Gasification – Clean Coal and Other Fuels

Gasification involves a set of chemical reactions that convert carbon-containing feedstock into synthetic gas. It uses only a small amount of oxygen which when combined with steam and put under intense pressure produces a gaseous mix of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This synthetic gas can be burned directly or used to start the development of fertilizer, pure hydrogen, methane, or liquid...

Offshore Drilling – An Unending Controversy

One of the most controversial topics dominating the energy discussion is related to opening the remaining protected U.S. coastline to oil exploration. Questions remain regarding the impact of offshore drilling on the economy and the environment. Specifically: Figure 1 - Offshore Drilling Platform Those in favor of offshore drilling point toward lower gasoline prices and reduced reliance on...

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

ANWR – The Developing Controversy The Arctic National Wildlife Range is a fairly desolate frozen tundra region encompassing 8.9 million acres in the Northeast corner of Alaska. It was established in 1960 by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a wildlife refuge. Eight years later the largest oil field in North America, known as Prudhoe Bay, was discovered and developed nearby and the...

Programmable Controllable Thermostats (PCT)

Programmable Controllable Thermostats (PCT), typically key elements to any energy efficiency initiatives, allow customers to save energy and money by offering programmed settings to regulate temperature, be it winter or summer, day or night. Studies indicate that the average annual energy bill for a typical household totals $2,200, half of which goes to heating and cooling the premises. Properly...

Energy Storage in the Electric Grid

Today's Electric Grid Massive blackouts are fortunately few and far between but when they occur their impact is devastating. The 2003 Northeast U.S.blackout ended up costing the region an estimated $6 billion. How does such an event occur? This event was not the result of a natural disaster, nor a sinister terrorist plot to undermine the U.S. Rather, like many other similar events, it was a...

Broadband Communications and the Smart Grid

Smart Grid and the Need for an Improved Communications Infrastructure Electric Grid The U.S. electric grid consists of over 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 6 million miles of distribution lines that serve over 100 million customers (283 million people). Electricity usage continues to grow and it now represents over 40 percent of overall energy consumption in the...

An Introduction to Hydropower

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), hydropower plants produce 24 percent of the world’s electricity, supplying 1 billion people with power totalling 675,000 MW or the equivalenct of 3.6 billion barrells of oil. Hydroelectric plants include 2,000 plants in the U.S. and it represents one of the oldest and the most pragmatic alternative energy sources in the world. The...

Energy Efficient Dishwashers

Advanced Technology uses Less Water and Energy The consumer appliance market is flooded with improved dishwasher models that apply advanced technology to clean dishes while using less water and energy. These technologies include Soil sensors that can actually test the cleanliness of dishes throughout the wash cycle and adjust the cycle to maximize cleaning while minimizing water and energy...

Energy Efficient Refrigerators

With recent improvements in insulation and compressors, refrigerators in general are much energy efficient. Consumers can realize further savings in energy consumption and costs with the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator: Per U.S. Department of Energy requirements, to receive the ENERGY STAR label all refrigerators and freezers must be at least 20 percent more efficient than the...

Improving Home Energy Efficiency by Sealing and Insulating

Studies continue to show that sealing and insulating one’s home in the outer walls, ceilings, windows, doors, and floors is among the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency and provide comfort. Residential customers can often expect to save 20 percent on their heating and cooling costs (i.e. 10 percent of their total annual energy bill) by sealing air leaks throughout the home to...