Compressed Air Energy Storage from LightSail Could Run a Whole City Clean Power Published on November 10th, 2012 | by Tina Casey The company LightSail Energy started out a few years ago with a student’s modest idea for a compressed air scooter, and now it has just raised $37.3 million in private funding to bring utility scale, compressed air energy storage to the market. That’s a big leap not only for the company but for compressed air technology itself, which has long been eyed for its clean energy potential. The problem has been to make the process efficient enough to deliver power at a commercial scale, so let’s take a look and see how LightSail solved the problem. The Compressed Air Conundrum As aptly described by writer Rachel Metz over at the MIT Technology Review, half of the compressed-air equation is simple enough from a clean energy perspective. The hard part kicks in when you try to store large quantities of compressed air. LightSail’s Compressed Air Solution Compressed Air Meets Wind Power Alternative Energy and Democracy About the Author
Fog Harvesting Projects Hit The Big Time Everything old is new again. Even water. Fog harvesting, a technique used by nature and ancient civilizations to wring water out of the air, is getting a second look as modern technology tackles an age-old problem. The technology works by creating surfaces where tiny airborne water droplets condense on a surface. For humans, the answer is mesh (we covered how MIT is borrowing the beetles’ technology for its own design). Now, the research is getting more serious, with organizations such as the nonprofit FogQuest dedicated to fog and rain harvesting in rural areas. But the technology is still in the experimental stage. The coming decades should see plenty of researchers exploring ways fog harvesting can free communities from the vagaries of drought.
Clean storage: These scientists are making an organic, water-based battery for the power grid Most batteries — whether they’re embedded in your iPhone or they’re plugged into the power grid somewhere — use some kind of metal to create the chemical reaction that stores the energy. In laptops and Teslas, that metal is lithium; in traditional cars it’s lead. But researchers at University of Southern California are developing an all-organic, water-based battery that can be entirely synthesized (not using materials mined from the earth) and uses no metals or toxic chemicals. USC chemistry professor Sri Narayan told me he thinks that in the future, when batteries are scaled up to the point where they’re commonly used on the power grid at large sizes, then using metals and toxic chemicals in them will be a big problem. He thinks the notion of “clean storage” — batteries made using more sustainable methods — will be important down the road. USC research on an organic flow battery. The USC battery isn’t designed like the closed ones used in your phone and laptop.
f.a.q. The information below is drawn from both more than 20 years experience and from published papers and reports. More information is available in the FogQuest Fog Collection Manual (2005), which can be purchased from FogQuest. Detailed scientific and technical information is available, in the form of many published papers, to our members in the Members’ Section of this web site. What is fog? Fog is the same as a cloud except that it touches the ground, whereas a cloud has a base that is above the ground. How much water is in fog? There is typically from 0.05 to 0.5 grams of liquid water in a cubic meter of fog. Does fog collection work in humid air? Our fog collection technology has many applications and can provide clean water in parts of the world where conventional sources are unavailable. Does it have to rain in order to collect fog? It is not necessary that there be rain in order to collect fog, though the fog collectors are also efficient rainfall collectors. Is the fog water clean?
8 Completely Awesome DIY Home Energy Projects | Ecoble Small-scale renewable energy is a must for a sustainable home – but converting your home to clean energy options can carry a huge initial price tag. We’ve scoured the web for some of the most innovative examples of homemade energy solutions to compile a collective list of DIY projects to make your home greener and more energy efficient without costing you a fortune. From solar water heaters and gadget chargers to homemade super-efficient refrigerators, you’ll find links (with instructions) to some of the best projects you can make at home… Homemade Energy-Save Fridge The ‘Ambient Air Fridge’ isn’t quite a year-round green appliance but when things cool down in the winter, this homemade fridge will definitely shave a few dollars off the electric bill! The insulated wood box fits snugly in an out-of-the-way doorway and even controls the temperature with an inexpensive thermostat and a couple of computer fans. DIY Electric Lawn Mower Make Your Own Wind Turbine Low Cost Solar Water Heater
Burmese-Style Tofu Recipe Mix the chick-pea flour and water together with a whisk or eggbeater. Let stand overnight, about 12 hours. Next day, strain the mixture through a thin cotton cloth slowly. Scrape out the residue from the cloth and discard it. With a soup ladle, carefully remove 6 cups of liquid from the top of the mixture without disturbing the balance. Rub the bottom of a large pan with the oil. Bring to a boil the 9 cups of liquid and cook over moderate heat for 30 minutes, stirring continuously. Turn out the mixture into a tray 12x4 inches and 3 inches deep, lined with a clean, cotton cloth. To make a salad- A few pieces of tofu, some shredded cabbage, onion slices, crispy onions, and the oil, fish sauce, tamarind paste, toasted chick-pea powder ad mix everything together. To fry- Cut the tofu into 2 inch square pieces 2/3 inch thick and deep fry them in oil for a few seconds. Click on Burmese Recipes for more great recipes from Burma!
Nacatamal Before rolling: an indent in the masa was filled with rice and seasoned pork, and then covered with potato, tomato, fresh mint, olives and a few raisins. Nacatamales tied in plantain leaves ready to be steamed Using vegetarian ingredients: Tofu, cheese or seitan can be substituted for the meat or just left out. Ingredients[edit] Vegetarian option[edit] Traditionally, nacatamales are not vegetarian, as they use lard in the masa, but as vegetarianism becomes more popular, it is certainly possible to make a vegetarian nacatamal. See also[edit] References[edit] Nicaragua Food Traditional Food | Nicaragua | ViaNica.com The Nicaraguan culinary art dates back to the pre-Colombian times, as you can tell by the names of the most known plates. Back then, during colonial times, the peculiar, creative, and varied Creole menu was the result of the union of these two races. In this type of food, ranging from soups and meats to a diversity of sweets, interesting ingredients are used. Sons of Corn Since its origin, the fundamental basis of Nicaraguan gastronomy has been corn. Corn, as ingredient, has many different uses: lots of drinks are made from corn, such as Chicha and Pinol; as well main dishes such as Nacatamal, Indio Viejo, and Sopa de Albondiga; and snacks and sweets such as Atolillo and Perrereque. A World of Ingredients There are also other ingredients widely used in the Nicaraguan kitchen, mostly local, tropical products. Pipian, corn, and red beens (to the left), and corn and tortillas (photo to the right). But what makes Nicaraguan food unique are those local ingredients discussed before.
Cameroonian cuisine Ndolé is the national dish of Cameroon Cameroonian cuisine is one of the most varied in Africa due to its location on the crossroads between the north, west, and centre of the continent; added to this is the profound influence of French food, a legacy of the colonial era. Influences[edit] Given that Cameroon was colonised repeatedly, New World staples were introduced several centuries ago, as well as European cooking techniques and culture. It is also influenced by its geography, with distinct differences between its North and South regions.[1] Cameroon is made up of over 250 ethnic groups and cuisine differs between ethnic group and also by region [2] Ingredients[edit] The soil of most of the country is very fertile and a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, both domestic and imported species, are grown. Specialties[edit] See also[edit] References[edit]