The article claims that Oregon State University has created
a more efficient and effective way to produce electricity from microbial culture
then current methods implemented in waste water treatment plants. The
University released a press statement that they have produced a microbial fuel
that can generate 10 to 50 times more electricity, per volume than most current
microbial fuel cells. This break thru would allow waste water treatment plants
to fuel themselves and sell the excess fuel in the public market. The article
makes the argument that once this new technology is implemented in waste water
treatment plants all over the world the results would produce a significant amount
of energy while effectively cleaning waste water.
The article makes a really good point to back up their
argument. Experts have estimated that 3 percent of the electricity consumed in
the United States and developing countries is used in water treatment plants,
and this fuel is produced by burning fossil fuels that are destroying our
planet and contributing to global warming. If this new treatment process was implemented
and the biodegradable characteristics of waste water were fully tapped into it
could produce much more energy that is being currently used with no additional
greenhouse gasses. This is a very strong point because the world is facing an ecological
crisis.
What really makes this argument is the fact that they
provide tested scientific evidence and educated minds have reasonably
speculated on the outcomes. I had never know that waste water treatment plants create
energy and this article showed me that with a few tweaks waste water treatment
could be beneficial to many different parts of life not only clean water. With
world energy prices skyrocketing a new technology like this makes the future
look a lot brighter.
http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2012/aug/major-advance-made-generating-electricity-wastewater
I found this entry to be very interesting. Not only does it deal with microbes but it also deals with some efficient solutions to everyday problems, such as the usage of energy. If we can find a better way to generate energy that does not involve destroying precious material and resources that are essential to life on earth it is greatly welcomed. This information was pretty cool to hear for myself and I'm sure for others as well. This however brings up the question of: can we start making small energy plants in the future with the help of these microbial cultures? That is something I would really like to see happen. Also, how much fossil fuel and un-renewable energies are we actually saving to make this happen? It would be quite interesting to find out just how much we are helping out our mother earth if we begin to switch to this method of providing us energy.
ReplyDeleteWow extremely interesting, if we were to think of the amount of energy in a single cell, for say the glycolosis, producing millions of ATP and energy to repair and heal our cells, what if we could harness that energy. This is what the article justified, harnessing the energy of cells and other organisms, how it could save so much money. Energy is extremely expensive, as more people are being born more and more energy is being required. This article is exciting, could we be on the brink of a new evolutionary development?
ReplyDeleteNice development of your arguments! Our waste water treatment plant in the South Valley generates 60% of its energy needs from microbial processes at the plant.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting, I had no idea how much energy waste water treatment plants used and that we could make energy from microbes. We can save the world and make alternative energy at the same time. That is really cool that this new Microbial fuel can generate 10-50 time more energy then the average fuel cell. Like you said, "a waste water treatment plant can fuel themselves and sell the excess fuel in the public market." This green energy could be beneficial because it would power hundreds if not thousands of homes with the energy from microbes that don't harm the environment and could cost less money. Perhaps this can be a step to saving the world from so much contamination.
ReplyDeleteA couple of questions could be asked; Will microbial energy be reliable and consistent, if not is it even worth trying to switch? Is this alternative energy better or less expensive then wind or solar?