Plug and Drive

So I've been following this blog called Potential Energy from Technology Review. It's kind of like this blog in that it talks about different types of energy, and lately they've had a lot of posts on electric cars, so I figured I'd jump on in and talk about them as well.

Electric cars seem to be the thing of the future, having a car you can plug in and then drive around town. Electric vehicles have batteries in them that get charged when you plug them in that power an electric motor in the car, allowing you to drive where you will up to a certain distance before you need to charge up again.

Electric vehicles have many benefits, including their electric motors have only 5 moving parts compared to the hundreds of moving parts in the typical internal combustion engine that most other cars have, providing easier maintenance. Also, the car, itself, does not have any tailpipe emissions like the combustion engine cars. They are also more efficient at converting stored energy to driving power than their counterparts.

Wind Power Video

Here is just a video I found that explains the basics of how power is generated from wind, enjoy!!

That's Not Smoke I'm Blowing Up Your @$$

I was walking to one of my classes the other day, when I saw our school newspaper, The Oredigger, and this headline: "Emission savings from wind power generation," so I naturally thought of N.E.R.G. and here I am writing about the next form of energy production: wind power.

If you have ever driven down 93 on your way to Boulder, you have most likely seen the wind turbines along the road. Wind power generation is currently the most rapidly growing renewable energy source in the United States, supplying 2% of its power. Like the Oredigger article states, one of the most appealing aspects of wind power is that it is a clean source of energy, saving on sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide by the millions of pounds and tons.

Also, the American Wind Energy Association has provided the point that wind generation saves the country over 200 billion gallons of water that would otherwise go to cooling down power plants or lost in the form of steam.

From a clean energy stand point, wind power seems like a definite win. The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions alone is a major benefit in these times where global warming has become such a hot topic, so hopefully this n.e.r.g. (energy) can take off and soar!!

Blog Self-Interview

The purpose of N.E.R.G. is to inform the public on the various types of energies out there in the world, like solar or geothermal or hydro. I am trying to write this for anyone and everyone to read so that they can learn more about energy. I believe that as of now I have succeeded in doing what I set out to do and have lived up to the purpose I set for this blog. It is possible that I have been overlooking some of the more learned people out there, as I have made my posts fairly easy to follow, and maybe too easy, not really delving into the more technical aspects behind energy.

I would really like readers to respond more to my posts, which I can help facilitate by asking for their opinion on a certain matter instead of just telling my side. In order to expand my audience, I will start diversifying the subjects I tackle and talk about some lesser known energy productions out there.

More Corny News

So I went into deeper research about ethanol to find all the facts and answers to the questions you posed in your comments, and I can safely say that I am no closer to finding out the truths...

I first went to the U.S. Department of Energy's website and found an article on the facts and myths of ethanol. It starts out by talking about the environmental benefits of ethanol, saying it sends less harmful gases out into the atmosphere. Then it talks about using the corn for ethanol will not have significant effect on the corn supply in the US, and it will be able displace 30% of gasoline consumption by 2030. The next myth/fact combo addresses the point that ethanol produces more energy than it takes TO produce it. Finally, the website talks about how ethanol burning in a engine actually enhances engine performance, which disputes the original article I found.

So after reading all these benefits, I felt it was a no-brainer that ethanol was the real deal: the way to get out of the dependency from gasoline and deserved all of the economic subsidies it was receiving. It won't disrupt the food supply, it actually makes engines perform better, decreases air pollution, and produces more energy than it requires. Then I found another article...

This article from Forbes.com addresses the issue of the amount of subsidies that ethanol it receives, and basically refutes everything the Department of Energy said.

I honestly don't know who I should believe, they both seem to be a little biased, but I still feel that ethanol is a fairly good substitute for our dependence on gas. If only there was a non-biased scientist that could just deliver the facts and let the public decide for itself whether or not they want to continue using ethanol... Maybe I just found a possible job for myself...

Framing the Window of Energy

In class we have talked a bit about framing issues.  Framing an issue means making it relatable to a certain audience by shedding light on it from a particular perspective, like talking about climate change in terms of an energy problem that provides additional jobs in the "clean" technology industry instead of a pollution problem.

By addressing the issue from a different point of view, the scientist can speak to a larger audience or strike a note with a different audience and get more people concerned with the topic. I plan to do the same in this blog that I am writing, talking about the different energies from different areas: political, economical, and social effects.

So I hope you enjoy reading my later posts, and see you later!!

A"maize"ing Fuel Source?

I was looking around the internet today, and I found this interesting article from the Washington Post concerning ethanol as a fuel source: EPA Approves More Ethanol in Fuel for Cars. For those of you who don't know, ethanol is a fuel source usually made from corn, but can also be made from other grains. As of now it is used in a mixture with gasoline to help power cars, and the EPA just approved of an increase in the amount of ethanol that can be mixed with gasoline from 10% to 15%.

I feel that ethanol is a viable and economic alternative to using just gasoline. It reduces our dependency on foreign companies for all of our fuel, since we grow the corn needed here in the United States. However, this increase in the amount of ethanol might not be entirely beneficial.

Only cars made since 2001 will be able to support this increase in the ethanol mixture, according to the article, so people that have cars older will have to make sure they are going to the correct gas stations. Also, the increase in demand for using corn for ethanol will drive up the price for corn.

Overall, I feel this decision by the EPA is beneficial to the US as a whole because it helps reduce our dependency on foreign oil and oil in general.