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TEDxCLE…Fuel Cells and the future

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

I have to preface these post with a shout out: the images are from Kyle Roth, a local photographer who does beautiful work and who is a big champion of Cleveland, be sure to read his blog at North Coast Lifestyle and Epstein Design Partners.

Benson Lee of Technology Management Inc, took the stage for his talk, Solving Global Social Problems with Fuel Cell Technology. He started by talking about how fuel cells work. A 2 inch ceramic disc creates electricity through a chemical reaction. He held up a unit the size of a cell phone or pop can, that was a personal generating unit. Then he unveiled a home unit. The home unit fuel cell is less than the sizw of an AC condenser unit and will provide enough power for the average home. Being a clean energy source, they can be located inside a home. They generate heat as well as electricity and thus can serve two purposes at once.

Recently 60 MINUTES did a story on fuel cells. Technology Management, Inc is one of the top 12 manufacturers featured in this story. This is not really new technology, it has been around since the early 1800s. We have the problem in the US of not really understanding fuel cells, and thus we do not ask for them. Thus, they have not been really improved upon, as we had access to plenty of dirty combustion technology. THis lack of improvement has led to costs remaining relatively high, despite being 90% efficient.

Fuel cells still need fuel to make them work. What is great about them is that they provide clean, reliable energy production despite atmospheric conditions. And they will operate on a variety of fuels. Of course they will work with hydrogen, gasoline, oils, etc, but they will also work on the gas from an anaerobic digestor that can use organic waste (including human waste) as its basic fuel. There are also cheap reliable plants that are high in oil content that can be easily grown as a fuel source. The advantage of fuel cell technology is that you are able to generate power where it is needed. You ca provide lectricity in remote villages, without a huge power plant or miles of high tension power lines. This could allow use of electricity for health care in regions where some 228 infants die every hour from diarrhea. Reliable electricity could mean power pumps to make water safer. It could mean simple antibiotics in regions that lack refrigeration.

Technology Management is pricing them for the NGO market. Their aim is to make a living and make the world better. Partnerships with others makes for good finaincial returns. Through economies of scale, they can find ways to make fuel cells cheaper. If they sell to NGOs who can help the poor, then use their profits to train more NGOs to use them, they will only drive more need for them. Like crack for a better world. The best part is that nothing new needs to be invented. Fuel cells can make the world a better place by providing clean electrical energy in parts of the world where other forms of electricity simply cannot work.

Visit their site to find out more! And watch the video below to get a simple overview of how fuel cells work.

Tags: electricity, Energy, TEDxCLE
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | No Comments »

TEDxCLE-Personal Kinetic Energy

Friday, March 5th, 2010

I have written before about Aaron LeMieux of Tremont Electric. I love this guy and his fantastic idea. Basically, he created a small portable device that will charge any personal device. It works on the principal that kinetic energy, created from the simple everyday motion of walking or hiking, can be converted into electricity. He came up with the idea while backpacking through the Appalachian mountains. Now, he and his company, Tremont Electric, are working to harness the kinetic energy of waves to create electricity that can be introduced into the grid.

The story of Aaron LeMieux is a fascinating one. Aaron is a guy who followed his passion. He loved being outdoors, but loved using his brain to solve the complex problem of energy generation. So while he hiked through the mountains, he decided that there must be a way to create electricity rather than buying more batteries. The spark of an idea was born. With the love of a wife who allowed him to turn their basement into a lab, and a determined will Aaron started to crack this problem. A less dedicated person would have given up, but not Aaron. He continued on this journey for ten years. Now the first units are due to ship this spring. Imagine being able to recharge your ipod or cell phone just by walking around.

Aaron LeMieux mentioned that Edison continued to work on the phone, even though his contemporaries said that no one really wanted to talk to each other. When you have a great idea and are determined to work on it, you can really change the world.

Tags: electricity, TEDxCLE
Posted in Cleveland, Green, Technology and the internet | 6 Comments »

Detroit Shoreway Carbon Crash

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

You probably know what a carbon offset program is. Just in case, here is the gist. You are doing something that you know is going to generate carbon dioxide into the air (anything-like driving, flying, even using electricity) you can offset it. How? Well you can log onto a number of carbon offset sites, or in the case of a plane ticket, you can often offset by paying a little extra when you book your ticket. How does it work? Say you are going on a trip. You can figure out how much extra carbon you are going to generate, then by buying carbon offsets, a third party will plant trees or fund a wind turbine, or buy credits that will balance out the extra carbon that you are putting into the air. Most of these programs work by planting trees in some far off land, but that is okay because the atmosphere is a global thing. Someone in Cleveland thought, why not do something here at home? If Cleveland citizens want to offset their carbon use, why don’t we off set it with programs that can be put in place right here in NE Ohio! Enter the Cleveland Carbon Fund:

As the first community-based, open-access carbon reduction fund in the United States, the Cleveland Carbon Fund invests in local community projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spark economic development in Cleveland. The Fund provides an easy, highly transparent option for anyone wishing to play a role in reducing carbon emissions. By investing in the Cleveland Carbon Fund, donors can be assured their worthy contributions are making sustainable, positive change in local Cleveland neighborhoods.

The latest program that is born from the CCF, is the Detroit Shoreway Carbon Crash. What the heck? DSCC is a program where residents of the Detroit Shoreway can replace their light bulbs (up to 12 per household) with CFLs for free. CFLs are awesome, and I have written about them many times. Using less energy, producing the same amount of light and cool to the touch, CFLs rock. Now, the Eco Village is trying out this new program as a way to lower the carbon emissions from coal burning electricity plants by helping its residents use less energy. To make sure the plan works, they are asking you to “opt in” meaning you are willing to show them your electric bill over the course of a few months to show whether or not this program is truly effective. Neighborhood and student volunteers will come to your home and install these bulbs for you and tell you a little more about how to save. Supplies of these bulbs are limited, so get on board today. Call Lilah Zautner at 216-961-4242 ext. 227 or email her at Lzautner@dscdo.org for more information. Not in Detroit Shoreway? Maybe you can find out how to start this program in your neighborhood!

Spiral CFL

Tags: CCF, cfl, conservation, electricity, neighborhoods
Posted in Cleveland, Green | 3 Comments »

100 ways to save energy-Part 10

Monday, November 30th, 2009

This information is reprinted from a booklet called “100+ Ways To Improve Your Electric Bill.” These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy wisely. Compiled by the Edison Electric Institute 2008© Washington, D. C. www.eei.org

DISHWASHING

Soak or pre-wash only in the cases of burned-on or dried-on foods.

Be sure that the dishwasher is full, but not overloaded.

Don’t use the “rinse hold” feature on your dishwasher when you only have a few soiled dishes.

Overall, dishwashers use less water than washing dishes by hand. For a full load of dishes in the dishwasher, washing the same dishes by hand would typically use at least 6 more gallons of hot water.

Look for dishwashers with internal booster heaters, so that you can set your water heater thermostat at 1200 F (rather than 1400 F or higher for dishwashing purposes). Most new dishwashers have this feature.

Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when purchasing a new dishwasher. New criteria went into effect on January 1, 2007, which made ENERGY STAR® units more than 35 percent more efficient than baseline units.

New federal efficiency standards for standard-size and compact dishwashers will take effect on January 1, 2010. For standard-size units, the efficiency standards are 6.5 gallons of water used per cycle and a maximum usage of 355 kilowatt-hours per year.

For more information on high-efficiency dishwashers, check out the following Web sites: www.aham.org and www.energystar.gov

OTHER APPLIANCES

In the market for a new television? Once you decide on the size, remember that an LCD TV will typically use much less electricity than a plasma TV. Rear projection TVs are typically more efficient than LCDs and plasmas.

Screen savers may save screens, but they do not save energy. Make sure that the screen saver does not deactivate your computer’s sleep mode. You can set the computer to operate the screen saver, then go into the sleep mode.

Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when shopping for a variety of appliances, such as dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, battery chargers, compact fluorescent lamps, a new television, VCR, DVD player/recorder, cordless phone, or home stereo system such as a “boom box.”

The ENERGY STAR® label is also used for computers. Look for it when shopping for a new computer, computer monitor, printer, scanner, or fax machine. Information on ENERGY STAR® computers is detailed at the www.energystar.gov Web site.

Note: New federal standards for dehumidifiers took effect in 2007, and higher efficiency standards will take effect in October 2012.

Tags: appliances, conservation, electricity, Energy, Energy Star
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100 ways to save energy-Part 9

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

CLOTHES WASHING

A new federal efficiency standard for clothes washers took effect in January 2007. Make sure your new clothes washer meets or exceeds this standard, which is a Modified Energy Factor, or MEF, of 1.26, and a water factor of 9.5 or less.

(A water factor is the number of gallons of water used per cubic feet of clothes washed. For example, if a clothes washer uses 21 gallons and washes 3.0 cubic feet of clothes, the water factor is 7.0.)

Follow detergent instructions carefully. Over-sudsing actually hampers effective washing action and may require more energy in the form of extra rinses.

If you are in the market for a new washing machine, consider using a front-loading or horizontal axis washing machine. According to studies by the U.S. Department of Energy, these new units use at least 30 percent less water and 50 percent less energy to make hot water and wash clothes than regular washing machines. They are also gentler on fabrics.

Set the wash temperature selector to cold or warm and the rinse temperature to cold as often as possible. Sort laundry and schedule washes so that a complete job can be done with a few cycles of the machine carrying its full capacity rather than a greater number of cycles with light loads.

In terms of features, when shopping for a clothes washer, look for several water level options (to adjust to different loads). Also, look for pre-soaking and suds-saver options.

Washing machines with higher spin speeds can extract more water and reduce drying time, which saves more energy.

Energy You’ll Save: Using new horizontal-axis clothes washers (also called “front loaders”) will reduce water usage by at least 30 percent and lower energy used for washing and making hot water by 50 percent.

Clothes Drying

Avoid over-drying. This not only represents a waste of energy but harms fabrics as well.

Many dryers have settings that allow an automated moisture sensor to reduce the drying time. Dryers with automated moisture sensors may have a buzzer or other sound system to let you know when clothes are dry. Use the sound system to minimize drying time.

To save energy, try not to run the electric dryer unless it is carrying its rated poundage of clothes. Don’t overload, however, since this causes excessive wrinkling and perhaps requires an added amount of ironing.

Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from clothes with lighter weights.

Tags: clothes washing, conservation, electricity, Energy
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100 ways to save energy-Part 8

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

LIGHTING

Provide “task” lighting (over desks, tool benches, craft tables, etc.) so that work and leisure activities can be carried on without illuminating entire rooms.

Select the type of light bulb on the basis of its efficiency. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) will give an incandescent bulb’s warm soft light, while using 75 percent less electricity. They also last about 8 to 10 times longer. Use these bulbs in fixtures or lamps that are on for more than two hours each day.

Some compact fluorescent bulbs can be used with dimmer switches. Check the package to make sure they can be used with dimmers. Where possible, consider using dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs.

Instead of using a 190-watt halogen torchiere to light up a room, consider a compact fluorescent torchiere that will produce as much light, and use less than 80 watts.

The reflectance of interior surfaces has an important bearing on lighting efficiency. In home decoration, therefore, choose lighter colors for walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. Dark colors absorb light and require higher lamp wattage for a given level of illumination. Light-colored surfaces should be kept clean to keep reflectance levels high.

In lamps and fixtures having two or more sockets for incandescent bulbs, consider using a single large bulb in one socket rather than filling all sockets with bulbs of smaller wattage. A 100-watt bulb, for instance, produces 50 percent more light than four 25-watt bulbs for the same amount of energy. Using compact fluorescent bulbs will save more energy. Typically, a 23-watt compact fluorescent bulb can replace a 90- or 100-watt bulb.

Many so-called “long life” bulbs emit significantly less light than a standard incandescent bulb of the same wattage. They should be used only where the long-life feature is advantageous, as in hard-to-reach places, or where it is not possible to use compact fluorescent bulbs.

When possible, locate floor, table, and hanging lamps in the corner of a room rather than against a flat wall. Lamps in corners reflect light from two wall surfaces instead of one and, therefore, give more usable light.

Clean lighting fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps and reflectors impairs lighting efficiency.

For large areas such as family recreation rooms, where high levels of lighting are required periodically but not 100 percent of the time, install fixtures on two or three separate circuits so illumination can be controlled by switching circuits on and off.

When purchasing light bulbs, the watt-age ratings tell you only the amount of power it takes to make a bulb work. The amount of brightness is measured in lu-mens.

Larger wattage bulbs are usually more efficient, whether incandescent or compact fluorescent, producing more lumens per watt than smaller bulbs.

To make sure that outdoor lighting is turned off during the daytime, install photoelectric controls or timers.

Consider using compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) in outdoor fixtures. Many bulbs will produce light down to an outdoor temperature of 00F. Check to see if they are compatible with photoelectric controls or timers.

If you are on vacation, and have a timer on a lamp for security reasons, use a compact fluorescent bulb to save energy. Make sure the timer is compatible with the bulb.

For holiday lighting, consider using Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology. Not only will LED lights reduce electric use by more than 90 percent, they will last up to 50,000 hours.

Note: As of January 1, 2006, federal law mandates that the maximum power use of torchiere light fixtures can be no more than 190 watts. If you purchase a torchiere, make sure that your fixture meets the new requirements.

Note: Starting in 2012, new federal efficiency standards will take effect for incandescent lighting.

More information about high-efficiency lighting is available through lighting manufacturer Web sites and at www.energystar.gov.

Tags: conservation, electricity, Energy, lighting
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100 ways to save energy-Part 7

Friday, November 27th, 2009

WATER HEATING

One of the biggest energy users in your home, next to heating and cooling systems, is your hot water system.

New federal efficiency standards for electric and gas water heaters took effect in January 2004. Make sure your new water heater meets or exceeds the new Energy Factor (EF) standard. (Examples: 0.90 EF for an electric 50-gallon unit, 0.59 EF for a gas 40-gallon unit.)

It is important to keep the system properly maintained. Once or twice a year, drain a bucket of water out of the bottom of the heater tank because it is sometimes full of sediment. The sediment insulates the water in the tank from the heating element, which wastes energy.

In addition, you might want to investi-gate a relatively inexpensive water heater insulation kit. Older hot water tanks (ex-cept super-insulated tanks) generally are not insulated very well, so an extra layer of protection will keep the heat from being lost through the walls of the tank. Be sure to read the instructions on the kit carefully. Do not insulate over any doors, vents, or relief valves.

When buying a water heater, it is wise to correctly estimate your needs. Don’t buy a water heater that is too large for your family, but you should consider your future needs as well as your present requirements.

Demands for hot water will be greater as the size of your household increases, as your children become older and begin to take showers or soak for hours in a full tub of water, and as certain new appliances (such as hot tubs or Jacuzzis) are added.

Some water heaters now have solid state controls (such as a “vacation” setting) that allow you to lower temperature settings. Look for and take advantage of these features.

In sprawling ranch houses or in resi-dences with two or three levels, the rooms requiring hot water may be widely separated. It may be possible to get better hot water service with less use of electric-ity by having two or more water heaters—one heater in each principal water-using area—instead of one heater in a
central location.

Repair leaky faucets promptly.
A steady drip of hot water can waste many gallons of water per month, plus the energy needed to heat the water.

Consult with a plumber to determine if your water heater meets the needs of your family.

Letting the water run while shaving or when washing dishes by hand is needless waste. Avoid this by using sink stoppers and dishpans.

Encourage family members to take showers rather than baths. The average person will use about half as much hot water in a shower as in a bath.

The standby heat loss of a water heater increases with temperature. So, set the temperature control of your water heater at a moderate 1200 F, or as low as possible without running out of hot water. If you need hotter water for certain functions, such as dishwashing, consider a dual-temperature system. Such sys-tems employ a central unit supplying 1200 F or lower temperature water for general purposes, plus a second, smaller water heater set for a higher temperature.

Locate water heaters as close to the points of hot water use as possible. The reason for this is that any hot water that remains in a supply pipe after a tap or valve is closed eventually cools off and is wasted. The longer the supply pipe, the more heat lost.

When long lengths of hot water supply pipe are unavoidable, insulate them to reduce losses. Hardware stores sell hot water pipe insulation kits.

For more information on water heating, check out the following Web sites: www.ahrinet.org and www.energystar.gov.

Energy You’ll Save: Lowering your water heater temperature setting from 1400 F to 1200 F can reduce your water heating energy bill by more than 10 percent.

Tags: conservation, electricity, Energy, water
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100 ways to save energy-Part 6

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

COOKING

Range Tops

To cook efficiently, heat must be trans-ferred from the electric cooking element to the food with minimum loss to the surroundings. To help do this, select pots and pans with absolutely flat bottoms. Spherical bottoms leave an air gap that provides a ready escape route for heat.

Expand your family’s menus to include stews and other single-dish meals that can be prepared in a slow cooker. Such meals require far less energy than those calling for the simultaneous use of the oven plus two or three surface units.

Develop the habit of “lids-on” cooking. Tightly fitted lids help keep heat within pots and pans, permitting the use of lower temperature settings and shorter cooking times.

Reflector pans beneath stovetop-heating elements should be kept bright and clean. Shiny pans help focus heat rays on utensil bottoms; dull or soiled pans absorb heat wastefully.

Begin cooking on highest heat until liquid begins to boil. Then lower the heat control setting and allow food to simmer until fully cooked.

Ovens

Use your microwave oven whenever possible. Microwave ovens draw less than half the power of their conventional counterparts and cook for a much shorter period of time. For example, an item that needs to be cooked in a full-sized oven at 3500 F for one hour will take only 15 minutes to cook in a microwave on the “high” setting.

Rather than using the oven for preparing small quantities of food, consider cooking in small portable electric appliances such as a frying pan, grill, or toaster oven. On average, these use only about one-third of the electric power of an oven broiler.

When operating an electric oven, at-tempt to cook as much of the meal in it at one time as possible. Foods with different cooking temperatures can often be cooked simultaneously at one temperature—variations of 25 degrees in either direction still produce good results and save energy.

When preheating an oven for baking, time the preheat period carefully. Five to eight minutes should be sufficient. There is no need to preheat for broiling or roasting.

Rearrange oven shelves before turning the oven on. To do this after the oven has preheated not only allows wasteful escape of heat but poses a burn hazard as well.

When roasting or baking, avoid making frequent progress checks that entail opening the oven door. Each time the door is opened, a considerable portion of the oven’s heat escapes.

Energy You’ll Save: Using a microwave oven can reduce your energy used for cooking by more than 50 percent.

Activate the self-cleaning cycle on an electric oven only for major cleaning jobs. Wipe up minor spills and splatters with a damp cloth. When self-cleaning is neces-sary, start the cycle right after cooking, while the oven is still hot, or wait until late evening hours when use of electricity is lowest.

Never use an open electric oven as a room heater or as a source of warm air for drying rain-dampened outerwear. If the kitchen is furnished with the type of refrigerator or freezer that exhausts warm air through a front floor-level grille, damp shoes can be dried quite nicely and at no extra energy cost by placing them on the floor near the grille.

Tags: conservation, cooking, electricity, Energy
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100 ways to save energy-Part 5

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

FOOD REFRIGERATION

Select refrigerator and freezer sizes that are just large enough for your family’s needs. Operating energy is proportional to cubic feet of refrigerated space, regardless of whether all of the space is utilized.

Consider replacing your refrigerator or freezer BEFORE it breaks down. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when shopping for refrigerators or freezers. On average, ENERGY STAR® refrigerators use at least 12 percent less energy. New federal energy efficiency standards for refrigerators took effect on July 1, 2001.

NEVER put a second refrigerator in the garage. In the winter months, frozen foods may melt (as the temperature sensor in the refrigerator will not activate the compressor if the temperature in the garage is 420 F or lower). In the summer months, the temperature in the garage can easily exceed 1000 F, and the refrigerator has to work extra hard to keep food cold. If you need a second unit, place it in your basement.

On older units, vacuum clean the con-denser coils of refrigerators and freezers (in the back or at the bottom of cabinets) every three months or so. Dust-covered coils impair the efficiency of compressor operation and increase energy usage.

Door gaskets on refrigerators and freezers should seal tightly against the frames to prevent infiltration of warm air. To check the condition of the gasket, place a dollar bill against the frame and close the door. If the bill can be pulled out with a very gentle tug or, worse still, simply drops out on its own, the door requires adjustment, or the gasket needs replacing.

Some older refrigerators are furnished with a power-saver switch. A heating ele-ment provides a small amount of heat that prevents moisture condensation around the edges of the door. Try turning the switch off; condensation, if any, may be slight and unobjectionable. If this is the case, save energy by keeping the switch off.

When buying a new refrigerator, look for new energy-saving features such as improved insulation materials. These features can save as much as 10 percent in annual consumption of electricity.

Do not place uncovered liquids in refrigerators. In addition to absorbing undesirable flavors, the liquids give off vapors that add to the compressor work-load.

Allow hot foods or liquids to cool off before placing them in the refrigerator. The cooling-off period should not hurt the taste of the food and will reduce the load on the refrigerator. Discard any un-cooked food that has remained at room temperature for more than two hours.

Plan ahead and remove all ingredients for each meal at one time. Each time the door of a refrigerator or freezer is opened, its compressor has to run a bit longer to replace the cold air that spills out.

Chest-type freezers are less likely to lose cold air when doors are opened than upright freezers.

For the same storage capacity, chest-type freezers use anywhere from 11 to 27 percent less energy than upright freezers.

For further information on refrigeration, check out the following Web sites: www.aham.org and www.energystar.gov.

Tags: conservation, electricity, Energy, Energy Star, refrigeration
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100 ways to save energy-Part 4

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

HEATING

If you are buying a new heating system, consider a high-efficiency electric air source or ground source heat pump. The energy efficiency is rated according to a federal standard called the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, or HSPF. Heat pumps with an HSPF of 10 are al-most three times more efficient than the most efficient gas furnaces. In January 2006, the new minimum efficiency for air source heat pumps rose to 7.7 HSPF, while efficiency levels for furnaces and boilers have not increased since 1992.

Ground source heat pumps, or GeoEx-change units, use the Earth as a heat source in the winter and as a heat sink in the summer. Ground source heat pumps are rated in terms of Coefficient of Performance (COP) for the winter. The higher the COP, the higher the efficiency. Where gas furnaces have COP values in the 0.78 to 0.94 range, ground source heat pumps have COP values in the 3.0 to 5.0 range.

In the heating season, water vapors from bathing and cooking are beneficial because they help humidify the home. So, use kitchen and bath exhaust fans sparingly in the winter to keep as much heat as possible inside your house.

Locate the heating thermostat on an inside wall away from windows and doors. Cold drafts will cause the thermostat to keep the system running even when the rest of the house is warm enough.

Set the heating thermostat as low as comfort permits. For instance, each degree above 680 F can add 3 percent to the amount of energy needed for heating. If you have a heat pump, make sure that the thermostat is designed to operate the heat pump efficiently when raising the temperature after it has been lowered.

When entertaining a large group of people during the heating season, lower the thermostat a degree or two before the guests arrive. Otherwise, since people generate heat, the space may become wastefully overheated.

Lubricate pump and blower bearings regularly in accordance with manufactur-ers’ recommendations to limit the amount of energy lost to friction and to extend equipment life as well.

Close heating vents and radiator valves in unused rooms. Make sure that drapes, plants, or furniture do not block registers for supply or return air.

For more information on heating, check out the following Web sites: www.geoexchange.com
and www.energystar.gov.

Tags: conservation, electricity, Energy, heat
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