Cars Of Tomorrow: 3 Technological Advances That Will Change Driving

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The cost of gasoline has steadily risen since the economic crash of 2008, and car manufacturers have responded by making more fuel efficient vehicles. Toyota and BMW formally agreed to collaborate on perfecting hydrogen fuel technology in 2013, while Ford, Nissan, and Daimler said they would team up to completely revolutionize fuel cells in their vehicles by 2017, according to the Economist. 

New car technology is usually dictated by economic conditions or public demand. The 1973 oil embargo by several OPEC member nations caused long lines at the pump, while a barrel of oil quadrupled in price within a 12 month period. The following year GM, Ford and Chrysler all made cruise control a mainstream option for their vehicles to help drivers save gas, while lawmakers pushed conservation and domestic energy efforts, including the enactment of the national 55 mph speed limit in 1973. 

The technology of tomorrow will continue to make cars more efficient and safe, and will bring more comfort and convenience to the driver. These three features are the next big advances that will soon be just as common as rear-view mirrors in most U.S.-made vehicles:

Forward Collision Avoidance Systems

Most DMV practice tests online will advise drivers to keep a safe following distance of about 3 seconds between your car and the one ahead of you. But new technology will soon remove human judgment from the driving equation altogether.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates forward-collision avoidance systems reduce crashes by up to 7 percent, and up to 14 percent if they include auto-braking features. An alarm will sound when the system senses the speed and trajectory of a vehicle is likely to lead to some type of collision. The IIHS rates all manufacturer system, from basic to superior, based on its capabilities.

A basic rating, for instance, is given to vehicles that meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's criteria on at least 5 of 7 test runs. There are 74 vehicles with forward-collision avoidance systems, including the 2014 models of the Cadillac ATS, Mercedes C-Class Sedan and Subaru Legacy, that have earned the organization's advanced rating. The 2014 Acura MDX SUV and 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Cherokee are among the models with superior ratings.

David Zuby, the chief research officer for IIHS, said auto-braking features will help inattentive and older drivers avoid fender benders, and ultimately lower insurance costs.

Camless Engines

A typical four-stroke piston engine utilizes camshafts to run the followers and open the valves that regulate gasoline flow. But if Christian von Koenigsegg of Sweden's Koenigsegg Automotive has his way, camshafts will be a thing of the past by 2020. He told Jalopnik at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show that his company has been working on a camless engine for several years and believes it will be the rule rather than the exception for automobiles in the near future.

All the valves in a camless engine will function independently, translating to better fuel efficiency and horse power. Several manufacturers, including BMW, GM, and Ford have been tinkering with the idea, but it appears the technology may still be a few years away from being available to the masses.

Cargines and LaunchPoint Technologies are currently the leaders in camless engines. Brian Paden, the lead designer for the LaunchPoint, told Car-Engineer.com that this type of valve timing technology will increase fuel efficiency by 20 percent, reduce emissions by 10 percent, and improve torque by up to 13 percent.

Hands-Free Driving

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers predicts 60 percent of cars will be connected to the Internet by 2025. This first step is essential to the organization's other major prediction: that 75 percent of vehicles will be self-driving by 2040.

Autonomous cars not only have to be able to communicate with one another, but also with the satellites that safely route them. These vehicles will enable blind individuals, along with the handicapped and elderly, to drive to the grocery store and even take cross-country road trips. Google announced in April that its driverless technology completed over 700,000 miles of driving without an accident.

The National Highway and Safety Administration estimates car accidents cost the country nearly $900 billion a year. The International Organsation for Road Accident Prevention estimates more than 90 percent of accidents are caused by human error. Driverless technology can eliminate most accidents, the need for traffic lights, and lower insurance premiums for all drivers.

Driverless vehicles are currently only being tested in the states of California, Nevada, Michigan, and Florida.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Best Cars of 2014 Under $60K

Be sure to leave your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback on this kind of research!

*by andreascy*

Do the Benefits of Oil Rig Jobs Outweigh the Risks?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Do the benefits of working on an oil rig outweigh the risks? That depends on the person. Those who enjoy a physically challenging job, travel, adventure, team work and a large paycheck would likely enjoy working on an oil rig. 

However, those who do not wish to be away from home for long periods of time, don't want to endure extreme working conditions or live in the middle of the ocean would be miserable.

Benefits

The benefits of working in the oil industry are appealing. Jobs are plentiful since the demand for energy is increasing. One does not need a degree to begin, and there is plenty of room for advancement. Oil companies prefer to promote from within to save money on training costs. The pay for an entry level worker can be over $1,000 a week, with skilled and professional workers making two or three times as much. Food, board and travel expenses are paid for by the company. Many companies offer excellent benefits, including medical, dental and life insurance, 401(k) programs and profit sharing. Living conditions are reputed to be excellent, even comparing to 4- and 5-star hotels. Opportunities for rest and leisure are provided, and may include satellite TV and phones, updated selections of DVDs, video games, an Internet connection, gyms, saunas and more.

Oil rig employees work long, often 12-hour days but in rotating shifts. For example, in two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off increments or fourteen days on and twenty one days off, meaning employees work only half the year or less. Workers are needed in countries all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Russia, Norway, Venezuela, China and Scotland. Employees eat, sleep and work with a diversity of people.

A variety of skilled laborers are needed, including welders, scaffolders, medics, radio operators, painters, electricians, maintenance supervisors, crane operators, caterers and mechanics. There are even different kinds of rigs to work on, such as semi-submersible, platform, jack up, drill ships, flotels, and floating production and storage units. 

Oil companies do their best to insure safety and provide safety boots, glasses, hard hats and coveralls. A medical staff is on board at all times. Bonuses and higher pay may be available for working in the harshest conditions.

Risks

Disasters are infrequent on oil rigs, but when they do occur they can be devastating. In the event of a disaster, the Coast Guard will respond but may take time to reach the rig. Survivors must wait in life boats or rafts for rescue. There's no denying the risk of death and serious injury while working on an oil rig. Employees are constantly working around heavy machinery and combustible materials, and gas leaks are common. Conditions can be harsh, ranging from sweltering heat to below freezing. The work is stressful and physically demanding. The sea is unpredictable, and workers may even have to weather hurricanes on the rig. Fatigue can be a problem, and the machinery is complex, it's easy to make a fatal mistake. Workers must be alert and work as a team at all times. Rules are strict; employees must follow orders to ensure safety. The oil rig is isolated, and workers may feel lonely and worry about the emotional stress put on their families. It is an environment not unlike the military.

Working on an oil rig can be an exciting and financially rewarding experience. However, it's a high-risk setting that requires strength and fortitude. If you have some years of experience working on oil refineries, we'd be glad to use your knowledge and educate people about your industry.

*by andreascy*

Transportation Options While Vacationing

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Taking a vacation with family or friends can be great fun, but all of the different transportation options can cause confusion over the way to get around. 

Whether you hop on a minibus or you rent a car, each option has benefits and drawbacks, depending on the situation. Here are some suggestions for transportation options away from home that will leave you moving smoothly wherever you go.

Renting a Car

This is one of the most common forms of transportation used while traveling. But is it right for your trip?

If you plan to be traveling long distances each day on your trip, renting a car can be the greatest way to move around. Most rental car services offer low daily rates, or will even consider offering a flat rate for the entire period you travel. Of course, the gas costs will be covered by you, but many rental services provide renters with choices between cars - opt for a hybrid, or any other car that gets good mileage. Some services even offer cheaper rates on weekdays than on weekends, so plan your trip well in advance to get the best deal.

When it comes to insurance, be very wary. Rental insurance prices are often extremely inflated, and often times a driver's personal automobile insurance already covers all of the same things as the rental insurance. Before purchasing rental insurance through a service, check with your current insurance provider to see if it's the right choice - it may save you a lot of money.

Taking the Bus/Taking a Taxi

If you're traveling to a location where public transportation is cheap and efficient, and if you don't need to travel long distances, consider taking the bus or riding on a metro. Often times you can purchase passes for a week or even a month, significantly cutting down the costs of transportation. In many cities and towns parking can also be a problem, thus making a rental car more difficult to use - in this case, opt for riding the bus around town so as to not worry about a car. 

If you're trying to get somewhere at night, forgo the bus for an official taxi. While taxis might be slightly more expensive, they offer safer transportation than a public bus or metro, and will take you exactly where you need to be.

Use Your Feet

An often overlooked form of transportation while on vacation, walking can offer benefits that far surpass any other way. Walking allows you to exercise while away from home, it saves a lot of money on transportation costs, and it allows you to see your destination of choice from a different perspective.

And you must consider the location to which you're traveling. If you're trying to get from Paris to Hamburg, or even San Francisco to Los Angeles in a few days, walking might not be your best option. But if you have a whole week to explore downtown Budapest, or if your entire trip is in Salt Lake City, put on a pair of walking shoes and see all of the sites you can.

Time to Get Away

Going on a vacation can be great fun for you and your friends or family, but make sure you plan accordingly before leaving. Whether you ride the bus, rent a car, or simply walk around town, find out the best transportation option for you to have the trip of a lifetime.

As travel enthusiasts, here at THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY we always encourage our readers to explore new areas when traveling. Let us know how can we help you with your next trip. 😉

*by andreascy*

What You Should Know About Oil and Gas This Summer

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Oil and gas prices are known to rise significantly in the summer, and this summer appears to be no exception. Have you ever wondered why oil and gas prices continue to rise, despite increased levels of production and a booming oil industry?

This article argues that governmental policies have restricted the development of US-based oil production, keeping prices high for the average American. The good news is that prices are expected to drop in the near future due to lowered demand and increased supply. 

Rising Prices and Policies

Former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama have created policies that force major car manufacturers to design more efficient cars that provide a higher miles-per-gallon, which may help lower demand and gas prices in the long term. However, the government has also blocked American energy companies from obtaining the land access they need to produce oil and gas on US soil. This causes America to be subject to prices set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), even though the US has enough oil shale to last two centuries or more.

Oil and Gas This Summer

The demand for oil and gas is likely to soon fall. This is because the temperature this summer is expected to be cooler, and fewer utilities are being switched from coal to gas. In spite of this fall in demand, natural gas prices will rise this summer compared to 2012. 

Gas production will also be far higher this summer, according to Natural Gas Supply Association. New processing plants and pipelines are being constructed to carry natural gas from previously inaccessible regions, like the Marcellus Shale. Governor Rick Perry in Texas and the State of North Dakota are leading the effort to expand pipelines in the US. 

A Plunge in Oil and Gas Prices in the Future?

According to the International Energy Agency, we are about to witness a period of exceptionally low gas prices. The period will last for five years, and estimates for the plunge vary. The relief will be the result of a higher spare capacity and an increased number of oil fields. The current spare capacity is 3,000,000 barrels a day across the planet, and it is expected to increase to about 7,000,000 barrels a day by next year. It will continue to grow in the future. The current demand for fuel is equally balanced by supply, but in the next few years, supply will likely outpace demand.

According to Citigroup, we may witness oil prices of $80 a barrel through 2017, when the price could drop to less than $50. 

Certainly, governmental policies bolstering US-based gas production infrastructure would likely have prevented the oil crisis we have suffered since the early 21st century. With an increase in production, however, coupled by a projected fall in demand, this crisis may soon be righted, relieving the pressure on many American families who rely on oil and gas every day.

SEE ALSO: Do the Benefits of Oil Rig Jobs Outweigh the Risks?

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Thanks for visiting! 😍

*by andreascy*

Benefits of the Different Types of Alternative Transportation

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

There are a lot of reasons to want to leave your car behind and find alternative modes of transportation if you're in the city. Cars can be a gigantic hassle--traffic and parking nearly always present problems, and you are constantly running the risk of fender benders and other accidents. 

Cars also guzzle gas (especially during the aforementioned traffic in larger cities), and are thus much more costly than most alternate forms of transportation. And finally, cars are very inefficient, and thus environmentally unfriendly. So if you're thinking of leaving the car behind, and hopping on some alternative transportation, here are some options to consider.

Bus 

A bus is often the best friend of a city dweller. Buses run frequently to all the busiest parts of town, and for very reasonable rates. If you're a frequent public transportation user, a bus pass is a very worthwhile investment. Chances are, if you live in the city, there's a bus stop within a few blocks of your residence. It's a good bet that walking to the bus stop takes less time than trying to find a parking spot. 

Buses equipped with hybrid engines or solar panels on their roofs are becoming more and more popular, meaning this mode of transportation is getting greener and greener. So buses are also a way to feel better about your carbon footprint when you're moving from Point A to Point B. 

Subway 

If you live in a city with a good subway system, then look no further. Subways can be the ultimate form of transportation, as they are speedy, usually run with good frequency, bypass traffic completely, and are a fantastic, environmentally friendly choice.

If you're lucky enough to live near a subway station, your trip or commute is bound to be much less of a hassle than it would have been by car. And if you don't live in walking distance of a station, just hop a bus to one! Subways are also important because they represent the future of public transportation: they can hold lots of people, they travel at good speeds, and the potential to lower their environmental impact is almost limitless. 

Taxis 

Taxis are pretty prevalent in almost all of the major metropolitan areas. They're a great way to get where you need to go with little hassle or wait. You can call and reserve a taxi, or simply flag one on the street, and it will take you exactly where you're going: no parking, no stopping for other guests, just a beeline to your destination. There used to be two downsides to taxis: money, and environmental impact. They still cost a lot more money than, say, a bus, but you certainly make up for it with the low-hassle and quick delivery. As for the environmental impact, more and more taxi companies are shifting to hybrid vehicles, meaning you needn't feel so bad about wasting gas to get to work or that new restaurant you've been wanting to try.

Car Share

Car sharing is a revolutionary idea that allows you to have a car only when you need it. With a membership to one of the many car sharing services, you have access to a whole fleet of vehicles that are conveniently parked in street spots reserved just for them, or cruising around town waiting to pick you up. These vehicles are usually environmentally friendly (and you don't pay for gas or insurance, just a membership), so they're a fantastic alternative to owning a car.

That was it for today, we hope you enjoyed our article. Feel free to like, comment and share it with your friends and other social circles. Hopefully we will inspire and attract more people on our Blog. Thank you everyone for your continuous support! 

*by andreascy*

Best Green Energy Resources

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

If you are anything like me and you like staying up to date with the current flow of energy news then I am here to help! I have always had an invested interest in energy and especially the renewables vertical.

So I thought I would add a list of my favourite places to grab this news or even have it delivered straight to my inbox should I need it!

1. If This Then That

Something I came across not such a long time ago was If This Then That. This service is brilliant; what it does it creates “recipes” for you online and lets you create connections between several services such as Facebook, Twitter and blog sources in a simple statement format (hence If This Then That). 

So for example, I can grab my favourite blogs RSS feed and have all the latest posts sent straight to my inbox for me to read when I want. There are lots of different cross channel “recipes” you can use but my favourite (bearing in mind I love everything green) is the Belkin energy saving one. 

You can keep an eye on your energy usage as the Belkin socket outlet will send an email to your inbox each time the timer switch comes on! You have to check this out!

2. The Guardian

Under the Environment section in The Guardian you will find everything you need to keep you up to date with all the facets of green living. In here you will find blogs where you can voice opinion and share your thoughts; there is also Newsletters, Apps and even a Food section. 

The reason I like this site is because it covers everything that I would want to read about and it does do in depth - perfect for anyone who cares about these topics.

3. The Green Living Forum

This is a blog run by some friends of mine and I like it because it takes information that is readily available to you and me but they make manipulate it and make it more digestible. This blog heavily focuses around Green energy and more specifically renewables such as wind, sea and solar power that take some of the burden of fossil fuels like coal and gas.

This is one that I use through the tool I mentioned before If This Then That where I pull its RSS feed straight into my Gmail account.

RECOMMENDED: Tips On Making Your Office Greener

These are just a few of the places I like to visit and use to keep up to date with everything that is going in this space. What are some of the places you like going to keep up to date? Leave a comment and please connect with us on Twitter! 

*by andreascy*

GPS Fleet Management - What Are Its Environmental Benefits

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Everybody wants to be a green citizen today. Being eco-friendly has gone from being a fashion statement to a necessity. More and more clients ask for products that are the result of green manufacturing processes and businesses therefore have been encouraged to go in for sustainable practices. This eco-conscience is also applicable for an owner of a fleet.

Fleet management has its own complexities and challenges but you can make it as green and environmentally friendly as possible by going in for GPS fleet management. Using a GPS vehicle tracking system for your fleet has plenty of benefits including financial. So let us take a look at the environmental benefits of GPS fleet management:

1. Optimizing fuel consumption 

By going in for a GPS fleet management system you can make every gallon of fuel count. This makes both environmental and financial sense since fuel prices are rising everywhere and is probably one of the largest expense areas for you as well. Therefore you should be able to monitor how the driver is driving in terms of speed of vehicle and route. For instance, if your vehicle has been left idling for too long or if the driver is showing erratic speeds while he is driving this could be draining revenues from your business by way of fuel wastage. Figuring out the best possible route is also useful when using GPS fleet management. It may not always be about the shortest route. It can also be a route which allows for uninterrupted driving and ergo lesser need for braking! 

2. Getting the drivers to invest in green policies

With GPS fleet management system you can familiarize your drivers with environmental principles that you would like to follow. Therefore they become more invested in reducing carbon footprint. Rather than simply dictating routes you can explain to the drivers why it is important that the driver adhere to a particular speed and go through a particular route so that they too are familiar with the higher purpose of eco-consciousness. You can also demonstrate why careful driving at a particular speed will help keep the drivers safe too. 

3. Government compliance

Depending on the country that you are in, you would be needed by the government to comply with emissions standards or carbon footprint laws. One of the ways in which you can meet these compliance frameworks is to use GPS fleet management. By reducing speed to optimum levels and by extending the life of the vehicle you can get some major “brownie points” in terms of carbon credits and certifications from government agencies as well. 

GPS fleet management system can also help manage your fleet in terms of age of vehicles. By looking at the driving history of each vehicle you can find out whether they have been performing better over a period of time or whether the time has come to trade them for newer vehicles. Tracking aspects like service history and routine maintenance for your fleet is critical to ensure that you put safe and low polluting vehicles on the road.

SUGGESTED: 5 Top Tech Toys For Your Car

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*by andreascy*

Solar Energy Panels vs. Solar Electricity Plants

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Most people think of how we will use solar energy panels to become less reliant on fossil fuels in terms of solar power homes; every house would have its own array of photovoltaic panels and be individually energy independent. An electrical grid would allow people to sell any energy their home produced beyond what they need so that others could use it, but for the most part, each unit would function autonomously. Skeptics are quick to point out that this approach suffers from being too costly, if only because power plants offer economies of scale that allow them to generate electricity at a lower average cost. Fortunately, a solar electricity company could step in to deal with this problem.

The obvious benefit of a solar power electricity company over individual homes building their own is it should cost less. One company that centralizes several solar energy panels in arrays can do the entire thing for a lower average cost per watt than individuals can for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is that they can build these plants in places that have above average amounts of direct sun so that the plants maximize solar cell utilization. And this lower cost also reflects higher efficiency, which is important for a project that aims to protect the environment. Better efficiency means lower consumption and less waste. For the individual consumer, this means both nearly no upfront cost and a better electricity price.

Types of Solar Power Plants

A few different types of solar power plants have been built. One planned for Arizona would install 1900 acres of solar panels to power up to 70,000 homes. The plans are based on using solar radiation to generate steam heat that then spins turbines. Another plant planned for southern Spain would use a different technology, also to create steam energy from solar radiation. Part of the reasons plans for solar plants eschew solar energy panels based on photovoltaic technology is that these panels have a lifetime of 20 to 30 years, and can require more attention than simpler technology. This makes the steam-based solar technology more appropriate when solar power will be harnessed en masse.

Pros vs. Cons

The drawbacks to this approach are significant, however. The biggest is that for people who want to convert to solar energy now, waiting the years necessary to design and build these large plants is not an option. Another is that it combines all the risk on one entity. If a better technology is developed while the plant is in construction, they either have to go ahead with a less efficient option or scrap the plants, accept the financial losses, and deal with having wasted those resources. However, if homes adopt solar panels at their own pace, solar conversion risk is spread out and averaged, which makes it a more financially reasonable strategy for conservation.

Solar energy panels lend themselves to a number of different alternative energy approaches. Solar power plants would be less costly to consumers due to a number of advantages. But that comes at a cost for those who are already prepared to make the conversion now.

RECOMMENDED: Ten Reasons Why The World Should Go Solar 

I love to write about sustainable living and energy. Hope you've liked this story, and we'll catch up with you again soon. If you want more then get our best articles every day with emphasis on technology.

*by andreascy*

Science Nation : Science for a Sustainable Future

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Princeton University physical chemist Emily Carter is using fundamental scientific principles to create computer simulation tools that will help predict the behavior of different materials including renewable fuels. 

The research, which is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), has a broad range of applications including, improving thermal barrier coatings for jet engines, developing new materials for lightweight vehicles to improve fuel efficiency and creating novel materials for use in non-fossil fuel sustainable energy production.

*by andreascy*

New Efficient Way to Recycle Carbon Dioxide Pollution

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Scientists in the United States have discovered a new, inexpensive way to remove excess Carbon Dioxide (or CO2), from the atmosphere, as well as from large industrial exhaust sources, such as factory smokestacks. Researchers at the University of Southern California's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute say their new CO2 extraction method achieved some of the highest rates ever reported for removing the potentially climate-changing greenhouse gas from the air under humid conditions. 

Most scientists believe that industrial carbon dioxide emissions are major contributors to global warming. The accelerating increase in the Earth’s average surface temperatures also is believed to be triggering significant changes in climate, including more intense storms, more severe floods and droughts, and major shifts in rainfall patterns. 

Study co-author and Loker Institute director Professor Surya Prakash said the CO2 extraction technique involves a plastic-like substance dispersed in a sandy material called fumed silica.

Prakash says the goal of the research was to create an efficient way to capture excess CO2 from the air and recycle it for use in the production of all the fuels and carbon-based products now made from refined petroleum. He adds that the extracted carbon dioxide also can be permanently isolated from the environment. 

Prakash says he expects to see his team’s CO2 recycling technology in commercial use within three to five years. The USC researchers say the fumed silica materials they developed for the CO2 extractor are much cheaper, more energy efficient and more chemically stable than existing extraction devices. They also report that the new materials can be used multiple times without losing their efficiency.

Prakash said he and his colleagues tested the new materials in humid air because capturing CO2 in humid conditions is especially difficult, and provided realistic conditions for the experiment since most air contains moisture. A report on the new USC study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. 

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Washington: 2 Utilities Win Approval For Nuclear Power Plants

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission unanimously approved a radical new reactor design on Thursday, clearing away a major obstacle for two utilities to begin construction on projects in South Carolina and Georgia.

The decision, a milestone in the much-delayed revival of plant construction sought by the nuclear industry, involves the Westinghouse AP1000, a 1,154 Megawatt reactor with a so-called advanced passive design. It relies more heavily on forces like gravity and natural heat convection and less on pumps, valves and operator actions than other models do, in theory diminishing the probability of an accident.

Two reactors are planned for the Southern Company’s plant near Augusta, Ga., and another two at the Summer plant of South Carolina Electric and Gas in Fairfield County, S.C. In an unusual step, the commission waived the usual 30-day waiting period before its approval becomes official, so its decision will be effective in about a week. That moves the utilities closer to the point where they can start pouring concrete for safety-related parts of the plant. The decision also moves the industry toward the first test of a streamlined procedure in which the commission will issue a combined construction and operating license. Up to now reactors had to obtain a construction license and then undergo a long wait for an operating license, resulting in expensive delays in starting up reactors that had essentially been completed.

Many of today’s operating reactors were one of a kind. Under the new system, the utility will use a standard design preapproved by the commission, like the one endorsed on Thursday. The only remaining issue will be whether the utility was faithful to the authorized design. Southern and South Carolina Electric and Gas could get combined licenses soon. The new licensing procedure is intended to cut costs, which ran so high in the last round of construction, in the 1970s and 1980s, that many projects were abandoned half-built.

In the emerging round of construction, Southern and South Carolina Electric and their partners have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars digging foundations for the projects. They have also brought in cooling water and taken other early steps that do not require approval of the reactor design.

In a statement welcoming the commission’s decision, Westinghouse said that about 3,000 high-paying construction jobs would be created at each plant site and that workers manufacturing components at factories around the country would benefit as well. Of the 104 operating power reactors in the United States, the youngest entered service in 1996.

The four reactors to be built are the only survivors in what had been envisioned as a bigger field of new plants that narrowed over the last three years as investors ran into financial and other obstacles. In fact, it is not clear whether ground will be broken on any additional reactors soon; industry experts say the biggest obstacle is that the price of natural gas remains quite low, making it difficult to produce electricity from a reactor at a price competitive with electricity from a gas-burning plant. Congress has approved $18.5 billion in loan guarantees for new reactors and there is considerable support for even more, but it is not clear that borrowers will emerge.

Among other design improvements, the Westinghouse AP1000 is supposed to shut down safely in the event of a loss of all electrical power, which is what befell the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami in March. Westinghouse says that a combination of automatic systems and design features would keep the reactor safe for three days without human intervention and that its core could be kept from melting indefinitely with only minimal operator effort.

The regulatory commission approved an earlier version of the AP1000 in 2006, but the design was later ruled out for American utilities when the agency adopted a rule in 2008 requiring newly constructed reactors to be able to withstand the impact of a crashing aircraft. China is in advanced stages of constructing four units of an earlier version of the AP1000. The first unit is scheduled to go online in 2013, about three years before the first one would begin operating in the United States. Westinghouse predicts that certification of the design by the regulatory commission will make it easier for the company to market the model around the world.

Opponents of the reactor, among them the North Carolina group NC Warn, have argued that no new designs should be certified until the lessons of the Fukushima accident have been fully absorbed. And Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, and others have drawn attention to concerns raised by an engineer at the commission that a building surrounding the reactor containment might fail under some circumstances. But the chairman of the commission, Gregory B. Jaczko, said that all of the panel’s safety concerns had been fully addressed.

“The design provides enhanced safety margins through use of simplified, inherent, passive or other innovative safety and security functions, and also has been assessed to ensure it could withstand damage from an aircraft impact without significant release of radioactive materials,” he said in a statement.

The decision is a rare instance of agreement among the commissioners, who have split this year over policy and management issues. Last week four of them testified before Congress that Dr. Jaczko had limited the flow of information to them and tried to cut them out of important decisions.

ALSO OF INTEREST: The Newest Eco-Friendly Apartment Building Trends

Thanks for reading!

*by andreascy*

 

Convert Air to Fuel with solar (Tested in UK)

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

An British Cryogenics company, Highview Power Storage, is now jumping on the air fuel bandwagon with a demonstration system that can cool air to liquid and store it in high pressure tanks. This is reminiscent of the mdi-air car which has yet to make it to mass market after many years of intense resistance from the automotive industry and associated Euro zone govt departments especially the French.

The British method is not for transportation though. Instead they see a benefit in using bio-mass from waste recycling facilities to provide the energy required to liquefy air and harnessing their cryogenics knowledge to super cool the liquid nitrogen result as an alternative to Li-Ion batteries. When the air is decompressed it expands creating force to be used to power an electric turbine. They claim to be able to get 70% of the energy back from the conversion process with the addition of a little extra heat to increase the rate of expansion of the liquid air. 

Next up they are planning to build a 3.5 MW system to provide power for the local community. It may not be the most efficient way of storing energy but if it is combined with solar and wind it could provide a very stable energy supply for many years. That is going to appeal to any long term project where stable energy is a requirement so they most likely have a decent market segment. If all else fails they can just export the energy to the grid for tax credits or sell directly to a major supplier and become part of the bassload grid supply chain.

Learn more about the company on : 

http://www.highview-power.com/wordpress/?page_id=1320

Read more about this Demostration on:

http://cleantechnica.com/2011/03/02/liquid-air-tested-to-store-renewable-energy-in-uk

*by andreascy*

Fuel Cell Battery and Charger Combo (Portable)

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

While cars are making a shift to electricity in place of gasoline, engineers are actively looking for technologies that free consumers from the need to plug into electrical outlets when charging electronic and mobile devices.

This just in from myFC, a Swedish Fuel cell manufacturer is the new PowerTrekk fuel cell and battery combo, that provides enough power to charge a phone via usb. 

The energy is obtained from water via the fuel pack. By filling the PowerTrekk with water and connecting it to any USB mobile charger, whether a USB lamp, GPS or phone, charging begins automatically and shuts down once it has finished. The device has a lighted display on one side that indicates the level of power delivered. It also contains an internal battery. 

“This is a green product, because the only waste from it is water,” Westerholm points out. “When you are on the go you can always find water. It doesn’t matter if you have fresh water or salt, any type is good. It is green even in terms of construction, because we don’t need to use very much material to create sufficient power.” 

Specifications : 

Rated output : 5V, 1000 mA 

Rated input : 5V, 500 mA 

Internal buffer : Li-ion, 1600 mAh 

Fuel cell : PEM 4 cell unit 1000 mAh 

Charging input port : Micro USB 

Charging output port : USB-A

What i want to see are less expensive fuel cells. As we lower our energy consumption, the power companies just raise the rates, to protect their cash flows. Give us more "off the grid" options at reasonable cost. Actually the problem was never the availability of power. It's the abusive pricing structure imposed by the production/distribution syndicates. 

Let us know what you think.

*by andreascy*

Laser spark plugs

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Revisiting the concept of leaner fuel mixtures to run Internal Combustion Engines is a favorite topic here. Latest news has lasers as the solution to the problem of igniting leaner ratios ex. gasoline to water. The claims are that the new advance in laser technology enables smaller lasers to fit inside the space that is normally reserved for spark plugs. Whether they will be drop in replacements or not is yet to be released. 

Without saying what the comparison is the researchers discount plasma spark plugs saying the problem with plasma (or as they refer to them – “high energy”) spark plugs is wear on the tips due to the metal being worn away after a relatively short period of usage. We have documented such issues with plasma plugs built using conventional spark plugs tips but the Firestorm plugs claim to have solved that issue by using a non conventional metal for the tip.

However the really interesting aspect of using lasers for ignition (apart from the obvious reference to Stanley Meyers Water Vehicle) is in the following quote :

"Lasers inject their energy within nanoseconds, compared with milliseconds for spark plugs.

Timing – quick combustion – is very important. The more precise the timing, the more efficient the combustion and the better the fuel economy”

With nanosecond control that would provide much greater efficiency for energy usage. The lasers will most likely need to be powered with battery technology so every possible energy saving that can be achieved will contribute to the mileage of the vehicle. Being able to run an engine at leaned out ratios of 80:1 or even greater would certainly make a big dent in the short term issue of global energy supply. 

It might even allow us the possibility of being able to grow or manufacture enough combustible fuel to replace oil and gas when it runs out. However the increase in efficiency will only result in another 3 – 4 times more mileage for the amount of fuel consumed. That definitely gives us all some more time but only if every vehicle was converted to use this new laser technology today. Unfortunately that is not going to happen. 

Due to the way the current system structured and run it will be at least 10 years before every car in the world could be retrofitted with this technology and that is simply too little too late. At best the laser spark plug technology will provide a couple of years extension in the global fuel supply but as the only people who could afford to buy fuel anyway will be the ultra rich or governments and corporations that won’t mean anything to the average person. 

However if for some amazing reason the technology turns out to be relatively easy to replicate and people are able to build and install their own components then we will see a very positive step for global transportation issues. Of course that doesn’t solve the issue of what to use for fertiliser on the mega farms that feed the world but at least the people who survive the coming period of mass starvation will be able to drive their cars literally on the smell of an oily rag. 

Reference : 

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/laser-igniters-to-replace-spark-plugs/150122-11.html

*by andreascy*

Fuel-Less Gravity Powered Airplane

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The Gravity plane is a very efficient use of the energy available from buoyancy, thrust, acceleration and wind. It won’t be as fast as a petroleum powered engine but it will still get from A to B. Assuming they can make enough high strength composite material to withstand the force of acceleration on the hull and wings this “amazing flying machine” would be a useful transportation option for non urgent transportation requirements. It would be nice if they actually manage to make enough of them to form a fleet and make a difference before the energy to build them runs out.

*by andreascy*

Wars for Oil

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

We all know by now that the world is running out of fossil fuels. In particular the oil that provides energy for all our transportation, most of our food production and a lot of our electricity is being consumed quicker than we can replace it with any other source of energy. The Western powers have embarked on a campaign to effectively control the remaining reserves that are not already in the power of Russia, China, Brazil and Venezuela. The result is we have perpetual wars in the Middle East and now moving into Africa via Libya.

There is a significant problem with the use of war as a means of controlling the oil distribution and extraction process. The main problem being that wars create unbalanced societies. They also destroy infrastructure and tend to result in a lot of violence and human carnage. These issues are long term and are not easily or quickly solved. They also happen to be the last thing that a rampaging Army has on it’s mind once the action is over. They are not actually interested in creating balanced peaceful societies. That is like asking an addict to take care of your drug supply. It’s just not going to result in a positive outcome for anyone involved. 

One of the core ideas behind controlling the supply of oil is that the people in power i.e the Banksters printing the money to fund the war machine, can control the energy supply in the coming years as the competition for the remaining oil causes massive spikes in prices and only the uber wealthy, Governments and Mega Corporations are in a position financially to justify the expense of using up the remaining energy for their business and personal use. 

However this idea falters when war is used to secure the supply as they effectively decrease the supply of oil to the market by destroying infrastructure and creating unstable environments where no one with the expertise and experience to rebuild the infrastructure is prepared to put their lives on the line in order to fulfill the original plan of controlling the supply. So the end result is that the oil wars create a net loss in terms of available supply of oil to the Market and considering that we are running out at an exponential rate anyway this only serves to drive up prices faster and further unbalance the global economy. 

Hence the desire to remove from the consumption process a large number of oil consumers who would otherwise be competing for the remaining reserves. Otherwise known as the Bilderberg Plan for reducing the population of the world to 500 million people. This is a negative, self destructive cycle that we are now being subjected to by the Banksters and their Corporate and Governmental cronies. The outcome of such a cycle is only a negative result. However it is often found that once an addict hits rock bottom and there is no where else to go they have to face the hard truths about their situation and make some changes for the better. Either that or they die and everyone that is affected by their actions can get on with their lives. 

In this regard, we are at a crucial point in the history of modern civilisation. Do we sink or swim? Who gets to loose out or is it a case of everyone looses permanently?

*by andreascy* 

Nocera’s Solar Leaf Revisited

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

MIT scientist Daniel Nocera has released new publicity around his solar leaf concept. The basic idea is that instead of converting sunlight to electricity and storing it in a battery, use the electricity to split hydrogen from water allowing the hydrogen to be used in a hydrogen fuel cell. An inherently lossy process which will require a system to keep hydrogen and oxygen separated until it can be directed into the fuel cell for conversion back to electricity. Theoretically it could provide an almost permanent supply of electricity and stored energy if combined with a rain water capture system. However due to the lossiness of the conversion process it does seem to be running at a significant disadvantage to normal electricity storage in the form of a Lithium Ion battery. However as it is using a fuel cell that probably requires at least some rare earth elements during the manufacturing process which will of course contribute greatly to the amount of energy consumed to completely make the system.

In the meantime a Japanese company has already taken the process to it’s inevitable conclusion and produced a full scale home sized hydrogen conversion system. They claim that with a solar panel, 1500 cc of water and their hydrogen conversion and storage system they can provide 5000 KwH of electricity which is around that amount that an average home would use during a night. 5000 KwH is approx enough stored energy to provide 16 hours of electricity to an average home PC with a 300 watt power supply. However if you add a refrigerator or washing machine into the mix you start to see some significant decreases in energy supply time. The main benefit of this system is that it can be run simply on water and solar. Once the investment is made it will provide around 50 years of constant supply of energy as long as you don’t need to use more than 5000 KwH of energy between charges. If connected to a rain water capture system it is theoretically a 50 year life cycle version of a perpetual mobile. It will no doubt be very useful as a replacement for fossil fuels in low energy consuming households. Combined with a larger solar hot water and electricity storage system and you would be able to live with a degree of energy security.

If Nocera has a better and cheaper more energy efficient system up his sleeve he is keeping the details to himself at the moment. No doubt he is still waiting for approval from MIT to do something actually useful for a change. The general rule of thumb with anything from MIT is that it never actually gets anywhere other than securing more funding for the scientists involved in the projects.

*by andreascy*