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ALTERNATIVE FUELS
by JANE
BOGNER
SUNDAY, March 16, 2003
One year ago,
a European satellite was launched into orbit. The
environmental satellite, know as Envisat, circles the
planet every 100 minutes and collects vital data on how
Earth's land, oceans, ice caps, and atmosphere are
changing. Its mission is to monitor the environmental
health of Planet Earth. The information is analyzed by
scientists and used to help establish European
environmental policy. This satellite can collect data
that can trace the smallest changes to the Earth's
surface anywhere on the globe.
It will be interesting if Envisat will pick up the
effects of the new urban windmills in the Netherlands.
Wind power that is usually generated in vast, open
spaces is now being captured on the rooftops of
metropolitan buildings.
New urban windmills are designed to be light, quiet, and
efficient and often blend into the surrounding
architecture. These windmills are built to take
advantage of the severe turbulence and rapid shifts in
wind direction that are typical of cities.
The new windmills pay for themselves in about five years
according to the Dutch manufacturer Prowin. As the
technology improves, prices will drop. The smallest
models weigh roughly 440 pounds and can be installed on
a roof in a few hours.
Many of the new urban turbines can begin spinning with
wind speeds as low as five miles per hour. Since the
energy generated is close to where it is consumed, less
electricity dissipates while crossing transmission
lines. Other projects are underway to use the mini
windmills for lifeboats, streetlights and portable
generators.
Amsterdam, the Hague, Tilburg, and other cities plan to
install urban windmills this year at a cost of $5,000 to
$12,000 each. Researchers have indicated there are
50,000 locations in the Netherlands where small urban
turbines could be installed.
One windmill that is installed on the roof of a
technical school is capable of generating about 5,000
kilowatt-hours of energy per year, more than enough for
an average Dutch family or six months for an average
U.S. household.
With the impending war in the middle east and the
sky-high price for gasoline, there is more press on
potential alternate sources of fuel to satisfy our
country’s gas-guzzling vehicles. Here’s a couple
alternatives.
A team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin
(Madison) is working with common sugar as a fuel source.
They are experimenting with a technique to break down a
glucose solution into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The
hydrogen would then be pumped into a fuel cell that
would power a car or SUV. The process is still in the
early research stages but its implications are
potentially huge as the automotive industry seeks out
clean, renewable energy sources.
In Utah, the world’s largest hog producer is planning
to build a $20 million waste-to-energy facility. This
plant will convert swine manure into Biodiesel fuel. The
Smithfield Farms raise and slaughter 1 million hogs
annually and each day these animals produce 500,000
pounds of manure. I hope it is successful as that would
be another step towards sustainability and away from our
dependency on foreign oil. |
VALCORE
Recycling Vice President Jane Bogner's "A Sorted Affair"
is published every other week in the Times-Herald, Community
Outlook Section. For recycling information call Genie Kaggerud,
VALCORE Recycling Manager at 645-8258 or visit www.VALCORErecycling.org.
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