EnergyHoliday.com | Energy Holiday

I thought this was worth taking a look at.  These guys apparently show you how to make your own wind and solar power generator system.

Check it out here

Earth Day is about the closest thing to an Energy Holiday as one can get.  So let’s celebrate Earth Day together by conserving energy and respecting our planet.  Let us know what you’re doing for earth day…leave us a comment!

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energy_in_brief/biofuels_use.cfm

Targets for Renewable Fuels Usage as Established by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

Year	Total Renewable Fuels Standard (billion credit gallons)
2008	9.00
2009	11.10
2010	12.95
2011	13.95
2012	15.20
2013	16.55
2014	18.15
2015	20.50
2016	22.25
2017	24.00
2018	26.00
2019	28.00
2020	30.00
2021	33.00
2022	36.00
Source: Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140).
Note: A gallon of biofuel with greater energy content per gallon than ethanol would count as more than one ethanol gallon equivalent. For example, each gallon of biodiesel counts as 1.5 gallons toward the advanced and total biofuels requirements.

What Is Ethanol?

Ethanol is a clear, colorless alcohol—the same as is found in alcoholic beverages. In fact, ethanol is produced when yeast ferments sugar in a process similar to that used to produce beer. Ethanol can be made from the starches or sugars found in various agricultural crops, such as corn, barley, and sugar cane, or from cellulosic residues from woody biomass, such as bark or switchgrass. Cellulosic ethanol is considered an “advanced” biofuel and involves a more complicated production process than conventional ethanol made from starches or sugars; however, its commercial viability has yet to be demonstrated4.

How Is Ethanol Used?

Prior to the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, gasoline sold in certain geographic areas was required to contain oxygen, which helps the fuel mixture combust more completely. Originally, a chemical called methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) was the preferred oxygenate, but it was phased out due to concerns about seepage into groundwater and ethanol was mandated as a replacement. The usage of ethanol also gained market share due to the Renewable Fuel Standard requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Today, a little more than half of the gasoline in the United States has some amount of ethanol blended into it, and these blends are named by their ethanol content: for example, a blend of 90% gasoline and 10% ethanol (by volume) is known as E10. However, because ethanol contains approximately 67% the energy content of gasoline per gallon, usage of ethanol blends results in decreased gas mileage. Despite this reduced gas mileage, high crude oil prices and government incentives have resulted in the consumption of increasing amounts of ethanol.

While almost any regular gasoline car can run on blends of ethanol up to E10, special cars known as “flex-fuel” vehicles are required for use of blends above E10. Flex-fueled vehicles are currently available from every major American automobile manufacturer and are almost identical to regular gasoline vehicles, except for a few modifications to the fuel system and minor engine components. On a mass production basis, it costs less than $200 extra per car to make a flex-fuel automobile compared with a conventional gasoline vehicle. As of August 2008, more than 1,400 of a total of 170,000 gas stations in the United States are offering E85 to the public5. Ethanol is expected to play a major role in helping to reach the annual minimum renewable fuel consumption required by the Renewable Fuel Standard.

What Is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel consists of chemicals known as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) that can be used as a diesel fuel substitute or diesel fuel additive. Biodiesel is typically made from oils produced from agricultural crops such as soybeans or canola but can also be made from various other feedstocks such as animal fats.

Currently, most biodiesel in the United States is produced from soybean oil, but recent increases in soybean crop prices have caused producers to switch to other feedstocks such as waste animal fats from processing plants or recycled grease from restaurants. Biodiesel can be made from virtually any feedstock that contains an adequate amount of free fatty acids, which are the raw materials that are converted to biodiesel through a chemical process. Research is underway to harvest algae for biodiesel production because they contain fat pockets that help them float, and this fat can be collected and processed into biodiesel. Continued biodiesel production and usage will help the United States meet levels of biofuels consumption mandated by the Renewable Fuel Standard.

In addition to biodiesel derived from FAME, it is also possible to make a diesel fuel substitute from cellulosic material. This fuel, sometimes called renewable diesel, would also count towards meeting the Renewable Fuel Standard mandate. Like cellulosic ethanol, however, its commercial viability has yet to be demonstrated.

How Is Biodiesel Used?

Biodiesel has chemical characteristics much like petroleum-based diesel and, therefore, can be used as a direct substitute for diesel fuel or blended with petroleum diesel in any percentage without suffering any significant loss of fuel economy6. Blends are named in the same manner as ethanol-gasoline blends, for example, a blend of 20% biodiesel with 80% petroleum diesel is known as B20. Low level, i.e., B2-B5, biodiesel blends are a popular fuel in the trucking industry because biodiesel has excellent lubricating properties, and therefore usage of the blends can be beneficial for engine performance. Biodiesel also has virtually no sulfur content, making it a popular additive for low- and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels required by the Environmental Protection Agency7.

How Much Do We Consume?

In 2007, the United States consumed 6.8 billion gallons of ethanol and 491 million gallons of biodiesel. According to EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2008, ethanol usage is predicted to increase to nearly 24 billion gallons in 2030, which would represent approximately 16% of total gasoline consumption by volume in 2030. Thirty-one percent of corn production in 2008 is projected to be used for ethanol, and this percentage is expected to rise to 36 percent by 20308. Biodiesel consumption is predicted to increase to 1.2 billion gallons by 2030, or approximately 1.5% of total diesel consumption. Consumption of renewable diesel, made from cellulosic materials, is expected to substantially exceed biodiesel consumption by 2030.

So apparently I was not the first to think of the Energy Holiday idea…or maybe just the ‘day’ part of it.

Earth Hour: http://www.earthhour.org/ appears to be catching on QUICKLY and I think that’s amazing. I can’t wait to see the results!

www.GigglingBaby.com

Data for 3rd Quarter 2008
Report Date: November 6, 2008
Next Release Date: February 15, 2009

3rd Quarter 2008

U.S. production of uranium concentrate was 980,933 pounds U₃O₈, down 9 percent from the previous quarter, and down 9 percent from the third quarter 2007.

During the third quarter, U.S. uranium oxide (U₃O₈) was produced at:

• One mill
  1 White Mesa Mill

• Six in-situ-leach plants
  1 Alta Mesa Project
  2 Crow Butte Operation
  3 Kingsville Dome
  4 Rosita
  5 Smith Ranch-Highland Operation
  6 Vasquez

Rosita resumed production in the third quarter 2008; the last time Rosita produced uranium concentrate was in 1999.

As of September 2008, U.S. uranium concentrate production totaled 2,864,437 pounds U₃O₈. This amount is 15 percent lower than the 3,357,733 pounds produced during the first nine months of 2007.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/dupr/qupd.html

Congratulations Mr. President. We’re all pulling for you…

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