On June 21, Exxon announced its plan to invest $600 million into the biofuel industry. In partnership with Synthetic Genomics, the oil giant will experiment with producing liquid transportation fuels from photosynthetic algae. According to Dr. Emil Jacobs, vice president of research and development for ExxonMobil, this investment comes after several years of planning. He also touts the efforts as “breakthrough technologies” that will help “meet the world’s energy challenges.” Environmental groups have criticized Exxon for ignoring concerns about global warming, and this investment in biofuels could be a more eco-friendly step forward for the company. According to Exxon, it is possible that algae could yield more than 2,000 gallons of fuel per acre of production each year. But it’s going to take a lot of work. “While significant work and years of research and development still must be completed, if successful, algae-based fuels could help meet the world’s growing demand for transportation fuel while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” says Michael Dolan, senior vice president of ExxonMobil. “Our new algae biofuels program complements ExxonMobil’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions in our operations and by consumers of our products, through both efficiency improvements and technology breakthroughs.” Using algae as an alternative fuel source isn’t new to the industry . The U.S. Department of Energy studied this process for about 18 years, from 1978 to 1996, but the feds decided that algae oil could never compete economically with fossil fuels. That was before the price of oil skyrocketed. Now, with abundant resources of the material and its compatibility with existing transportation technology and infrastructure, the process is now more economical. According to ScienceDaily , another benefit of creating algae biodiesel is that there is no wastewater produced to cause pollution. Furthermore, there is a limitless amount of algae growing in oceans, lake and rivers around the world.
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Exxon Invests $600M in Biofuel From Algae
In recent years, South Africa has become increasingly present in the world of recycling and waste solution technologies. Though demand for recycling and infrastructure take time to align, the nation has made significant progress in the recovery of recyclable commodities. Making Strides in Glass Recycling With a demand for glass increasing at an annual rate of approximately 5 percent in South Africa (RSA), the nation has increased its glass recycling efforts, including the launch of various education awareness campaigns in recent years. According to The Glass Recycling Company , a not-for-profit South African organization promoting the recycling of glass, the recovery of waste glass has increased from 148,000 tons to more than 204,000 tons per year since 2006, when the organization was formed. And over the last two years, more than 2,100 glass recycling banks have been placed around the country to facilitate the collection of glass. In the last year alone, more than 614 million glass containers were recovered for recycling, contributing to a 38 percent growth in glass recycling since 2006. Spotlight on South Africa With the world spotlight on RSA for the 2010 World Cup, the country has stepped up its efforts to recover glass and other recyclables at all events. Part of the Green Goal 2010, the Fifa World Cup Organizing Committee has put a plan to action to recover and recycle waste, as well as reduce the environmental footprint associated with the event wherever possible. The Green Goal program is modeled after Germany’s 2006 World Cup greening model, where waste management systems ran smoothly, food packaging was minimal and four-bin recycling stations collected recyclable waste.
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South Africa Making Strides in Glass Recycling
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is teaming up with paint manufacturers to offer state-wide paint recycling as early as January 2010. The program will start as a four-year pilot and will be operated by manufacturers. It will particularly focus on areas that currently offer no paint disposal options, which includes one-third of the state’s 36 counties. Paint disposal options depend on the ingredients. Latex paint can be recycled into new paint or used as an additive for different products, whereas oil-based paint is typically treated as hazardous waste and may be burned for fuel. In Oregon, it is the most common household hazardous waste. Oregon presented similar take-back recycling programs for batteries, medications and mercury bulbs this year, but all failed to advance. Both batteries and mercury bulbs are classified by the EPA as universal waste, which many states have banned from landfills. Last year, Oregon developed a manufacturer-led program to recycle electronics. The paint recycling bill is still awaiting approval from Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski. Though Kulongoski is expected to sign, in June a similar bill in Texas passed in the House but was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry. Paint was the fifth most common search term in Earth911’s recycling database for 2008.
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Oregon Passes Paint Recycling Bill
Eco Factor: Solar energy generating flowers installed by Toyota. Auto manufacturers do everything they can to promote their newest vehicle. While most manufacturers rely on ingenious adverts, Toyota has taken the upcoming launch of Prius to the streets, by installed oversized solar-energy generating flowers in Boston. The installed will be installed in different parts of the world over a period of four months . The company has installed five solar-powered flower charging stations, which will provide free solar charge to residents and also offer free Wi-Fi service. The stations can seat 10 people at a time. The flowers carry solar panels on their petals and at the base of the stem, the electricity generated is offered on a molded plastic green bench with 110V outlets. Via: Examiner / Boston
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Eco Tech: Toyota installs solar energy generating flowers to promote Prius
Eco Factor: Futuristic London Bridge design with solar energy generators and a towering vertical farm. Since its medieval use as an active place covered with buildings and merchants on both sides, London Bridge has been used in different ways, serving one common purpose to let people pass from one side of London to the other over the Thames River. The latest design by Laurie Chetwood , envisions London Bridge as a sustainable structure, which generates renewable energy and organic food for the people of London. The next-gen proposal comes with a sprouting vertical farm in the midst of the Thames River. The bridge has been designed with solar and wind energy generating spires, which power a self-sufficient organic farm and commercial center. The design makes London Bridge a central meeting place for people to gather and also buy goods for their homes. The two main components of the bridge not only enable it to produce food in the vertical farm but also sell it at water level. In addition to the vertical farm and the renewable energy system, the design will maximize the use of natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting and passive solar gain to heat the buildings. Via: Inhabitat
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Eco Architecture: London Bridge envisioned with a solar vertical farm and residences
Eco Factor: Waste-to-energy conversion plant to be built in New Delhi. New Delhi doesn’t want its International Airport to suffer because of the lack of 400MW of electrical power, the city currently longs for. Preparing itself for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, New Delhi is looking towards the tons of trash it produces everyday for clean energy. The city authorities are planning to build a waste-to-energy conversion plant that will generate 10MW of green power, which will ensure that the Indira Gandhi International Airport isn’t hit by blackouts. The plant will be built by GMR Energy and SELCO International on 5.7 acres of government land. Out of the total 10MW of green power, which the plant is expected to produce, 5MW would be utilized by the airport and the rest would be sent to the grid. Once completed, the plant will require 1,400 tons of waste each day, which is more than the city actually produces. The $28.6 million plant is expected to be complete just in time for the Commonwealth Games. Via: Treehugger
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Eco Tech: Facing energy crisis New Delhi looks towards trash for power
The ranks of those who support climate and energy action grew by one today when the NAACP approved a historic resolution to work with the National Wildlife Federation to support legislation that curbs global warming pollution. The resolution says they will work with leaders to “ensure that the response to climate change can take a higher ground than business as usual – one that ensures that we capture the real public benefits from the resolution pledges to a new energy economy.”…
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NAACP and NWF Says Yes to Clean Energy
Photo credit: Thinknow Design The structural put-togetherness of Thinknow’s jewelry collection is no accident, happy or otherwise; Becky Ellis, the nascent company’s CEO and designer-in-chief, also heads up architectural firm Think . Moving seamlessly from soaring glass-and-steel constructs to minuscule feats of engineering, Ellis coaxes the forms and geometries of nature from sustainably harvested or recycled wood and papers. …
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Thinknow Jewelry Fuses Nature, Architectural Design
Looking for the perfect yet affordable eco-gift ? Step into Organica Deluxe , an online shop that features eco-friendly items such as food (like the delicious ginger cookies ), wine , Verifora flowers , and home décor . Each purchase comes exquisitely packaged in a responsible mann…
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Organica Deluxe Offers 15% Off Luxurious Eco-Gifts
Say goodbye to your old ‘dumb’ electric meter. Photo: John Wilson via flickr Baltimore residents, get ready to get in on the smart grid party. Baltimore Gas & Electric has just announced that it has filed paper with the Maryland Public Service Commission to roll out a program that will see some two million smart meters will be installed, and a new pricing plan implemented that promises to save custo…
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Baltimore Announces Massive Smart Grid Program – 2 Million Meters to be Installed