Category Energy

Ethanol from garbage

A proposed $100 million project from Bluefire Ethanol at a garbage dump in Lancaster CA will be the world’s first commercial scale garbage-to-ethanol facility. The facility will process 170 tons of garbage a day to produce 3.7 million gallons of…

FERC Chair: US may never need new coal or nuclear plants

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chair Jon Wellinghoff says forget about coal and nuclear power, they’re too expensive, renewable power is what we need. Wellinghoff said renewables like wind, solar and biomass will provide enough energy to meet baseload capacity and…

Coast Guard to test tidal power in Maine

The 6-knot currents and 20-foot tides in Eastport, Maine will be harnessed in a Coast Guard test to provide power for their station there. A major advantage of tidal power is that the power generation, unlike with wind or solar,…

GMO yeast speeds cellulosic ethanol production

Researchers have modified baker’s yeast using recombinant DNA so it breaks down agricultural wastes into ethanol faster and easier than previously, something that could be a major breakthrough. The chief researcher and company president said she’s been working on this…