Hydropower As A Great Alternative to Fossil Fuels

The development of alternative power sources has long been championed by environmental activists for decades. Because much of the world’s economic, political and social balance relies heavily upon the burning of non-renewable fossil fuels, activists and environmental advocates have long been concerned upon the detrimental effects of fossil fuels on the environment and on natural resources.

Apart from being non-renewable and harmful to the environment, fossil fuels like coal and gas usually entail a long development process before it can be used as fuel, requiring great physical and chemical processes, together with the use of heavy and complex equipment. Alternative energy sources on the other hand are usually renewable and environment-friendly. One such example of alternative fuel sources is hydropower, which utilizes water gathered into dams which provide electricity at a lower coat and helps reduce carbon emissions which are harmful to the environment.

In fact, research has proven that the use of hydropower has emitted a total of 160 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States on 2004. Also, hydropower provides the cleanest and most inexpensive power sources in the Pacific Northwest, making it advisable for use in industrial and residential areas that are looking to save up on energy costs. Plus, if compared to the electricity generated by traditional fossil fuels, hydropower produces approximately 40% more energy, making it the more efficient power source.

When harnessed properly, who knows in the near future, direct tv, rice cookers, airconditioners and other appliances as well as gadgets will be powered by an alternative power source such as hydropower.

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First Look to Samsung Galaxy Tab 2

This article provides techies, android enthusiasts and potential buyers with some of the features and product specifications of Samsung’s controversial Galaxy Tab 2. Lambasted by critics as being a mere rehash of Apple’s iPhone series with an exorbitant price for inferior features, enthusiasts are nonetheless singing praises over its sleek design and impressive software characterized by Google’s Ice Cream sandwich. Because the choice to purchase a Galaxy Tab 2 will ultimately depend on a potential user’s personal preferences, desires and budgetary constraints, this article merely presents a list of features available on the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.

In a nutshell, samsung’s Galaxy Tab 2 provides users with a seven inch tablet with 1024 x 600 LCD, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 1GB of RAM, a couple of  dual facing cameras with different capacities (3Mega Pixels in the rear phone, VGA up front). It is also Bluetooth-ready and enables users to choose from 3G/HSPA or WiFi varieties. The Ice Cream software integrated into the Galaxy Tab 2 features a greatly expanded Android market, making it easier for users to access a wide variety of services and products—from music files, to ebooks, video files and games. The Galaxy Tab 2 also comes with Samsung’s trademark Touchwhiz feature with widgets connecting to user’s content and an incredible S Suggest application that suggests applications based on a user’s personal preferences.

If you are not yet ready for the Galaxy Tab 2, you can just settle for its predecessor by checking out samsung galaxy nz or other online stores.

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Do Fuel Cells Have A Place On A Greener Planet

With energy costs on the constant rise, we are all finding ways to reduce our monthly energy consumption. Although it is possible to make changes in the way we consume electricity in our home, it is not possible for us to turn off every device or electronic gadget that we use. The quest for energy dependency seems to be never ending. But recently, it seems that researchers have found a viable alternative source of energy that has the potential to dramatically reduce our dependency to fossil fuels.

One thing you should know about fuel cells is that they are capable of running on a wide range of sources, from hydrogen, ethanol, biogas and even natural gas.  Knowing that, the environmental impact of using fuel cells greatly depend on the type of fuel and cell used. Studies showed that user-friendly fuel cells using natural gas as fuel can decrease carbon footprint up to forty percent. But the application of fuel cell in energy generation still begs the question – do fuel cells have a place on a greener planet?

Although fuel cells still have a lot to prove before it can be considered as a viable replacement for fossil fuel in the near future, they are, for a fact, offering great benefits to the environment with their less CO2 emissions.  Therefore, I firmly believe that fuel cells certainly have a place on a green planet. To give you a better understanding on the green benefits being offered by utilizing fuel cells, be sure to read on below.

Excellent Power and Heat Production

Well-designed and high-powered fuel cells have the ability to generate excellent heat and power. This translates to better heat generation inside the home. The heat produced can be used not only to heat your home but also for heating water. Because of this, homeowners will not need to invest in a separate water heating system like when using solar water heating systems.

Renewable Energy Source

The best thing about fuel cells is the fact that they can be utilized in combination with solar, wind and other alternative sources of energy. Knowing this, the application of fuel cell technology along with other renewable energy sources will allow homeowners to enjoy a zero emission energy system that does not need fossil fuels to run smoothly.

Reduction of Greenhouse Effect

Fuel cells are great alternative fuel options that will allow us to reduce the harmful effects of global warming and climate change. This is possible since fuel cells are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More importantly, fuel cells can run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week needing only a minimal amount of additional source of energy.

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A History of Fuel Cells

A fuel cell is one electrochemical conversion device which contains two electrodes—the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte. Using chemical reactions, fuel cells produce electricity in the same way as batteries. But unlike batteries, the fuel cell does not go dead and does not need recharging. As long as it has a constant oxygen and fuel supply, it will go on producing power.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet, and this is the constant supply of fuel for fuel cells. Individual fuel cells generate a small amount of electricity at around 0.7 volts. To create a bigger amount of electricity, fuel cells must be packed together into a fuel cell stack.

A Brief Historical Background of Fuel Cells

A Welsh scientist named Sir William Grove was the first person to build the first fuel cell in 1889. Grove discovered that when the two ends of platinum electrodes were immersed in sulfuric acid and the two ends were placed in separate sealed containers of hydrogen and oxygen, a constant flow of current will take place. He also combined several cells in a series circuit and created the “gas battery”. From 1889 onwards, many people attempted to produce fuel cells that could transform carbon or coal directly to electricity but these efforts failed because of the insufficient knowledge about electricity and the materials that must be used.

Francis Bacon developed the first successful fuel cell in 1932. He used oxygen, hydrogen, nickel electrodes and an alkaline electrolyte for the creation of the cell. In 1952, he and a co-worker produced the 5-kW fuel cell system.

Its development went on and off for the succeeding 75 years as other scientists discovered new electrodes, reactants and electrolytes. However, in the 1960s, the United States space program used fuel cells over the bulky, risky and expensive solar energy. This sparked serious interest on fuel cells.

The space program has paved the way for fuel cell development. Engineers saw the reliability and practicality of using fuel cells as realistic generators of power on electrical any devise. After a few years, people have started using fuel cells to produce clean, peaceful and petroleum-free automotive propulsion.

The polymer and alkaline electrolyte fuel cells have shown their capabilities in the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle space vehicle programs which were operated by men. Efforts at present are focused on developing stationary power systems and power units (powered by fuel cells) that are especially designed for transportation purposes.

 

 

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Oxide Fuel Cell Manufacturers Worldwide

Although fuel cells have been invented centuries ago, and they have also been utilized in a number of NASA missions since the sixties, they have yet to gain a practical application in the modern world mainly due to their very high cost. However, today, more and more oxide fuel cell manufacturers are emerging and harnessing the potential of fuel cell for a variety of practical applications. One of the most common applications for oxide fuel cell technology in the modern world is generating cost-efficient electric power for commercially used vehicles. Oxide fuel cells are also utilized for the creation of stationary power along with some military applications.

Also, referred as SOFC, solid oxide fuel cells are capable of converting chemical energy into conventional fuel that generates electrical power with minimal emissions. And because fuel cells are designed to have minimal moving parts, they are capable of operating with minimum noise.

More manufacturers are now harnessing the true green potential of oxide fuel cells. In that regard, here are some of the manufacturers employing the use of oxide fuel cell  technology when creating their products:

Bloom Energy

This company aims to change the way the world consumes and use energy. Bloom Energy produces power generation systems that make use of fuel cell technology. The company focuses in creating green energy solutions by harnessing power from alternative energy sources, like the fuel cell. In fact, Bloom Energy’s Energy Services are known to be one of the most efficient power generators on the planet today. The power generator they manufacture are capable of significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time reducing the cost of electric consumption. Headquartered in the city of Sunnyvale in California, Bloom Energy is known for manufacturing on-site power generation powered by fuel cell technology.

Brazil H2 Fuel Cell Energy

Known as a leading company in Brazil, Brazil H2 Fuel Cell Technology is devoted to the hydrogen and fuel cell market. Their main business is to educate people about the green benefits of using fuel cell and hydrogen in power generation. The company has introduced fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in the country and continues to seek for opportunities of using fuel cells and hydrogen in Brazil.

Hosokawa Micron Group

Headquartered on Shoudai Tajika in Hirakata-Shi, the company manufactures fuel cell-related products such as low temp operation SOFC, Nobilta, and SOFC materials (NiO-YSZ composite powder). The company is responsible for creating FC products that focus on product recovery, powder/particle processing and air pollution control.

Wartsila Corporation

This Finnish company is a reputable supplier of lifetime care services, operation and power plants in decentralized fuel cell power generation systems. Wartsalia is known for providing global care services to ship machineries acquired by their clients.

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