My favorite line so far is the one that says “we’re not out of oil or energy, we’re just out of oil or energy that we can afford”. I love that line.
Archive for the ‘Enviro’ Category
Great Plains Conservation
May 25, 2008
Just came back from one of their resorts in Africa, really superb. Sitting lightly on the land, managing the environment with true grace and a little chilli in the food.
Great place! Can’t wait to visit their other resorts.
Gassification
March 20, 2008
Background
Growing concern over depletion of fossil fuels, pollution caused by increasing the energy demand had stirred a nationwide search for other more renewable energy sources. Among other places, easily renewable energy sources can be found in all matter containing Hydrogen and Carbon bonds otherwise known as Hydrocarbons. This realization shifted the scientific community from trying to study hydrocarbons to finding ways of extracting, storing and producing Hydrogen – labeled “a Hydrogen based economy”.
Currently Hydrogen is produced from non renewable resources- natural gas, in a steam based, high temperature environment with Nikel as a Catalyst. Theoretical, safe and efficient way of generating Hydrogen from a renewable resource is through a process of gasification, performed by a gasification unit. Gasification extracts hydrogen under specific conditions under very high temperatures and large amounts of oxygen. It can be done from biomass or virtually any materials containing Hydrogen and Carbon.
Realizing this, and knowing about great amounts of rice husk that are present in Bali, John Hardy is currently exploring the possibility of purchasing a gasification unit that besides extracting energy from biomass could be used with other materials.
Materials that can be used for a process of gasification in a gasification unit:
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Biomass
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hazardous or non-hazardous waste
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organic and inorganic waste (including animal waste)
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bio-hazardous and soiled waste
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hospital waste (X-ray & KEMO waste)
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industrial wastes, plastics, rubber, auto tires, paper items, corrugated boxes, PVC, PCB, etc.
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contaminated liquids, grease & sludge
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chemical & pharmaceutical waste
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virtually any type of material belonging to hydrocarbons (containing carbon and hydrogen in its structure)
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Coal
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Petroleum
Biomass is number one on the list for being eco-friendly, locally available in abundance and hence an excellent distributed energy source. Sustainable exploitation of biomass for generating energy has a potential to act as a catalyst for overall sustainable development. In order to increase the share of biomass (obtained preferably from bio-residues) new power generation systems such as wind or vortex generator should be developed to provide high-energy efficiency and clean environmental performance.
