India currently is the fourth largest emitter of carbon in the world, and has so far resisted any binding emission targets under an international agreement. India, and the Group of 77 developing nations have been opposing such binding targets unless they come tied with financial and technological support from developed nations which have so far led in carbon emissions.

(more…)

If you're new here and you like our articles, how about subscribing free for our updates via RSS feed.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan has developed an interesting atomic-powered source of electricity.

They have actually used this to power a touch screen hand-held video player/cell phone.

Now before you start protesting the use of atomic power (that will be a debate in future multi-part series), I am talking about using the protons (I know it still sounds like an atomic reactor) in the methanol molecule and removing the hydrogen to create power.

What you are left with is water and a little carbon dioxide.

(more…)

Google Earth now has an application to show Earth’s carbon dioxide cycle and can show carbon dioxide in different layers of the atmosphere. Google recently held a contest to show scientific data using KML, the data format used for Google Earth. Tyler Erickson from Michigan Tech Research Institute responded to the call, and with help from NASA-funded researcher Anna Michalak of the University of Michigan, created an application to display the carbon cycle.

(more…)

New PC concept from designer Luis Luna make the desktop appear more appealing visually,and give it the ability to offset at least a small amount of the CO2 it produces during its lifetime. The design gives a smoother look to the desktop as a sleek circular package. The center of this circle has a cavity to hold some soil, and provide enough ground to grow small plants.

(more…)

The latest data about Japan’s greenhouse-gas emissions cast a serious doubt over the Japan’s commitment to its Kyoto Protocol efforts.

The Environment Ministry reported Japan’s emissions hit a record high of carbon dioxide, 8.7% more than what Japan spewed in 1990. The 1997 Kyoto treaty calls for Japan to reduce its emissions to 6% BELOW the 1990 level. Japan is going the wrong way.

Emissions grew 2.3% since last year, largely in part to the closing of Japan’s largest nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture because of an earthquake in the region. Consequently, Japan has had to rely on electrical output from thermal power plants, which are heavy CO2 dischargers. Japanese households have produced 8.4% more greenhouse gases than last year. The unusually hot summer led to increased use of air conditioners.

In the next five years they needs to cut its emissions by 13.5% to meet its commitment and Japan’s best bet is either to plant more trees or increase the capacity utilization ratio of its nuclear power plant, up from 60.7%. A ratio 84.2% (1998), and Japan would have coughed up 5% less greenhouse gas in 2007.

The economy, however, is slowing. As production falls, so too will emissions. Japan needs to cut 50 million metric tons, per year. The steel industry lowered its emissions last year to 1% below its 1990 level despite an 8% increase in crude steel output. The chemical sector is 7% higher than its 1990 figure.

Japan is not going to make it. So, now what?

Source: Nikkei (sub req)
Image courtesy of hubbbadyabutters

Global warming is one phenomenon that has pretty much grown into the biggest demon the planet is trying to get off of its back and not too surprisingly, we have not been all that successful till today.

Despite growing concerns over how the greenhouse gases must be controlled and their volume curbed, it seems the progress is either too slow or even non existent for many developing nations. Europe though is at the forefront of this movement and it is interesting to take a look at the radical few new ways that UK’s Royal Society has come up with to deal with the rising temperature.

1) Methods proposed by scientists at the Royal Society include using trillions of space ship mirrors that hover around the earth and create a shield that reflects the sunlight and forms a heat shield of sorts.

2) Then there is the idea of spraying ocean water into the atmosphere to which will increase salt content in the clouds and make them whiter. This would also act on the principle of reflecting light.

3) The most acceptable method seems to be increasing iron content in oceans which would encourage growth of algae and absorption of carbon gases. But such a method could cause havoc to the marine ecosystem.

The methods stated by John Shepherd, chairman of the Royal Society and his team of scientists are all still just secondary plan and the scientists themselves admit that our major goal must be to reduce greenhouse gases. That should make the priorities clear for all reluctant nations who still think of economic impact above environment effects.

By the way; ’spaceships with mirrors’… What is this, Fifth grade?

Image courtesy of Enzo D.

Cement companies in Japan are getting in on cutting down on CO2 emissions and hope to help their counterparts in China and India do the same. The Japan Cement Association is taking the lead by sending engineers to China and India to produce estimates for how much CO2 can be decreased.

Japanese cement makers are working with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to publish on the Internet ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at cement plants for free, and some of them are :

1. power-efficient pulverizers
2. mechanisms for recycling waste heat from baking furnaces
3. using the recycled heat to generate power and heat up raw materials

And some quick facts -

• Japan produces 70 million tons of cement annually, the 6th largest producer of CO2 among Japan’s industries.
• China and India together make up about 50% of the world’s cement output.
• Some 5,000+ cement companies in China produce 1.1+ billion tons of cement.
• Some 500+ Indian companies produce 150 million tons.

If these guys can save some gas, it’ll make a difference. And, for once, Japan is leading.

Source: Nikkei (!sub required) – Image courtesy of ykanazawa1999

I probably should have studied harder when I was in science class, but I seem to remember that all plants thrive on CO2. Even so, Ota Florticulture Auction Co., which is Japan’s largest flower wholesaler, is planning to market a series of arrangements made up of potted plants that gobble up large amounts of CO2.

There’s always someone wanting to capitalize on the green movement, why not a flower company, too? Ota will market carbon offset plants for homes and offices that come in pots that combine six kinds of plants such as the orchids and cacti, even at night and the company says each plant arrangement will trap 4-10kg of CO2 gas each year.

The price for having someone buy a plant to do what the plant would do anyway is going to be ¥8,000-40,000 ($85-$425). Watch for the plants to come on sale by Thanksgiving. – via Nikkei (sub needed)

Images by Rosberond, cobalt123

Carbon Sciences has recently declared that it has made an important breakthrough that can convert CO2 emissions into fuels. This would cut down on the 62 billion metric tones of CO2 – root cause of global warming, which is let out into the atmosphere every year.

The technology will use these harmful emissions and convert them into useful sources of energy.

As CO2 requires a lot of energy to break them into hydrocarbons that is used for fuel, Carbon Sciences is working on a technology, with the help of chemical and bioengineering principles that would hasten up this process. Since this process is highly energy efficient, they’ll set up a CO2 transformation plant that would use the CO2 released by a larger producer such as a power plant, and transform it into useable fuels.

This breakthrough technology promises that it can successfully give the world a cleaner atmosphere by closing the loop on carbon releases. – via Inhabitat

 

Kansai Electric Power C0 will work in cahoots with three other companies to develop a ‘trigeneration system’ that can produce electric power and also utilize waste heat and CO2 emissions, all to improve farming productivity.

Toyota Turbine and Systems Inc. (yeah, they are related to that Toyota) will design a small gas turbine that can burn liquified natural gas to generate electricity. (And you thought Toyota only made economical cars, didn’t you?). Kurabo will come up with the technology to denitrate exhaust gas, and Globally-Tech co will provide the control technologies.

Kanasai Electric has a giant flower field in Rokkasho, Aomori, northern Japan, where it is experimenting with flower cultivation. Within two years the company hopes to also use the heat and CO2 extracted from the exhaust gas to create an optimal environment for photosynthesis. How cool is that?