Posts Tagged ‘Ethical Habits’
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Algae powerhouses to provide future biofuels
By Nick AbbottThe not-for-profit government funded charity, The Carbon Trust, recently revealed that a team of 70 scientists from 11 of Britain’s leading research universities will join to compete in a global race to produce revolutionary and alternative algae biofuels.
Algae have the ability to act as environmentally friendly miniature “biofuel factories”. They can produce high levels of natural oils from solar energy which can then be used to produce biodiesel.
With the cost of oil reaching a recent high of $140 per barrel, and the recent formation of the UK climate change act which made plans to reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050, this new research into alternative carbon-neutral fuels arrives at an important time.
Current predictions suggest that, per year, 70 billion litres of fossil fuel (coal, oil, and gas) used for road transport and flights could be replaced by algae biofuels by 2030. This will save 160 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Algae are able to produce up to 10x more oil for biofuel production per hectare of land when compared to current agricultural crop choices. The current problem is reducing the overall cost of the process by increasing the algae oil production, finding the most efficient method of large scale algae growth and the best method of harvesting the essential oils.
The University of Sheffield, who hold the important task of choosing the correct algal strain and maximising the production of oil from the algae, are a cornerstone to the success of the Algae Biofuels Challenge. “We aim to develop a set of experimental techniques that allow the identification of suitable algal strains capable of producing high levels of natural oils and happy to be grown in large outdoor ponds” said a spokesman and lead researcher at the university. Other researchers are developing the best methods of large scale algae growth and looking at how to harvest the natural oils produced by the algae.
This mammoth project, if successful, would require algae ponds to be built which would cover a land mass larger than Wales. The final production ponds are likely to be overseas to maximise natural resources available. Mid-western USA or Western Australia, where open land is abundant and long hours of sunlight common which is key to algae growth, are likely locations
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London EcoBarbie #4 Socialising
LONDON ECO BARBIE –
Life’s not fair but at least my pants are..By Amy Whitney
Socials pose a serious problem, a diet coke fan myself I request no ice; the barman’s eyes roll.
“Climate change scepticism likely to surge in 2010 from hacked emails indicating flawed data between climate change scientists, impacts vulnerable world regions” (Common dreams 2010).
Socialising consists of Facebook stalking weekly events, we are a society governed by the screen. Our entire lives fold out over the web for everyone to see, part of me considers when power cuts arrive peoples lives far too intrinsically linked to the plug will run too in blips and waves
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London EcoBarbie #3 Food
LONDON ECO BARBIE –
Life’s not fair but at least my pants are..By Amy Whitney
Raring to go, lunch packed using left overs saves waste. Gloating to fellow course mates I save the fiver they fritter away on lunch, definitely justifies the handbags.
Dinner is homemade soya mince chilli, dubious whether rainforests are exterminated to provide for the world’s vegetarians I investigate. “Brazil the worlds second largest soy exporter responds to surging demand converting rainforest into agricultural land, impacting environmental stability” (Story 2006).
I refuse to touch red meat, currently burdening our NHS with CHD victims. Switching to vegetarian food lessens cattle methane emissions and reduces grain prices for the worlds poorest.“Livestock production accounts for fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions.” (McMichael 2007). Vegetarianism decreases the West’s impact on climate change; however I cannot quite shake a love for seafood, worsening future aquatic biodiversity. Sometimes you cannot win.
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London EcoBarbie #2 Students coffee is banker’s champagne
LONDON ECO BARBIE –
Life’s not fair but at least my pants are..By Amy Whitney
Another day, another carbon footprint
Students coffee is banker’s champagne. Produced in our kitchen using water tanks saves energy. Number of failures, however, costly engineers and carbon from buying new kettles render their future useless.
“Heating water accounts 10-40% total energy consumption in urban districts”
Lectures students flock to computer rooms, statistics programmes aid climate change trend prediction. Poignant at least. A reminder everywhere businesses, schools and hospitals are entirely dependent on computer systems. Three years time power cuts strike, our entire economy will collapse unless sustainable methods of sourcing energy are promoted, god knows how many nuclear power stations are required to fill the tumultuous energy deficit.
“Industry and homes predicted to face power cuts by 2012. Britain needs £200bn investment in new nuclear, gas, wind and clean coal power stations over the next decade” (Telegraph 2010).
Misprinting “Time series in deuterium” creates energy wastage. A small pile accumulating beside the printer, a lasting image. In the future I pledge to invest in recycled reams and use Swiss Cottage ink cartridge filling station.
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