They had a lot to say this week: ---------------------------------------------------------
It's not just production of green power that'll transform the energy industry in coming years. A slew of promising technology developments on the horizon will both provide benefit to energy users and benefit from investment. Among them: Energy storage systems, such as flow batteries...in effect, reverse fuel cells...then can store unused wind and solar energy for use later when it is needed. Commercial-size batteries are in the works at A123Systems, ZBB Energy Corp., Altair Nanotechnoloigies, Ener 1 and Premium Power Corp. Also intended to store solar and wind electricity...giant conventional lead-acid batteries from Exide Technologies and Ultralife Corp. Plus a sodium-sulfur version from Japan's NGK Insulators. A system that stores compressed air meets much the same need. At night, when demand is typically low, wind-made electricity runs pumps that compress air into underground caverns. In daytime, released air turns turbines to make electricity. In McIntosh, Ala., a system from Energy Storage and Power turns out 110 megawatts. Over the next 20 years, the energy storage business will grow 10-fold. New semiconductor uses. Incorporating the smart circuits in everything from steam irons to iPods will yield huge energy savings. As a result, U.S. power use in 2030 is likely to run about 425 billion kilowatt-hours less than today, despite gains in population and economic output. Accumulated savings over 20 years...$1.2 trillion. And harvesting waste heat. Within five years or so, heat exchangers will routinely sop up warmth spewed by industrial operations, blowing cool airstreams that cut the need for air-conditioning. Smaller versions tied to car exhaust systems will perform the same function, reducing the load on engines and savings on fuel use. Plug-in electric autos will get a boost from a new generation of thermoelectric devices to convert engine heat into electricity, allowing use of smaller rechargeable batteries. --------------------------------------------------------- Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
