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BIOMIMICRY CYCLE 1 BLOGS

Contents 1 MANIFESTOS 2 IMAGE TEST 3 NETWORKING IN NATURE 4 ENERGY 4.1 Solar 4.2 Electricity 4.3 Geothermal 4.4 Wind 4.5 Natural Gas 4.6 Hydro 4.7 Palouse Basin Aquifer 4.8 Coal 4.9 Biomass 4.10 Hydrogen 4.11 Fuel Possibilities and Ideas 4.12 Energy ideas 5 FARMING 6 BUILDING TYPOLOGIES 6.1 Silos & Grain Elevators 6.2 Refueling Stations 7 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 7.1 Sun 7.2 Average climate in Palouse 8 CRADLE TO CRADLE 9 BIOMIMICRY 10 PALOUSE AREA 11 PROJECT SITE 11.1 Land 12 Materials 13 NANOTECHNOLOGY 14 hsiloWIKI help

MANIFESTOS

http://manifestos.net/ http://www.library.wwu.edu/ref/subjguides/art/art495artisticmanifesto.html

LANDSCAPING ARCHITECTURE: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~isitdead/dead_f2.pdf, http://archives.asla.org/lamag/manifesto.html

INTERIOR DESIGN:

ARCHITECTURE: http://www.unknown.nu/futurism/architecture.html, http://adaptablehouse.vtt.fi/files/vision_value/communicating%20architecture%20manifesto.pdf,

IMAGE TEST

ftp://199.237.69.146/design/hsilo_SHAREDIMAGES/image_SILO1.jpg

• Image display sizes cannot be controlled in WSU WIKI (reduce image sizes for wiki display to 200px wide).
• Access ftp site per instruction sheet given in studio.
• Save and link to full size images to share in ftp://199.237.69.146/design/hsilo_SHAREDIMAGES
• Save 200 px wide images to display in wiki in http://199.237.69.146/design/hsilo_WIKI
• Maintain the following file naming convention for the hsilo_WIKI folder: image_IMAGENAME
• No spaces in image filenames.

NETWORKING IN NATURE

drainage. http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/fluvial_systems/drainage_patterns.html

deltas. http://www.megadelta.ecnu.edu.cn/main/upload/WuchaoyuAbstract%5B1%5D.pdf

why things move. http://www.explorit.org/science/motion.html

the human body/heart. http://www.askbootshealth.com/a_to_z/angina,_stable/how_blood_moves_through_your_heart http://www.oecta.on.ca/curriculum/lifesys/grade8/8st8bl2.pdf http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hhw/hhw_circulation.html

sediment. how it moves and evolves. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sediment

ENERGY

Solar

• Photovoltaic (PV) panels
• Solar thermal panels
• Photosynthesis?

The Basics. http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/education/photointro.html

Sunlight plays a much larger role in our sustenance than we may expect: all the food we eat and all the fossil fuel we use is a product of photosynthesis, which is the process that converts energy in sunlight to chemical forms of energy that can be used by biological systems. Photosynthesis is carried out by many different organisms, ranging from plants to bacteria. The best known form of photosynthesis is the one carried out by higher plants and algae, as well as by cyanobacteria and their relatives, which are responsible for a major part of photosynthesis in oceans. All these organisms convert CO2 (carbon dioxide) to organic material by reducing this gas to carbohydrates in a rather complex set of reactions. Electrons for this reduction reaction ultimately come from water, which is then converted to oxygen and protons. Energy for this process is provided by light, which is absorbed by pigments (primarily chlorophylls and carotenoids). Chlorophylls absorb blue and red light and carotenoids absorb blue-green light, but green and yellow light are not effectively absorbed by photosynthetic pigments in plants; therefore, light of these colors is either reflected by leaves or passes through the leaves. This is why plants are green. Other photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue-green algae) and red algae, have additional pigments called phycobilins that are red or blue and that absorb the colors of visible light that are not effectively absorbed by chlorophyll and carotenoids. Yet other organisms, such as the purple and green bacteria (which, by the way, look fairly brown under many growth conditions), contain bacteriochlorophyll that absorbs in the infrared, in addition to in the blue part of the spectrum. These bacteria do not evolve oxygen, but perform photosynthesis under anaerobic (oxygen-less) conditions. These bacteria efficiently use infrared light for photosynthesis. Infrared is light with wavelengths above 700 nm that cannot be seen by the human eye; some bacterial species can use infrared light with wavelengths of up to 1000 nm. However, most pigments are not very effective in absorbing ultraviolet light (<400 nm), which also cannot be seen by the human eye. Light with wavelengths below 330 nm becomes increasingly damaging to cells, but virtually all light at these short wavelengths is filtered out by the atmosphere (most prominently the ozone layer) before reaching the earth. Even though most plants are capable of producing compounds that absorb ultraviolet light, an increased exposure to light around 300 nm has detrimental effects on plant productivity.

• Solar Power Satellites

• Leaves

• Solar Balloons

• The giant solar balloons could be the solution for providing electricity in remote areas where no exist infrastructure for traditional energy systems, researchers suggest at Technion Institute of Technology, Israel, Reuters informs. The world it challenge in finding sources of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels and the business man's it fight for a piece of clean energy market which analysts say that reached almost 150 billion U.S. dollars last year. For instance, the usefulness of California Edison South belonging to the company Edison International announced plans to build the biggest photovoltaic system in the U.S. with a capacity of 250 megawatti sufficient to feed the 162,000 houses.
• Because as many of the most sunny areas of the world are in the middle of the ocean or desert, balloons could be the solution to "harvest" energy from the sun remote areas. Helium Balloons covered with solar panels can fly at heights of a few hundred meters in the air and are connected to a reversing gear which convert electricity into a form that can be used in homes.
• The system could be ready in a year, announced Pini Gurfil, a knowledge developer. At first researchers showed that a balloon with a diameter of three meters could provide about one kilowatt of energy, as 25 square meters of solar panels traditional. But if a solar panel of 25 square meters costs around 10,000 dollars, the cost of a balloon would be less than 4,000 dollars, said Gurfil.
• This balloons will not have an impact on the environment and no carbon imprint, because helium is a natural gas and friendly with environment, and the system does not mean employment or land resources for installation, may explained the developer.
• Nevertheless, solar energy electricians think that balloons have a limited application, considering the roofs still available for installing solar panels and as the largest and the only cost is not the earth, but solar panel. "There is available on the roofs of buildings, there is space for gigawatti electricity even in Great Britain," said Jeremy Leggett, president of Solar Century.
• Article can be accessed at: Solar Balloon,The Solution For Capturing Solar Energy In Remote Areas

Electricity

• At Tel Aviv University Professor Avi Kribus, who until now has been best known for his advances in solar energy, discovered a bacteria that generates electricity in the process of photosynthesis. Through genetic engineering, Kribus has devised a way to harness the electricity generated by this bacteria by hooking up the proteins to electrodes.

http://greenprophet.com/2008/05/21/506/holy-electrical-bacteria-batman/

Geothermal

• Heat energy that comes directly from Earth's surface such as natural hot water, hot rock, and magma.

• On a larger level, here are a few articles about how geothermal energy is becoming more popular and realistic.#1 http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.feature/id/1590. #2 http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=e66ab101-bd20-4642-b9f5-f2be283980f5

Wind

• Wind and Hydrogen

“Today we begin using our cleanest source of electricity – wind power – to create the perfect fuel: hydrogen,” said Richard C. Kelly, Xcel Energy chairman, president and CEO. “Converting wind energy to hydrogen means that it doesn’t matter when the wind blows since its energy can be stored on-site in the form of hydrogen.”

The facility links two wind turbines to devices called electrolyzers, which pass the wind-generated electricity through water to split the liquid into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can be stored and used later to generate electricity from either an internal combustion engine turning a generator or from a fuel cell. In either case, there are no harmful emissions, and the only by-product from using the hydrogen fuel is water. On site is a new building that houses the electrolyzers and a device to compress the hydrogen for storage; four large, high-tech tanks to store the hydrogen; a generator run by an engine that burns hydrogen; and a control room building, where computers monitor all the steps of the process. Xcel Energy and NREL are each paying part of the $2 million budget for the two-year project.

Sources: National Renewable Energy Laboratory and http://www.physorg.com/news87494382.html

Natural Gas

• Dramatically less harmful emissions than from gasoline.
• Can be stored in tanks as liquefied natural gas (LNG), or compressed natural gas (CNG)
• "Cars should run on natural gas, energy experts say". This article shows how natural gas is a good alternative to gasoline. read at: http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/local/local_story_277001446.html

Hydro

• Pros:

Renewable

Clean energy source

Cheaper

Reliable and consistent supply of electricity

• Cons:

Change the natural flow of water that may harm living organisms in the water

Area must be flooded when creating the dam that damage the surrounding areas and wildlife

• Case Studies:

• Ecologist John Todd, of Ocean Arks International, and The New Alchemy Institute, is creating innovative waste water treatment facilities using "living machines." From the outset he recognized that nutrient-rich waste which can be environmentally destructive if not managed, is problematic because it is an overabundance of a resource to aquatic life. If sewage is released untreated into water systems it disrupts the ecological balance and creates incredible algae blooms, which trip off a series of effects known as cultural eutrophication resulting in a dramatic decrease in dissolved oxygen and subsequent animal death. Human sewage is especially nutrient rich because unlike cow stomachs we are very inefficient at digesting nutrients (Lerner, 1997, p. 49).

Todd's ecological purification system begins with the raw sewage entering a passive solar green house or outdoor area containing tanks inhabited by a complex community of organisms. These tanks are then connected to a system of other tanks each with their own ecosystem specializing in a particular phase of decomposition and breakdown of organic and inorganic matter in the water. After spending ten days in this filtering series of ecosystems the water flows clear into an artificial outdoor marsh or wetland to be reintroduced into the local hydrologic cycle. The water can also be rendered drinkable by using an ultraviolet light or by passing the water through an ozone generator (Miller, 2003, p. 483).

Palouse Basin Aquifer

Coal

• Hydrogen production from coal, with carbon capture technology, can provide a low cost, low emission, high volume stream of hydrogen
• More coal resources in the United States than the whole world's known oil
• Supplies more than half the electricity used in U.S.

Biomass

• Biomass utilizes renewable resources derived from plants like corn to produce biofuels/energies such as ethanol to produce energy.
• Ranks #2 to hydropower in renewable U.S. primary energy production and represents 3% of energy production in U.S.
• Pros:

Lower fueling cost

The renewable cattle and crop biomass are available in rual agricultual areas

Less impact on environment than fossil fuels

Biomass-based fuels and chemicals have lower risk when handling compared to the petroleum-based chemicals, thus it reduces the cost of operation.

• Cons:

Not completely CO2 Free

The possible impact of the future CO2 tax on the local economy

• Reference

http://www1.mengr.tamu.edu/REL/Flyers/Nick%20flyer.pdf

http://www.energy.iastate.edu/Renewable/biomass/index.htm

• When deprived of sulfur, algae stops emitting oxygen, and the hydrogenase enzyme manufactures hydrogen gas at an efficiency level of 0.1%. Research into biological hydrogen production started around a decade ago, but only in the last few years have scientists begun to push algae to reach the golden efficiency level of 10-15%. Techniques used to stimulate extra hydrogen production have included genetic modification, shortening the chlorophyll stacks, and introducing copper.

• Ethanol from Wheat Straw

A WSU report from 2001 on the possibilities of using wheat straw for ethanol production. Cost more than corn ethanol but essentially is using something that is most always wasted. http://www.energy.wsu.edu/documents/renewables/WheatstrawForEthanol.pdf

Hydrogen

How is Hydrogen Made?

• Since hydrogen doesn't exist on earth as a gas, we must separate it from other elements. We can separate hydrogen atoms from water, biomass, or natural gas molecules. The two most common methods for producing hydrogen are steam reforming and electrolysis (water splitting). Scientists have even discovered that some algae and bacteria give off hydrogen.

• Steam reforming is currently the least expensive method of producing hydrogen and accounts for about 95 percent of the hydrogen produced in the United States. It is used in industries to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane(CH4). Because methane is a fossil fuel, the process of steam reforming results in greenhouse gas emissions that are linked with global warming.

The first reforming step catalytically reacts methane (the chief chemical constituent of natural gas) to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide in an endothermic (heat-absorbing) reaction.

The carbon monoxide is then "shifted" with steam to form additional hydrogen and carbon dioxide in an exothermic (heat-releasing) reaction.

The carbon dioxide and trace amounts of carbon monoxide are removed using one of several adsorption processes, leaving hydrogen separated for its commercial use.

• Electrolysis is a process that splits hydrogen from water. It results in no emissions but it is currently a very expensive process. New technologies are being developed all the time. By providing energy from a battery, water (H2O) can be dissociated into the diatomic molecules of hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). The generated amount of hydrogen is twice the amount of oxygen, and both are proportional to the total electrical charge that was sent through the water.

The Hofmann voltameter is an apparatus for electrolyzing water. It consists of three joined upright cylinders, usually glass. The inner cylinder is open at the top to allow addition of water and an ionic compound to improve conductivity, such as a small amount of sulphuric acid. A platinum electrode is placed inside the bottom of each of the two side cylinders, connected to the positive and negative terminals of a source of electricity. When current is run through Hofmann's Voltameter, gaseous oxygen forms at the anode and gaseous hydrogen at the cathode. Each gas displaces water and collects at the top of the two outer tubes.

• Hydrogen can be produced at large central facilities or at small plants for local use. Every region of the country (and the world) has some resource that can be used to make hydrogen. Its flexibility is one of its main advantages.

Gallium nitride extracts hydrogen from water.

COPYRIGHT 2005 International Newsletters

The inventor of the blue light-emitting diode (LED) and a research team from the Tokyo University of Science have succeeded in producing hydrogen from water through the use of gallium nitride (GaN) crystals.

The researchers connected GaN crystals with platinum using wire, then immersed these in water. They found that when light is applied to the GaN, electricity flows through the water and causes it to decompose into oxygen and hydrogen through electrolysis.

The rate of conversion efficiency (the ratio of hydrogen produced to the energy used to shine the light) is currently a low figure of 0.5-0.7%.

"Theoretically, this can be raised to more than 20%", said Kazuhiro Ohkawa, a professor at the Tokyo University of Science, who played a leading role in the research. The minimum conversion efficiency needed for commercialization is said to be 20%.

If the technology can be commercialized, it is expected to lead to the development of fuel cells that run on water and can be used in a wide range of products, from automobiles to computers, the developers say.

This work is being conducted as part of a research project conducted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency--a programme overseen by Shuji Nakamura, who created the blue LED and works as a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.

GaN crystals are already being studied for such uses as light sources for next-generation digital versatile disk devices.

Uses of Hydrogen

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the primary user of hydrogen as an energy fuel; it has used hydrogen for years in the space program. Liquid hydrogen fuel lifts the space shuttle into orbit. Hydrogen batteries—called fuel cells—power the shuttle’s electrical systems. The only by-product is pure water, which the crew uses as drinking water.
• Hydrogen fuel cells (batteries) make electricity. They are very efficient, but expensive to build. Small fuel cells can power electric cars. Large fuel cells can provide electricity in out of the way places with no power lines.
• Because of the high cost to build fuel cells, large hydrogen power plants won't be built for a while. However, fuel cells are being used in some places as a source of emergency power to hospitals and to wilderness locations. Portable fuel cells are being sold to provide longer power for laptop computers, cell phones, and military applications.

What is hydrogen?

• Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe. It can be extracted from many sources including water and fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal. When oxidized, or combined chemically with oxygen, its by-products are heat and water. This is why hydrogen bears so much promise as a source of clean energy.

What is gasification?

• Gasification is a process that converts carbon based materials, such as coal, petroleum, or biomass, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of the material at high temperatures. The resulting gas mixture is called synthesis gas, or syngas, and is itself a fuel. The syngas can be further reacted with steam to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Hydrogen Safety

• Hydrogen is a basic element with tremendous potential. When oxidized, or combined chemically with oxygen, its only by-products are heat and pure water. This is why hydrogen bears so much promise as a source of clean energy.
• At normal temperatures, hydrogen exists in a gaseous form. It is handled in a similar fashion to natural gas. And, since hydrogen has long been a component of the petroleum refining process and is being used more and more frequently as a fuel, techniques for the safe handling and storage of hydrogen are well established.
• Like other common gaseous fuels, such as natural gas, hydrogen is only combustible in the presence of oxygen. It cannot burn when contained by itself in a tank or a pipeline. Hydrogen also has certain properties that make it advantageous with respect to safety. For example, it is non-toxic -- harmless to people and the environment. It is also the lightest element on earth, twice as light as helium. Thus, if released into the air, it disperses very quickly, reducing the potential for unwanted or accidental combustion.

A New Hydrogen Energy Economy

• In the face of global climate change, a growing consensus - including environmental organizations, the Department of Energy, major automobile companies, public utilities and power companies - is looking towards hydrogen as the viable alternative to standard fossil fuel energy. Already, there are hundreds of miles of hydrogen pipeline in the United States. Hydrogen fuel cell powered cars have been tested successfully under accepted consumer conditions, and in Iceland and Norway, fleets of city buses run on hydrogen.
• This all suggests that the emergence of a new, hydrogen based economy is a real step. It is a viable approach to solving today’s energy and air quality problems. Taking advantage of hydrogen’s clean-burning properties is a way of addressing the global climate change challenge. In addition to providing clean power to over 150,000 homes in the Bakersfield area, the Hydrogen Energy California project may produce sufficient supplies of hydrogen fuel to create the option for it to be used in other applications such as for transport.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Hydrogen Fuel Development

1. The use of hydrogen greatly reduces pollution. When hydrogen is combined with oxygen in a fuel cell, energy in the form of electricity is produced. This electricity can be used to power vehicles, as a heat source and for many other uses. The advantage of using hydrogen as an energy carrier is that when it combines with oxygen the only byproducts are water and heat. No greenhouse gasses or other particulates are produced by the use of hydrogen fuel cells.
2. Hydrogen can be produced locally from numerous sources. Hydrogen can be produced either centrally, and then distributed, or onsite where it will be used. Hydrogen gas can be produced from methane, gasoline, biomass, coal or water. Each of these sources brings with it different amounts of pollution, technical challenges, and energy requirements.
3. If hydrogen is produced from water we have a sustainable production system . Electrolysis is the method of separating water into hydrogen and oxygen. Renewable energy can be used to power electrolyzers to produce the hydrogen from water. Using renewable energy provides a sustainable system that is independent of petroleum products and is nonpolluting. Some of the renewable sources used to power electrolyzers are wind, hydro, solar and tidal energy. After the hydrogen is produced in an electrolyzer it can be used in a fuel cell to produce electricity. The by products of the fuel cell process are water and heat. If fuel cells operate at high temperatures the system can be set up as a co-generator, with the waste energy used for heating.

• The Hydrogen Energy Center is building on the benefits of hydrogen to realize a sustainable energy economy.
• When considering the production process, the cost of electricity required for the electrolysis process is one of the barriers to sustainable energy. Presently Hydrogen Energy Center is researching wind, solar, tidal and hydro as renewable energy sources. Wind generators have been significantly improved in recent years and can produce electricity for $.04 per kWh which is competitive with conventional means of generating electricity. If the site has adequate wind then there is substantial potential for a hydrogen production facility. Small scale hydro holds promise for sites where local production and use are determining factors. Tidal power is gathering momentum and demonstration projects have been successful. Hydrogen Energy Center is working with inventors to develop plans for a long term tidal electrical generation demonstration project in New England. Improvements with solar arrays of photovoltaic cells continue to lower the cost of producing electricity. Given the right climate and set of circumstances solar is a viable solution.
• Besides electrolysis the production of hydrogen has been accomplished by a catalytic reaction of waste aluminum. The end products are hydrogen, and alumina which can be reused to make aluminum. Hydrogen Energy Center is in dialogue with the Canadian company that holds the patent.
• Aside from the production of hydrogen, the everyday use and acceptance of hydrogen must be careful introduced. Hydrogen today is being used to power commercial buses both by internal combustion engines burning a combination of hydrogen and other fuels and solely by hydrogen used in fuel cells. Hydrogen is used in many commercial applications from welding metal to dying fabrics to making electronics, plastics and fertilizers. When a renewable economically viable production process of hydrogen can be achieved the advantages will be spread out to many industries. Some of the proving grounds for various production methods can be locally developed to provide hydrogen for these industries.
• Renewable energy sources are often limited for commercial use due to their intermittent availability. Sometimes the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine, so hydrogen can be the critical link used as a storage medium to supply power during these periods. Hydrogen can be used as a mobile source of power for transportation by being compressed and stored in small tanks for applications similar to gasoline or propane.
• With increasing use of hydrogen and technical advances, the costs of production, distribution and product manufacturing will becoming increasing affordable. By continuing to build partnerships between business, government , universities and non-profit organizations hydrogen will be the foundation of a sustainable energy economy.

Major Hydrogen Production Processes

• Thermal
  • Steam Reformation
  • Thermochemical Water Splitting
  • Gasification
  • Pyrolysis
• Electrochemical
  • Electrolysis
  • Photoelectrochemical
• Biological
  • Photobiological
  • Anaerobic Digestion
  • Fermentative Microorganisms
• Algae

• Algae’s single-celled structure is extremely efficient in use of light and absorption of nutrients. So much so, that algae’s growth and productivity is 30 to 100 times higher than crops like soybeans.
• Requires 99% less water than conventional agriculture
• Algae thrives on carbon and nitrogen dioxide
• Carbohydrates-a by-product of algae- can be used for various things including animal feed and ethanol

UC Berkeley and Colorado scientists find valuable new source of hydrogen fuel, produced by common algae

20 Feb 2000 By Kathleen Scalise, Public Affairs

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- A metabolic switch that triggers algae to turn sunlight into large quantities of hydrogen gas, a valuable fuel, is the subject of a new discovery to be presented by University of California, Berkeley, scientists and their Colorado colleagues during a Feb. 21 press briefing at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C.

"I guess it's the equivalent of striking oil," said UC Berkeley plant and microbial biology professor Tasios Melis. "It was enormously exciting, it was unbelievable." He first described the discovery in the January 2000 issue of the journal Plant Physiology.

Melis and postdoctoral associate Liping Zhang of UC Berkeley made the discovery - funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program - with Dr. Michael Seibert, Dr. Maria Ghirardi and postdoctoral associate Marc Forestier of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado.

Currently, hydrogen fuel is extracted from natural gas, a non-renewable energy source. The new discovery makes it possible to harness nature's own tool, photosynthesis, to produce the promising alternative fuel from sunlight and water. A joint patent on this new technique for capturing solar energy has been taken out by the two institutions.

So far, only small-scale cultures of the microscopic green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii have been examined in the laboratory for their hydrogen production capabilities, Melis said.

"In the future, both small-scale industrial and commercial operations and larger utility photobioreactor complexes can be envisioned using this process," he said.

While current production rates are not high enough to make the process immediately viable commercially, the researchers believe that yields could rise by at least 10 fold with further research, someday making the technique an attractive fuel-producing option.

Preliminary rough estimates, for instance, suggest it is conceivable that a single, small commercial pond could produce enough hydrogen gas to meet the weekly fuel needs of a dozen or so automobiles, Melis said.

The scientific team is just beginning to test ways to maximize hydrogen production, including varying the particular type of microalga used and its growth conditions.

Many energy experts believe hydrogen gas one day could become the world's best renewable source of energy and an environmentally friendly replacement for fossil fuels.

"Hydrogen is so clean burning that what comes out of the exhaust pipe is pure water," Melis said. "You can drink it."

Engineering advances for hydrogen storage, transportation and utilization, many sponsored by the U.S. DOE Hydrogen Program, are beginning to make the fuel feasible to power automobiles and buses and to generate electricity in this country, Seibert said.

"What has been lacking is a renewable source of hydrogen," he said.

For nearly 60 years, scientists have known that certain types of algae can produce the gas in this way, but only in trace amounts. Despite tinkering with the process, no one has been able to make the yield rise significantly without elaborate and costly procedures until the UC Berkeley and NREL teams made this discovery.

The breakthrough, Melis said, was discovering what he calls a "molecular switch." This is a process by which the cell's usual photosynthetic apparatus can be turned off at will, and the cell can be directed to use stored energy with hydrogen as the byproduct.

"The switch is actually very simple to activate," Melis said. "It depends on the absence of an essential element, sulfur, from the microalga growth medium."

The absence of sulfur stops photosynthesis and thus halts the cell's internal production of oxygen. Without oxygen from any source, the anaerobic cells are not able to burn stored fuel in the usual way, through metabolic respiration. In order to survive, they are forced to activate the alternative metabolic pathway, which generates the hydrogen and may be universal in many types of algae.

"They're utilizing stored compounds and bleeding hydrogen just to survive," Melis said. "It's probably an ancient strategy that the organism developed to live in sulfur-poor anaerobic conditions."

He said the alga culture cannot live forever when it is switched over to hydrogen production, but that it can manage for a considerable period of time without negative effects.

The researchers first grow the alga "photosynthetically, like every other plant on Earth," Melis said. This allows the green-colored microorganisms to collect sunlight and accumulate a generous supply of carbohydrates and other fuels.

When enough energy has been banked in this manner, the researchers tap it and turn it into hydrogen. To do this, they transfer the liquid alga culture, which resembles a lime-green soft drink, to stoppered one-liter glass bottles with no sulfur present. Then, the culture is allowed to consume away all oxygen.

After about 24 hours, photosynthesis and normal metabolic respiration stop, and hydrogen begins to bubble to the top of the bottles and bleed off into tall, hydrogen-collection glass tubes.

"It was actually a surprise when we detected significant amounts of hydrogen coming out of the culture," Melis said. "We thought we would get trace amounts, but we got bulk amounts."

After up to four days of generating an hourly average of about three milliliters of hydrogen per liter of culture, the culture is depleted of stored fuel and must be allowed to return to photosynthesis. Then, two or three days later, it again can be tapped for hydrogen, Melis said.

"The cell culture can go back and forth like this many times," said Dr. Maria Ghirardi of NREL in Colorado.

Fuel Possibilities and Ideas

Bacteria creating fuel. US researchers have developed a catalyst based on a bacterial enzyme that converts cheap acids to hydrogen, the ultimate clean power source. more info at http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/biowissenschaften_chemie/bericht-5309.html

Bugs that turn Water into hydrogen. more info at http://cleantechlawandbusiness.com/cleanbeta/index.php/440/bugs-that-turn-water-into-hydrogen/

Waste water plus bugs make hydrogen Bacteria that feed on vinegar and waste water zapped with a shot of electricity could produce a clean hydrogen fuel to power vehicles that now run on petrol, researchers report. For more info: http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/2089315.htm

Chocolate-eating bugs provide fuel of the future. Waste chocolate, instead of being thrown away by confectionery companies, could be turned into hydrogen and used to help power their factories or sold to energy companies. more info at http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1652390.htm

Cellulosic Biobutanol from Wheat Straw. more info at http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/06/cellulosic-biob.html

VERY INTERESTING!!!! Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrol There has been genetic alteration of very very small bugs that feed off waste, such as wheat straw (perfect in our situation), produce through their excretion, crude oil. It could literally be poured into the car right away. There are a lot of articles that discuss this, here is one of them: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4133668.ece

more possibilities

• Here is an article that i found very interesting about how to turn the everyday waste that we find into something....a quote from *this article is...
• "For example, landfill sites generate biogases (mostly consisting of methane) as the waste buried in them undergoes the natural *process of anaerobic digestion, or the breakdown of organic material in the absence of oxygen. If this gas is not harvested *(through a renewable energy system such as Stellar's), it escapes into the atmosphere and can be 20 times more potent and harmful *to the environment than carbon dioxid". read more at http://www.poweronline.com/article.mvc/Stellar-To-Develop-Renewable-Energy-Solutions-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO

This article is short, but talks about the possibilities of using animal waste (fats and extras from slaughter houses) and turning it into biofuel. http://greenenergytrends.com/stream/animal-waste-for-renewable-energy-95.html Here is a paper that is along the same lines, focusing on extracting gases from animal waste, it is titled "Methane Recovery from Animal Manures The Current Opportunities Casebook". (keep in mind it is quite long....i only read through several pages, but it seemed very interesting in case anyone has thought about pursuing this). more info at: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy99osti/25145.pdf

Energy ideas

"Virtually any material containing hydrogen, carbon and oxygen could potentially be turned into motor fuel. That includes plastics, construction debris, forest and lawn trimmings, wood chips, wheat straw and many other types of agricultural waste". read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/business/24fuel.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

creating hydrogen from food waste? http://conappice2008.appice.es/docs/CONAPPICE2006-JPS-21.pdf & http://www.calstart.org/programs/chdvc/TonyGreszler_CleanHD2008_biofuel.pdf & http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=783394 & http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200403/000020040304A0015260.php

Gasification "In 1974, Antal et al.25 examined the feasibility of using solar process heat for the gasification of organic solid wastes and the production of hydrogen". read more at: http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/aug102003/265.pdf & http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://scholar.ilib.cn/Abstract.aspx%3FA%3Dmtzh200002019&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DGasification%2Bof%2Bwheat%2Bstraw%2Bfor%2Bammonia%2Bsynthesis%2Bgas%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG & http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:wyxsznCWPC0J:mark.asci.ncsu.edu/SWINEREPORTS/2001/03manbrett.htm+Gasification+of+wheat+straw+for+ammonia+synthesis+gas&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us

http://books.google.com/books?id=1lv1Z_zd9csC&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=dark+fermentation+of+wheat+waste&source=web&ots=-80jIKsvjd&sig=gb9Gc_I8Yd6HjYhNLESIy16ugyw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA10,M1

What is methanol? Methanol occurs naturally in the atmosphere as a byproduct of biomass and landfill decomposition, and in our bodies as a byproduct of metabolizing certain foods. read more at: http://www.methanex.com/products/whatismethanol.html How is methanol made? When natural gas is mixed with steam and heated to 900°C (about 1650°F) over a catalyst, it is transformed to "synthesis" gas. This gas is pressurized, converted to methanol, and distilled to yield pure methanol, a hydrocarbon rich in hydrogen. To learn more, visit our Making Methanol interactive demo.

bending light, can it be done???

"How to Bend a Ray of Light: Without actually touching it or using mirrors". This article is very interesting. read more at: http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-To-Bend-a-Ray-of-Light-57443.shtml

Here is an article that gives the basics on light... http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/GF/explain/optics/optintro.html

here is an experiment that you can do at home to see light diffraction: http://www.ehow.com/how_2086050_bend-light-diffraction.html

giant mirrors in space

This article talks about how we could put giant mirrors all around mars and control the climate, making it suitable for humans... cool idea! read more at: http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn10573-space-mirrors-could-create-earthlike-haven-on-mars.html

Here is two articles talking about how we could use giant mirrors and face them toward the sun to help with global warming. read more at http://www.weathernotebook.org/transcripts/2000/02/07.html or http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jan/27/usnews.frontpagenews

The Russians have already done it! they tried putting up a giant mirror to get more sunlight to the northern cities in Russian that complained about depression. Unfortunatly it got tangled and failed, but they want to try to do it again! read more at: http://www.weathernotebook.org/transcripts/2000/02/07.html

mirrors for a different reason... this article talks about how we could put mirrors up in space to track weather and natural diasters... read more at http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98221&page=1

FARMING

Vertical farming is an idea that is being explored, one that could transform how big cities obtain produce/food. Rotation of crops would be easy in these structures, and 4 acres of normal land is equivalent to two acres in these vertical farms. http://www.verticalfarm.com/

BUILDING TYPOLOGIES

Silos & Grain Elevators

1. Vertical Silos - They are mostly built of concrete or steel. They may be further divided into two types:(a) open to the atmosphere on top i.e. open-top; or (b) sealed to control the internal atmosphere - i.e. - oxygen-limiting.
2. Horizontal Silos - All silage storage structures which have the greatest dimension in the horizontal plain may logically be referred to as "horizontal" silos. Basically there are three main types of horizontal silos:

• (a) Trench - a silo that is built into the ground by digging a hole or "trench" below the natural grade-line (sometimes referred to as a "pit" silo);
• (b) Bunker - a silo that is built above the natural grade-line; and
• (c) Stack - essentially a pile of silage where no structural walls are used to contain the material.[Reference:http://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/performance_recommendations/ofcc/pub/silo.htm]

• Temperature drops result in the fluctuation of bulk solid pressure which affects the stress placed on the hoop.
• When pile foundations are used:

1. earthworks to be almost completely eliminated, and more favorable working conditions to be created;
2. the work input to be lowered;
3. the outlay on concrete to be reduced;
4. the silo height and, consequently, the building capacity also, to be increased; and, in so doing, to discard "superfluous" subsilo and supersilo stories, and also to interlock the buildings without gaps, which lengthen the very highly strained technological communications.(Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering pp.211-214)

Refueling Stations

• Frank Lloyd Wright gas stations in MN

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Sun

• Average sun hours per day in the Palouse area is 4.73.

Average climate in Palouse

• http://www.city-data.com/city/Palouse-Washington.html (Scroll down to the middle of the web page, there are charts showing the average climate in Palouse.)(I don't know how to add the images here!)

CRADLE TO CRADLE

• "Big Ideas for A Small Planet" on the Sundance Channel featured William McDonough and the Cradle-to-Cradle concept. Links to the webisode and clips from the episode are below:

• Paper or Plastic Webisode
• Clip 1
• Clip 2
• Clip 3

BIOMIMICRY

Good sites addressing the topic of biomimicry : http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/CH2/Snapshots/CH2_Snapshot11.pdf and http://www.informedesign.umn.edu/_news/apr_v02-p.pdf

Biomimicking Sharks

Sharks may conjure up notions of great and fearsome predators, but one day, people may think of sharks equally as great teachers. Boat manufacturers to swimsuit designers today are scrutinizing sharks for design ideas. Pre-dating the dinosaurs, the design solutions generated over their 400-million-year evolutionary odyssey and embodied in their contemporary form give us plenty of reason to think sharks may hold design lessons for us. Over this enormous time period, shark evolution has successfully addressed a number of design challenges that turn out to relate directly to technological challenges currently facing humanity in our own quest to become a sustainable species.

Why It Matters New surface coatings for boats which emulate shark skin texture and fine-scale movement have been shown to reduce fouling by 67% over conventional surfaces, and at 4-5 knots be completely self-cleaning. Due to their clean surfaces, boat hulls treated with these new shark-inspired surfaces are subsequently much more energy efficient. In addition, such boats do not require the toxic, biocidal chemicals used previously to clean their hulls of adhering organisms. Finally, the transportation of invasive aquatic species from one geographical location to another is greatly reduced. The applications for synthetic shark skin surfaces extend beyond boats, however, and range widely, from better-performing medical implants to faster swimsuits. The swimsuit company Speedo, for example, has incorporated shark-inspired textures into their swimsuits. The 3% improvement in swimming speed due to the original “shark-skin” suit likely contributed to the fact that 80% of the swimming medals won in the 2000 Olympics were won by athletes wearing Speedo’s Fastskin suits; swimmers wearing the suit also broke 13 of 15 world records. Speedo has made further modifications to their Fastskin suit based on continued research of shark skin and increased the swimming speed of its wearers further, generating further anticipation over the suit’s performance in the upcoming 2008 Olympics.

Beyond their skin, sharks are inspiring other technological innovations as well. A company called BioPower Systems, for example, has developed a device akin to a shark’s tail which converts wave energy to electrical energy, which is both more likely to withstand extreme weather conditions and less likely to injure marine species than blade-style wave-energy generators. Active research into sharks also includes understanding whether sharks have special mechanisms of immunity to reduce the incidence of cancer, and whether a gel-like substance they produce may be capable of converting thermal differences into electricity.

[1]

Biomimicry with Waves BioPower Systems is commercialising ocean power conversion technologies. Through application of biomimicry, we have adopted nature's mechanisms for survival and energy conversion in the marine environment and have applied these in the development of our proprietary wave and tidal power systems. Our technologies inherit benefits developed during 3.8 Billion years of evolutionary optimization in nature’s ocean laboratory.The resulting systems move and sway in tune with the forces of the ocean, and naturally streamline when extreme conditions prevail. This leads to lightweight designs and associated low costs. The inherently simple bioWAVE™ and bioSTREAM™ devices are designed to supply utility-scale grid-connected renewable energy using efficient modular systems. These systems will reside beneath the ocean surface, out of view, and in harmony with the living creatures that inspired their design. Systems are being developed for 250kW, 500kW, 1000kW capacities to match conditions in various locations.

Tidal Power Kema's Energy Island idea is a clean way to harvest energy off of the ocean. Wind turbines are used to pump water out of the ocean and then let it flow back in. This process creates energy. They are also exploring the idea of creating the difference in temperature between the warm and cool waters to create energy. http://anz.theoildrum.com/node/3643

Facade and Structure A good building to reference is the Beijing Olympic Stadium 2008; "the birdsnest". This building shows how one can pull the strengths out of natural forms, such as the structure of a birdsnest and use it to build the structure of a building. A good paper to look through can be found at (keep in mind it was a student paper): http://www.mcgill.ca/files/architecture/BiomimicrySSEFessay2007.pdf

PALOUSE AREA

Energy

The Palouse has sunlight, water, and wind; it also has small amounts of gas and oil, but not nearly enough to provide energy to residences and industries. There is some coal, and it is being mined. Hydroelectric power is well-developed. Wind and solar energy are very abundant but not very well-developed.

Vegitation

Although the majority of the Palouse is now agriculture fields (producing numerous amounts of crops: lentils, wheat, peas, barley, etc), at one point in time natural, native grasses covered the land. One of which was the Festuca idahoensis; a species of grass known by the common names Idaho fescue and blue bunchgrass.

The native prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States as only a little over one percent of the original prairie still exists. Since 1900, 94% of the grasslands and 97% of the wetlands in the Palouse ecoregion have been converted to crop, hay, or pasture lands. Approximately 63% of the lands in forest cover in 1900 are still forested, 9% are grass, and 7% are regenerating forestlands or shrublands. The remaining 21% of previously forested lands have been converted to agriculture or urban areas. More info on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festuca_idahoensis and http://www.wsu.edu/~wsherb/edpages/nativeplant/intro.html (a really good site to look at)

Wildlife

It is really unfortunate, but because of all the farming that has taken over the Palouse, but the once abundant amount of small mammals and bird life has dropped dramatically.

The Palouse is famous for one animal that cannot be found anywhere else inn North America; the Giant Palouse Earthworm. An overview of the Palouse subbasin wouldn't be complete unless the Palouse giant earthworm was mentioned. When Frank Smith first unearthed this giant earthworm near Pullman in 1897, he named it Megascolides americanus, thinking that it was closely related to Australia's fifteen-foot worms (Megascolides australis). Although dwarfed by its Australian counterpart, the three-foot long Palouse is certainly a giant among worms. This species, really only distantly related to Megascolides, was renamed Driloleirus which means "lily-like worm," reflecting the flowery aroma that it emits when handled. Since its initial discovery, very few other sightings of this species have been documented. The giant Palouse earthworms live in the deep, rich soils of the Palouse bunchgrass prairies. Thick layers of organic matter that have accumulated in the soils of the Palouse for hundreds of years sustain the giants during the wetter seasons. During summer droughts, the worms dig burrows as deep as fifteen feet, conserving water with specialized kidney-like organs. Farmers that arrived in eastern Washington prized the fertile Palouse soils, resulting in the almost complete destruction of the bunchgrass prairies that characterized this region by the late 1800's. The biggest threat to these elusive giants continues to be habitat destruction due to agriculture and development, but the introduction of the now widespread European earthworm has also helped to further the decline of our native Palouse worm. A documented sighting of this rare creature has not been recorded since 1978, when one was unearthed in the Palouse country of Washington State. More info on http://palouseprairie.org/invertebrates/palouseworm.html

PROJECT SITE

• McCoy Grain Storage Facility

• The central grain elevator and annex were built in 1940s to 1950s.
• These two structures were built by wood crib construction including the smaller wood slats(e.g. 2" x 8" and 10'4" in length) and 16" x 16" (some are 12" x 18") solid hardwood beams which are hardly available today.
• The steel tank silos are the newer additions built in 1980s.
• The electricity of the existing facility comes from the electricity generated from the Spokane River.
• Most of grains are exported to Europe and South Asia. The railroad next to the grain storage has been the important transportation route of the grains exported. The grains exported to Europe are transported to east coast by a train then shipped to the Europe. The ones go to South Asia are shipped from Portland, OR.
• In 2007, grains were also exported to Saudi Arabia.
• When they took down one of their small wood crib grain storage, they sold all pieces of solid hardwood to the furniture company in Salt Lake City, UT. According the foreman at the grain storage, selling the old hardwood is common when the old wood crib grain storage finish its role and taken down.
• The grain harvesting combine is only available in diesel operated ones today.
• According to the foreman of the grain storage, if they (farmers) would replace wheat to the other crops to avoid further mono-croping, they might harvest canola or corn instead of wheat due to the increase need for ethanol fuel in today's market.

• Washington grain train begins rolling in the fall of 1994.

• In the fall of 1994, the Washington grain train begins rolling. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Washington State Energy Office have purchased and repaired 29 used rail hopper cars to collect wheat and barley from grain elevators in Southeast Washington and haul it to grain-export facilities in deepwater ports along the Columbia River and Puget Sound. From the ports the grain will be loaded onto ships bound for Pacific Rim markets.
• In the early 1990s, a national shortage of rail hopper cars made it difficult and expensive for Washington state farmers to get grain to market. The transcontinental railroads were earning more money hauling grain from the Midwest to ports in the Pacific Northwest than they could through shorter-distance trips within Washington. This reduced the supply of empty grain cars for Eastern Washington grain shippers.
• The first “Washington Grain Train” was a joint effort between the Port of Walla Walla, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Blue Mountain Railroad, and four Walla Walla area grain co-ops. The $763,000 needed to purchase the original 29 cars came from successful litigation against oil companies that had overcharged farmers during the 1970s. Once the trains were in service, their income was used to acquire an additional 65 rail cars and to expand the service area to include 13 communities in Whitman, Grant, and Adams counties.
• By 2003 the Grain Train was collecting wheat and barley from grain elevators in Waitsburg, McCoy, Schrag, Spangle, LaCrosse, Prescott, Willada, St. John, Thornton, Plaza, Rosalia, Endicott, Oakesdale, Palouse, and Fallon, Washington. A total of 94 hopper cars had been purchased and were in use.
• The grain is hauled to grain-export facilities in Portland, Vancouver (WA), Kalama, Tacoma, and Seattle. After the grain is off-loaded, the cars are hauled back to Eastern Washington by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad, and the cycle begins again. The program is managed by WSDOT and by the Port of Walla Walla, the Port of Moses Lake, and the Port of Whitman County. The short line railroads involved are the Blue Mountain Railroad, the Columbia Basin Railroad, and the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad.
• The program serves more than 2,500 cooperative members and farmers in one of the most productive grain-growing regions in the world. It also generates revenues for the short-line railroads, which can then upgrade their infrastructure and attract new business. The grain train operates at no cost to taxpayers.

Land

The Soil Conservation Service considers soil erosion in the Palouse to be among the most serious in the U.S. After less than 100 years of farming, many areas of the region have lost up to 40 percent of their original topsoil. In the Northern Idaho area of the Palouse, an average of 7 tons of soil per acre per year is lost to erosion, while in Whitman County the average is 12 tons. In summer fallow areas of Latah County, an average of 25 tons of topsoil are lost per acre each year. This figures out to be .17 inches per year of soil lost, or 8.5 inches in 50 years. Averages can be deceptive in hill country, however, as steeper lands suffer first and most. In some areas of the Palouse erosion removes up to 200 tons of topsoil per acre each year. Even though the soils of the Palouse region are deep and fertile, the productivity of crop lands is steadily declining. Soils are becoming more acid, and an estimated 20 percent of the land has been eroded to the point that the subsoil is exposed. In order to maintain yields, farming in this area now requires ever-increasing applications of fertilizers and pesticides, and within an estimated 8-12 years many soils will require liming to compensate for decreasing soil pH caused by use of acidulated fertilizers and other as yet unidentified factors.

Source http://www.tilthproducers.org/tpqpdfs/29.pdf

Here is a site for the soil composition of the Palouse: http://soils.ag.uidaho.edu/soilorders/mollisols_14.htm

Materials

Smart materials are materials that have one or more properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric or magnetic fields.

There are a number of types of smart material, some of which are already common. Some examples are as following:

   * Piezoelectric materials are materials that produce a voltage when stress is applied. Since this effect also applies in the reverse manner, a voltage across the sample will produce stress within the sample. Suitably designed structures made from these materials can therefore be made that bend, expand or contract when a voltage is applied.
   * Shape memory alloys and shape memory polymers are Thermoresponsive materials where deformation can be induced and recovered through temperature changes.
   * Magnetic shape memory alloys are materials that change their shape in response to a significant change in the magnetic field.
   * pH-sensitive polymers are materials which swell/collapse when the pH of the surrounding media changes.
   * Temperature-responsive polymers are materials which undergo changes upon temperature.
   * Halochromic materials are commonly materials that change their colour as a result of changing acidity. One suggested application is for paints that can change colour to indicate corrosion in the metal underneath them.
   * Chromogenic systems change colour in response to electrical, optical or thermal changes. These include electrochromic materials, which change their colour or opacity on the application of a voltage (e.g. liquid crystal displays), thermochromic materials change in color depending on their temperature, and photochromic materials, which change colour in response to light - for example, light sensitive sunglasses that darken when exposed to bright sunlight.
   * Non-Newtonian fluid is a liquid which changes its viscosity in response to an applied shear rate. In other words the liquid will change its viscosity in response to some sort of force or pressure. One good example of this is Oobleck, a fluid that seems to temporarily turn into a solid when a force is applied quickly.[1] Another good example is Custard, as long as it is starch based.

-Taken from[2], It's a start.

NANOTECHNOLOGY

What Is Nanotechnology?

Aerogel

• A low-density "gel" with amazing structural properties.
• More information found on wikipedia: Aerogel

SolarStucco

• Environmentally friendly transparent self-cleaning coatings for exterior applications.
• More information in the linked article: Self-Cleaning Nanotechnology Solution For Today’s Pollution

Creating an adaptable building skin by studying the human skin [3]

hsiloWIKI help

Here are links to wiki editing help:

http://wiki.wsu.edu/wsuwiki/Help:Quick_start_editing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Wikitext_examples

http://wiki.wsu.edu/wsuwiki/WSUWiki:Managing_Your_Images FTP IMAGES