Energy C2C Create 2 Consume

Producing Hydrogen in ‘Backyard’ Could be Possible: Scientist

Scientists say producing hydrogen in the backyard could be possible in future by "tweaking" an inexpensive semiconductor material, which could be available in commercial store, for generating hydrogen from water by using sunlight.

"When the catalyst is properly manufactured, one could buy it in a commercial store for making hydrogen in his backyard," Professor Madhu Menon of the University of Kentucky told IBTimes.

"The research should attract the interest of other scientists across a variety of disciplines. Photocatalysis is currently one of the hottest topics in science. We expect the present work to have a wide appeal in the community spanning chemistry, physics and engineering," Menon added.

A research finding shows that an alloy formed by a two percent substitution of antimony (Sb) in gallium nitride (GaN) has the right electrical properties to enable solar energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/207079/20110901/producing-hydrogen-backyard-possible-earth-energy-sources-water-sunlight-oxygen-antimony-gallium-nit.htm

Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel cells

The downside of hydrogen is that, because it is a gas, it can only be stored in high pressure or cryogenic tanks.

A possible solution is to store hydrogen in a safe chemical form. Earlier this year, Williams and his team figured out a way to release hydrogen from an innocuous chemical material — a nitrogen-boron complex, ammonia borane — that can be stored as a stable solid, says a University of Southern California press release.

Moreover, the system is air-stable and re-usable, unlike other systems for hydrogen storage on boron and metal hydrides.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article2415381.ece

Next ITERation?

AS THE old joke has it, fusion is the power of the future—and always will be. The sales pitch is irresistible: the principal fuel, a heavy isotope of hydrogen called deuterium, can be extracted from water. In effect, therefore, it is in limitless supply. Nor, unlike fusion’s cousin, nuclear fission, does the process produce much in the way of radioactive waste. It does not release carbon dioxide, either. Which all sounds too good to be true. And it is.

Deuterium (along with an even heavier hydrogen isotope called tritium, which is made by bombarding either deuterium or lithium with neutrons) is injected into the doughnut, heated to the point at which its electrons break free and it forms a plasma, and squeezed by magnetic fields.

If the speed of the nuclei (a consequence of their temperature) and their density (a consequence of the magnetic squeezing) can both be made high enough, that will overcome the mutual repulsion of the nuclei’s positive electric charges. This allows a short-range phenomenon called the strong nuclear force to take over and causes the nuclei to merge and form helium. The fusion of deuterium and tritium into helium in this way releases energy—enough of it, in theory, both to power the reactor and to yield a surplus that can be converted into electricity. It also releases neutrons, which engineers hope to use to make tritium and thus close the fuel cycle.

http://www.economist.com/node/21528216

Renewable Energy Usage Surpasses Nuclear

There are a ton of energy sources. Some are renewable, some not so renewable. On the renewable front, we have a bit of good news and a bit of not so good news. Good news, for the first time, renewable energy usage surpasses nuclear energy. The not so good news is that renewable electricity still has a way to go.

For a short time, late last year, renewable actually surpassed nuclear energy. One must acknowledge the gradual rise of renewable combined with the seasonal fluctuations for each type of energy.

Energy is mesaured in BTU’s (British Thermal Units.) At its highest, renewable energy came in near 800 trillion BTU’s. Nuclear came in around 700 trillion BTU’s. Although nuclear once again reigned the month after, this is a good sign and positive trend towards renewable energy.

http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/renewable-energy-usage-surpasses-nuclear/

‘N-power hall will dispel false notions’

MUMBAI: In the backdrop of global scepticism over the safety of nuclear power after the Fukushima incident in March 2011, India's first public gallery focusing on the advantages of nuclear energy opened at the Nehru Science Centre in Worli on Saturday.

The Hall of Nuclear Power, which cost nearly Rs 2 crore to build, has around 60 exhibits ranging from the energy scenario to radiation safety and future programmes . There is also a section which pays tribute to the father of India's nuclear programme, Homi Bhabha. The hall is funded entirely by the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC).

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-21/mumbai/29911552_1_n-power-srikumar-banerjee-nuclear-power-corporation