I’m one of the hundreds of people who got scammed by Alternative Solar. After two years of making phone calls and seeking violent revenge, I might have finally found a way to get my money back! Only trouble is, Alternative Solar only gave us a LINK to the contract and that link went dead. If there’s anyone out there who is currently making payments to Alternative Solar and HAS a pdf copy of the contact between customer and Alternative Solar please get in touch with me! We can fight this power together.

https://reneweconomy.com.au/south-australias-renewable-triumph-is-stunning-proof-that-duttons-nuclear-plans-are-a-folly/amp/

I am looking for graduate programs that have energy engineering as well as management. I am specifically looking for universities in the US and Europe. T200 colleges only. Any input is appreciated.

Hi all,

First let me say that I'm not a STEM student so my dissertation isn't going to be super technical and I'm still learning about battery chemistry and application.

I won't go into too much detail but for part of my research I plan to compare the current and projected costs of LIBs for different applications, EVs, BESS, and Smartphones of which there are three main/most used LIBs; LFP, LCO, and NMC. I came across Bloomberg's research which states

The price of lithium-ion battery packs has dropped 14% to a record low of $139/kWh

and

The industry continues to switch to the low-cost cathode chemistry known as lithium iron phosphate (LFP). These packs and cells had the lowest global weighted-average prices, at $130/kWh and $95/kWh, respectively. This is the first year that BNEF’s analysis found LFP average cell prices falling below $100/kWh. On average, LFP cells were 32% cheaper than lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) cells in 2023.

I'm a little confused on what's being described here. The first part is general "lithium-ion battery packs" Does this term include all types of LIBs including LFP, LCO and NMC - would $139/kwh be an average cost of all types of LIBs? Can someone help me understand how this relates to the second paragraph that separates out price and type?

Also in the second paragraph obviously separates them out; LFP and NMC, but distinguishes between "packs" and "cells"

In addition to my other questions, can anyone give me suggestions on how to approach this in my research. If I'm doing a cost comparison should I be using packs or cells? and specific battery type costs, or general LIB costs. Thank you

Can steam turbines benefit from a toroidal fan design to improve efficiency?

https://www.sunyascoop.com/p/canadian-carbon-capture

Introduction

The idea is to design a geomagnetic thermal generator that utilizes the thermal energy from hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. Although perpetual energy is not achievable due to the laws of thermodynamics, a model can be designed to convert thermal energy into electrical energy using the natural temperature gradients found in the ocean.

Components and Operation of the Device

1. Heat Source and Heat Exchanger:
   • Thermal Vents: Hydrothermal vents that provide a steady flow of hot water.
   • Heat Exchanger: A system that captures the heat from the hydrothermal vents and transfers it to a working fluid.
2. Working Fluid:
   • A fluid with a low boiling point (such as a fluorocarbon) that can vaporize at the relatively low temperatures of the hydrothermal vents.
3. Evaporator:
   • The working fluid comes into contact with the heat from the hydrothermal vents in the evaporator, causing the fluid to vaporize and become pressurized.
4. Turbine and Generator:
   • Turbine: The high-pressure vapor drives a turbine.
   • Generator: The turbine is connected to a generator that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
5. Condenser:
   • After passing through the turbine, the vaporized working fluid is cooled and condensed back into liquid form.
6. Cooling Water:
   • Cold seawater is used to cool and condense the vaporized working fluid in the condenser.
7. Circulation System:
   • A pump circulates the condensed working fluid back to the evaporator to restart the cycle.

Basic Design of the Model

1. Thermal Vents: Hydrothermal vents providing constant hot water flow (e.g., 350°C).
2. Heat Exchanger: A heat exchanger to capture the heat from the vents.
3. Working Fluid: Example: R134a (1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane) with a boiling point of -26.3°C at atmospheric pressure.
4. Turbine: Specially designed to operate with the pressure difference of the vaporized working fluid.
5. Generator: A generator matched to the output of the turbine.
6. Condenser: A heat exchanger using cold seawater to condense the vaporized working fluid.
7. Circulation Pump: A pump to return the condensed working fluid to the evaporator.

Cycle Diagram

1. Heat Exchanger/Heating Section:
   • Heat from the hydrothermal vents is transferred to the working fluid in the heat exchanger.
2. Evaporation:
   • The working fluid vaporizes and becomes pressurized.
3. Turbine:
   • The high-pressure vapor drives a turbine connected to a generator.
4. Condensation:
   • The vapor passes through a condenser and condenses back into liquid form.
5. Pump:
   • The liquid is pumped back to the heat exchanger to restart the cycle.

Advantages of the Ocean Floor

1. Constant Energy Source:
   • Hydrothermal vents provide a constant heat source, ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply.
2. High Temperature Gradients:
   • Hydrothermal vents can reach extremely high temperatures (up to 400°C or higher), allowing for efficient thermal energy conversion.
3. Absence of Space Constraints:
   • The ocean floor offers vast space without competing with land use for agriculture, buildings, or other activities.
4. Minimal Visual Impact:
   • Ocean floor installations are not visible from land, reducing visual pollution.
5. Use of Cold Seawater for Condensation:
   • The natural presence of cold deep seawater provides an efficient way to condense the working fluid without additional energy costs.
6. Reduction of Greenhouse Gases:
   • Utilizing renewable energy from hydrothermal vents can reduce reliance on fossil fuels, contributing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
7. Potential for Marine Research and Development:
   • Ocean floor installations can serve as platforms for marine research, enhancing our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems and geological processes.
8. Technological Innovation and Leadership:
   • Developing and implementing ocean floor energy technologies can lead to technological advancements and a leadership position in advanced energy solutions.

Challenges and Considerations

• Corrosion and Marine Environment: Materials must withstand the corrosive nature of seawater and high pressures/temperatures.
• Efficiency: The efficiency of thermal to electrical energy conversion depends on temperature differences and the efficiency of the turbine and generator.
• Maintenance and Durability: Access to the deep ocean floor is challenging, necessitating robust and low-maintenance systems.

filter will not let me post from Allsides for a discussion beginning:

Biden Admin Announces $1.7 Billion in Grants for EV Factories Business, Electric Vehicles, Climate Change, Domestic Policy, Banking And Finance, Unions, Economy And Jobs, General Motors, Inflation Reduction Act Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia Summary from the AllSides News Team

The federal government will award $1.7 billion in grants to help convert 11 shuttered or at-risk factories to enable electric vehicle production, the Energy Department announced Thursday.

The Details: The grants draw on funding from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Out of the total, $1.1 billion will go to General Motors (GM) and Stellantis. While the factories are spread throughout eight states — including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia — $650 million of the funds, over a third, will go to just two plants in Michigan. The Biden administration said the grants would help companies create 2,900 new jobs and retain 15,000 current jobs.

Related: Used car prices have fallen recently, with EVs leading the way. This could reflect lower demand for EVs, but it also makes them more affordable than similar gas-powered cars for the first time.

How the Media Covered It: While most coverage was generally similar, some headlines echoed partisan attitudes about EVs. For instance, The Washington Times (Lean Right bias) headline “Biden doles out billions of taxpayer dollars to help unionized auto plants make EVs” uses the words “doles” to suggest wasteful government spending and highlights the role of unions, which many conservatives oppose. On the other hand, The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) noted that the Biden administration “faces criticism for not moving faster on green lending.”

The sun burns 600 million tons of hydrogen per second fusing into helium. It's about 50 billion tons of hydrogen a day... its such a huge number its mind boggling. And it will continue to do so for something like 5 billion years because the sun has something like a million billion billion billion tons of hydrogen to burn... all the energy we could ever want is right there . It's frankly too much energy.. we need more cold places on this planet.....