NASA, Technology and Our Everyday Lives

Ever wondered how technologies developed by NASA are being used today to simplify and help us with our daily routines?

Space Shuttle Launch / www.nasa.gov

Quite a handful of them, from air purifiers to cameras, have been made available to us through partnerships and license grants to private entities. Some of the most notable technologies in the energy industry include:

A fuel cell device developed by K.R. Sridhar for the Ames Research Center that is being used by Bloom Energy Server to provide clean and cost-effective energy for companies such as eBay, Google and The Coca-Cola Company.

Blended Winglets, a drag-reducing feature for airplane wings, manufactured by Aviation Partners Boeing that has already saved 2 billion gallons of jet fuel and more than 21 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

For more information on these technologies, you may visit:  spinoff.nasa.gov

In line with this, NASA also launched the NASA TechnologyTransfer Portal to speed up the transfer of these technologies to industries and the general public.

US$ 1 Billion Prize for Selling 60,000 100 mpg Cars

U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren’s bill that will award US$ 1 Billion to the first US incorporated automobile company who can sell 60,000 units of 100 mpg gasoline powered car is enticing. But isn’t the price too much?

The reward may be huge at first glance but this maybe one of the cheapest way to hasten the development of 100 miles per gallon vehicles. Other companies, not only in the automotive industry, usually use contests to come up with innovative products. Contests such as this one, when marketed correctly, generate more ideas and produce more participants. These contests reduce funding for R&D in companies and, in turn, leave the development of ideas in the hands of the competitors.

There have been contests about 100 mpg vehicles in the past as well but let’s face it - the winners only complied with the guidelines set forth by the organizers. The winning vehicles are not even visually appealing. The designs are not that good and they lack the added features that normal vehicles have. Some even lack the ordinary features that we commonly look for in our cars.

If the US population of more than 300 million is taken into consideration, selling 60,000 units seem very achievable. With the increasing prices of gasoline and oil based products, marketing a competitive 100 mpg vehicle will not be hard. All the competitors have to do is to come up with a car and display it in showrooms.

Google, BMW and Other Driverless Cars and Their Implications

Driverless car technology merges the latest developments in the field of automotive and the world of computing. Imagine being able to go places and not miss a view because you are not driving. Imagine being able to continue your sleep inside the car on your way to the office. Imagine not reading anything as you navigate your way around a city.

This latest development in transportation seeks to make our lives safer and more convenient. Car to car communication, GPS, driver alert systems and powerful processors all make driverless cars possible. On the green side, these cars are also being designed to be more fuel efficient.

But the driverless car technology must also answer a fundamental question before it is made available to the world: What will you do to the millions of drivers that they will displace?

In a world plagued by increasing unemployment rate, this new technology can rob people of their livelihood and eventually, their lives. Think of the millions who are earning their living either by dropping you off to your nearest destination or through delivering your latest purchase. Then think when they are gone.

New technologies are supposed to generate more jobs if they cannot make everybody’s life easier.

Why A Diverse Alternative Fuel Vehicle Industry Will Not Work

One of the problems faced by the alternative energy industry today is that each new technology, whether from biofuels, solar, wind or hydrogen, is being taken as a whole. As such, a failure of one is deemed as a failure of the entire alternative energy industry.

For instance, the recent test regarding the Chevy Volt catching fire is being viewed as a sign that alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), whether or not they are electric vehicles, are unsafe.

Marketing Natural Gas Vehicles

The viability of using natural gas as fuel is undeniable. Even CanElson Drilling Inc., a Canada-based oilfield service provider, uses it as a replacement for diesel in their trucks. They even developed a revolutionary technology to harvest natural gas from wells. And recently, telecom giant AT&T announced that they have launched their 5,000th alternative fuel vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). Both companies view natural gas as a cheaper and cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.

Source: Jeanette ONeil / www.publicdomainpictures.net

If companies view natural gas as a feasible alternative to fossil fuel, why aren’t ordinary consumers making the switch yet?

Even though the technology is already available and major car manufacturers such as General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Fiat and Volkswagen have models plying the streets of Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, Iran and India, consumers in general are still unaware of their presence. The current marketing strategies for natural gas vehicles are inadequate for ordinary consumers to trust them as a replacement for conventional vehicles.

The Importance of Supporting Wind Power in the US

US President Barrack Obama has reiterated the importance of developing alternative energy sources in his State of the Union. Emphasis was given particularly to the wind energy sector as Bryan Ritterby, an employee of wind technology company Energetx Composites, sits beside the First Lady.

Developing alternative energy sources is very important to an energy hungry country like the United States. With globalization and tendencies of manufacturing companies to outsource manpower to other countries that can provide cheap labor, it is essential for the US to find other means to generate income. Having a well-developed alternative energy industry will not only contribute to fuel independence but it will also open avenues for exporting hugely abundant natural gas to other countries.

Much more, the US is a leading wind turbine manufacturer and handing this lead to another country will mean unemployment later on. It will be unwise to stop supporting wind energy and other alternative energy developments if they have been proven to work.

CompactGTL and Natural Gas

Natural gas is also making progress as a viable replacement for petroleum in vehicles. CompactGTL, a company currently developing new technologies in the oilfield industry, announced that their revolutionary small scale modular facility for converting natural gas to liquid oil has just passed the Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) test. This will make their technology closer to commercial introduction.

Liquifying natural gas is essential because it greatly reduces the volume, meaning more energy is transported with lesser space. This makes liquefied natural gas more efficient and practical to use. With CompactGTL’s small scale modular facility, liquefying natural gas can be done closer to distribution facilities making the cost more attractive to the consumers.

For more information, you may visit compactgtl.com.

EV’s, Hybrids, Petrol, Diesel, What’s Next? CNG?

Gas Fire
Source: Michael Drummond / www.publicdomainpictures.net

Electric cars and hybrids have once again been the focus in the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Different car companies showcased new technologies and forecasts about the future of present day vehicles. Motorshows are a good indication of what manufacturers see as the more probable vehicles that will be used later on. They are results of not merely guesses but calculated studies about recent trends and developments that seek to unite what consumers want with available resources.

It is interesting to note though that car manufacturers introduce new models that run on alternative fuel, they almost always have a fossil fueled version. This is because they know that majority of the consumers are not yet ready to make that switch. And, they also do not yet have a clear knowledge of what type of fuel will be used in the future.

Greeley, Colorado – Teletech Holdings, Inc.

In Greeley, Colorado – Teletech Holdings, Inc., a business process outsourcing company operating worldwide, is opening a new customer experience center. The new facility will cater to the needs of their financial services client. They are expecting to hire around 500 employees.

                                                                                      

For more information, visit www.teletech.com.

How China is Using Wind Energy Programs to Generate Jobs

Wind Turbine
Source: Petr Kratochvil / www.publicdomainpictures.net

Chinese wind farms are in the news once again as Gamesa, a world renowned manufacturer and constructor of wind farms, has secured another contract with China to install 50 2.0 MW wind turbines in Ningxia, China. This is in addition to the 25 2.0 MW wind turbines that was agreed upon for installation last year.

China presently has a total of 80 wind farms in operation. As of 2010, energy production from wind farms was 41,800 MW and it has been growing at an accelerated rate. In China’s 12th Five Year Plan from 2011 to 2015, wind farms are included in their environmental goals and they are aiming to produce more than 150 billion kWh by the end of 2015.

China, Japan, Nuclear Power and Wind Energy

Nuclear Power Plant

Petr Kratochvil / www.publicdomainpictures.net

In September 2011, China began operating another wind farm in Wuzhong, a city in Northwest China. China made use of their vast available land by constructing a wind farm spread across 215 square miles in the area. Coupled with solar power installations, they were able to produce 400 megawatts with 300 megawatts coming from the wind turbines.

China has many good sites for onshore wind farms due to the large land mass that the country has. The newly constructed one in Wuzhong in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a semidesert, is just one of the many suitable areas for installing wind turbines.

Charging Cars Without Cables

Electric Cables
Source: Vera Kratochvil / www.publicdomainpictures.net

Wireless charging has been around since the 1990’s. It has been used in mobile phones, consumer gadgets and medical devices. Recently, this kind of technology is being introduced in electric vehicles as well.

Wireless charging is also called inductive charging. It makes use of two pads: a transmitter of electromagnetic fields and a receiver which converts them back to electricity which charges the battery. This technology reduces the risk of electric shocks because the pads can be entirely covered but it is also less efficient in transmitting electricity.

Winn Parish, Louisiana – JELD-WEN

In Winn Parish, Louisiana – JELD-WEN, a leading manufacturer of windows and doors, is opening a new production facility. The new plant will make wood fiber door-casings and is scheduled to begin later in 2012. The company plans to employ 75 people.

For more info, you may visit www.jeld-wen.com.