energy tax credits. A production credit for electricity produced from renewable marine energy sources (meaning through wave power and river power, or by exploiting the differences in ocean temperature). Energy credits for “small wind properties,” geothermal heat pump systems, and energy-efficient residential properties.

• New renewable-energy bonds. Up to $800 billion in energy bonds may be offered to the public, with a third from “public power providers,” a third from governments, and the remainder from “cooperative electric companies.”

• Tax credits for “cellulosic biofuels” and for “carbon dioxide sequestration.” An extension of an alternative fuel credit. Tax credits for “new qualified plug-in electric-drive motor vehicles.” Bicycle commuters get a nod, as do regulations aimed at “residential top-loading clothes washers.”

With the election just a couple weeks away we can all hope that some of the things discussed thus far will come to fruition during the next term. Especially some of the talk about alternative energy vehicles, as well as help to these businesses in the group health insurance department.

Two research teams are announcing this month that they have successfully converted sugar-potentially derived from agricultural waste and non-food plants-into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and a range of other valuable chemicals.

What? Yeah…they are saying that they can get fuel from sugar. A renewable source that many find intriguing as it is something that is in line with the current infrastructure in society.

Now…the science behind all of this is beyond me, but the bottom line is that This chemical trick uses nano-sized particles to produce plant-based gasoline that can be used in existing vehicles in place of petroleum-based fuels. But because they would be made from corn, switchgrass or other plants — which absorb carbon dioxide as they grow — the fuels would emit less net carbon dioxide than normal gasoline.

“You have a conventional fuel that happens to be made from sustainable sources,” says James Dumesic, a chemical engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison who led the research, which appears online September 18 in Science.

Very interesting. I know this concept has been out there since the turn of the century, but to see the announcement this week is encouraging. Hearing all this nonsense about offshore drilling that won’t even help us for 20 years seems sort of counterproductive when you hear about technologies like this. It would serve me better comparing online auto insurance quotes right now than to worry about off shore drilling. At least there I know I will be saving some money and I won’t be getting taxed on a useless endeavor.

It has been quite a while since I contemplated going back to school for further education. With the recent presidential election around the corner I am hearing quite a bit about the quest to find renewable energy sources, and the idea that there is going to be a big push for jobs in alter4native energy. Although this is a minor reason why I am interested in studying this, it does play a factor that Green energy is probably a more secure field for the next couple decades at least. I tend to cover interesting stories here as often as possible on renewable energy news, but now I think that I may start sharing a bit about my search to find a career in the new Green Energy world.

This is actually my reason for the rant about Google search in the last post. Google failed miserably in my search for just what constitutes a career in the Green Energy fields. In fact, there is almost no real information in the first several pages of Google for any of the renewable energy careers searches you would think of to research this topic. There were quite a few Made for Adsense sites, natural energy pills sites, as well as a couple of colleges that spammed their way to the top, but when it comes to finding discussions about alternative energy careers there just wasn’t a whole lot out there. Surprisingly, these “Green Energy” keywords are relatively wide open with the array of options if you are looking for a place to scoot into the search results. Just like finance keywords, the webmasters know very little about SEO for the most part. Sorry…still can’t let SEO stuff slide by unnoticed when I search for anything…LOL

My situation is a little bit different as well. It is common sense that the field of engineering is tops on the list when it comes to these green energy careers. Either that or some sort of environmental sciences. That is all very nice, but i have a degree in Finance already. I am looking for a degree that has something to do with Green Business Careers. Something that is more or less a hybrid of business in the green energy sector. Business is a widespread field and business principals are standard a crossed most areas, however there is still a need to be knowledgeable about the sector you plan to work in. There is certainly a Green Business degree program out there. I know there is a Business/Engineering hybrid out there because I was enrolled in it when I was in school until I decided that I wanted to work as a private practice financial advisor and switched my degree path.

So…where will I have to look? It appears that the internet is going to fail me for the first time in a long time to find real information on this. I have to go outside (Oh my) and talk to a real guidance counselor I guess.

I will try to follow through on this. Time is pretty limited right now, but I really have always wanted to get into this area of study as alternative energy is one of the things I am most interested in (Probably #2 behind helping inventors, but they are hand in hand). This is going to be a very big deal in the coming years, and is definitely an area of study that will likely keep you employed for a couple decades at least. Promises of government created jobs in the field certainly help drive the need for workers in this sector at least. Of course these are political promises from liars so we never know. I guess it depends more on if Obama, or McCain get elected as well. I figured that this is an important topic of research considering the lack of information out there about it so i will post my findings as they come in.