As you may recall, last August the Navy put out a call to biofuel companies for 40,000 gallons of fuel to start testing in their F/A-18 Super Hornet jet. Sustainable Oils ultimately won the contract to develop biofuel for the military branch and now the Navy is prepared to take the Hornet on a supersonic flight using a blend of 50 percent jet fuel and 50 percent camelina-based oil.
Tomorrow, at the Air Station at Patuxent River, Maryland, the so-called "Green Hornet" will fly over the Chesapeake Bay, hopefully proving that biofuels can perform well in a full range of flight operations, including traveling faster than the speed of sound. The Super Hornet was picked as a test craft for biofuels because it's the Navy's largest aviation fuel-consumer.
Camelina biofuel has shown itself to be a great choice for jet fuel blends because it can work as a drop-in replacement for jet fuel. All aircraft systems -- fuel gauge, etc. -- operate the same as if it were straight petroleum. Also, a recent study found that the use of camelina jet fuel could reduce carbon emissions by 84 percent compared to regular jet fuel.
The Hornet won't be the only naval craft to get a makeover though. The Navy has committed to getting half of their energy from renewable sources by 2020, which will include cleaning up ships, aircraft and all of their power systems. The U.S. military is the world's greatest consumer of petroleum, so their commitment to reducing that consumption is an important one.
National Geographic News
As you may recall, last August the Navy put out a call to biofuel companies for 40,000 gallons of fuel to start testing in their F/A-18 Super Hornet jet. Sustainable Oils ultimately won the contract to develop biofuel for the military branch and now the Navy is prepared to take the Hornet on a supersonic flight using a blend of 50 percent jet fuel and 50 percent camelina-based oil.
Tomorrow, at the Air Station at Patuxent River, Maryland, the so-called "Green Hornet" will fly over the Chesapeake Bay, hopefully proving that biofuels can perform well in a full range of flight operations, including traveling faster than the speed of sound. The Super Hornet was picked as a test craft for biofuels because it's the Navy's largest aviation fuel-consumer.
Camelina biofuel has shown itself to be a great choice for jet fuel blends because it can work as a drop-in replacement for jet fuel. All aircraft systems -- fuel gauge, etc. -- operate the same as if it were straight petroleum. Also, a recent study found that the use of camelina jet fuel could reduce carbon emissions by 84 percent compared to regular jet fuel.
The Hornet won't be the only naval craft to get a makeover though. The Navy has committed to getting half of their energy from renewable sources by 2020, which will include cleaning up ships, aircraft and all of their power systems. The U.S. military is the world's greatest consumer of petroleum, so their commitment to reducing that consumption is an important one.
National Geographic News
Bourne Energy has created a portable hydroelectric generator that weighs less than 30 pounds and can be worn like a backpack.
The appropriately-called Backpack Power Plant is capable of generating 500 watts and can quietly produce electricity from a stream four feet or deeper. To install the generator, the user digs a trench on either side of the stream or river for two lightweight anchors. A rope connects the anchors to the generator, keeping it afloat through tension.
It performs best at flow speeds of 2.3 meters per second, but can work at a variety of speeds. It produces no heat or exhaust emissions.
Bourne has designed a more-powerful and lighter version for military use in remote locations. The civilian version will sell for $3,000 and could be used in developing countries or by any hydroelectricity enthusiast.
via Wired Science
The University of British Columbia is claiming the title of North America's greenest building for its impressive $37 million Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS), currently under construction and to be completed in 2011. What makes this building the greenest?
According to UBC, it will be a net energy producer with fuel cells, a solar PV array, solar hot water heaters, ground source heat pumps and a biomass co-generation system on site. The building will collect, store and use rainwater and stormwater, so that it's not only providing its own electricity needs, but all of its water needs as well.
CIRS will be a testing ground for sustainable building technologies and all activity, including energy use and human behavior within the building, will be logged. It will also host simulations and performances to educate the public on sustainability as part of its Group Decision Environment Theatre.
Sounds pretty amazing to me, but we'll have to see how it stacks up when it's completed to know if it's truly the "greenest."
via Ecofriend
Like me, you've probably been watching the coverage of the earthquake in Haiti with a big knot in your stomach and maybe you've already donated $10 by texting HAITI to 90999, but if you want to do more (and help out the environment while you're at it), there's an easy way to do so.
ReCellular has launched a disaster relief program for the victims of the earthquake called "Phones for Haiti." All proceeds from donated phones will go straight to the American Red Cross for their work in the country.
If you're like most people you have an old cell phone lying around somewhere and this is a great way to donate to those in need and keep your electronic waste out of a landfill at the same time. ReCellular refurbishes the donated phones and then sells them to people in developing countries. Some phone models like Blackberries or iPhones could contribute up to $100 to the Red Cross.
ReCellular also accepts your old chargers, batteries and other accessories and the shipping is free. Click here to get started.
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