Electric Power Research Institute and Idaho National Lab Energy Strategy Recommendation

A 16 page Strategy for Nuclear Energy Research and Development has been put together by Idaho National Labs and the Electric Power Research Institute. Six goals are defined to achieve this vision:1) Maintain today’s nuclear fleet of light water reactors2) Significantly expand the fleet with advanced light water reactors3) Develop non-electric applications for high-temperature reactors4) …

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Technological Improvements Raise the Energy Return For Energy Production

1. Improvements in Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol from researchers at the University of Nebraska Ethanol-to-petroleum output/input ratios ranged from 10:1 to 13:1 but could be increased to 19:1 if farmers adopted high-yield progressive crop and soil management practices. An advanced closed-loop biorefinery with anaerobic digestion reduced GHG emissions by …

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Solar Electric Sail Developments and Plans

A simplified picture of the electric sail. An actual system would have 50 to 100 or more 20 kilometer wires. 100 kg spaceships could be accelerated to final speeds of 40-100 km/second. [Further refinement can enable a 800km/s top speed – the top solar wind speed] This site has identified the solar electric sail as …

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Terrafugia Transition: Has working roadable Plane

The Transition “Personal Air Vehicle” is expected to be released in late 2009 and has just shown its operational prototype. The estimated purchase price is $148,000. Owners will drive the car from their garage to an airport where they will then be able to fly within a range of 100 to 500 miles (800 km). …

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More Performance and cognitive enhancement

Popular Science looks at Juicing 3.0 Better nootropic cognitive enhancers comingModafinil is but one of a dozen or so “neural enhancers” currently available in pharmacies that scientists say could enhance athletic performance. Popping FDA-approved Parkinson’s meds and antidepressants might not seem like cheating, but studies suggest that a positive mental attitude improves mental focus, contributing …

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Nanoscale Metamaterial could create wireless optical computer

Nader Engheta’s, professor at university of Pennsylvania, work provides “a vision, consisting of building blocks, along with instructions on how to arrange them together to enable transplanting well-known passive inductor-capacitor-resistor [LCR] electrical networks to the optical domain. This includes the direct optical realization of filters, antennas, power-distribution networks, microwave transmission-line metamaterials and many more. (H/T …

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