Category Archives: airforce

Solar Plane Will Make First European Flight – Actually land at a real airport

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While the Solar Impulse has flown around the world it has never landed at a major airport or filed a real flight plan. This is too cool for words. I know this is not an Earth Day thing but it should be.

http://www.solarimpulse.com/blog/blog.php?lang=en&group=media

Solar Impulse on stand-by from Monday

author: Bernard Schopfer

2011-04-28

In these last few weeks the entire Solar Impulse team has been busy doing “test flights” in the Payerne area, to test the satellite communication systems developed by Swisscom, and also the air traffic integration procedures. The support received from the aviation authorities in the overflight and destination countries has been extremely positive and constructive.

For the European solar flight campaign the Solar Impulse team, sponsored by the European Commission, has chosen Brussels as the 1st international destination. The airplane will be shown in the European capital from 23 to 29 May 2011 and will then attempt to reach Paris-Le Bourget, where it is expected as a “Special Guest” at the 49th International Paris Air Show.

“These tests have been extremely successful”, says an elated Bertrand Piccard. “Now, here we are in the definitive phase: it’s no longer a question of tests, but the real thing. And the next flights will not be made in the “familiar cocoon” of Payerne aerodrome, but in the whole of Europe…” Rather like a sailing ship that has undergone coastal trials, and is now set to cross its first ocean!

“We will be in stand-by mode from Monday”, explains André Borschberg, who will pilot the HB-SIA between Payerne and Brussels. “And we definitely mean to take the first opportunity that comes along, since we can never be sure of the weather conditions and whether they will allow us to do this flight on a particular date. With Solar Impulse we are confined to what we can do with the technology at the present time, and safety is our number one priority.”

Bernard

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More tomorrow.

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Rocket Man – I think it’s going to be a long long time

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OK. This has nothing to do with Energy or the Environment. I mean it does if you believe that air travel, both military and commercial, is responsible for a HUGE chunk of the atmospheric pollution that is destabilizing the planet’s climate. Even then how much will it add? Not much probably. Still this is just so cool. As reported here:

http://www.universetoday.com/84765/dream-job-posting-spaceship-pilots-wanted/

Dream Job Posting: Spaceship Pilots Wanted

by Nancy Atkinson on April 11, 2011

Some might do a double take at this job posting, but it is legit. Virgin Galactic announced today they are looking for pilot-astronauts and are now accepting applications…from qualified candidates. High scores on Aces of the Galaxy or Space Flight Simulator probably doesn’t meet the criteria, so just what does constitute Virgin Galactic’s idea of qualified?

Virgin’s press release says qualified candidates are full course graduates of a recognized test pilot school who are broadly experienced with both high-performance fast-jet type airplanes and large multi-engine types. Prior spaceflight experience is desirable. You’ll also have to be able to create a safe and enjoyable commercial suborbital space flight experience for your passengers.

Those selected will have the responsibilities of knowing the WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo spaceflight system test program in and out (and in accordance with government regulations and company policies in Mojave, California where test flights take place and Virgin Galactic’s commercial operations at Spaceport America in New Mexico.)

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Sourced from the Virgin itself.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/careers/

Careers

THE SPACESHIPCOMPANY

Excellent career opportunities are available with The Spaceship Company (TSC) – the assembler of Virgin Galactic’s fleet of SpaceShipTwos and WhiteKnightTwos.
Click the following link to find out more on The Spaceship Company website

 

VIRGIN GALACTIC CURRENTLY HAS TWO JOB OPPORTUNITIES: Position: PILOT – ASTRONAUTS Please click here to apply online and for further details

Position: HEAD OF OPERATIONSPlease click here to apply online and for further details

For any questions, please email jobs@virgingalactic.com

Site built by Outside Line

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But is this the near end of a dead end road? Have we so polluted the planet that this is our last gasp? We shall see. More tomorrow.

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Army Deploys Alternative Energy In The Field – Funny cause the fight is over an oil pipeline

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The irony of this amazing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/science/earth/05fossil.html

U.S. Military Orders Less Dependence on Fossil Fuels

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Published: October 4, 2010

With insurgents increasingly attacking the American fuel supply convoys that lumber across the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan, the military is pushing aggressively to develop, test and deploy renewable energy to decrease its need to transport fossil fuels.

Last week, a Marine company from California arrived in the rugged outback of Helmand Province bearing novel equipment: portable solar panels that fold up into boxes; energy-conserving lights; solar tent shields that provide shade and electricity; solar chargers for computers and communications equipment.

The 150 Marines of Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, will be the first to take renewable technology into a battle zone, where the new equipment will replace diesel and kerosene-based fuels that would ordinarily generate power to run their encampment.

Even as Congress has struggled unsuccessfully to pass an energy bill and many states have put renewable energy on hold because of the recession, the military this year has pushed rapidly forward. After a decade of waging wars in remote corners of the globe where fuel is not readily available, senior commanders have come to see overdependence on fossil fuel as a big liability, and renewable technologies — which have become more reliable and less expensive over the past few years — as providing a potential answer. These new types of renewable energy now account for only a small percentage of the power used by the armed forces, but military leaders plan to rapidly expand their use over the next decade.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, the huge truck convoys that haul fuel to bases have been sitting ducks for enemy fighters — in the latest attack, oil tankers carrying fuel for NATO troops in Afghanistan were set on fire in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, early Monday. In Iraq and Afghanistan, one Army study found, for every 24 fuel convoys that set out, one soldier or civilian engaged in fuel transport was killed. In the past three months, six Marines have been wounded guarding fuel runs in Afghanistan

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More Tomorrow.

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Healthcare And Computer Energy Savings – Turn them off and save money

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That is right – turn off your computer when not using it and the medical world could save millions of $$$. Why don’t they energy manage their data networks? Because they don’t have to, they think they are Gods.

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http://it.med.miami.edu/x1159.xml

Computer power management

What’s the big deal?

Research shows that personal computers (PC) are not being actively used during the vast majority of the time that they are kept on.  It is estimated that an average PC is in use 4 hours each work day and idle for another 5.5 hours.  It’s also estimated that some 30-40 percent of the US’s work PCs are left running at night and on weekends.

Office equipment is the fastest growing electricity load in the commercial sector.  Computer systems are believed to account for 10 percent or more of commercial electricity consumption already.  Since computer systems generate waste heat, they also increase the amount of electricity necessary to cool office spaces.  (Yes, they lower the cost of heating somewhat.  That’s not a big factor in Miami.)

For the Medical Center, we estimate the savings from PC power management to be hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, even without factoring in increased office cooling costs.  Considerable savings are also possible from easing wear-and-tear on the computers themselves.

If you’d like to make a savings calculation for yourself or your organization — on electricity, dollars, trees, CO2 emissions — you can do that here.

Isn’t this “automatic” on most computers?

Almost all computers and monitors sold in the US today come with ENERGY-STAR energy-saving features.  But they generally don’t work unless you set them.

Both Windows and Apple/Mac systems allow you to set the amount of idle time that occurs before the system goes into “standby” or “sleep”  mode:

  • On Microsoft (Windows) systems, times are set in the Power Options section of the Control Panel.  Get there by the following path: Start > [My Computer >] Control Panel > [Performance and Maintenance >] Power Options.
  • On Apple (OS X) systems, standby and power option settings are set under System Preferences.  Go there and then select Energy Saver.

Standby/sleep modes are suitable for when your computer is idle for an hour or more.  A full system shut-down and power-off is appropriate at the end of the work day.

Will power management hurt my computer?

It’s a myth that turning computers off and on shortens their lives — unless you turn them off many, many, many times every day.  It’s also a myth that starting the computer requires a lot of “extra energy”: it actually only takes the equivalent of a few seconds of running time power.

Computers generate a lot of heat — principally from their central processor units (CPU).  Allowing a “cool down” during a power-off period will generally increase the life span of the entire system.  Allowing your computer to rest its moving parts, like the spinning hard drive, cooling fans, etc., will tend to increase the life-span of those components.

The reboot of the system that takes place when power is restored has another positive effect.  Many software patches and upgrades require a reboot to be fully installed and functional.  A computer that is only rarely rebooted may lag behind on software updates, and accordingly be more vulnerable to malware attacks.

Is there any downside to power management?

Obviously you have to consider the value of your time too.  A fully powered-down “off” computer takes a considerably longer time to restore to operational status than one in stand-by mode.  One in stand-by takes longer to restore than one that is fully on — although not much longer.

We’re not recommending you turn your system entirely off unless you plan to be away from it for a long time — such as at the end of the work day.  We do recommend setting a sleep/stand-by mode for when your system is idle for 30-60 minutes or more.

Unless your system is controlling an ongoing process, such as running/monitoring laboratory equipment, there is usually no good reason to leave it on when you are away for extended periods.  And many good reasons not to.

How does power management work?

Power management savings come from reducing hardware power to sleep levels when the computer is not fully active.   Idle-ness is defined by an absence of mouse or keyboard activity (and no on-going processes for applications) for a set time period.

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That’s right they saved hundreds of thousands of $$$. So how many Medical Centers like this exist? Well how many Major Universities are there in the US. That is right…hundreds of millions of $$$$

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Taking A House Window Out Of Service – Get rid of the darn thing

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It’s Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TChocbG_TTI

During the height of the summer and for most of the winter there are windows that you can probably do without. I hate windows. Even when you dress them up they are Energy Dogs. So here is an easy way to get rid of them. This only works for windows that move. Cut 2 pieces of plywood roughly 2 inches bigger than the window casement. Glue as much styrofoam insulation (R Board) as you can to each piece of plywood centered into the cavity of the window space. Drill 2 holes in each piece of plywood centered in the top and the bottom quadrant of each piece of plywood. Open the window so that the 2 panes are in the center of the window case. Fit the pieces of the plywood over the outside and the inside of the window. Insert long bolts through the two holes and tighten nut and washer to either the inside or the outside piece of plywood depending on which way you ran the bolts. You can even run a light bead of caulk around the two piece of plywood, the washer and the bolt head for complete air tighness. All done. Problem solved. Window gone.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TChocbG_TTI )

However if you are into appearances well you can invest in systems that accomplish some of the same goals.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/plylox

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1210347,00.html

http://video.bobvila.com/m/21315189/emergency-board-up.htm

I always wanted to get those last 2 back together again. If you have big bucks you may want to get shutters that actually work. Not the decorative ones you usually see.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSzWPNFX7sc&feature=related )

http://www.3dayblindsinfo.com/0-percent?source=gg-plantation-shutters&copy=shutters&gclid=CNijw8ue7Z8CFRAeDQodYHmIXQ

Looking for Shutters?
Let us help.

Shutters

From sleek contemporary styles to rustic charm, nothing adds value to your home like Shutters. Designed to last a lifetime, they are beautiful, versatile and control ventilation and light with unmatched precision. Our Design Consultants know how to use the beauty of your windows to inspire feelings of rest, drama or excitement.

http://www.hunterdouglas.com/

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvURG9-wK3w&feature=related )

http://www.makeyourhomeenergyefficient.com/energyefficientwindowcoverings.html

~Window Shutters

You can find both exterior and interior window shutters in a variety of colors and materials.

View all Blinds.com Plantation Shutters

Fauxwood Shutters

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More on windows tomorrow. God I hate those things.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2RSyMRJHUE&feature=related )

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There Are Only 500 Sources World Wide That Need To Be Curbed To Combat Global Warming

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If you discount Airplanes, the single biggest cause of Global Warming, and the world’s Militaries, the second largest cause of Global warming then there are 500, yes just 500 point of source polluters that are causing Global Warming. These sources make very real people wealthy. It is these people and there proxies who are causing the problem. Here are my 17 most favorite Americans.

Meet the 17 polluters and deniers who are derailing efforts to curb global warming in Tim Dickinson’s “The Climate Killers.”

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/31633524/the_climate_killers/

The Profiteer
Warren Buffett
CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

Despite being a key adviser to Obama during the financial crisis, America’s best-known investor has been blasting the president’s push to curb global warming — using the same lying points promoted by far-right Republicans. The climate bill passed by the House, Buffett insists, is a “huge tax — and there’s no sense calling it anything else.” What’s more, he says, the measure would mean “very poor people are going to pay a lot more money for their electricity.” Never mind that the climate bill, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, would actually save Americans with the lowest incomes about $40 a year.

But Buffett, whose investments have the power to move entire markets, is doing far more than bad-mouthing climate legislation — he’s literally banking on its failure. In recent months, the Oracle of Omaha has invested billions in carbon-polluting industries, seeking to cash in as the world burns. His conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, has added 1.28 million shares of America’s biggest climate polluter, ExxonMobil, to its balance sheet. And in November, Berkshire placed a huge wager on the future of coal pollution, purchasing the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad for $26 billion — the largest acquisition of Buffett’s storied career. BNSF is the nation’s top hauler of coal, shipping some 300 million tons a year. That’s enough to light up 10 percent of the nation’s homes — many of which are powered by another Berkshire subsidiary, MidAmerican Energy. Although Berkshire is the largest U.S. firm not to disclose its carbon pollution — and second globally only to the Bank of China — its utilities have the worst emissions intensity in America, belching more than 65 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere in 2008 alone.

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16 more to go. See yah tomorrow

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Global Warming Debunked…Nuclear Power Perfectly Safe

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Oil and Natural Gas will never run out…Am I a Google whore or what? Still when you say things like that out loud they seem so silly. Or more like impossible. So I would like to continue our meditation on “living off the land” by looking at some sustainable communities around the country and the planet.

This guy will build it for you:

http://www.placeonline.us/about.html

Who, What, Why | Meet The Team | Board of Directors | Frequently Asked Questions

What is PLACE?

PLACE® is a nonprofit organization that works with cities to create leading-edge communities that promote the arts, environmentalism and social justice. Through a community-driven, ethically-focused process, PLACE develops new models for urban neighborhoods that demonstrate the best practices in environmental design, live/work development for artists and creative businesses, affordable workforce housing, and supportive housing for the most economically distressed. Our vision is to change the way communities are made.

We strive to make each PLACE project reflect the highest community ideals, creating beautiful and inspiring places, lifting people out of poverty, empowering community participation, and providing equal opportunity, all while generating economic return, renewable energy and jobs. PLACE communities seek to dramatically improve the way we live, work, play, commute, create, and interrelate, as well as the way we impact our cities and our Earth.

PLACE was founded by Chris Velasco in 2005. PLACE and its respected national board of directors bring extensive experience in creating the public/private partnerships necessary to finance, develop and operate complex, economically-sustainable facilities. As an entrepreneurial nonprofit, PLACE uses proven market approaches and cutting edge funding methods to develop projects that are economically self-sustaining. PLACE’s projects blend the arts, environmentalism, community-driven development, live and work space, smart growth, small business development and affordable housing — all together in one, inspiring place.

What does PLACE build?

The PLACE Team works with architects, engineers, artists and builders to create:

• Alternative energy communities
• Green artist enclaves, communities, neighborhoods, communes and villages
• Eco Villages
• Green affordable housing and supportive housing
• Sustainable communities for artists and artisans
• Green arts facilities and green theaters
• Next-generation communities
• Cultural tourism destinations
• Inspiring, transformational places

How is PLACE funded?

PLACE is a 501(c)3 publicly-supported charity, which means that donations made to the organization are tax deductible. In addition to private donations and grants from foundations and corporations, PLACE receives funding for its projects from local, state and federal governmental entities. The PLACE organization also collects fees from the development and operation of its projects, speaking engagements, and consulting efforts. You can donate to our efforts by clicking here.

What’s a good example of a PLACE project?

The Working Artists Ventura (WAV) project is a state-of-the-art community designed for artists and creative businesses. Located in the cultural district of downtown Ventura, California, WAV will offer affordable living and working space for over a hundred artists of every kind: painters, sculptors, dancers, poets, musicians, filmmakers and more.

Currently under construction and on schedule for completion and occupancy in September 2009, WAV has been developed in unique concert with the local community. Over the course of its development, PLACE and the City have held over one hundred public meetings, engaging the local community in every aspect of WAV’s design, purpose, and spirit. These meetings have resulted in a project that both meets the critical needs voiced by Ventura’s community, and gives the project the kind of wholesale support that is often lacking in many developments. Click here for more about WAV.

What’s on PLACE’s horizon?

PLACE is pleased to introduce a groundbreaking sustainable development called E-Generation™. Imagine a mixed-use, mixed-income, creative urban community designed to include a compact power facility capable of converting waste into clean, renewable energy. A safe, sanitary, nearly invisible system built into the development will process all the waste produced on site: one hundred percent of the garbage, recyclables and liquid waste, or black water. Community life creates waste, this waste creates clean renewable energy, which powers community life — a perfectly efficient cycle. Learn more about E-Generation by clicking here.

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Or if you are rich:

http://www.serenbecommunity.com/home.html

At home at Serenbe.
Let’s say you could create the perfect place to live. Blank slate. Anything you want.

You might want a place where your quality of life was extraordinarily high. Where you felt an easy sense of community. Where the principles of sustainability touched everything from your home’s methods of construction to the organic produce on your table that was grown by one of your neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, you might prefer an eclectic group, from artists to writers to farmers to business people. You might like to walk paths that take you through both forest and meadow, ride horses along tree-canopied trails, or hear music outdoors in your neighborhood amphitheatre. Maybe you’d just like a place to get away, a place where you can enjoy a simpler life. For miles around you the Chattahoochee Hill Country is protected with a master plan that calls for 80% green space.

Let’s say you’d like a place where you can stroll as well as stride. Where you can spend time being as well as doing. Then perhaps Serenbe is a place you’d be at home.

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They are in Britain:

http://www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk/

Located in rural Cheshire, Ashton Hayes is a well knit community of about 1000 people that is aiming to become England’s first carbon neutral community. We started our journey in January 2006 and since then we have already cut our carbon dioxide emissions by 23% – by working together, sharing ideas and through behavioural change. This website encapsulates our journey towards carbon neutrality and offers free advice and guidance. Please feel free to use anything from our website (we’d like a credit if you can).

Tuesday

06Oct2009

Parish Council votes to apply for Low Carbon Communities Challenge funds

They are in Australia:

 

http://masg.org.au/?p=1291

Join the national ride and walk to work and school movement

Ride and Walk to Work and School was on Wednesday the 14th

A free community breakfast was held at Victory Park.
About 60 people braved the rain and cold weather to breakfast up on tasty food.
A thanks to those who dontated goods including Goodfoods, Bakers Delight and Don KRC .
A blessing of the bicycles by Uniting Church minister Gordon Bannon took place at 8.30am.
This event was made possible by our dedicated volunteers, with a special thanks to Jacqueline Brodie-Hans and with financial support by the Mount Alexander Shire Council.

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Then there is my favorite, East Wind. I have visited this place…I have their original sandals. I have their new and inproved sandals. Now they are into Nut Butters…WOW

 http://www.eastwind.org/

 

Gardens Interview: Richard
Saturday, 20 June 2009
Hi!  I’m J, and I’ll be writing for East Wind’s website.  We’re working on putting up new content on a regular basis now that some members of the community have expressed interest in contributing material. I’m going to be doing a series of interviews and posting the transcripts, the first of which is with Richard, one of our two garden managers.
Read more…

 
Changes
Friday, 12 June 2009
There are some changes being made to this website and how we handle emails, please bear with us. Several email servers have been blocking our emails, if you have been trying to contact us from an address served by one of these, you have not been getting our responses. I have made some changes that should prevent this from happening in the future. However, this change might cause some disruption in the meantime, so if you are expecting some information from membership and have not recieved a response, please try again.

 
 

 

New Administrator

Wednesday, 03 June 2009
Hi, I am Oak and I am, as it is, taking over administrating this website. Right now I amstill learning about the system Dan set up, but I hope that I can soonadd more articles to tell you all more about our community and what we aredoing.

More…

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If you want the list of Thousands and I am not kidding then this is for you:

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/sustainable_communities.htm

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DARPA And The Military Seek Farout Energy Sources – But then farout is what DARPA does best

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(fittingly – today is Jam Band Friday and Carlos is up – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ml3NUIDpFg  )

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is a black agency in the sense that much of what it does is shrouded in some secrecy. Its a Think Tank at one level. It is a contractor at another. It is a black site in the sense that it has no budget. But heh, they got a webpage and a Facebook Page too. How Hip and Modern.

http://www.darpa.mil/

http://www.facebook.com/DARPA

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( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rRlBmJiz5k&feature=related )

 http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/09/darpa-seeks-to-tap-waters-power-potential/

Danger Room What’s Next in National Security

Darpa Seeks to Tap Water’s Power Potential

 

baltic_sea_wave_cien_water

The quest for limitless energy has preoccupied military researchers for years, and Darpa, the Pentagon’s far-out science arm, has often led the way. Now the agency is looking for yet another method to harness cheap and environmentally friendly energy that would be as simple as turning on the tap.

Well, sort of. Darpa is soliciting proposals for using seawater to create liquid fuel. Their hope is to harvest the abundance of carbon and hydrogen in ocean water, and somehow convert the molecules, via chemical reaction, into usable energy. Since fuel is mostly made up of hydrocarbons, the right interplay between water molecules and the carbon dioxide lurking among them would — in theory — yield fuel compounds.

Sounds good, right? Except Darpa’s not entirely sure what reaction needs to take place, or how to make it happen. That’s the first step for researchers: coming up with an efficient, effective catalyst, and one that won’t be affected by water pollutants, pH levels or the carbon dioxide concentrations of different water samples.

Of course, this isn’t the only out-there energy proposal the military’s got researchers working on. In July, the Air Force started investigating purple bacteria whose pigment could power flying drones. And Darpa’s already throwing money at another water-based energy source: last year, they spent $20 million dollars on converting algae into jet fuel. No word yet on how that worked out.

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( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAf3gqdCrDs&feature=related )

They even have a Wikipedia Page now. You used to have to turn over rocks and stuff to find out anything about them.

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

DARPA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Formed 1958
Headquarters Arlington, Virginia
Employees 240
Annual budget $3.2 billion
Agency executive Regina Dugan[1], Director
Website
www.darpa.mil

 

 

DARPA headquarters in the Virginia Square neighborhood of Arlington.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. DARPA has been responsible for funding the development of many technologies which have had a major effect on the world, including computer networking, as well as NLS, which was both the first hypertext system, and an important precursor to the contemporary ubiquitous graphical user interface.

Its original name was simply Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), but it was renamed DARPA (for Defense) during March 1972, then renamed ARPA again during February 1993, and then renamed DARPA again during March 1996.

DARPA was established during 1958 (as ARPA) in response to the Soviet launching of Sputnik during 1957, with the mission of keeping U.S. military technology more sophisticated than that of the nation’s potential enemies. From DARPA’s own introduction:[2]

DARPA’s original mission, established in 1958, was to prevent technological surprise like the launch of Sputnik, which signaled that the Soviets had beaten the U.S. into space. The mission statement has evolved over time. Today, DARPA’s mission is still to prevent technological surprise to the US, but also to create technological surprise for our enemies.

DARPA is independent from other more conventional military R&D and reports directly to senior Department of Defense management. DARPA has around 240 personnel (about 140 technical) directly managing a $3.2 billion budget. These figures are “on average” since DARPA focuses on short-term (two to four-year) projects run by small, purpose-built teams.

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( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yoGTVzgow8&feature=related )

Here is a little bit of the things they are working on that we know of:

http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Technology-Article.asp?ArtNum=59

Here’s a listing of the DARPA-related projects presented on the Technovelgy site:

  • Silent Talk ‘Telepathy’ For Soldiers
    ‘…allow user-to-user communication on the battlefield without the use of vocalized speech through analysis of neural signals.’
  • TASC – DARPA’s Psychohistory
    The agency is seeking whitepapers to fuel the development of a scientific approach to predicting the actions of large masses of people.
  • Guided Bullets By Exacto From DARPA
    How is it possible that a bullet could redirect its own course in mid-flight?
  • DARPA Seeks Self-Repairing Hunter-Killers?
    Tests to date have seen small aerial robots lose large chunks of themselves to hostile fire, yet carry on with their mission.
  • DARPA Gandalf Project And Philip K. Dick
    A new defense department project to locate enemies precisely, and target them, by phone.
  • EATR – DARPA’s Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot
    Project to develop a robotic platform able to perform long missions while refueling itself by foraging.
  • You Can’t Hide From DARPA
    Harnessing Infrastructure for Building Reconnaissance (HIBR).
  • Squishy SquishBot ChemBots Desired By DARPA
    ChemBots are soft, flexible robots that are able to alter their shape to squeeze through small openings and then regain their full size.
  • Fracture Putty For Compound Fractures – DARPA
    An alternative to today’s standard treatments, which often lead to further complications, and are not fully load-bearing,
  • Submersible Aircraft – DARPA’s Flying Sub?
    The minimal required airborne tactical radius of the sub-plane is 1000 nautical miles (nm).
  • MAHEM Metal Jets Like Clarke’s Stiletto Beam
    Create compressed magnetic flux generator (CMFG)-driven magneto hydrodynamically formed metal jets and self-forging penetrators (SFP).
  • Precision Urban Hopper Robot Must ‘Stick’ Landings
    Intended to give wheeled robots an additional edge; the ability to jump up onto or over obstacles up to nine meters high.
  • Katana Mono-Wing Rotorcraft Nano Air Vehicle
    The Katana Mono-Wing Rotorcraft is a coin-sized one-bladed helicopter.
  • Micro Imagers For Sensing On Nano Air Vehicles
    With the impetus toward micro-air and -ground vehicles for military applications, there is a compelling need for imaging micro-sensors compatible with these small platforms.
  • RESURRECT High-Fidelity Computer Battlefield Simulations
    Create high-fidelity computer simulations of in-theatre events for tactical, operational and strategic review
  • Aqua Sciences Water From Atmospheric Moisture
    The program focused on creating water from the atmosphere using low-energy systems.
  • Shape-Shifting Bomber In Need Of Plowsharing
    Shape-shifting supersonic bomber fans are feeling bereft this weekend.

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    for the old school

    ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnamP4-M9ko&feature=related )
    Oh and for another high tech energy firm across the pond try:

    http://www.entity-group.com/About-Us.aspx

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    The Day After Memorial Day – In all fairness to the Energy Conglomerates

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    The US Military is the largest single user of carbon based energy in the World. When you toss in the other worlds militaries, if we just cut the militaries of the world to patrolling borders global warming would backup by decades. Not only that but the Energy Companies are pushed around by the military big time. No military and the pirates take tankers…No Iraq war no Iraqui oil…No defense against China they suck all the world’s resources up like a vacuum cleaner…Do I feel sorry for the Energy Companies or the Military? No they deserve each other I just don’t think we deserve them. GO AWAY.

    http://www.energybulletin.net/node/29925

    I am not going to reprint the total article here…this guy did a lot of work on graphs and charts and things but it is interesting and he is not the only person to report on this. It is important to note that the Energy Bulletin has been adopted by the Post Carbon Institute (http://www.postcarbon.org/). Wonder when that happened?

    Published May 20 2007 by Energy Bulletin
    Archived May 21 2007

    US military energy consumption- facts and figures

    by Sohbet Karbuz

    As the saying goes, facts are many but the truth is one. The truth is that the U.S. military is the single largest consumer of energy in the world. But as a wise man once said, don’t confuse facts with reality. The reality is that even U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) does not know precisely where and how much energy it consumes. This is my Fact Zero.

    Below I give some facts and figures on U.S. military oil consumption based mostly on official statistics.[1] If you want to reproduce them make sure you read every footnote even if you need to put on your glasses. Also read the footnotes in this article.

    FACT 1: The DoD’s total primary energy consumption in Fiscal Year 2006 was 1100 trillion Btu. It corresponds to only 1% of total energy consumption in USA. For those of you who think that this is not much then read the next sentence.

    Nigeria, with a population of more than 140 million, consumes as much energy as the U.S. military.

    The DoD per capita[2] energy consumption (524 trillion Btu) is 10 times more than per capita energy consumption in China, or 30 times more than that of Africa.

    Total final energy consumption (called site delivered energy by DoD) of the DoD was 844 trillion Btu in FY2006FACT 2: Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) sold $13 billion of energy to DoD services in FY2006. More than half of it was to Air Force.

    FACT 3: Oil accounts for more than three-fourths of DoD’s total site delivered energy consumption. Oil is followed by electricity (slightly more than 10%) and natural gas (nearly 10%). In terms of fuel types, jet fuel (JP-8)[3] accounts for more than 50% of total DoD energy consumption, and nearly 60% of its mobility[4] fuel.

    FACT 4: Nearly three quarters of DoD site delivered energy is consumed by vehicles (or for mobility if you like). Only one quarter is consumed in buildings and facilities.[5]FACT 5: DoD consumed 97 million gasoline gallon equivalent in its non-tactical vehicles and for that it spent 238 million dollars.

    FACT 6: In 2006, its oil consumption was down to 117 million barrels (or 320 thousand barrels per day),[10] despite increasing activity in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    FACT 7: In 2006, for example, DESC reports in its Factbook that it sold 131 million barrels of oil (or 358 kbd) to DoD but DoD Federal Energy Management Report states that DoD consumed 117 million barrels (or 320 kbd).[12]

    FACT 8: According to 2007 CIA World Fact Book there are only 35 countries in the world consuming more oil than DoD.

    FACT 9: There exist no official estimates. Let me know if you see or hear one. According to my most pessimist estimates it is about 150 thousand barrels per day FACT 10: Whatever the true figure oil consumed by the U.S. military does not show up in world oil demand. See for more explanation under item #425 in October 2004 issue of ASPO Newsletter.

    :}

    For more of this incredibly insightful and well written article please go to the above website and see it..Even the Military is aware that it is seen as a BIG FAT energy PIG, but it is also aware that NO OIL = NO WAR

    http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/addressing-the-militarys-energy-efficiency/

    Addressing the Military’s Energy Inefficiency

    By John Lorinc

     

    Report

    The folks who gave the world the Hummer, the poster child of fuel inefficiency, want to spawn a new generation of eco-friendly military equipment with cross-over potential in the “civilian sector,” say a group of retired American military officers who released a sharply worded report on Monday calling on the Department of Defense to reduce its “carbon bootprint.”

    “The American military gave you the Humvee, and now we’re taking it back,” said retired Adm. John Nathman, the former vice chief of naval operations and an adviser to President Obama, in a conference call on Monday. “You’re going to see some fairly dramatic movement by the Department of Defense in terms of public visibility.”

    The report, “Powering America’s Defense,” was published by CNA Analysis and Solutions, a research group based in Alexandria, Va., that issued a previous study on defense and energy security in 2007.

    In the new study’s preface, 12 retired military officers lay out the case for weaning the military — and the country — off oil:

    Many of our overseas deployments were de?ned, in part, by the strategic decision to ensure the free ?ow of oil, to the U.S. and to our allies. Many of the troops we commanded were aided by air cover from high-thrust delivery systems that only an energy-intense society can provide. Many of these same troops were often burdened and imperiled by battle?eld systems that were energy-inef?cient. Some of the attacks on our troops and on American civilians have been supported by funds from the sale of oil. Our nation’s energy choices have saved lives; they have also cost lives.

    As we consider America’s current energy posture, we do so from a singular perspective: We gauge our energy choices solely by their impact on America’s national security. Our dependence on foreign oil reduces our international leverage, places our troops in dangerous global regions, funds nations and individuals who wish us harm, and weakens our economy; our dependency and inef?cient use of oil also puts our troops at risk.

    Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking minority member chairman Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, told The Associated Press that he strongly agreed “with the stark conclusions” of the report, whose authors point out that fluctuating oil prices, dependence on foreign resources and an ailing electricity grid imperil national security both at home and abroad.

    “Climate change is a threat multiplier,” said Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn, a retired officer and former commander of the Third Fleet.

    Defense officials have previously described the American military as likely the world’s largest consumer of petroleum products, with an annual outlay in excess of $13 billion.

    Each $1 per barrel increase in oil prices translates into $130 million of extra cost.

    Calls for the military to address its environmental performance are not new. But in the past year or so, energy efficiency seems have become more of a priority, from a new solar wall installation at Fort Drum to the purchase of a large electric vehicle fleet for military bases.

    :}

    After all is said and done, are we safer with all this energy consumption? I think not:

    http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/05/19-9

    Published on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 by Agence France Presse

    US Energy Use a National Security Threat: Study

    WASHINGTON – US dependence on fossil fuels and a vulnerable electric grid pose a perilous threat to the country’s national security, retired military officers warned Monday in a report.

    The threat requires urgent action and the Defense Department should lead the way in transforming America’s energy use by aggressively pursuing efficiency measures and renewable sources, said the report by CNA, a nonprofit research group.

    “Our dependence on foreign oil reduces our international leverage, places our troops in dangerous global regions, funds nations and individuals who wish us harm, and weakens our economy,” it said.

    “The market for fossil fuels will be shaped by finite supplies and increasing demand. Continuing our heavy reliance on these fuels is a security risk,” said the report titled “Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security.”

    The authors, top ranked retired officers from the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, also point to the strained domestic electricity network as a possible hazard for US military bases.

    “Our domestic electrical system is also a current and significant risk to our national security: many of our large military installations rely on power from a fragile electrical grid that is vulnerable to malicious attacks or interruptions caused by natural disasters,” it said.

    :}

    Presidential Energy Policy – What if Community Energy Systems was running for President?

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    What would our collective Presidential Energy Policy look like? :

    1. Ban the sale of Gasoline and Diesel as of January 2015, except 1 gallon containers and Heavy Transport Trucks.

    2. Ban Diesel and Gasoline sales to Heavey Transport Trucks by 2018.

    This would allow everyone to keep mowing their grass and having their backyard barbeques while the USA shifts its transportation capacity to cleaner safer fuels.

    3. Ban the Burning of coal in Electrical Generating Stations in 2020.

    That would require switching all those plants to another fuel source, probably natural gas.

    4. Fund 3 Hot Rocks Power Stations. One in California to replace Diablo Nuclear Power Plant, One to replace Clinton Nuclear Power Plant in Illinois and one to replace Savannah Nuclear Power Plant in Georgia. This would begin the proceess of Converting our economy to geothermal energy on existing sites where Nukes should not be in the first place.

    This would proceed for all Nuclear Power Plants in the nation.

     5. Create and support manditory energy conservation programs in both the residential market and the commercial market to reduce their consumption by 50%.

    Lets insulate and modernize our world.

    6. Order all Landfill operaters and Waste Haulers to begin the mining of all landfills and dumps for metals, glass, plastics and and paper products. Compost the rest.

    7. Mandate that all materials be recycled with the goal of a steady state materials economy in the USA by 2020

    8. Using tax incentives to increase the Market share of solar, geothermal and wind generation by 25% per year until the USA is largely energy self sufficient.

    9. Create a maglev train system in the USA

    10. Create a light rail system in the top 50 major markets.

    11. Ban the sale of diesel fuel to the railroads in 2025.

    12. Open the Yucca Mountain repository by Executive Order if necessary and order all spent nuclear materials to be stored there.

    To pay for this I would cut the military budgets of the following services: reduce the Navy to 2 active Fleets, one on the West Coast, one on the East Coast; reduce the Army to 4 batallions; reduce the Airforce to 4 Airwings; leave the Marines alone.

    To pay for these policies I would slash the Pentagon staff in half, and the “spying budget” by 1/3.

    To pay for these policies I would close the Federal Office of Education. Then I would start in on some of the stupid Federal Budget items that we as tax payers fund, like closing the National Helium Repository in Texas. We sure won’t need the Strategic Petroleum Resevre.

    This program would create million of new good paying jobs. Put this country back to work and not flipping burgers at McDonalds.