Dec 30, 2008

Popular posts of 2008

This blog started from a discussion I had with Nari early this year. We wanted to see where the blog would be headed, and I am happy to report that our posts have generated meaningful discussion and interest. In this year, we have blogged on topics ranging from clean coal, coal-to-liquids, underground coal gasification, solar PV, biofuels, cement, and GHG emissions. The following posts have more than 50 unique pageviews, starting July 2008:

7 comments:

BeyondGreen said...

We seriously need to get on with the business of becoming energy independent. While we are doing the happy dance around the pumps with the lower prices OPEC is planning yet more production cuts and will not quit until they achieve their desired price per barrel. The record high prices this past year have done serious damage to our economy and society. It would cost the equivalent of 60 cents per gallon to charge and drive an eelctric car. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and suv's instead had plug-in electric drivetrains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.WE must move forward with energy independence. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, what America lacks is a plan. Jeff Wilson has a new book out that is beyond awesome. The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW. He walks you through every aspect of oil, what it is used for besides gas, our depletion of it. The worlds increased need ie 3rd world countries becoming more modernized and consuming more. He explains EVERY alternative energy source and what role they can play to replace oil. His research is backed up with hard data and even includes a time frame and proposed legislative agendas to wean America off oil. www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com

He also has a VERY interesting article posted on the Better Place Blog called How Much Electricity Would It Take To Replace Gasoline you can read it at...http://planet.betterplace.com/profiles/blogs/how-much-electricity-does-it

TheLight said...

@BeyondGreen,
I see the rationale behind your energy independence idea. I have not read The Manhattan Project of 2009, but to (mis)quote Mao, we should let a thousand energy ideas bloom. This means that a single Hail Mary project will probably not suffice.

Anonymous said...

As the days are coming on with technology and also desired companies are getting through some of the ideas to get on to produce clean coal.

TheLight said...

@Underground Coal Gasification:
Interesting..I will reiterate here what I think are two major challenges to clean coal technologies:
1. Financing: Above-ground synfuel plants cost ~5-10 billion $ and take many years to be built. UCG partly alleviates that risk, but even with the Syntroleum technology, one still needs an above-ground F-T liquids processing facility. In the current financial climate, with oil projected to go to 40 $/bbl, it is hard to justify the economics of conventional above-ground gasification, F-T plants. (Sasol’s F-T diesel plants become competitive when oil prices go higher than 35 $/bbl).

2. CO2 regulations: I think this is the bigger risk, both in the long- and short-term. IMO,viable coal gasification projects (above/below-ground) in North America will need to demonstrate that they can be atleast CO2 capture-ready and in most cases probably will need to have a detailed plan of how to sequester the CO2 produced. I feel that UCG technology is slightly better placed than above-ground gasification in this regard, because of lower costs and possibly lower CO2 emissions.

Anonymous said...

your interest to provide meaningful information about coal gasification is so appreciative..thanks to your interest

Anonymous said...

Keep the coal into the ground and Convert in to the gas is such a nice and thankful to your effort.

Anonymous said...

Quite interesting article...coal gasification is a great technology which can reduce the green house gas emissions.

 
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