Climate change solution innovators_EU nations commit $3.6 billion to climate fund

Alternative Title_"The Good, The Bad and the Ugly".

Good News and bad news:

The Good:
Lets take note of this apparently good news for the majority awaiting developments.

And for good innovation practice:
"The EU leaders also pledged to reduce their emissions by 30 percent of 1990 levels by 2020 — but are still demanding that other leading polluters make comparable commitments first."

The Bad:
Critics noted, however, the $10 billion-a-year aid pales in comparison to the huge stimulus packages and bank bailouts paid by many governments in the wake of the global financial meltdown. Financier George Soros, speaking Thursday in Copenhagen, dismissed the $10 billion figure as inadequate for the scope of change that poor countries need to enact.

The Ugly?

I could hold a Pole, sorry Poll, for example.

But I shall leave this to readers to comment upon.
Warning or Warming: Please reference your comments.

Reference:

en référence à : EU nations commit $3.6 billion to climate fund - Yahoo! News (afficher sur -read on Google Sidewiki)

Sandbag Climate Game_Set Your Own Emissions Targets and See The Implications, Policy Assistance

In my Sandbag post of 03 Dec 2009 I promised to come back to give the link which I thought was very much worth blogging. This has been done. The link is

Sandbag Climate Game_set your own emissions targets and see the implications.

A ready access link has also been added to the RHS vertical menu bar.

RELATED POST
Sandbag

Materials Science and Engineering Defined: Science, Technology, and Society and much more @ MIT OPEN COURSES-Free online

Materials Science and Engineering Defined: Science, Technology, and Society and much more @ MIT OPEN COURSES-Free online

What every innovator should know about in our complex and information abondant world

Materials Science and Engineering Defined: Science, Technology, and Society and much more @ MIT OPEN COURSES-Free online

What every serious innovator should know about in our complex information abondant world

Materials Science and Engineering Defined: Science, Technology, and Society and much more @ MIT OPEN COURSES-Free online: "Science, Technology, and Society and much more @ MIT OPEN COURSES-Free online"

The truth about the cost of wind according to French Think-Tank. The answer may not be blowing in the wind?

To restore the truth about the cost of wind

By Vincent Le Biez translation . J.A.

Despite the counter arguments advanced by professionals of industrial wind turbines, the Institut Montaigne-in French- persists and signs: Wind turbine energy does not meet a need in France, considering the (current) structure of its power generation installations, composed primarily of nuclear and hydropower, which are recognised as being particularly sober (low) in terms of CO2 emissions. Moreover, the achievement of the Grenelle of the environment, ie 25 GW of wind power installed by 2020, would result in additional costs to society of about 2 to 3 billion euros. The current development of this technology is only due to the purchase price guaranteed to farmers by the state over 15 years, which are particularly attractive rates, funded by electricity consumers and which allow the creation of "green-rents" whose validity is questionable.

PS I more or less needlessly translated the above abstract to the full Pdf-Policy Paper "AEOLIAN POWER: CASTING MONEY TO THE WINDS? – July 2008 by Vincent Le Biez. from french to english. The full paper is still in french unless the abstract(s) stir sufficient interest for readers to request a full translation. Why put an s on abstract? Because I had translated before I spotted the english version giving access to at least to summaries and abstracts. The english abstract is a slightly fuller version and better written to my mind than the original french version.

NB. This work refers to the Energy production side - not to the the Energy Consumption side.

Whatever aspect one choses to look or from whatever angle there appears to be little room for complacency especially in "our developpeded world" cf graphs and physics from Prof. David MacKay, FRS., author of "Without Hot Air." freely available online.

REF. 2nd Abstract . The original english abstract on Institut Montainge's site


Ref. (In French)
1. the Institut Montaigne

2. the Institut Montaigne -Wind turbines with access to full Pdf. document and Video discussions discussions.

en référence à : Eoliennes & développement durable : rétablir la vérité sur le coût de l'éolien [INSTITUT MONTAIGNE] (afficher sur Google Sidewiki)


Related posts on Energy

The teraton challenge. A review of fixation and transformation of carbon dioxide, Danish work brought to us by RCS-The Royal Chemical Soc.,UK.

New comments-Conversations with B.J. Sovacool on Nuclear Power Plant, Coal Fired Power Generation, GHG emissions

CO2 Storage CCS and or CCU CO2 Use, Geological _Applied Earth Science Input,EU-China Geologists Co-operate to Find Onshore CO2 Sinks

What is significant Innovation, What to Innovate, Where to Innovate, How to Innovate_ Back to Basics

Information Overload Mastered_Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources Ranked_Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, energy security

Alternative Energy CO2-GHG reduction_BEAT 2_A Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool free software for UK and UK-based companies

Sandbag

Thanks to Tree Hugger's blog, I have just learned of Sandbag's site and it's interactive tools to help get "the big picture on country based CO2 emissions, trading and setting of emissions targets.

It appeaars to require more time and thought and I will certainly come back to this site, self- babtised "Real action on climate change" and check against that golden oldie Real Climate -Climatologist favourite.

One more tool to Police COP15 and our "collective" elected "management" and as such must be echoed for study, discussion and action by the widest possible well informed, public.

Here is the link I promised to come back on:

Sandbag Climate Game_ set your own emissions targets

en référence à : Sandbag: real action on climate change (afficher sur Google Sidewiki)

4 types of Innovation: Sustainables vs Disruptives

In her post "Innovation Matters: Balancing Sustained Versus Disruptive Innovation" Ann Handley quotes Eric Zeitoun's 4 point definition of two important Innovation Typologies, Continuity intelligently named Sustainable in today's jargon versus Disruptive. This is one of the most concise definitions I have come across.

The four distinct types of Innovations are:

1.Product optimization (which seeks to optimize a product or service’s usage)
2.Brand extension (stretches a brand’s equity into adjacent spaces)
3.Target ownership (to own a greater share of a specific target’s wallet across multiple segments, whether the segment is attitudinal, psycho-graphic or demographic)
4.Category leadership (to sustain or achieve leadership by re-shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors in a given segment or industry).

Innovation types 1. and 2. (referred to as “sustained innovations”) usually tend to build off of an existing frame of reference. Therefore, although safer, they are likely to only generate limited incremental value.

Innovation types 3. and 4. (referred to as “disruptive innovations”) on the other hand can yield much larger growth, but they are also more capital intensive and more unpredictable. Indeed because they have the power to shift the paradigm, they can set new standards and change consumer behaviors, but they require significant time and dollar investments.

Tips to "weather" current recession and pit falls management must try to avoid are outlined in an equally concise manner.

The easy conclusion could be to argue that in a period of recession, marketers should focus on “sustained innovation” because senior management is more likely to sign off on an inexpensive innovation initiative, which can repay for itself in the short term. Unfortunately, what could sound like a really good idea may turn out to be a really dangerous one.

"Recessions usually act in a two-step process as filters or regulators that purge weaker players from the marketplace. The structurally weak players are typically the first to go. These are the companies whose business model is fundamentally flawed or those whose cost structure cannot suffer tighter margins."

Then follows the players whose relevance keeps eroding over time. These players tend to suffer more towards the end of a recession cycle, and generally get hit when they think they have reached the end of the tunnel.

Why do these companies lose relevance? They do so because of their inability to shape, grasp or influence societal shifts, and a lack of vision or willingness to take risks. Organizations that are not willing to constantly invest in ‘disruptive innovation’ quickly become irrelevant and vulnerable in a recession. So what does this mean in terms of innovation? It means that marketers need to find smarter ways to invest in ‘disruptive innovation,’ rather than simply pull the plug. Recessions should be viewed as an opportunity to re-assess the effectiveness of innovation processes. To do this, you must:

•Have a clear strategic goal for your innovation. Make sure it fits into your marketing strategy and your business strategy.
•Create a focused ideation process that accelerates the pace of the consumer’s validation of ideas and prototypes ideas at a lower cost.

Read the full article...
- Innovation Matters: Balancing Sustained Versus Disruptive Innovation Marketing Profs Daily Fix Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

PS. These concepts take an ominous connotation when brought into the environmental, climate change realms whereby the use of "sustainability" tends to lead one's thouhgts. Then that's "Marketeering" for you.

Acknowledgement.
Ann Handley, MarketingProfs Daily Fix
Let me thank Dee Gardner dgmsouth who brought my attention to this article via Twitter.

The teraton challenge. A review of fixation and transformation of carbon dioxide, Danish work brought to us by RCS-The Royal Chemical Soc.,UK.

A few months ago a Prof. of Chemistry friend at a major Univ in France expressed scepticism concerning the CCS - carbon capture and sequestration, the geological and geoengineering response to increases in CO2 a well documented GWG-global warming gas. (Increases roughly since James Watts invention of the steam engine. (cf. "David JC MacKay's book "without hot air" free online) My chemist friend's objection concerned dangers of stored carbon escape since CO2 is not in a chemically combined and imprisoned form. Of course the physicists, and geological engineers consider that suitably stable, deep sites may be found whereby high pressures in deep wells is sufficient to maintain the CO2 in the liquid, or pseudo liquid (super-saturated) state to remain simple. More audacious consider that by avoiding sequestration in valleys especially inhabited valley even if there is gas escape there will be no serious consequences.

Whatever, I am extremely pleased to find this Danish work via my blog listed RSS feed whereby CO2 mitigation is suggested by physical-chemistry methods which should come closer to meeting the approval of my chemistry friend and perhaps suggest themes of research to improve the overall mastering of our incredible capacity to generate CO2 in energy production,industry and transportation.

PS. I shall run a spell check via my blog post of this Google Sidewiki.

en référence à : Energy & Environmental Science Articles (afficher sur Google Sidewiki)

Link_ Metaklett-steel grips, Biomimicry and Shape Memory Alloy meanders

Metaklett-steel grips, Biomimicry and Shape Memory Alloy meanders

One rarely gets a chance, when talking of innovations in the very mature steel industry, to slip in such recent fields such as:

A. Biomimicry, ‘Learning from Nature’, whereby scientific and engineering innovations are inspired by performances and functionalities observed in Nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements— and emulates them to solve human problems and meet human requirements.

B. Shape Memory Alloys the metallurgists contribution to the overall field of so called ‘intelligent or smart materials’ and


This opportunity, rife with menace, arose and matured following the public announcement on 3-Sep-2009 by the Technical University of Munich, (TUM.) of their new clip and close, pull and open, hook and loop fastener steel strips. The news was rapidly up-taken by several of the main science magazines More cf. link above.

Materials Science and Engineering Defined: Comment just submitted to the Economist Article: HOT AIR

Materials Science and Engineering Defined: Comment just submitted to the Economist Article: HOT AIR

What all scientists and policy makers must contend with-Science Communication-Public Understanding...of Science

"The public reception of scientific ideas depends largely on two factors: people's ability to grasp factual information and the cultural lens through which that information is filtered. The former is what scientists tend to focus on when they give popular accounts of issues such as climate change. The assumption is that if they explain things very, very clearly, everyone will understand. Unfortunately, this is an uphill battle. The general public's average capacity to weigh facts and numbers is notoriously poor — although there is encouraging evidence that probabilistic reasoning can be improved by targeted education early in life" is Natures Editorial line. It continues

"Even more crucial, however, are the effects of the cultural lens."

The classical case of Darwin is summarized with talent. The negative reaction of the Church in England, is compared to the more positive welcome by much of the "3rd World" at the time, hoping to "improve their lot" embraced the theory, In China, Darwin's ideas were seen as supporting Confucians' belief in the perfectibility of the cosmic order. Latin American and Russian reaction figure in this enlightening Editorial.

"The lesson for today's scientists and policy-makers is simple: they cannot assume that a public presented with 'the facts' will come to the same conclusion as themselves. They must take value systems, cultural backdrops and local knowledge gaps into account and frame their arguments accordingly."
[As yet another international round cop15 is about to start Dec 7-18, 2009]
Nature's Editors warn:
The lesson for today's scientists and policy-makers is simple: they cannot assume that a public presented with 'the facts' will come to the same conclusion as themselves. They must take value systems, cultural backdrops and local knowledge gaps into account and frame their arguments accordingly. Such approaches will be crucial in facing current global challenges, from recessions to pandemics and climate change. These issues will be perceived and dealt with differently by different nations — not because they misunderstand, but because their understanding is in part locally dependent.

The Editorial concludes:
"Darwin once said: "But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy." Researchers and policy-makers would do well to mimic his humility when presenting science, and remember how people's minds truly work."

And what of Shakespeare's quote This above all -to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night, the day, Thou cans't not then be false to any man.»?

in reference to: Darwin and culture : Article : Nature (view on Google Sidewiki)

Materials Science, Non Destructive Testing, NDT using Microwaves with PC laptop imagery, News 26Oct 09 from Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST) could help the Medical Practitioner detect cancer or burns

Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST) has developed a handheld camera that uses microwave signals to non-destructively peek inside materials and structures in real time.

The compact system can produce synthetically focused images of objects - at different planes in front of the camera - at speeds of up to 30 images per second. A laptop computer then collects the signal and displays the image in real-time for review. The entire system, powered by a battery similar to the size used in laptops, can run for several hours, rendering it portable.

"In the not-so-distant future, the technology may be customized to address many critical inspection needs, including detecting defects in thermal insulating materials that are found in spacecraft heat insulating foam and tiles, space habitat structures, aircraft radomes and composite-strengthened concrete bridge members," says Dr. Reza Zoughi, the Schlumberger Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at Missouri S&T, who is leading the research effort.

The team believe that their work could help medical professionals detect and monitor a variety of skin conditions in humans, including cancer and burns, security personnel could detect concealed contraband (such as weapons) or again home owners could detect termite damage.

The idea for developing a real-time, portable camera came to Zoughi in 1998 while he was on sabbatical in France. In 2007, Zoughi's research group completed the first prototype and has spent the past two years increasing its size and overall efficiency.

"Unlike X-rays, microwaves are non-ionizing and may cause some heating effect," Zoughi says. "However, the high sensitivity and other characteristics of this camera enables it to operate at a low-power level."

More:
Various new sources included Yahoo Alerts, Indian and Asian press and physorg.com in particular for the video presentation and original new and web sources
PHYSORG

en référence à :

"The idea for developing a real-time, portable camera came to Zoughi in 1998 while he was on sabbatical in France. In 2007, Zoughi's research group completed the first prototype and has spent the past two years increasing its size and overall efficiency.
"Unlike X-rays, microwaves are non-ionizing and may cause some heating effect," Zoughi says. "However, the high sensitivity and other characteristics of this camera enables it to operate at a low-power level.""
- New research brings 'invisible' into view (w/ Video) (afficher sur Google Sidewiki)

Intelligence and food to spur Innovations and Innovators

I returned with pleasure to Dave MacKay's blog where almost all his posts are highly pertinent for all, either those whishing to map their professional activity or simply wishing to gen-up on current Climate Change, GW-global warming and energy issues, hopefully all of us. In his post pre-review of the book Challenged by Carbon by Brian Lovell, the blog reader's attention is drawn to the fact that "55 million years ago, an enormous global warming event, raising the temperature of the water at the bottom of the ocean by more than 4 degrees C within roughly 10,000 years occured". I did a rapid Google search and invite readers to do the same.

There is a short history of the big oil companies attitudes from "believing what the rocks say" and they say there is a problem and the business as usual approach and "as a backdrop the war in Iraq

"Yes, some oil companies greened up their public facades in 2003, but have they reverted to business as usual behind the scenes? But what about the rest of the oil industry?"

Quoting MacKay's selection from Lovell since this cannot be over-echoed I believe: "In the second half of the book, Lovell indicates how he hopes the drama will unfold: "government intervention is essential" in relation to the transition to the low-carbon economy; "concerted action" is required from all oil companies; oil companies [and the coal mining and power gen lobby] should turn their remarkable technical skills to a new waste management business: capturing and storing carbon[dioxide CO2], especially carbon [CO2] from coal power stations.

MacKay's figures: "key numbers for carbon capture. A standard unit of carbon capture and storage is "the Sleipner""

1. Norway's implementation of a carbon-emission tax of $55 per tonne of CO2 (which can be compared to today's EU market price of 14.10 euros per tonne),

2. StatoilHydro is storing 1 Mt CO2 per year in the Utsira saline aquifer under the North Sea.

3. A 1-GW coal power station, running all the time, produces roughly 7 Mt CO2 per year. So every 1-GW power station would require roughly 7 Sleipners.

4. The cost to the consumer for electricity from that source might be in the ballpark of an extra 4p per kWh of electricity (similar to the present subsidy for wind power in the UK).

5. The scale of the waste to be stored is worth mentioning. The volume of 7 Mt CO2 (the approximate annual waste from 1 GW coal power station), after it's been compressed to the same density as water, is three times the volume of the great pyramid at Giza.

Read via his site:
Prof. Dave MacKay FRS's book free (food) online
and Blog

in reference to Bryan Novell"s Book : Challenged by Carbon:The Oil Industry and Climate Change (Paperback)

"A 1-GW coal power station, running all the time, produces roughly 7 Mt CO2 per year. So every 1-GW power station would require roughly 7 Sleipners, and the cost to the consumer for electricity from that source might be in the ballpark of an extra 4p per kWh of electricity (similar to the present subsidy for wind power in the UK). The scale of the waste to be stored is worth mentioning. The volume of 7 Mt CO2 (the approximate annual waste from 1 GW coal power station), after it's been compressed to the same density as water, is three times the volume of the great pyramid at Giza."
- Sustainable Energy - without the hot air (view on Google Sidewiki)

Looking for a field to research, choose the people to follw: Royal Society 2010 Anniversary Professorships

N°1 for materials science and engineering or materials chemistry could be Andre Geim FRS, FinstP who is Langworthy Professor of Physics at the University of Manchester and is known primarily for the discovery of graphene. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms densely packed into a honeycomb lattice and the first representative of one atom thick materials which until 2004 had remained unknown. Graphene has many potential uses ranging from ultrafast transistors to bendable gadgets and from composite materials to novel batteries, and has been tipped as a likely successor to silicon in electronics. Geim is also known for his educational experiments on magnetic levitation (the "flying frog" experiment) and the development of a biomimetic adhesive known as "gecko tape".

2. The current hotest of topics is undoubtedly Climate Change. The professorship goes to Professor Andrew Watson FRS, University of East Anglia. He aims to improve our understanding of carbon sinks' and develop a model for the global accounting of the atmospheric CO2 budget. I intend to put more RS top quality studies on climate chage etc. in further wikis and on my blogs.

en référence à :

"Professor Andrew Watson FRS, University of East Anglia. He aims to improve our understanding of carbon sinks' and develop a model for the global accounting of the atmospheric CO2 budget."
- Top researchers receive Royal Society 2010 Anniversary Professorships (afficher sur Google Sidewiki)

Hot Air_Credibility By the Numbers

Lisa K. Williams editor of Envronmental Protection Webzine picked up a few "Without Hot Air" crackers in her article: "Credibility By the Numbers", which I am sure will help Prof David MacKAY to continue feeding anecdotes for the Environmental and Renewable energy themes themes of his freely available book of the same name, "Without Hot Air." David of course brings great credibility to his approach, numbers and graphs.

Background
"Many news outlets on Aug. 5 picked up the Department of Energy (DOE) release noting that the third analysis of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 agreed that the costs to consumers will be low—about 23 cents a day. The statement said: "The EIA analysis projects an increased cost of about $83 (adjusted for inflation) by 2030 — or roughly 23 cents a day." (Is that $83 more dollars or roughly 23 cents a day on top of what I pay now?)

Lisa took a closer look at the figures, hiden in page42. and and what about the admin jargon? Again!

"Consumption losses? Oh, that means consumer spending, Jonatan Cogan the DOE spoesman explained.

Continuing her search for the truth:

"Alan Beamon, director of the Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting's Coal and Electric Power Division. This is the office that developed the report. I asked Beamon about the 23 cents. Here's his response: "The quote you cite … did not come from EIA and is not in our report.

That old adage "Lies, damned lies and statistics". Serious mathematians and statistitians must turn in their grave.


More ... read Lisa's full article

Reference:
David Mackay's Book, Without Hot Air

Is trash the solution to tackling climate change? or Where there's muck there's money?

"Where there's muck there's money" is an old adage in the UK.

Could the following report "Could trash be solution to tackling climate change?" be another twist to the the money game?

Quote:
"SINGAPORE -- September 2009 -- Converting the trash that fills the world's landfills into biofuel may be the answer to both the growing energy crisis and to tackling carbon emissions, claim scientists in Singapore and Switzerland. New research published in Global Change Biology: Bioenergy, reveals how replacing gasoline with biofuel from processed waste could cut global carbon emissions by 80%."

The team used the United Nation's Human Development Index to estimate the generation of waste in 173 countries. This data was then coupled to the Earthtrends database to estimate the amount of gasoline consumed in those same countries.

The team found that 82.93 billion litres of cellulosic ethanol could be produced from the world's landfill waste and that by substituting gasoline with the resulting biofuel, global carbon emissions could be cut by figures ranging from 29.2% to 86.1% for every unit of energy produced.

"If this technology continues to improve and mature these numbers are certain to increase," concluded co-author Dr. Lian Pin Koh from ETH Zürich. "This could make cellulosic ethanol an important component of our renewable energy future."

COMMENT STARTER:

How can burning gas for transportation reduce CO2 emissions substantially?
Lets get down to some of our own calculations.
Remember only every Big counts says Prof.David Mackay in Without Hot Air> not every little bit! (30 to 80% reductions) Is it 30% or is it 80% reduction.

Then waste must be disposed of in a healthy manner, and energy must be captured. Current manovers in such energy, water and waste management (EDF and Veolia here in France) may give a hint to likely directions in environmental interests, to the tune of 4_5 Million Euros in only one PDG's salary, that's strategic thinking. Will the planet and her citizens be better-off or "Debter-off?

More in (and from)
1. ScienceBlog

2. PHYSORG
September 29th, 2009

"Converting the trash that fills the world's landfills into biofuel may be the answer to both the growing energy crisis and to tackling carbon emissions, claim scientists in Singapore and Switzerland. New research published in Global Change Biology: Bioenergy, reveals how replacing gasoline with biofuel from processed waste could cut global carbon emissions by 80%."

3. Biofuels from urban waste

4. World of Renewables

My Twitter Presence and How to Create your own twitter logo.

After a fairly long trial period, readers will be able to follow all my blog posts with more leads via twitter hence the inclusion and addition of Twitter to my social network and "neighbourhood".

More of my bookmarks may be found on Del.ici.ous. I shall maintain Delicious bookmark as far as possible...time willing.

Create your own twitter logo

List of Embodied Energy and CO2 equivalents for a wide range of materials. Short introduction and illustrative graphs.

Embodied Energy and CO2 equivalent are respectively two very important concepts which, when taken into account, allow intelligent, sustainable development-environmental protection decisions to be taken. Importantly for practice, these are quantifiable.

-Embodied Energy: MJ/Kg-mega joules of energy used in processing per kilogramme of material product.
-CO2 equivalent: (Kg) estimated or measured throughout processing.

Here is a link to an extensive list of diverse materials, composites, laminates etc established by the Inst. of Mechanical Engineers UK, for use in student education via the formula student race initiative category Class 1A (sustainable).

The Formula Student is a regular attraction both for our students in my old University in Glasgow Strathclyde and my new neighbours and their young school ISAT-Institut Superieur de L'Automobile et des Transports here in Nevers. Strath Alumi news in Spring proudly featured a "last word article on two recently graduated students now employed by McLaren Racing team. While congratulating them and the schools involved, I believe the most lasting educational value for all involved in the racing project will derive from the "project building and sponsorship-seeking financial support aspects as well as the ability to shoulder a huge work load since involvement is of a voluntary nature-the power of motivation.

In writing this I hope to dispel any over harsh treatment I reserve for all things Bling and Pie in the sky - I trust I read the Univ. motto "A place of useful learning" correctly and in an acceptable sufficiently wide sense.

Undoubtedly cutting edge engineering helps drive creativity, great invention and innovation, I trust eventually for the public use and more and more in the global context.

For those seeking information on both concepts embodied energy and CO2 equivalents these are more extensively documented by the building and architectural industry




not to mention the highly specialised Cambridge materials engineering people whose computer materials selector deals with both concepts in their "Green Eco selector extensions available from
Granta Design Ltd. Direct link CES Eco Selector eg. cf. graph below



It is to be expected that the packaging industry and the learned materials institutes will show an increased interest in these subjects/

Innocentive Challenges in the field of Corrosion_Link

Innocentive Challenges in the field of Corrosion
LINK

Some facts on waste - innovation required!

Some Facts from Trendinfluence's Insight Blog:

-Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! Most of them are thrown away!

-Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!

-Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.

-Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year.

-In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each but only recycled an average of 23 percent. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.

-Bottled water costs between $1 and $4 per gallon, and 90 percent of the cost is in the bottle, lid and label.

-According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006 that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.

-It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.

-Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.

-In 2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods or movie tickets.

-Plastic bottles can take up to 1000 years before they begin to decompose once buried.

-If everyone in NYC gave up water bottles for one week, they would save 24 million bottles from being landfilled. One month on the same plan would save 112 million bottles, and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.

-For every ton of paper recycled, we save 4,100 kilowatts of electricity for three hours. [12.300KWh saved]

- Half of all polyester carpet made in the United States is made from

recycled plastic (PET) and

- Aluminum cans produced in the United States can contain at least 50% recycled content.

Source
Industrial Designer gets a Shock

ebook _3rd World Industrial and Sustainable Development_A metallurgist replies to the D.Thomas Memorial Prize 1999.

3rd World Industrial and Sustainable Development

Systems approach to 3rd World development, esp Industrial, Social and Environmental Development.

The prize honours the Financial Times journalist who's interested by the above themes.

Link:
Submitted for the FT_ D.thomas Memorial Prize -3rd World Industrial Development

My ebook, Conversations-on-Innovations freely available on Scribd- download or read it below

My ebook_Conversations: In Search of a Physics-Chemistry of Innovation
Summary

A fresh, and hopefully refreshing, conversational styled, review of science's powerful and indispensable tool in humanities search for truth and knowledge, namely the experimental method.

The thread followed is due to B. Labour's proposition to apply the method more generally to the case of Knowledge versus Ignorance by encouraging its use collectively by a much wider spectrum of society, which may be called Innovating Team (IT).

The treatment suggests, not without humour and humility, that the universally acknowledged power of the experimental method, may be used for greatly improved effectiveness, when confronted with problems of a dichotomic nature (mutually opposing and exclusive).
The style, sometimes humorous, sometimes caustic, even poetic at times hopes to make enjoyable, good reading.

By applying a variant of the method Kiss,(Keep It Simple Stupid) three models are described to encourage scientists and non-scientists to map their path in life, within the interacting fields of science and society, both as individuals and together in interdisciplinary communities.

My Original ChemWeb preprint-Science Direct Achive ref. chemistry 0303001.

ebook_Conversations Search for a Physics-Chemistry of Inn…

Link to my ebook on Scribd[pdf, 20pages]

LINK to Light emitting diode-LED lighting up-date almost thwarted by Nature. Choose the right bulb.

Like many in this part of the world, I have a sample of all sorts of light sources including my recent change of 4 halogen spots 50W each for 4 LED spots (18 diodes each, power consumption per “spot”= 1W ) almost for the fun, I tell my sceptical or vested interest friends.

Link to full post.

Innovation_Two Commented Videos not to be Overlooked_Your Company (profit and loss) and even Country (Survival) bottom lines in Greatest Danger

2 Extremely Important links:

1. Posted on the 21 May 2009 Video in French, with my comments in english.

Political Solution to combat Climate Change effectively_One and only one indispensible measure required to substantially reduce CO2-GHG emissions

2. While in the process of setting up a new quadruple video album, followers will perhaps have noticed that a very influential video by Cambridge Univ's Prof. David "withouthotair" Mackay. Please, please take a few minutes to view it.

NB. Both authors, one French, one British, reach very similar conclusions as to the extent of energy policy changes required and to the urgency with which the measures must be taken ie.Get out of fossil fuels!

New comments-Conversations with B.J. Sovacool on Nuclear Power Plant, Coal Fired Power Generation, GHG emissions

Link to post and first conversations with B.J. Sovacool on Energy related power generation Life Cycle Analysis and Implications.

What is the weight of good, peer reviewed serious scientific studies in the face of marketing and communication campaigns, often based entirely on the "historical cost analysis accountancy model" in order, it seems, to slow industrial resolve to progress to meet the newly highly recommended world standards (reduction of CO2 by 90%_in some short time... when we start in earnest ) notably in Coal Fired Power Generation by CCS-carbon capture and sequestration.

A link to a video was brought to my attention, whereby The American "so called Clean" Coal Coalition, arguably focus their pitch at children, once upon a time an offence in UK at least, and go on to hold the public to ransom on the grounds of employment in "mislead" industrial enterprises whereby capture and storage of CO2 has to all extent and purpose not begun.

From my professional past, I too am faced with the same dilemmas! Do my past professional skills in High Temperature Energy Materials area fit the new markets which are looming clearly as renewable energy, especially non-fossil fuels, electricity dominated markets. Some are far advanced in their choice of energy sources, some in policies they recommend often forcefully.

The link to this recent conversation is:

Life-Cycle Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Route_Cradle-to-Grave, GHG-CO2equivalent emissions_Nuclear Inspections

Please do not hesitate to join in.

F1, Formula One Racing's contribution to Innovations_20 ways F1™ is changing our world

Mea Culpa! When your wrong your wrong.

"Have you ever wondered how the glamorous sport of Formula 1™ relates to your own daily life?" asks the the London Science Museum. Even living near the French F1 racetrack at Nevers_Magny-Cours as we do, I for one can quite definitely reply, with a loud NO. And as if this is not enough, in a recent post (Monday, March 23, 2009 exactly) entitled:
On the Usefulness of Formula One ( F1 ) motor racing, following a lead by the Economist, I described F1 as a "land of dreams":

"Dreams,dreams, dreams all I ever need are ....dreams, dreams, dreams! In times such as ours, could such lullabies be "part of the problem and not part of the solution"?Dreams? OK, as long as its during your regenerating sleep otherwise keep it short."

Well I shall try and keep my mea culpa short as mea culpas should be.

It turns out that, 10 days later, from a tiny news snippet which appeared in my favourite materials magazine Materials World (MW) , in April 09, I twigged that others may not share The Economist correspondent's opinion and to some extent my own puritanical feelings about motor sport in particular and in general, to boot.

I read, with no ill feelings, and even some (professional) thanks, that the Science Museum in London had taken a different attitude to the question. Their exposition Fast Forward:

20 ways F1™ is changing our world seriously belies my previous impressions on the usefulness of F1 racing.

The Museum, whose free entry exposition runs from Wed 11 Mar 2009 - Mon 05 Apr 2010, explains that;

"Motor racing is about much more than the incredible speeds and the extraordinary human feats that we see on the racetrack, thrilling as they are.

It's about a different kind of thrill, one shared by F1™ professionals, scientists, manufacturers and designers alike. These are people who think up radical new applications for F1™ technology, and test and modify their ideas to come up with innovative products.

This temporary exhibition showcases 20 examples where F1™ technology is impacting on our lives, from changing the way we look after patients and design our sports equipment, to maintaining the heating systems in our homes."

Fuller online support material is given by 5 or 6 videos whose duration is 1mn or less

Fast Forward videos on YouTube. and a photo album
Fast Forward photo album on Flickr.

Materials (and design) of course play an important role.

Well worth an introductory web visit, and of course, if in London well worth a live visit.

More...
Current Science, Engineering, Everyday Things, Transport all at the Museum

Still more subjects...
Art, Energy, Environment, Medicine and Biology, Space, Transport.

Nota Bene:

Funnily enough MW featured on the same page "Industry and Innovation" perhaps a more far reaching innovation in the form of a top of the range, electric vehicle by the company Liberty Electric Cars.

CO2 Storage CCS and or CCU CO2 Use, Geological _Applied Earth Science Input,EU-China Geologists Co-operate to Find Onshore CO2 Sinks

There are more questions than answers in this post, sorry.

My friends and colleagues at MW-Materials World have pointed once more to good approaches and co-operation between Geologists in the EU and in China to fully determine sites suitable for CO2 storage and sequestration: Capturing carbon dioxide in China by MW's reporter R. Mehta.

Perhaps as any good interview should MW's R. Mehta report, raises more questions for comment and debate than answers. The conversation between MW's R. Mehta and Mike Stephenson appears to be good news, and it most certainly is. However I deliberately chose the word storage as opposed to sequestration,favoured perhaps by those concerned with geological time scales. Don't get me wrong, experience in high reliability energy materials (aero-engine, nuclear, petrochem..) strongly recommends aiming for the highest standards, the imponderables of practise can lead to a somewhat lower standards. On the other hand, I believe that engineers and policy makers, not to mention the now GW-GHG sensitive, general public would like estimates, orders of magnitudes, of what "significant onshore storage" means and better we would all appreciate hard facts and best "state of the art" decisions. I recently heard that two French Parliamentarians (independently of political bias) already consider, that globally, there are insufficient suitable CO2 storage-sequestration site (I'll check political quotes). They hope to lead a CO2 users "Lobby". I would expect that the French Deputies have consulted our colleagues at BRGM-France's Geological and Mining Research Authority. That being said the fact that BGS_EU-China are concerned with energy generation is also good news. My scant blogged Venn diagramme: 1. Mining, 2. Power Generation, 3. Materials focused on CO2 sequestration (practice) and many IOM3-Maney online publications still indicates that CO2 storage and sequestration is the weak-link in in-situ global main power generation processes(ie. fossil fuel based). I would be pleased of any reaction and further information following this report, interview and conversation. Finally it is good news that the main new main CO2 emitter over-taking USA, (I believe) is getting involved and accepts assistance.

Links are provided on MW's Environment and Sustainability page5, March 2009 .

Further Reading:
1.EU-China CO2-coach programme
2.NZEC
3. BSG-British Geological Survey's Nascent Site
4. EU Scientific Authority for CO2 storage pdf. News Release 16 March2009. and direct link to the site CO2 GeoNet

Link Life-Cycle Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Route_Cradle-to-Grave, GHG-CO2equivalent emissions_Nuclear Inspections

Life-Cycle Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Route_Cradle-to-Grave, GHG-CO2equivalent emissions_Nuclear Inspections

Tyre Recycling

I have just added the The European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) website to my recycling list on my left hand side menu bar for easy reference. Road transportation tyres and alternatives are quite obviously a Pan-European issue.

ETRA claims to be the only European organisation devoted exclusively to tyre and rubber recycling. Founded on 23 September 1994 with 19 members in 5 countries. Today, ETRA has ±250 members in 47 countries including the 25 EU Member States.ETRA membership reflects both the public and private sectors involved in the environmentally safe disposition of post-consumer tyres.

The site (1) contains news items from 2004 to date with conference archives still under construction.

Here are a few figures to play around with in our LCA-Life Cycle Assessments.

"Estimates are that 250,000,000 used tyres are accumulated each year in the countries of the 15 EU. This could supply 45% of European virgin rubber uptake. Only 24% of used tyres is recycled, mostly in low demanding, low price products, that yield low economical profit, stopping R and D investment (most of companies along the recycled rubber supply chain are SMEs). In consequence, the main use of tyres is as fuel substituting one environmental problem for another due to emissions."(2)

This link together with the original research project CRIOSINTER-project link were brought to my attention by the "Research EU" magazine N° 58 Dec08-Jan09.

Here are a few quotes taken from Research EU upon which all car and truck users, but most especially the industrial tyre manufacturers are cordially invited meditate upon.

Business as usual?

"Tyre manufacturers prefer incineration"! According to ETRA's co-founder Valerie Shulman, "The problem is
that recycled rubber is a direct competitor to their own products!" and she further criticises " When tyre manufacturers sign contracts committing them to the incineration path for anything up to 25years they are jeopardizing the future of a sustainable society that is reliant on the emergence of a new recycling-based economic sector"[energy efficient, low carbon emissions path, based on a Full Life Cycle Assessment methodology let me add.]

Sources:
1. The European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA)

2. CRIOSINTER-project reference

No_Holds_Bard: Deforestation_ A Joke to Illustrate a very Serious and Fundamental Global Problem_Human Economic System in Question

No_Holds_Bard: Deforestation_ A Joke to Illustrate a very Serious and Fundamental Global Problem_Human Economic System in Question

Not many jokes on my Conversation pages so here is one.

As a bonus the post lists_archives other related links to my posts on the "Limited natural resource issue" underlying our economic system.

Back to basics.

What is significant Innovation, What to Innovate, Where to Innovate, How to Innovate_ Back to Basics

In the spirit of "don't keep a good thing to ones-self", I introduced readers of my other management dedicated blog series "This-Above-All"_Energy Autonomy, Renewable Energies in France to two new books "My Energy Executive Choices 2008-2009". My early post was more of a parenthesis than a post truly dedicated book review. The reference to these two books gave me the chance to make a very short but well focused summary, However it in no way does justice to the importance and excellence of both books and their authors.

Refs:
My Energy Executive Choices 2008-2009

Two very good back-ground books to read and more so, to use.
1."Without Hot Air" by David J.C.MacKay free online or buy the print edition.
treats the basics of energy, demystifying confusion over units of measure and Energy Balance _ Production capacity (hard work and Jobs?) vs Consumption (Too easy for human and planetary good?)

2. C'est maintenant, 3 ans pour sauver le monde par Jean-Mark Jancovici et Alain Grandjean
[Now is the time - 3 years to save the world, by J-M Jancovici and A.Grandjean]
Energy and Economy policy for "Human Economy is essentially about how mankind transforms limited natural resources to make useful desirable products and services." quoted from the authors.

There are many points in common between the views of the authors of both books. Both aim to get to the essentials and these are entirely based on sound physical scientific principles. Not surprisingly, since the first author D. MacKay is a Professor in Physics at the famous Cavendish Laboratories Cambridge Univ and the 2nd book's joint authors, Jean-Marc Jancovici and Alain Grandjean are graduates of the France's foremost Engineering School, L'Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. J-M Jancovici is a leading energy and climate consultant and lecturer. Both UK's MacKay from UK and France's Jancovivi are Myth-Killers. Jancovici's website "Manicore" much of which he translates to english, is a wealth of fairly simple "Myth Killing comparative calculations" to help fix one's ideas "orders of magnitude" and allow sensible, intelligent action. The similarities in MacKay and Jancovici's thinking and approaches are quite uncanny.("Great minds think alike"?) A. Grandejean whose work I am less familiar with, is an Economist and appears to be a no-nonsense, myth-killing economist.

Whereas David MacKay avoids as far as possible economics or cost-financial considerations, the two french authors not only take a strong stance on the physical aspects underlying the human (worth remembering) economy drawing from contemporary best selling author the erudite Professor Jared Diamond (recently cited in these blogs)[Link 1] [Link 2]. They also attempt to draw conclusions as to what energy-climate policies, politics ( and of course politicians) must inevitably address and master. They present their perception in a simple and clear manner that both politicians and the general public can understand. Both approaches whether explicitly (french authors) or implicitly (MacKay) consider the universal nature of energy as the fundamental unit, as all thermodynamics students (sciences and engineering) well know.

MacKay seeks to draw-up his energy accountancy (Production vs Consumption) in terms of KWs (KWh's and KWh's/day) whose usefulness in everyday life he explains in great length."

MacKay's catch quote is "Every BIG Helps" whereby he discards such mythology as "If we all do a little bit it will add-up to a lot":
"A lot of small improvements add up to an overall small improvement eg. 1.5% reduction in GHG/person gives an overall 1.5% improvement!
"A lot of "Bigs"" let's say 20% reduction in GHG emissions per person adds up to an overall big (20%) in a relatively short period to boot!
Such is the extent of gigantic effort required by leading scientists and experts such as UN's IPCC and most serious national scientific and engineering bodies world wide.

Jancovici and Grandjean are quote as follows:
"Human Economy is essentially about how mankind transforms limited natural resources to make useful desirable products and services." [Link]

On the Usefulness of Formula One ( F1 ) motor racing

An alternative title to this post could be as in an old popular song
"Dreams,dreams dreams all I ever need are ....
dreams dreams dreams!

In times such as ours, could such lullabies be "part of the problem and not part of the solution"?

Dreams? OK, as long as its during your regenerating sleep otherwise keep it short.

With the new season opening in Melbourne this week, the economist, 090320, in a "Boost for Formula One" had some harsh words to say.

Putting this aside for a moment, The Economist correspondent does provide several informative links to the themes reported of interest to F1 adepts. But one link not an obvious general reader choice was "Regulations" at the heart of the Economists demonstration and call for more sanity. As a book and library adept, I took a squint at the F1 regulations whereby all car (F1) parts are comprehensibly listed in english and french.

Since cars are here to stay, for some time to come, and the industries have an immense "dream hold " on many and perhaps more so on the "perks starved" developing countries populations. I chose this bilingual Parts List as a good place to start building a comprehensive dictionary and encyclopedia in order to address the real problems of transportation within the sustainable limits of our now well recognised and fairly well known natural resources limits. It is expected that economies may follow.

F1 gets a gutting-out from the Economist

"The idea that motor racing is an incubator for technologies that make passenger cars safer and better has always been something of a myth. With its demand for the ultimate of engineering in terms of performance and lightness (and scant regard for endurance and cost), F1 racing is so far removed from everyday life on the road that there is little scope for transferring its technology from the exotic to the mundane. "

"As often as not, the flow of new automotive ideas is the other way round, from road to track. In fact, the biggest innovation being introduced to F1 racing this year comes from the lowly Toyota Prius and its hybrid forebears." The technology is known in F1 and mechanical engineering circles as KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) for capturing and storing the car’s braking energy instead of wasting it as heat. Just picture that golden oldie fly wheel concept . (Wikipedia Link)

For the Mechanical Engineers or Mechanicals vs Electricals:
According to the Economist's correspondent, "The key is to make the flywheel as light as possible and to encase it in a vacuum chamber. With little inertia, friction or drag, the wheel can be spun up to speed in a trice (very short time), and then made to dump its rotational energy back into the car’s transmission in seconds. Both mechanical systems are said to be lighter and faster than their electrical equivalents."

For the consumer and more so the gas guzzler
As car-makers downsize their engines to meet tougher fuel economy and pollution standards, driveability and overtaking performance is beginning to suffer. Something like KERS is going to be needed in road cars to boost their torque temporarily for climbing hills and overtaking safely.
An instance, then, where race-bred systems find their way into family cars? Your correspondent would be delighted if they did. But he suspects Jaguar and BMW will be selling passenger models equipped with KERS long before Formula One has made its power-boosting technology a decisive factor in wining races.

If you can't beat them join them. See you all at the F1 venue at Nevers_Magny-Cours.

Hopefully, we will soon see a truely renewable energy produced electric car race here, in the pastoral setting of Nevers_Magny-Cours F1 race track.

Dreams, dreams, to day dreams?

References:

Full story on the Economist

Comprehensive Bilingual Car Parts List[pdf]

More references upon request.

Link_Energy Autonomy, Renewable Energies in France _ Get your projects in France going. Seeking a French partner or building a Consortium?

An important post has been added to my blog "This-Above-All." Please accept my invitation to read it via the following direct link.

For further assistance please leave a comment. Either leave your contact details web or blog contact details.

All comments receive a response.

Sincerly, JA.

Is Kaspersky fighting the wrong fight?

Is Kaspersky fighting the wrong fight?

Kaspersky Internet Security removes AdSense advertisements from user’s browser. Google’s adsense is harmless and it is not annoying like popups. Kaspersky is preventing webmasters to earn money from their website, I am protesting Kaspersky. Google and Webmasters must take an action to this. Protest Kaspersky !

Source 2007 still encountered March 2009!
AdSense Blocker Protest Link

My comment: AdSense, with the "No Adult Content" checked, is the most harmless non-invasive advertising I know. That is why I tested it and I passed my first blog in 2005. As a scientist, like all scientists are wary of the effects of advertising and I have "enough experience" to remember the time when it was forbidden for advertisers to target children ... Nevertheless, we all have to eat!

En Français:
Kaspersky Internet Security supprime les publicités AdSense de navigateur de l'utilisateur. Google adsense est inoffensif et il n'est pas ennuyeux, comme les fenêtres pop-up. Kaspersky empêche les webmasters de gagner de l'argent pour leur efforts à partir de leur site web et blogs. Je protest contre Kaspersky's agissements. Google et les webmasters doivent prendre des mesures à cet égard. Protest Kaspersky!

Mon commentaire: AdSense, avec le "No Adult Content" coché, est le plus inoffensif non-invasive, publicité que je connais. C'est pourquoi je l'ai testé et je l'ai adopté des mes premiers blogs en 2005. En tant que scientifique, comme tous les scientifiques on se méfie des effets de la publicité et j'ai "assez d'expérience" pour se rappeler l'époque quand il a été formellement interdit aux annonceurs de cibler les enfants ... Néanmoins, nous devons tous manger!

Publish Post

NB.
Translation with the assistance of Google Translator English to French and French to English.


Source 2007 apporter à mon attention à nouveau en Mars 2009!
AdSense Blocker Protest Link in English

Information Overload Mastered_Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources Ranked_Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, energy security

This post follows the previous one, "a short definition of Sustainable Development (SusDev.) with good reference links for more background reading but first please read on.

The Sustainability "Science and Engineering" theme with it's highly complex ramifications have undoubtedly lead to information overload, much confusion and therefore, in all probability, inadequate and ineffective responses to the many, inter-related challenges raised. (exponentially increasing resource waste?)

Here I wish to present, what I feel could become, one of the most important theoretical approaches to alleviate current misunderstandings in what is emerging as mankind's most important challenge(s), namely, climate-change and specifically energy - related solutions to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy security. [It compliments and clarifies the earlier Pacala and Socolow Wedge Approach widely commented].

Mark Z. Jacobson of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA , in this "Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security" is a substantial, much needed, contribution to alleviate this situation.

The study deserves equally wide echo, comment and debate to reap the sustainability benefits owed to future generations, through present and future co-operation, co-ordination, leadership to attain anticipatory action-investment(s).

Mark justifies his work as follows:
"Air pollution and global warming are two of the greatest threats to human and animal health and political stability. Energy insecurity and rising prices of conventional energy sources are also major threats to economic and political stability. Many alternatives to conventional energy sources have been proposed, but analyses of such options have been limited in breadth and depth. The purpose of this paper is to review several major proposed solutions to these problems with respect to multiple externalities of each option. With such information, policy makers can make better decisions about supporting various options. Otherwise, market forces alone will drive decisions that may result in little benefit to climate, air pollution, or energy–security problems."

His approach is one of weighting and ranking renewable and alternative energy sources and resources.

Fuller post 21Feb 2009 my blog[Link-html]

Source and Acknowledgement:
Energy Environ. Sci., 2009, 2, 148-173, DOI: 10.1039/b809990c – Reproduced by permission of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Definition of Sustainable Development Recalled for Memory_ time for a break

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future. The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Environmental Sustainability Summarised:

Source:

Wikipedia. One point entry,but many references and links...

Link_Link_Innovation and Creativity from a recent blog source via EntreCard

Taking one's self too seriously is not good policy for Creativity and Innovation.

One remedy:

Link_Innovation and Creativity from a recent blog source via EntreCard

Link_New Video Embeded: Mars "Explorer" Revolutionary Wind Power Generator shows Wind Power that is Good for the Neurons

This post link on my video dedicated weblog pages, "This-Above-All", is particularly relevent to "Conversations." Take a squint.

New Video Embeded: Mars "Explorer" Revolutionary Wind Power Generator shows Wind Power that is Good for the Neurons

Link_Mineral Extraction powered by Geothermal Energy- Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

This link is concerned more with OTEC - Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, Investors, partners applications than extractive metallurgy per say. Check it out

Mineral Extraction powered by Geothermal Energy- Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

Official Google.org Blog:"Sharpening our focus in global development"

"Sharpening "my/our?" focus in global development"

I must admit this theme has been bugging me too, for quite some time, especially since I am a bilingual guy with reasonable experience, including, technology transfer - adequation with developped and developing countries. Note the site referenced does not use the term "On Global Development". I read this as an important distinction, ie they Google are not alone in such endeavours.

Reference:
Official google.org Blog: Sharpening our focus in global development

No_Holds_Bard: Innovation and Creativity from a recent blog source via EntreCard

No_Holds_Bard: Innovation and Creativity from a recent blog source via EntreCard: "Creativity, Fear or Humour?, Innovation, prose or poetry?"

Taking one's self too seriously is not good policy for Creativity and Innovation.

I am most indebted to David Farrimond for his links and introduction to his non-vulgar humerous approach and work. Follow this link

Innovation in Coal Gasification, Australian Pilot Plant produces energy for Transportation

Australian company Linc Energy Ltd has announced the first production of diesel from its demonstration coal to liquid (CTL) facility at Chinchilla, Queensland. The firm claims this is the first time underground coal gasification has been combined with CTL, reducing the cost and life-cycle carbon emissions of the fuel.

Full news report and company link: Underground coal gasification
ref. Materials World Magazine, 01 Jan 2009.

More later.

NB.
In my Venn Diagramme "logo" I did distinguish between Energy for use in situ, eg.homes, factories, fixed machines as opposed to energy for transport (gas, petrol, diesel, kerosene..) This certainly requires a short post of explanation with acknowledgement to the origins and implication of this very important distinction. I shall come back to this in a later post.

Most of my posts on Coal Mining - Power Generation - Materials Processes Markets with a focus on Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) are concerned, implicitly, with power generation to produce the more efficient combined heat and electricity for classical non-mobile, not for transportation uses. Of course when electric powered vehicles reach a significant level in reducing CO2 emissions in road transport this distinction will, in the future, disappear.

Alternative Energy CO2-GHG reduction_BEAT 2_A Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool free software for UK and UK-based companies

This post results from following a lead on combined Coal and Biomass use in power generation. ref1.

Ground-breaking technology that enables companies and organisations to measure their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) was unveiled for the first time (13 November 2008) at Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire.

The BEAT2 – Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool – computer program funded by UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the UK, Environment Agency, measures the impact on the levels of greenhouse gas emissions when biomass is used in a variety of energy generating processes.

Drax is the first major industrial installation in the UK to pilot the software.

More...

Drax Power Limited ("Drax") has announced that it has signed a £10 million ($18 million) Engineering, Procurement and Construction ("EPC") contract with Doosan Babcock Energy Limited ("Doosan Babcock") to supply direct injection biomass co-firing systems to all six coal-fired generating units at the 4,000MW Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire.

Co-firing involves the mixing and burning of renewable biomass materials with coal and, given the carbon neutral status of biomass, is a recognised carbon abatement technology that has significant potential to reduce carbon dioxide ("CO2") emissions from coal-fired power stations. The direct injection firing systems represent a major component of the new co-firing facility at Drax and are designed to receive and transport processed biomass materials to the power station’s coal-fired boilers.

On completion, the biomass co-firing facility will be the largest of its type in the world, which alongside Drax’s existing co-firing capability will provide a total of 500MW of renewable electricity, or the equivalent output of over 600 wind turbines. The biomass co-firing facility will reduce Drax Power Station’s emissions of CO2 by over two and a half million tonnes per annum supporting Drax’s commitment to tackling climate change by reducing its CO2 emissions.

More...

Sources:
1. Materials World print edition Dec 2008.
2. The BEAT2 – Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool – computer program
3. Drax press release 13Nov. 08
4. Drax press release 1 Oct. 08

NB.1. BEST 2.

The aim of this tool is to provide the user with a means for assessing the potential benefits, as well as associated environmental impacts, of bioenergy technologies. It takes into account the diverse nature of possible bioenergy feedstocks and conversion technologies and also identifies a variety of potential environmental impacts. BEAT2 is a UK-based tool and cannot be used to assess bioenergy options outside the UK or to assess the impact of internationally sourced feedstocks.

NB2. Back-ground comment by Sophie Stammers

Coal Jobs- Editorial News Feb 2009 from The Institute of Mining Minerals and Materials

Coal news up dates from IOM3:

Celtic Energy re-opened an existing railroad line to carry output from the East Pit opencast site
to the coal washery. Each traiload can carry 1,400t of coal, equivalent to 70 lorry loads! The pit returned to full production in Sept. 08 due to growing demand for coal.

The investment will be in East Pit (Gwaun Cae Gurwen), where the company has already spent a total of £4 million in gearing up for production. This includes a £1.4 million spend alone on a new excavator and the introduction of a double shift in order to meet growing demand for Welsh coal. In total the number of jobs provided at the site will rise from 23 to 86, with 38 staff moving from other Celtic Energy sites. A major recruitment drive was launched to attract local people to fill the remaining positions.

Further investment will provide a £100 million boost to the local economy over 7 years.

The Institute hails such news in the face of current hesitations and job losses.

Let me add once more that almost all serious observers and one in particular the OECD Observer consider that "the focus on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) seems particularily promising. cf. OECD refs 3,4, 5. below. I do indeed trust that OECD will finalise credible economic and financial instruments necessary to ensure that miners faith will turn into fact rather than fiction and greenhouse gas (GHG) friction.

More...

Celtic Energy Coal Video

Menace and Opportunity

There are, of course, opponents to Fossil Fuel, and coal in particular. I have included one such LINK, the first I came across on UK mining operations.

Remark

I am afraid that much persuasion (carrot)clout(stick) and some disaster will be necessary before such major bad-play as one has seen to-date from the big two China and USA. (Coal and Power generation).

Strangely, CCS inertia, appears more prevailant in "dematerialised fields" partly in Economics (excepting the Stein Report) and more so in Financial issues than in strictly scientific, engineering and technological fields, or are the latter simply better qualified to understand the physical mechanics and dynamics of climate change?

References.

1. Celtic Energy

2. Celtic Energy Coal Video


2. OECD Observer

4. Climate Change, Growth and Stability Highlights of the OECD forum 2008. Observer Suppliment Nov. 2008.

5. More articles : OECD.org