Researchers: Ocean Algae Biofuels Might Prove To Be A Sustainable Energy Source; 'Encouraging Results'
Underwatertimes.com News Service, June 26, 2008 13:46 EST
Manhattan, Kansas -- Research by two Kansas State University scientists could help with the large-scale cultivation and manufacturing of oil-rich algae in oceans for biofuel.
K-State's Zhijian "Z.J." Pei, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, and Wenqiao "Wayne" Yuan, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering, have received a $98,560 Small Grant for Exploratory Research from the National Science Foundation to study solid carriers for manufacturing algae biofuels in the ocean.
Algae are a diverse and simple group of organisms that live in or near water. Certain algal species are high in oil content that could be converted into such fuels as biodiesel, according to Pei and Yuan. Algae also have several environmentally-friendly advantages over corn or other plants used for biofuels, including not needing soil or fresh water to grow.
Pei and Yuan plan to identify attributes of algae and properties of materials that enable growth of certain algae species on solid carriers. Solid carriers float on the water surface for algae to attach to and grow on.
"Not all materials are equally suitable to make these carriers," Yuan said. "Some materials are better for algal attachment and growth than others, and we will be identifying what those 'good' materials are."
The project could help with the design of major equipment for manufacturing algae biofuels from the ocean, including solid carriers, in-the-ocean algae harvesting equipment and oil extraction machines, Pei said.
"This research aims to develop a cost-effective process for growing algae on solid carriers in the ocean for biofuel manufacturing," he said. "If successful, it will greatly benefit the energy security of the United States, as well as society in general."
The research will be conducted with a two-step approach.
"Selected algae species will be grown on solid carriers in a simulated ocean environment and will be evaluated for their ability to attach to solid carriers and grow in seawater, their biomass productivity, and their oil content," Pei said. "Top-ranked species in step one will be selected to test the performance of several carrier materials, including natural organic, synthetic organic and inorganic materials, with the same evaluation parameters as in step one."
Pei said the properties of the highly-ranked carriers also will be analyzed.
Yuan, who has studied biodiesel for several years, said the major problem with making the fuel has been finding sustainable oil and fat sources.
"Algae seems to be the only promising sustainable oil source for biodiesel production," he said. "In my lab, we have several different projects involving algae and we have been trying different ways to grow it. We have already obtained some encouraging results."
Pei said the project also will have an educational benefit, with K-State College of Engineering graduate and undergraduate students to be involved in the multidisciplinary research.
Source: http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=25107309846
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Newly installed Solar Panel at Kita Ayase subway station
Today, when I take the morning train from Kita Ayase station, I was so suprise with the new panel on the wall showing the electricity generated using the solar panel newly installed on the roof of the station. The electric will be used for the lighting and escalator in the station. It is one of the effort from Tokyo Metro (subway company) to reduce the CO2 emission.Monday, June 16, 2008
The Koshigaya-Laketown - Eco and Flood Disaster Prevention New Town
The Koshigaya-Laketown - Eco and Flood Disaster Prevention New Town
The Koshigaya Laketown is developed along the JR Train line. It has been desinated as the first 20% CO2 reduction Town development project in Japan.
The Koshigaya Laketown is developed along the JR Train line. It has been desinated as the first 20% CO2 reduction Town development project in Japan.
Solar Heat Water storage is installed on the roof
The Lake is designed to be a flood water retention pond. During the flood, it will be filled with water to prevent the flooding in the downstream region of Nakagawa river. In normal period, it can be used for recreational purpose.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Eco Life Fair 2008
The tricycle is become more popular now in Japan. There is some tricycle taxi in the city like Yokohama.
A Tricycle Taxi.
Electric Car. The price is still higher compare to normal small car.
How about some recycle cardboard for your kids?Eco Life Fair 2008
An interesting experiment to teach people about CO2 emission from JACCA
Different weight of the CO2 emission per person is loaded in the beg. People can take the beg to compare the different weight for Japanese, Chinese and American. It is a good way to teach people about how much difference of the CO2 they emitted.
Another game to learn about eco life.
The wind turbin is prepared, and people can charge their handphone with the connector using the green energy.Eco Life Fair 2008
The food court of Eco Life Fair was also very special. The container for food need to be rent from the special counter. After finishing the meal, the customer need to return the contain and you can get the refund. Waste seperation is needed during the disposal of the waste.
Various delicious food are provided. Oishi So!
Real experiment of the normal and energy saving light bulb. On the left is normal light bulb and right is the energy saving ligth. The normal ligth is now cost electric of 214 yen, while the energy saving bulb just 48 yen. It is 4 times more saving by changing to new one. Toshiba is announcing that they will stop the production of normal light bulb very soon.
The energy saving light bulb is 8-10 times more longer life span and reduce 80% of electric. If you use it for 10000 hours, yo can save about 10,000 yen.Eco Life Fair 2008
A solar cook made of cardboard
Do the solar cook look familiar to you? It is a reuse material from the umbrella. Wow! So innovative
A very interesting Obasan.
Please look at her cap, there is a fan powered by the solar panel on the top. Good for hot summerEco Life Fair 2008
The children in the city has less chance to play with the toys made from natural wood. It is a good campaign to promote the natural toys. In Japan, there is a lot of replanted forest lack of proper maintainance and being left as the price is higher than the imported woods. There is still a large area of trees need to be cut down for replantation, but due to the lack of demand, and man power for the wood industry, it is now left with no proper maintainance and now become a problem for erosion. They called the poor forest as "Green desert".
GEIC is promoting the collection of message for the G8 meeting.
Mottainai Ba Chan is a very popular character in asking the Japanese people to reduce wastage.
A solar cookEco Life Fair 2008
The stage of Eco Life Fair
The electric is generated using the solar power
It was a live radio program. DJ and the Mr Kamoshita, the Minister of Environment of Japan
A lot of audiencesEco Life Fair 2008
Cycling to generate the electric from Sagawa transportation
The new energy saving glass can help to save heating and cooling cost
Eco effort from Pocari Sweat, a energy drink. By redesigned the bottle, it is much lighter and energy saving.
Stop global warming to save the polar bear. The recycling of Polyestrene will help to save the earth. 
Eco Life Fair 2008 Shibuya Japan
Record your own "environmental declaration"
Fuel Cell vehicle
Stop Global Warming message from Team -6%
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