ScienceDaily: Fossil Fuel News

Tests lead to doubling of fuel cell life

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:03:03 EDT

Researchers working to improve durability in fuel cell powered buses have discovered links between electrode degradation processes and bus membrane durability. The team is quantifying the effects of electrode degradation stressors in the operating cycle of the bus on the membrane lifetime.

Top-class biofuel from the depths of the forest

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

Tops and branches from tree-felling sites are reborn in the laboratory as compact pellets. However, the energy industry will not act until the price is right.

Engineers devise new way to produce clean hydrogen

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:39 EDT

Engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil fuels and their environmental implications.

Bacteria use hydrogen, carbon dioxide to produce electricity

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:11:11 EDT

Researchers have engineered a strain of electricity-producing bacteria that can grow using hydrogen gas as its sole electron donor and carbon dioxide as its sole source of carbon.

Could carbon dioxide be injected in sandstone? Would it stay there?

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:53:53 EDT

As carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere top 400 parts per million, options such as storing the greenhouse gas in porous sandstone rock formations found in abundance on the sea floor are of increasing interest. But how do we know if carbon dioxide can be safely injected into spongy sandstone, and that once it is there, that it will stay there?

New endurance record for small electric unmanned aerial vehicle

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:45:45 EDT

Using liquid hydrogen fuel stored in a new NRL-developed cryogenic fuel storage tank, the flight shatters the previous 26-hour record set by the UAV in 2009.

New advance in biofuel production

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:37:37 EDT

Researchers have developed an enzyme-free ionic liquid pretreatment of cellulosic biomass that makes it easier to recover fermentable sugars for biofuels and to recycle the ionic liquid.

Ceramic foam cleans up exhaust gases

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:25:25 EDT

The introduction next year of the Euro 6 exhaust-gas standard means that catalytic converters will become more expensive, above all for diesel vehicles. Scientists are working on a catalytic substrate made of ceramic foam which, because of its structure, is more efficient and therefore more economic. Not only that – it also requires less noble metal coating.

Special E. coli bacteria produce diesel on demand

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

It sounds like science fiction but scientists have developed a method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand. While the technology still faces many significant commercialization challenges, the diesel, produced by special strains of E. coli bacteria, is almost identical to conventional diesel fuel and so does not need to be blended with petroleum products as is often required by biodiesels derived from plant oils.

Battery low? Give your mobile some water

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

A power source for your mobile phone can now be as close as the nearest tap, stream, or even a puddle, with the world’s first water-activated charging device.

Survey shows dramatic improvement in B100 biodiesel quality

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

The latest national survey of 100 percent biodiesel "blend stock" samples found that 95% of the samples from 2011-12 met ASTM International fuel quality specifications. The ASTM standards serve as guidelines for industry and are designed to ensure quality at the pump for consumers -- along with reliable operation of the nation's vehicles powered by biodiesel blends.

Cheaper natural gas-powered cars on the horizon?

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:41:41 EDT

When it comes to American consumers' vehicular preferences, a chemist says the choice often boils down to simple economics more so than availability, environment or altruism.

Surprising findings on hydrogen production in green algae

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:24:24 EDT

New research fuels hope of efficient hydrogen production with green algae may be possible in the future, despite the prevailing scepticism based on previous research.

The future of our energy

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

When it comes to sustainable energy supplies hydroelectric plants are usually the best solution, according to researchers who have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of fuel provision.

Better batteries from waste sulfur

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:34:34 EDT

A new chemical process can transform waste sulfur into a lightweight plastic that may improve batteries for electric cars, reports a new study. Scientists have successfully used the new plastic to make lithium-sulfur batteries. The team's discovery could provide a new use for the sulfur left over when oil and natural gas are refined into cleaner-burning fuels. Other potential applications for the new plastic include optical uses.

Solar booster shot for natural gas power plants

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:23:23 EDT

A new system reduces carbon emissions and fuel usage at natural gas power plants by 20 percent by injecting solar energy into natural gas.

Cost-saving measure to upgrade ethanol to butanol -- a better alternative to gasoline

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:35:35 EDT

Scientists have reported a discovery that could speed an emerging effort to replace ethanol in gasoline with a substantially better fuel additive called butanol, which some experts regard as “the gasoline of the future.” Their report on this discovery, holds potential to reduce the costs of converting ethanol factories to production of butanol.

Overcoming a major barrier to medical and other uses of 'microrockets' and 'micromotors'

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:39:39 EDT

An advance in micromotor technology akin to the invention of cars that fuel themselves from the pavement or air is opening the door to new medical and industrial uses for these tiny devices, scientists say. Their update on development of the motors -- so small that thousands would fit inside this "o" -- was part of a recent conference presentation.

Seemingly small research funding cuts could hinder progress in nanotechnology

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:20:20 EDT

Cuts in federal funding of nanotechnology research threaten to slow progress toward some of the field’s greatest promises, including commercialization of sustainable new energy sources that do not contribute to global warming, an international authority in the field cautioned here today.

Carbon dioxide released from burning fuel today goes back into new fuels tomorrow

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:28:28 EDT

The search for ways to use megatons of carbon dioxide that may be removed from industrial smokestacks during efforts to curb global warming has led to a process for converting that major greenhouse gas back into the fuel that released it in the first place.

New emissions standards would fuel shift from coal to natural gas

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:48:48 EDT

Tougher EPA air-quality standards could spur an increased shift away from coal and toward natural gas for electricity generation, according to a new study. Complying with stricter regulations on sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and mercury may make nearly two-thirds of the U.S. coal-fired power plants as expensive to run as plants powered by natural gas. The regulations would make 65 percent of U.S. coal plants as expensive as natural gas, even if gas prices rise significantly.

Turning tires into gas for energy and new, valuable materials

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:15:15 EDT

Tire recycling represents an untapped opportunity, that may prove a success if processing costs do not become prohibitive.

Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production could revolutionize alternative energy market

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:41:41 EDT

Researchers have discovered a way to extract large quantities of hydrogen from any plant, a breakthrough that has the potential to bring a low-cost, environmentally friendly fuel source to the world.

Discovery opens door to efficiently storing and reusing renewable energy

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Researchers have developed a ground-breaking way to make new affordable and efficient catalysts for converting electricity into chemical energy. Their technology opens the door to homeowners and energy companies being able to easily store and reuse solar and wind power. Such energy is clean and renewable, but it's available only when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing.

Discovery may allow scientists to make fuel from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:23:23 EDT

Excess carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere created by the widespread burning of fossil fuels is the major driving force of global climate change, and researchers the world over are looking for new ways to generate power that leaves a smaller carbon footprint. A new process is made possible by a unique microorganism called Pyrococcus furiosus, or "rushing fireball," which thrives by feeding on carbohydrates in the super-heated ocean waters near geothermal vents. By manipulating the organism's genetic material, scientists have created a kind of P. furiosus that is capable of feeding at much lower temperatures on carbon dioxide.

Clean electricity from bacteria? Researchers make breakthrough in race to create 'bio-batteries'

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:39:39 EDT

Scientists have made an important breakthrough in the quest to generate clean electricity from bacteria. New findings show that proteins on the surface of bacteria can produce an electric current by simply touching a mineral surface. The research shows that it is possible for bacteria to lie directly on the surface of a metal or mineral and transfer electrical charge through their cell membranes. This means that it is possible to ‘tether’ bacteria directly to electrodes – bringing scientists a step closer to creating efficient microbial fuel cells or ‘bio-batteries.’

Ash from refuse could become hydrogen gas

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:35:35 EDT

Every year, millions of tons of environmentally harmful ash is produced worldwide, and is mostly dumped in landfill sites or, in some countries, used as construction material. The ash is what is left when rubbish has been burnt in thermal power stations. A researcher has now developed a technique to use the ash to produce hydrogen gas.

Engineers explain physics of fluids some 100 years after original discovery

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:53:53 EDT

Intuition says two or more jets of fluid should coalesce into a single stream of fluid, but that is not always the case. Velocity matters.

A milestone for new carbon-dioxide capture/clean coal technology

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:54:54 EDT

An innovative new process that releases the energy in coal without burning -- while capturing carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas -- has passed a milestone on the route to possible commercial use, scientists are reporting. Their study describes results of a successful 200-hour test on a sub-pilot scale version of the technology using two inexpensive but highly polluting forms of coal.

Transportation study reveals potential for deep cuts to petroleum use and carbon emissions

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:56:56 EDT

Scientists have completed an assessment of avenues to reach deep cuts in petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.

Petroleum use, greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles could drop 80 percent by 2050: U.S. report

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:16:16 EDT

A new report finds that by the year 2050, the United States may be able to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent for light-duty vehicles -- cars and small trucks -- via a combination of more efficient vehicles; the use of alternative fuels like biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen; and strong government policies to overcome high costs and influence consumer choices.

Model allows engineers to test fuel systems on computers

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:47:47 EDT

Engineers will be able to design better fuel systems for everything from motorcycles to rockets faster and more inexpensively because of a new mathematical fuels model.

Making fuel from bacteria

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:22:22 EDT

In the search for the fuels of tomorrow, Swedish researchers are finding inspiration in the sea. Not in offshore oil wells, but in the water where blue-green algae thrive.

Catalysts that produce 'green' fuel

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:22:22 EDT

The energy produced by solar panels, be it heat or electricity, has to be used right away. It is hard to store and preserve and also its transportation can be rather complicated. Creating solar cells capable of producing energy in an easily storable and transportable way, that is to say fuel, is therefore the future challenge of solar energy. Scientists are now working on a catalyst that imitates and improves what nature has been able to do for millions of years.

Duckweed as a cost-competitive raw material for biofuel production

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:05:05 EST

The search for a less-expensive, sustainable source of biomass, or plant material, for producing gasoline, diesel and jet fuel has led scientists to duckweed, that fast-growing floating plant that turns ponds and lakes green.

Synthetic fuels from natural gas and biomass? New Fischer-Tropsch catalyst invented

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:07:07 EST

Inspired by patents from the 1960s audio cassette recording industry, chemists now developed a new Fischer-Tropsch catalyst. It can be used for the making of synthetic fuels from natural gas and biomass.

NASA researchers work to turn blue skies green

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:30:30 EST

Air travelers of the future could have quieter, greener and more fuel-efficient airliners because of NASA research efforts that are moving into further development and testing.

Sunlight yields more efficient carbon dioxide to methanol model

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:37:37 EST

In a method that is more efficient and inexpensive than current models, researchers are using carbon dioxide, copper oxide nanowires and simulated sunlight to create methanol.

Affordable fuel cells closer: Synthetic molecule first electricity-making catalyst to use iron to split hydrogen gas

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:42:42 EST

To make fuel cells more economical, engineers want a fast and efficient iron-based molecule that splits hydrogen gas to make electricity. Researchers now report such a catalyst. It is the first iron-based catalyst that converts hydrogen directly to electricity. The result moves chemists and engineers one step closer to widely affordable fuel cells.

Environmental hazards or energy solutions? Geophysicists size up energy resources, carbon capture and fracking

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:52:52 EST

Decisions about future energy challenges are too often hindered by propaganda, half-truths and a limited grasp of the science that informs the choice and use of hydrocarbon and other resources, according to delegates at the annual conference of the British Geophysical Association.

Mix uranium from Russian nuclear weapons with Norwegian rock, researcher says

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:52:52 EST

The USA uses uranium from Russian nuclear weapons as fuel in its civilian nuclear power plants. If the weapon-grade uranium is mixed with the Norwegian element thorium, the waste becomes 95 per cent less radioactive, a researcher has found.

Hydrothermal liquefaction: The most promising path to sustainable bio-oil production

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:22:22 EST

A new generation of the HTL process can convert all kinds of biomasses to crude bio-oil, which is sufficiently similar to fossil crude oil that a simple thermal upgrade and existing refinery technology can be employed to subsequently obtain all the liquid fuels we know today. What is more, the HTL process only consumes approximately 10-15 percent of the energy in the feedstock biomass, yielding an energy efficiency of 85-90 percent.

New coal technology harnesses energy without burning, nears pilot-scale development

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:35:35 EST

A new form of clean coal technology reached an important milestone recently, with the successful operation of a research-scale combustion system at Ohio State University.

Hydro beats nuclear and coal, beats oil and gas, review finds

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:46:46 EST

Researchers in Italy and the UK have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of hydro, coal, oil, gas and nuclear power. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but of these conventional electricity generation technologies, hydroelectric power appears to be the most sustainable and acceptable environmentally and economically. Nuclear and coal run a close second place but oil or gas-fired power stations are revealed to be the worst choice when considering the various factors overall.

Giant carbon molecules for sustainable technologies

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:51:51 EST

Scientists in the joint research project "FUNgraphen" are pinning their hopes for new technologies on a particular form of carbon: They have developed new carbon macromolecules and molecular carbon composite materials with special properties. The molecules are derived from graphene, a substance that consists of individual layers of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern. The process previously necessary to make use of this substance was complex and expensive and thus of little value for most plastics applications.

Biofuels blend right in: Researchers show ionic liquids effective for pre-treating mixed blends of biofuel feedstocks

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:24:24 EST

Blending different feedstocks and milling the mixture into flour or pellets has significant potential for helping to make biofuels a cost-competitive transportation fuel technology.

Just add water: How scientists are using silicon to produce hydrogen on demand

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:32:32 EST

Super-small particles of silicon react with water to produce hydrogen almost instantaneously, without the need for light, heat or electricity, according to new research.

Photovoltaics beat biofuels at converting sun's energy to miles driven

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:59:59 EST

In 2005, President George W. Bush and American corn farmers saw corn ethanol as a promising fossil fuel substitute that would reduce both American dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, the 2005 energy bill mandated that 4 billion gallons of renewable fuel be added to the gasoline supply in 2006. That rose to 4.7 billion gallons in 2007 and 7.5 billion in 2012. Now a new study shows solar power is not only better in terms of energy efficiency, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions -- but it is cost competitive, too.

High plutonium breeding of light water cooled reactors

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:48:48 EST

Scientists have developed the world's first conceptual nuclear reactor design of high plutonium breeding by light water cooling.

Engineering alternative fuel with cyanobacteria

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:09:09 EST

Biologists have engineered two strains of cyanobacteria to produce free fatty acids, a precursor to liquid fuels. Micro-algal fuels might be one way to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign energy. Such fuels would be renewable since they are powered by sunlight. They also could reduce carbon dioxide emissions since they use photosynthesis, and they could create jobs in a new industry.

Concentrated solar power with thermal energy storage can help utilities' bottom line, study shows

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:30:30 EST

The storage capacity of concentrating solar power can add significant value to a utility company's optimal mix of energy sources, a new report by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory suggests.

Engineers seek ways to convert methane into useful chemicals

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:35:35 EST

With natural gas production rising, engineers and scientists are seeking ways to convert methane into useful chemicals. A new study suggests a pathway.

'Easy does it' gets you further in electric vehicles

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:18:18 EST

Drivers of gas and diesel cars are usually aware that driving at high speed, harsh acceleration and hard braking all contribute to lowering their fuel economy. Scientists can readily explain in terms of the thermodynamics of the internal combustion engine why driving such a car more smoothly and at gentler speeds will increase significantly the distance that might be traveled on a single tank of fuel. But, what about electric vehicles (EVs)?

Synthetic biology research: Could fuel for cars or household power supplies be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids?

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:26:26 EST

Scientists have identified a biocatalyst which could produce chemicals found in ice-cream and household items such as soap and shampoo – possibly leading to the long-term replacement of chemicals derived from fossil fuels. This development could mean fuel for cars or household power supplies could be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids.

Nanofibers clean sulfur from fuel

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:07:07 EST

Sulfur compounds in petroleum fuels have met their nano-structured match. Researchers developed mats of metal oxide nanofibers that scrub sulfur from petroleum-based fuels much more effectively than traditional materials. Sulfur has to be removed because it emits toxic gasses and corrodes catalysts. Such efficiency could lower costs and improve performance for fuel-based catalysis, advanced energy applications and toxic gas removal.

Intelligent control for performance: Reducing drag, saving fuel

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:14:14 EST

NASA Dryden's versatile F/A-18 Full Scale Advanced Systems Testbed (FAST) aircraft recently completed a series of flights that explored reducing fuel consumption during cruise flight conditions by making small modifications to existing control laws and mechanisms in the aircraft's flight control computer.

Wind and solar power paired with storage could power grid 99.9 percent of the time

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:35:35 EST

Renewable energy could fully power a large electric grid 99.9 percent of the time by 2030 at costs comparable to today's electricity expenses, according to new research. A well-designed combination of wind power, solar power and storage in batteries and fuel cells would nearly always exceed electricity demands while keeping costs low, scientists found.

Ultrasound can now monitor the health of your car engine

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:23:23 EST

A system that uses ultrasound technology to look inside car engines could lead to more efficient engines -- and huge fuel savings for motorists.

New approach could help resolve mountaintop mining issues

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:13:13 EST

A progressive approach to resolve the complex issues surrounding mountaintop mining needs to incorporate good civic science and meaningful routes for public involvement, researchers say.

Synthetic fuel could eliminate U.S. need for crude oil, researchers say

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:02:02 EST

The United States could eliminate the need for crude oil by using a combination of coal, natural gas and non-food crops to make synthetic fuel, a team of researchers has found. Besides economic and national security benefits, the plan has potential environmental advantages. Because plants absorb carbon dioxide to grow, the United States could cut vehicle greenhouse emissions by as much as 50 percent in the next several decades using non-food crops to create liquid fuels, the researchers said.