Study: algae biofuels not the easy, green biofuel answer - yet

Study: algae biofuels not the easy, green biofuel answer - yet

While this post may indicate some disappointment for people living in the West, it holds tremendous promise for those who live in countries like India - feeding algae with sewage makes them grow in a very efficient way. Take the fecal matter from over a billion Indians, cycle it into motor fuel and the country could cut down on the huge amounts of money that it sends to the Middle East. Yes, the technology is available, the money is available if someone can persuade the authorities in India to work on a project to convert sewage into fuel, and there is a lot of employment to be generated from the new plants that would result from this effort.

Over to the GoI - and I must put my skeptic suit on, even as I wait to be proven wrong in my skepticism.

China Leads Renewable Energy Race

The New York Times has this wake up call for the USA: Link But this could as well be directed at another country that needs to wake up and compete with China: India. While the Americans have a problem with cheap Chinese wind turbines coming up here, I think India needs to rejoice. A surplus in China will mean even lower prices - India imports a lot of turbines even now. It would be better to spend money on buying these from the Chinese than on spending India's hard-earned money on coal from China, Indonesia and Australia. In the long term, India would be less dependent on both the vagaries of pricing fossil fuels from other countries as well as on depleting supplies. This is an opportunity for Indians to not only work with the Chinese, but also to compete with them at the same time.

I hope someone in New Delhi is listening . . .

An interesting Wall Street Journal video on using solar water heating:



In the hot countries of South Asia, the problems of snow etc would be non existent. Hopefully, this is an idea that catches on . . .

And Something After My Own Heart - A New Sailship

Friends of this blog know how much I love the idea of bringing back sailships. The very idea of modern cargo ships carrying food and valuable commodities using wind power gives me pleasant daydreams. I spent an entire semester at my university's downtown campus looking out on Lake Michigan and watching the ships - both sail and power just across from our campus - to say that I was in heaven would be an understatement. And now Ecogeek has this very positive news: Link that brings hope to my weary old heart. A 3000 ton sailship to begin with and a fleet of more than 50 such vessels if all goes well! Life is going to become better if you ask me!

B9's website is: Link

Congratulations to them on their courageous new venture. I hope they succeed beyond their own, wildest expectations!

An Excellent Website for Those Planning a New Green Career

I just found this website Link that has a lot of free information and some very good ideas for anyone who wants to start a Green business or look for a career in the new green economy by specializing in a certain area. DO visit them - and don't blamd me if you end up spending hour after hour there.

This is seriously good stuff - and free.