Wood Nanobattery Could Be Green Option For Large-Scale Energy Storage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-ion_battery [wikipedia.org]

I'm wondering how useful this technology would be for large-scale energy storage. Say you have a wind farm, and you want to grab all the power when the wind is blowing, and store it for later.

400 charge/discharge cycles seems like each battery might last a year. Then the battery is swapped out for a new one. How expensive is that part?

How much will it cost to take a wood battery and recover the sodium and tin? Would it be cheaper to dispose of the sodium and just build a new battery? How do you dispose of sodium anyway... mix it with chlorine to make salt, or just dump it in the ocean, or bury it, or what?

Hmm. I did a Google search on "refine sodium" and it looks as if, much like aluminum, you use an electric process to purify sodium. If so, then refining sodium can be viewed as another way to use excess power. Perhaps it would make sense to have a facility to recycle old sodium ion batteries co-located with a major wind farm or other large-scale variable power source?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080514052937AAu27e4 [yahoo.com]

And how does this compare with other well-understood technologies for energy storage? For example: using excess power to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

P.S. Another article:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-battery-made-of-wood-long-lasting-efficient-environmentally-friendly [kurzweilai.net]

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/zvDwXZ9WKGI/story01.htm

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Solar Impulse airplane takes it slow on last leg of American odyssey

Cosmic Log

Alan Boyle, Science Editor NBC News

3 hours ago

Solar Impulse

Solar Impulse chairman Bertrand Piccard flashes a thumbs-up sign as he greets pilot Andre Borschberg after the plane's landing Saturday night at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The two men are wearing yellow scarves to pay tribute to Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of "The Little Prince."

The Swiss-built Solar Impulse airplane ended its two-month-long, solar-powered trip across America with a nail-biter of a flight from Washington to New York on Saturday.

"Maybe if I didn't have 10 cameras pointed at me, I would cry," Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, one of the pilots for the coast-to-coast journey, said just before the 11:09 p.m. ET landing at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The extra drama came from the discovery in the trip's final hours that the ultra-light airplane had suffered an 8-foot-long (2.5-meter-long) tear in the fabric on the lower side of the left wing. Andre Borschberg, who was filling the pilot's seat for the Washington-to-New York segment of the "Across America" journey, noticed a balance issue with the wings on Saturday afternoon ? and pictures taken by a helicopter flying nearby confirmed the damage.

Neither Borschberg nor the plane were thought to be in danger; nevertheless, the Solar Impulse team did everything it could to reduce the risk. That meant considering all the options for ending the flight, including the possibility of bailing out over the Atlantic. It meant passing up a Statue of Liberty photo op and working out a deal with air traffic controllers to land the plane three hours earlier than originally planned. And it meant changing the landing procedure.

Borschberg brought the airplane in low and slow, without air braking, to reduce the stress on the wing. The spindly craft seemed to float to a stop on the runway ? prompting cheers at JFK as well as at Solar Impulse's mission control center in Switzerland. Moments later, a stepladder was set up so that Piccard could greet Borschberg in the cockpit. And despite what he said, Piccard could be seen wiping at his eyes after the two men hugged.

"This was supposed to be the shortest and easiest leg," Piccard said later. "It has been the most difficult one."

Early takeoff, late landing
The "Across America" odyssey began on May 3 with a flight from Moffett Field, near San Francisco, to Phoenix, and continued with hops to Dallas-Fort Worth, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Washington. Piccard and Borschberg, co-founders of the Solar Impulse venture, traded turns piloting the single-seat plane. For most of those flights, the plane had to leave early and wait until late to land, so as to reduce the potential for disrupting commercial air traffic.

Solar Impulse

A tear in the fabric on the underside of the Solar Impulse airplane's wing forced a slightly early end to the final flight of its two-month-long "Across America" odyssey.

Saturday's trip began with a 4:46 a.m. ET takeoff from Washington's Dulles International Airport. The solar-powered plane's top speed is around 45 mph (72 kilometers per hour), but even at that speed, there were plenty of hours to spare for the 228-mile (336-kilometer) trip.

While Borschberg flew in circles off the coast of New Jersey, waiting for clearance to land, he participated in media interviews and a video hangout with such luminaries as James Cameron, the famed film director and ocean explorer; and Erik Lindbergh, the grandson of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh.

Before the wing's damage came to light, Borschberg also had time to reflect on the meaning of Solar Impulse's odyssey: Swiss corporate backers have put up ?90 million ($115 million) over the past decade for the project, which is aimed at demonstrating technologies ranging from solar-power generation and storage to ultra-light composite materials.

Ultra-light, and powered by light
Solar Impulse weighs as much as an automobile, but has the wingspan of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Scooter-type electric motors drive the single-seat plane's propellers. All of the power comes from almost 12,000 solar cells installed on its wings and horizontal stabilizer. Excess electricity is stored in 800 pounds' (363 kilograms') worth of batteries, so the plane can theoretically fly day and night.

"We have an airplane which has almost unlimited endurance," Borschberg told NBC News. "This airplane could have flown directly from California to New York, so it?s fully sustainable in terms of energy. The limiting factor is the pilot."

Piccard is already in the record books for the first-ever nonstop balloon flight around the world in 1999 (which he flew along with Brian Jones). He and Borschberg have been flying the Solar Impulse prototype in Europe and Africa over the past couple of years, but with the end of the "Across America" trip, this particular prototype will be retired. A more advanced solar-powered plane is being built for an even more ambitious series of flights around the world in 2015.

Clean tech on the ground
Piccard has said that solar-powered planes could conceivably go commercial within five years or so, but Borschberg emphasized the potential applications for clean-energy technologies on the ground.

"All the partners who are involved with this project developed technologies not for the aviation world, but for their own customers," Borschberg told NBC News. "The customers are maybe homebuilding, maybe the automobile industry, maybe appliances. That?s what they are looking for, and that?s what?s slowly taking place. So if part of the legacy could be to show a way how to increase the efficiency of what we do and reduce the energy consumption but keeping the same quality of life, that would be a wonderful achievement for the project."

Cameron, who is as proud of his ocean adventures as he is of his blockbuster films "Titanic" and "Avatar," paid tribute to Borschberg and Piccard during Saturday's Google+ Hangout.

"What Solar Impulse stands for is renewable energy ? not just electric aircraft, but use of solar power in general, and this is something that?s going to be fundamental and critical to the survival of the human race," Cameron said. "You've got people that are standing for something, committing themselves, putting their personal asses on the line to make a point for the betterment of human civilization, and I greatly applaud that."

The consciousness-raising is due to continue after Saturday night's landing: Borschberg and Piccard will participate in a NASDAQ opening-bell ceremony and are to meet with U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon on Tuesday.

More about the Solar Impulse odyssey:

Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the NBC News Science Facebook page, following@b0yle on Twitter and adding +Alan Boyle to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2e4e3587/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Csolar0Eimpulse0Eairplane0Etakes0Eit0Eslow0Elast0Eleg0Eamerican0Eodyssey0E6C10A551691/story01.htm

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Dog Days of Summer: Mika's iPad

Mika is a Bernese Mountain Dog with a mission: watching video of puppies on his human's iPad.

"Mika watching Bernese Mountain puppies on my iPad, complete with Steve Jobs' bio in the background (though don't know how much he appreciates the narrative). He actually climbed up when he heard the puppy vocals."

If you've got a Dog Days nominee to share, let us know via our feedback page (and please remember that the photo has to have some sort of connection to Apple and its products -- don't just send us a photo of your canine buddy). For security reasons we can't accept inbound attachments, so you should host the photo (Dropbox, Flickr, iPhoto Journals, etc.) and send us the link.

Thanks to TUAW reader dwbernergirl for this sweet photo of an Apple fandog!

Share

Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2013/07/06/dog-days-of-summer-mikas-ipad/

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Muscle power: Bats power take-off using recycled energy

Public release date: 5-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Clara Howcroft Ferreira
sebiology@gmail.com
44-078-504-41445
Society for Experimental Biology

Bats are uniquely able to stretch and store energy in their bicep and tricep tendons during take-off and climbing flight, giving them an extra power boost. A new study on fruitbats, to be presented at the meeting of the Society for Experimental in Valencia on July 4, used cutting edge technology to image how these small mammals move through the air.

Dr Nicolai Konow (Brown University, USA), who led the research said: "Energy is stored in the triceps tendon, which is used to power elbow extension in essence, elbow extension happens using "recycled" energy. State of knowledge, and our results, indicates that bats are unique among small mammals in stretching their tendons, as small mammal limb tendons are thought to be too thick and stiff to be stretched."

"By combining information about skeletal movement with information about muscle mechanics, we found that the biceps and triceps tendons of small fruitbats are stretched and store energy as the bat launches from the ground and flies vertically."

The researchers used a cutting edge 3D imaging technology called XROMM (X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology) that allows visualizing rapid internal skeletal movement. XROMM combines 3D models of bone morphology with movement data from biplanar x-ray video to create highly accurate re-animations of the 3D bones moving in 3D space. The researchers also used a novel method called fluoromicrometry, where small radio opaque markers are implanted directly into muscle, which allows measuring length change with high precision and accuracy during contractions.

These findings indicate that the action of muscles powering animal movements through fluids may be influenced by series elasticity, and that at least some limb tendons in small mammals can be stretched by muscular and aerodynamic forces, enabling force control of joint movement.

This research will likely have relevance for the development of autonomous micro aircrafts and potentially also amphibious search and rescue vehicles.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 5-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Clara Howcroft Ferreira
sebiology@gmail.com
44-078-504-41445
Society for Experimental Biology

Bats are uniquely able to stretch and store energy in their bicep and tricep tendons during take-off and climbing flight, giving them an extra power boost. A new study on fruitbats, to be presented at the meeting of the Society for Experimental in Valencia on July 4, used cutting edge technology to image how these small mammals move through the air.

Dr Nicolai Konow (Brown University, USA), who led the research said: "Energy is stored in the triceps tendon, which is used to power elbow extension in essence, elbow extension happens using "recycled" energy. State of knowledge, and our results, indicates that bats are unique among small mammals in stretching their tendons, as small mammal limb tendons are thought to be too thick and stiff to be stretched."

"By combining information about skeletal movement with information about muscle mechanics, we found that the biceps and triceps tendons of small fruitbats are stretched and store energy as the bat launches from the ground and flies vertically."

The researchers used a cutting edge 3D imaging technology called XROMM (X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology) that allows visualizing rapid internal skeletal movement. XROMM combines 3D models of bone morphology with movement data from biplanar x-ray video to create highly accurate re-animations of the 3D bones moving in 3D space. The researchers also used a novel method called fluoromicrometry, where small radio opaque markers are implanted directly into muscle, which allows measuring length change with high precision and accuracy during contractions.

These findings indicate that the action of muscles powering animal movements through fluids may be influenced by series elasticity, and that at least some limb tendons in small mammals can be stretched by muscular and aerodynamic forces, enabling force control of joint movement.

This research will likely have relevance for the development of autonomous micro aircrafts and potentially also amphibious search and rescue vehicles.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/sfeb-mpb062813.php

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Prince Georges County ? The Non-Profit Sector of Prince George's ...

Subject: Prince George?s County ? The Non-Profit Sector of Prince George?s County is Underfunded and Needs Volunteer Grant Writers

Fact: ?As of 2012, there were 3,554 registered non-profits in Prince George?s County

Fact: The Prince George?s County non-profit sector generates $3.2 billion in combined revenues

Fact:? 81% of the County?s non-profits operate on an annual budget of less than $25K

Question: Why do a majority of the non-profits operate on a shoestring budget?

Question: If they operate on shoestring budgets, how do they pay employees to manage the organization and operate programs?

Question: If the budget of individual non-profits is barely above the poverty line, can they accomplish their mission and effectively serve the client(s)??

I am NOT an expert on grants, grant writing, or funding. I can ONLY speak from my limited perspective of ?just in time? volunteering with a small Prince George?s County technology non-profit. The balancing act of capacity building, meeting payroll, raising short term and/or long term funding, planning events and programs, managing events and programs, recruiting parents and community volunteers, etc. is daunting. It is even more daunting when additional human capital and resources are needed just to get through the next event but the organization is ?tapped out.? I did see that organizations like Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County offers capacity-building programs and provides networking opportunities. Coordinated Funding & Capacity Building Grants: The Neel Hajra Interview
Making Good Organizations Great: Capacity Building

Annuity Funds

I want to know if non-profits in Prince George?s County pool their financial resources to create an annuity fund. An annuity fund is a tool used to generate lasting income. It usually works best when a large amount of money is used to initially establish it. A professional money manager is put in charge of the annuity to ensure it continues to generate the interest needed for perpetuity.

54 Freedom Not-for-Profit Training Module I

Partnering on Grants

I would also like to know if non-profits in the County are organized to partner on grants similar to the government contracting sector. Each company has a specialty that can be used to meet the requirements of the contract. In this case, it would be meeting the requirements of the grant.

Marketing and Branding

Many residents in the community are oblivious to non-profits and what they do for a sizeable portion of the population. Just like any other business, the non-profit sector must market itself to let residents know exactly what they do, how they have helped individuals, and the vital functions they perform for the County. In business, it takes money to make money which means individual non-profits have to pool their resources together and identify a marketing company to develop an ongoing, well crafted campaign to communicate the message. Unfortunately, businesses don?t have the luxury of being shortsighted when it comes to marketing the brand and the message.?

Are there boutique marketing firms in Prince George?s County with the skills and proven track record that are willing to work with the non-profit community to develop an effective marketing campaign? I listen to WAMU 88.5 which is the local NPR station and marvel at the creative ideas and effectiveness of their marketing. ?They have the volunteer legal and financial expertise which allows them to alert listeners that they can write the station into their will as well as donate cars, boats, stock market losses, etc. Anyway people that have assets want to donate, WAMU 88.5 has you covered. I have never heard such appeals from individual Prince George?s County non-profits or cooperatives. Technology and Non-Profits

Using technology to support non-profits and automate as many tasks as possible is a strategic way to lessen the failure rate of startup non-profits and build capacity for mature non-profits that can?t breakthrough the funding barrier. The You Tube video showcasing an Indian tech company that provides a for-profit software service to subsidize the non-profit software services shows the creativity and innovation. The founder of the company states that his sustainable business model allows him NOT to be at the whim of philanthropic foundations and going through the rigors of the grant process. The business model probably has philanthropic foundations coming to him to create custom software for their organizations. Although I am not a programmer, this is how I envisioned the Prince George?s County Volunteer Tech Nation. Members of the Volunteer Tech Nation would identify a problem and find a way to solve it using tech and collaborating online or in person with other like-minded individuals with varying skill sets. If we could employ the same type of business model as the company in the video, that would be great!

??

Technology for Nonprofits: enabling reach and funding

Google 101 for Non-Profits - Google Grants Workshop

Volunteer Grant Writers and Compliance

I would like to get back to the title of this post. Prince George?s County non-profits need two basic things from my limited perspective and they are:

-volunteer grant writers

-volunteer 501C3 compliance officers?

??

Volunteer grant writers would be instrumental in streamlining the grant writing process for non-profits which lack human capital and overwhelm the minimal staff with multiple duties on a daily basis. I know grant writing is a legitimate occupation which people use to generate income. In this situation, I think residents have to look at the bigger picture and forsake income generation until the sector as a whole in Prince George? s County is operating within the baseline set forth by organizations such as Maryland Nonprofits and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. ?I plan to attend the Hands on Grant Writing Workshop on Wed July 10 from 6:30 pm ? 9:00 pm sponsored by People for Change. I hope to learn valuable grant writing skills so I can volunteer my services to a local non-profit.?

Nancy Faria da Costa - 90% Grant Fund Award Rate - How to Write a Grant Proposal

In 2006 many non-profits were victims of the new IRS regulations dealing with ?automatic revocation.? If the non-profit was oblivious to the new regulations and didn?t comply with them, their non-profit status was automatically discontinued. As I understood this, the job of knowing about the regulation changes fell squarely on the person or persons handling the non-profits financial obligations and taxes.?

IRS - Tax Tips How to Get Your Tax-Exempt Status Back?

This is where I think a 501C3 compliance officer is critically needed. Most, if not all, grants require the 501C3 of the recipient organization to be current and compliant. If the organization?s 501C3 status is not current, it is virtually impossible to receive donations from the major philanthropic organizations to include governments.

??

501(c)(3) Compliance & Form 990 Preparation

The ?New? Expectations of Philanthropic Organizations

In the last 5-10 years, companies that want to contribute to the community by donating to causes have changed their approach. They see their donation as an investment and consequently want to see a Return on Investment (ROI). The donor wants to see an entrepreneurial approach to problem solving and delivery of services by the non-profit. To the donor, this demonstrates efficiency and a high chance of successful outcomes. Small non-profits need to understand the requirements of the philanthropic community and tailor their application and process for delivering services to clients accordingly. This will increase their chances of success in the grant writing arena.

The video below speaks to how the philanthropic foundations tie the hands of non-profits. They want non-profits to act like for-profit businesses but put restrictions on how the money can be used. Dan Pallotta was in the ?weeds? and using big thinking entrepreneurial strategies to build capacity with his breast cancer non-profit before it was shut down.

Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong

What action are you going take??

What Volunteer Tech Nation member are you going to collaborate with?

Source: http://www.princegeorgescountyvtn.com/2013/07/prince-georges-county-non-profit-sector.html

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Bad Credit Loan And A Typical Loan: What You Ought To ...

Unsecured bad credit loans are quite unlike a typical loan for several purposes. Many of us feel because they?re both loans, that it?s merely a different style of wording. But, this is honestly far from the truth. It is usually important to do your research on several types of loans just before you apply for a loan. You?ll find unique loans for different consumers caused by different scenarios. This editorial?s objective is generally to assist you to be aware of the 2 models of loans, and eliminate any confusion regarding typical loans, and bad credit unsecured loans.

Funding limits. For starters, traditional lending products normally don?t have any restrictions on what you can borrow. What this means is, if needed, you could ask for $10,000 or more. But, any time you are considering an unsecured bad credit loan, you will find there?s cap on what it is possible to borrow. Depending on the company, the majority only let you borrow one hundred or $500, and some have a limit of a five thousand dollar loan.It depends on which company you go to and what the money is for.

Distinctions in collateral specifications. An additional distinction between a ordinary loan and a weak credit unsecured loan is the fact that typical lending options often demand a security item to be presented. This translates to things like a home, a car, etc. That is so the provider is assured you are likely to pay back the loan punctually. In regards to poor credit unsecured loans, you are not obligated to put something up for a security. This is usually because individuals with awful credit may not hold anything at all for collateral. Or, they just don?t want to put things up since it?s all critical items for day to day life.

Credit preferences. The key distinction between a standard loan and an unsecured poor credit loan is basically that you need very good credit for the traditional loan. This is when you don?t have anything unfavorable on your credit report; including delinquent bills, lower FICO scores, etc. Consumers with bad credit can go after unsecured loans, because in some cases, you don?t have to undergo a credit check. A lot of services are doing this now for individuals wanting a loan, and quickly. This is simply a life saver to numerous folks who have sub-standard credit.

Interest rate factors. One additional great difference between an unsecured negative credit loan and a conventional loan is the APR. Most providers give people some leeway they?ve got superior credit, this means they?ve got a low rate of interest to pay off. It can also mean they are given more leeway and additional time to pay off their loan.However regrettably, for folks with awful credit, their credit rates of interest are normally double or triple the regular rates. Not to mention, they are generally given a more rigid time frame to settle their loans.It can be six months to a year, or higher, with regards to which service they selected for a lender.

Accessibility. Other differences between a terrible credit unsecured loan and a normal loan is Convenience. This means, various loans may not be offered to people with bad credit. These kinds of loans are mostly for corporations and personal loans. However, when you currently have excellent credit, you?ve got the ability to secure whichever loan you would like. From time to time, you may get any of a variety of loans, for consumers that have decent credit. It generally depends on which company they head to for their loans.

The cost of borrowing. Another difference can be service fees that a provider uses. Some services, individuals who choose a typical loan have no fees to repay. Consequently they merely must repay their loan during the length of time they?re provided. However, for some companies, they tend to have fees for individuals who have bad credit, and are looking for an unsecured bad credit loan. These fees are ordinarily to cover the cost of monthly statements. etc.

Acceptance time. Another difference is how soon persons are granted their loan. For consumers who ask for a conventional loan, they can be approved from one hour to 1 business day. For those people who need to have an unsecured loan, it is usually from 1 hour to one week, or maybe more. For the duration of the time you are watching for approval, the lenders generally goes over your application form, as well as your credit history, and occupational history. Typically people who go for a standard loan are qualified more rapidly than individuals who require an unsecured loan for awful credit.

Unsecured bad credit loans are generally less difficult to get than a regular loan. This is because, those sorts of loans are often smaller amounts, and they?re guaranteed by the borrower?s job and bank account. If you?re shopping for a loan, and need to know the differences surrounding a variety of loans, you?re lucky because there?s a lot of details around. Do your homework prior to seeking a loan for yourself.

If you are in need of unsecured bad credit loan , we definitely can assist you. We do provide you help by giving additional information about bad credit unsecured loan.

Source: http://bestfinance1.com/bad-credit-loan-and-a-typical-loan-what-you-ought-to-understand-more-about-it

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EE UK launches double-speed LTE, queen and country hit 40+Mbps

If you're on EE in the UK, you could be seeing a major LTE speed boost coming your way. Alex Dobie of Android Central explains:

The new, faster speeds are enabled by allocating more of EE's spectrum to its LTE network ? it's now using 2x20MHz of 1800MHz spectrum instead of 2x10MHz. This brings theoretical transfer rates of up to 150Mbps, with real world speeds averaging around 30-40Mbps. In practice we've seen download speeds regularly hit 40-50Mbps in London and Manchester, with throughput reaching highs of 78-79Mbps in some areas.

Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Derby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield, start your speed tests!

(I've gotten 50Mbps down at the local coffee shop, how you doing?)

Source: Android Central

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/pdgxbGGzrmM/story01.htm

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