The Energy Matrix

While scientists have not yet found a way to harness the ocean’s energy, there is evidence that wind power is the wave of the future. At least, Google seems to think so, having invested 38.8 million dollars in two wind farms in North Dakota back in May. Wind farmscollections of wind turbines in the same locationare being used around the world to generate energy. The two in North Dakota generate 169.5 megawatts of powerenough energy to light nearly 55,000 homes.The farms are designed by General Electric Co. Another is being constructed at Lake Erie, utilizing new technology like magnetic rings to power the blades and a lighter weight due to carbon fibers. Worldwide, GE has installed more than 13,500 turbines. Farms make economical sense because the largest turbine can only generate 4.0 megawatts. Currently, wind energy is not feasible in all locations, however. Read more…

While BP continues its work in cleaning up the oil spill, the company is getting a little help. And we do mean little. Various species of oil-eating bacteria are joining the buffet, including a never-before-seen microbe.Previous bacteria of the genus Alcanivorax have been known since 1998. These microbes degrade crude oil at high levels of efficiency, devouring the hydrocarbons and leaving the rest behind, including methane. While not a perfect solution, the bacteria’s presence has come as a relief in recent months to those concerned about the planet’s ability to bounce back from the recent disaster. However, scientists were not sure how the bacteria would react in the deepest (and coldest) parts of the Gulf, where the plume has created a 22-mile long mist. A study done between May 25 and June 2 discovered 16 types of bacteria in a deep-sea plume, but that plume remained until only recently, which led some scientists to believe the bacteria were not “eating” the oil. Read more…

The times, they are a changin’. Where alternative energy like solar power and hydroelectric power was once science fiction, scientists are now working on making these technologies more efficient, more widespread, and less expensive. In the recent months, there have been several breakthroughs in energy technology.

• Graphene solar cells: Graphene is a flat layer of carbon atoms connected in a honeycomb lattice, and is the building block of the mineral graphite. Scientists at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering are working on ways to attach the grapheme to flexible polymer sheets and incorporate them into organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. While not as energy-efficient as silicon cells, these OPVs will be more flexible and cheaper. Professor Chongwu Zhou believes this will eventually lead to use as curtains or in clothing fabrics.
• Nano-scale wires: An Israeli team at Bar-Ilan University recently conquered a long-standing difficulty in electronic technology, which was that superconducting wires needed to be both large and long. The team discovered that smaller lengths were feasible in nano-wires made of copper-oxide layers, lanthanum, and strontium. Read more…