Other Source of Energy

Showing posts with label mean. Show all posts

Friday, October 31, 2014

What does nuclear fusion mean for our energy future

Nuclear fusion is very common process that occurs naturally and regularly in stars, including our own Sun. The scientists have already managed to achieve artificial nuclear fusion though they still need to find the methods that would enable them to maintain the full control over the entire process of nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fusion reaction needs to be controlled all the time because if we let nuclear fusion reaction occurring as an uncontrolled chain reaction, it can even result in a huge thermonuclear blast (for instance nuclear fusion for military purposes began with the research in the early 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project-making of the atomic bomb).

What this means is that only controlled nuclear fusion can be considered as the safe source of energy. The scientific research into controlled fusion, mostly with the purpose to produce fusion power for the production of electricity, has been conducted for more than 50 years. Despite the evident progress and some notable experiments scientists still arent able to totally control this process.

The energy that originates from nuclear fusion has kept our Sun burning and shining for billions of years. The process of nuclear fusion that happens naturally in the stars like our Sun is the result of interaction between the nuclei of lighter elements (such as hydrogen) in which they get fused together at extremely high temperatures and pressures to form heavier elements (such as helium).

Our Sun wouldnt shine without the nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion is almost limitless source of energy so its no wonder that scientists from all over the globe study it, driven primarily by the idea that nuclear fusion can lead to carbon-free energy future. In order to create nuclear fusion process in the laboratory scientists require extremely high temperatures (hydrogen isotopes for instance are usually heated to temperatures of over 10 million degrees Celsius.) The higher the temperature, the faster the atoms or nuclei move. The fuel used for a fusion reactor is usually deuterium. Deuterium can be obtained by extraction from ordinary water.

The main purpose of the nuclear fusion that occurs in the laboratory is the creation of an ionized gas called plasma. The resulting plasma (very hot, ionized gas that can conduct electricity is basically a stuff all stars were made of) needs to become sufficiently hot and dense in order to produce large quantities of high-energy helium ions (alpha particles).

Many scientists are still convinced that nuclear fusion will become the key energy source in future. Nuclear fusion releases an enormous amount of energy, in average close to one million times that of a chemical reaction. It has been said that the advanced research and development in fusion energy could also lead to major progress in high speed computing, high power lasers, electronic diagnostic equipment, etc.

Nuclear fusion is in constant need of large amount of energy because nuclei strongly resist being put too close together, even for the lightest elements such as hydrogen. The good side is that nuclear fusion usually releases lot more energy than it takes to join nuclei together.

The theory of cold fusion has also been very popular lately, and it refers to fusion at low enough temperatures to make profits, meaning that the output energy would be far greater than input energy.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

WHAT IS LEED And what does it mean for you

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) was developed in 1998 by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide a green building certification system.

LEED standards have been implemented in more than 7000 projects in the United States and 30 other countries, which have totaled 1.062 billion square feet of development area. LEED is a primary step towards cleaner, greener, sustainable living.

LEED in Canada

The Canada Green Building Council received permission to adapt the LEED program and tailor it to the Canadian market in 2003. The LEED program was adjusted to specifically meet requirements of the different Canadian climates, construction practices and regulations.

How Does it Work?

LEED measures performance in five key areas:

sustainable site development
water efficiency
energy efficiency
materials selection
indoor environmental quality

A building or project may earn up to 100 base points depending on its performance in the five environmental categories. There are six additional points that can be earned through a category that focuses on innovation and building design.

There are four possible levels of certification that can be earned:

Certified: 40 – 49 points
Silver: 50 – 59 points
Gold: 60-79 points
Platinum: 80 points and above

LEED certification can be obtained by submitting an application online. The applicant must submit documentation and proof of compliance with LEED guidelines and requirements. Applicants must also pay registration and certification fees.

LEED Canada has certification in the following project areas:

· LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (NC)

· LEED for Core & Shell Development (CS)

· LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI)

· LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (EB:O&M)

· LEED for Homes

Projects in Canada can register with the USGBC when there is no equivalent LEED Canada rating system. There are four specific USGBC rating system which do not have a Canadian equivalent:

· LEED for Retail (NC)

· LEED for Retail (CI)

· LEED for Heathcare

· LEED for Schools

The USGBC later created the Green Building Certification Institution (GBCI) to accredit individuals for their knowledge of the LEED rating system. There are two types of accreditation programs that individuals may obtain: LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) or LEED Green Associate (LEED Green Assoc.). The GBCI also provides project accreditation.

Notable LEED Buildings:

Hearst Tower in NYC, certified LEED Gold

Taipei 101 in Taiwan, certified LEED Platinum & world’s tallest LEED building

Vancouver Convention Centre, certified LEED Platinum

Richmond Olympic Oval in British Columbia, certified LEED Silver

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about renewable energy! Knowledge Is Power If there is something else youd like to know write to us at info@endeavorscorp.com and well do our best to address it for you!

Sources:

http://www.cagbc.org/AM/PDF/FAQ_LEED_registration_with_CaGBC_or_USGBC_110620.pdf

http://www.cagbc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Programs/LEED/default.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design

http://www.gbci.org/org-nav/about-gbci/about-gbci.aspx

http://fmlink.info/article.cgi?type=News&pub=FMLink&title=2011-08-12&mode=source&id=42059&catid=111

http://www.meetingscanada.com/content/vancouver-convention-centre-receives-highest-leed-certification-19208

http://blog.builddirect.com/greenbuilding/leed-certification-richmond-olympic-oval/