The Energy Potential of Chicken Droppings

Link: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/the-energy-potential-of-chicken-droppings/?partner=rss&emc=rss 


Summary: Farmers in USA, Canada, and Australia are finding that transforming chicken droppings into biochar fertilizer, biogas, and bio-oil by a process called pyrolysis is proving to be very beneficial. Not only is it an abundant source of energy, it helps farms dispose of growing amounts of manure and is very cost-effective. Considering there are over 30,000 chicken farms in America alone, this industry could grow exponentially over the next several years. Scientists are even looking into the possibility that human, cow, and pig waste could be made into energy by a similar, if not the same exact process. 


Quote: “Our country needs alternative sources of energy to balance against the world’s growing demand for petroleum-based energy.”

Pictured is a factory where chicken droppings are transferred to energy. 

Opinion/Reflection: I think it's very interesting that our scientists are capable of developing such innovative ways creating energy! Never in a million years would I think that chicken waste could be used for something beneficial to us. Even stranger, I never though my own race's waste could help. After reading this article, it seems as if this industry is either very small or has not even started yet. With the right researching and attention, this industry could totally make it big! Americans are always looking for alternative energy sources that will lessen our dependency on foreign oil. All in all, I think that this is a great idea and hope that one day we are able to utilize it! 

Questions: 

1) Would you ever think that chicken waste could be used as a form of energy?

2) Do you agree with me that you think this is a good idea?

3) Would it gross you out to know that something you are using is being powered by chicken waste/human waste?

Very Alternative: 5 Unusual Alternative Energy Sources

http://webecoist.com/2009/12/19/very-alternative-5-unusual-alternative-energy-sources/

This website demonstrated five unusual ways to create energy.

The first is tornado power. Canadian engineer Louis Michaud created an engine that could get pumped with, warm humid air to form a fake tornado that would power wind turbines. These turbines could generate enough electricity to power small town. “Michaud proposes using waste heat from power plants [to create the tornado] since they typically reject more than half of the heat they generate.”

Another is using the gases released from cremation (burning dead bodies.) As the body is being cremated, the gasses pass though a filter that removes mercury and then it is pumped into the building’s heating system. Kinda gross, but it works…

A third energy source is using living people to create energy. “Sustainable Dance Club was formed in the Netherlands with the idea that dancing bodies could create enough kinetic energy to actually power a building.” They designed dance floor and installed one in a club in Rotterdam, but they wish to spread this technology “all over the world to… wherever there are people willing to dance for the good of the Earth.”

The race car above is fueled and made entirely of sustainable materials. The body of the car is made from recycled carbon fibers, resin, and flax; the steering wheel is made of carrot pulp, and the whole thing is lubricated with plant oils. It is fueled by a mixture of chocolate and animal oils. A mixture like this is refered to as a biofuel.

The last alternate energy source is using ancient mudstones as a replacement for fossil fuels. These stones retain shale gas that was originally found in sandstone, but it was recently discovered that these mudstones yield as much as four times the amount of gas in sandstone. “However, extracting the gas from the stones could be challenging since the stones aren’t consistent in their gas retention.”

I found this article to be extremely interesting. I didn't know there were so many unusual alternative energy sources out there. And to think that all of them are using just ordinary things and turning them into power sources. Imagine what kind of energy we could generate if we made a list of everything that we didn't use, everything wasted, and turned into energy.

1. Which of these five energy sources surprised you the most?
2. Do you think that we will ever be able to completely stop using fossil fuels?
3. What other things are we currently wasting that could become potential energy sources?

Energy's checkered past and elusive future

Summary:

This article tells about different energy sources that humans used over the millenniums such as, dung, wood, water, wind, coal, crude and uranium (whale oil). Many thought that hunting whales for there oil was wrong, but up until petroleum was discovered in 1859, there were no better alternatives. With that discovery though, new problems arose as you know, causing an environmental disaster. Also, oil and coal are nonrenewable and are running low so many scientist are trying to find a knew energy source. They predict that fusion, harnessing the kind of power that the sun produces, will be next . Since the suns energy already is everywhere,many hope that this source will become clean, harmless to the environment and renewable. Today, there are three fusion mega-projects under way however, commercial fusion still probably still decades away. If this does work, future generations are going to look back on oil spills, strip mines, and nuclear waste the same way we look back on the slaughter of whales.

Reflection:

I never knew that we used to hunt whales for oil before I read this article! I am so glad that we discovered oil before whales went extinct but I worry that once we run out of fossil fuels and people are desperate for energy we might go back on our ways. To prevent that, there are numerous new energy sources being developed and used, one being fusion power. Personally, from just reading this article it seems great. It is plentiful, renewable and does not cause harm to the earth. Before using it I would want to know more about it and know the downfalls. Also, since it is very new, fusion power probably still has mistakes that need to be worked out before usage meaning that it may not be able to work on a large scale until after we are dead. Overall, If scientist continue to work hard, I think it could be the new coal, oil and natural gas.

Questions:

1.) Do you know of any downfalls of using fusion power?

2.) Do you think that fusion power will be the way of the future?

3.) If not, what energy source will?

Top Solar Sources in the US and North America



Summary: This article is about the alternate renewable energy of solar power. This article talks about how there are many places in the USA where we could put large amounts of solar panels to produce very large amounts of electricity. One of the places they talked about was New Mexico. If we cover cover 25 kilometers with solar panels (that is only 0.06% of it's total landmass) then we would have enough electricity to power all of the USA (based on 2005 stats).

Personal Reflection: So far the government has done nothing with this land, even though it will cost a lot of money, it could end up being very profitable in the long run. I personally think they should do something with this land, and the other open land in the US. Even if we just use a little bit of the land, and just a little bit of solar energy, it is better then what we are doing right now.

Questions
1. Do you think the government should do something with this land?
2. If so, what?
3. Why do you think the government has not yet done anything with this land?