Madison, WI-based Virent is developing a process that produces biofuel from biomass and natural gas.
Making hydrocarbons from biomass requires first removing the oxygen. Virent has also developed inorganic catalysts that remove most of the oxygen from the molecules it produces. It then uses a series of chemical reactions to remove the remaining oxygen and reconfigure the molecules to take on the properties needed to make fuels like gasoline or chemicals for making plastic bottles.
California-based HyperSolar submitted a patent application for a process using solar power, carbon dioxide and water that mimics photosynthesis to produce natural gas.
Santa Barbara, CA. based HyperSolar was inspired by nature: the process mimics photosynthesis. A solar powered nanoparticle system separates hydrogen from water; the hydrogen is then mixed with carbon dioxide, producing methane.
Total installed capacity of renewable energy sources surpassed nuclear power for the first time in 2010.
In 2010, for the first time, worldwide cumulated installed capacity of wind turbines, biomass and waste-to-energy plants, and solar power reached 381 gigawatts, outpacing the installed nuclear capacity of 375 gigawatts,” the draft report says.
The US Energy Information Administration reports that renewable energy sources provided 11.14% of the nation’s electricity from January to June of 2010.
Renewable energy sources provided 4.106 quadrillion Btus between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010 – an increase of 4.91% over the first half of 2009 and an increase of 8.37% over the first half of 2008. The largest single renewable energy source was biomass (including biofuels) which accounted for 50.66% of renewable energy production, followed by hydropower at 32.56%. Wind, geothermal, and solar sources provided 10.91%, 4.53%, and 1.32% of the total renewable energy output respectively.
California Cartage, a drayage company in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, will begin using 132 natural gas-powered Daimler trucks by the end of the year.
Cal Cartage is taking delivery of 132 Sterling Set-back 113-inch, 320-hp daycabs by the end of the year as part of a long-term plan to make trucks under its control greener. The company is exchanging the 2010-compliant LNG trucks for the oldest, most heavily polluting trucks driven by its owner-operators.
Florida Power and Light began construction on the world’s first hybrid solar plant on December 2nd. The solar-natural gas hybrid will be operational in 2010.
Once complete, the new facility will pair a solar-thermal field with a combined-cycle natural gas power plant. Together, they’re expected to use less fossil fuel when the sun is out while helping to produce steam to generate electricity.
Toyota’s new compressed natural gas-fueled Camry was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19.
The combined fuel-economy rating is 33 mpg–close the conventional hybrid’s 34 mpg–and it doesn’t use a drop of gasoline. The two CNG tanks are installed in the well for the spare tire, and they have the equivalent of eight gallons of gasoline and a range of at least 250 miles.
Owners of the new Honda Civic that runs on compressed natural gas find the vehicles economical and environmentally-friendly.
Francis invested in this natural gas pump for his garage at home called the “Phill”. The Phill station connects right to your home natural gas line, and as a result you save even more money than buying at a local national fuel station. Francis is paying a dollar ten to a dollar twenty for a gallon of gas, he says, “its a beautiful car, runs great and the emissions are zero, or near zero.”
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