Green Career Trends: Using CO2 in Geothermal Energy, Using Electricity in Making Algae Biodiesel, Using Software to Accurately Measure Power Consumption

Greenfire Energy (based in Salt Lake City, UT) has a new take on geothermal energy.  Instead of pumping water into rock fissures to be heated and using the resulting steam to spin a turbine, they use carbon dioxide, (CO2).   CO2 from coal fired plants could be used in this process, creating co-generation stations with transmission lines already in place.  Geology majors interested in green careers should know that in the U.S. geothermal power generation is a $3 billion industry making it the same size as the current solar market. Geothermal is a round-the-clock operation that can be used by utilities for baseload power.  25% of the energy used in Iceland comes from geothermal.

Organic Fuels (based in Houston, TX) is using electricity to break down algae cell walls to release the oil inside.  Would using electricity be cheaper than other methods of extraction?  Organic Fuels estimates they can produce biodiesel for $1.50 a gallon.  

While Google and Microsoft have developed software programs to give homeowners the ability to manage their power consumption, ScientificConservation Inc. (SCI) has created a program for institutional and commercial buildings to allow owners and users to measure their power usage.  Using fuzzy logic and artificial intelligence neural network technologies, SCI  is able to accurately measure a buildings energy use under a wide variety of operating conditions.  This information can be used to increase the energy efficiency of the building.  (SCI, based in Berkeley, CA, is accepting resumes here.)

Comments

[Geothermal Energy]

People around the world use geothermal energy to produce electricity and to heat their homes. This software will be very useful.