| Menu |
|
| Upcoming Events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| Sponsors |
|
|
|
Cover Story: Pacific Tea: Turning Algae into Green CrudeAlgae, the most ubiquitous renewable substance on Earth is considered a nuisance by most people. Yet, it may be our salvation for rising gas prices. Algae can grow anywhere, in brackish back-waters to vast oceans. The salinity of its environment also does not hinder its proliferation. Where other creatures find ocean life inhospitable, algae thrives. Algae grows in the desert as well as it grows at the North Pole. Algae also have the benefit of lowering the emission levels of CO2. Chlorella algae have been used experimentally in Japan to cut emissions from power stations. It uses the algae’s fixation of CO2 during the photosynthesis cycle. In other words, just passively growing algae can garner CO2 tax credits that can, in turn, be sold to power stations to offset their own CO2 emissions. Thus, algae is considered a carbon neutral source of fuel because of its CO2 fixation abilities. Algae are the scavengers of the vast mires of non-potable water. Algae efficiently extract nutrients from waste water while yielding biomass ten times the rate of land plants that use up limited fresh water supplies. One acre of corn yields only 20 gallons of fuel a year. An acre of algae can yield 3,000 to 15,000 gallons of fuel. Presently, there are scores of companies racing to find the algae best suited for bio-fuel production. While some algae can produce up to 50% of its weight in oil, production and refining costs are prohibitive. The Defense Department estimates that the cost of converting algae into a gallon of gasoline is twenty dollars. Costs must decrease to around two dollars a gallon to be economically viable. The interest of algae-based fuel has spawned a mini-oil rush as academics and private companies compete to unlock the secrets of low-cost algae fuel production. The Scripps Research Institute and the University of San Diego collaborated to start Sapphire Energy Company. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, (DARP) is working with Honeywell and the University of North Dakota to make jet fuels from algae. Roger Ruan's lab at the University of Minnesota is also active in the hunt. Ruan has called algae a near- perfect feedstock. It can be grown anywhere. Algae can utilize sewage and take out pollutants such as phosphorous and it has a high density of oils that can be converted into diesel and its cellulosic waste products into biocrude. Today’s corn-based ethanol has its share of critics. Ethanol is a low octane fuel. Ethanol is also slightly acidic and engines have to be modified to accommodate its corrosive actions. Utilizing corn for biofuel has also exacted unintended consequences. Corn-based products are utilized anywhere from bread to the sweetener dextrose. Because of this, ethanol has been implicated in the rapid rise of the United State ’s core inflation since there is less availability of corn for food derivatives as demand for corn-based fuel has increased. The United States has transformed itself from a country that once produced so much corn, and so efficiently, it had to give subsidies to farmers to support corn’s selling price. The U.S. Government, utilizing foreign food aid programs, couldn’t give corn away fast enough. Last summer, demand for corn was so high, record prices on the Chicago Mercantile exchange caused food riots in the far reaches of the globe. The once-scorned nuisance named algae may be America ’s salvation for both its food inflation and energy woes. © 2009 Steven Turner. All rights reserved. |
Cover Story: StaffKit An e-Learning Company StaffKit Inc. www.staffkit.com StaffKit currently offers online support 24 a day, 7 days a week, along with over 5,000 hours of online courseware. Courses are available on a variety of topics from Business Management and Crystal Reports to Sexual Harassment, QuickBooks and Visio. StaffKit also offers training on a wide variety of industry recognized certifications including A+, CISSP, MCSE, Cisco, MOS, and PMP to name just a few. StaffKit has grown into a worldwide provider of online e-learning, establishing a customer base in 42 countries during its first 4 years in business. |
Cover Story: Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards to Honor Seven from Technology, EngineerThe Academy of Science of St. Louis has announced the awardees of the 11th annual Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards, to be presented Wednesday, April 13, 2005. The dinner will be held at the Sheraton City Center, downtown St. Louis. Additional information on the awardees and tickets to the event are available at www.academyofsciencestl.org. |
Cover Story: New Technology Training Company Based Old-Fashioned PrinciplesPremier Knowledge Solutions Focuses on Relationships and Quality Training When Richard Losciale and Bill Biermann began working for a computer training franchise over 8 years ago, little did they know that they'd one day be starting a training company of their own. |
Cover Story: CAIT, St. Louis' Premier IT Training Center, Steps-Up to Meet New Challenges
In the field of information technology, there are two things you know must be true of any local organization that has been around for 28 years. First, it must excel in keeping-up with dramatic shifts in marketplace demand. And second, it must be providing a service that is so valued by the community that would-be national competitors have had difficulty gaining a foothold. Such is the case with the IT Training and Professional Development program at Washington University's Center for the Application of Information Technology (CAIT). |
Cover Story: Life Sciences Programs Thrive at St. Louis Community CollegeLife Sciences programs and courses abound on the Florissant Valley, Forest Park and Meramec campuses of St. Louis Community College. Biotechnology, Chemical Technology, Environmental Technology, Allied Health, Horticulture and Plant Science, Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering Technology are examples of paths students can take toward rewarding careers within the St. Louis region's "BioBelt". Articulation between public high schools within the St. Louis city and county and with four-year institutions makes transition from each level seamless for students. |
Cover Story: The Super Computer Sale Has Something For Everyone!The Super Computer Sale is the nations oldest, largest traveling computer technology showcase and sale. From used desktop and laptop systems starting at only $99.00 to the latest in new custom built systems satisfying the demands of multi-media applications and serious gamers the Super Computer Sale has something to fit every need. |
Cover Story: Is there a place for technology in Advertising and Marketing?Five years ago it seemed as though every company established an online presence with a brochure-ware web site and expected to achieve a marketing windfall in sales and business growth. A year later, the proverbial "Internet Bubble" burst and business managers everywhere quickly jumped off the Internet bandwagon, corralling the troops back to traditional tried and true marketing and sales tactics. What most did not understand or identify at that time is that the use of technology to effectively market and communicate with customers was just in the infancy stage. |
Cover Story: Is there a place for technology in Advertising and Marketing?Five years ago it seemed as though every company established an online presence with a brochure-ware web site and expected to achieve a marketing windfall in sales and business growth. A year later, the proverbial "Internet Bubble" burst and business managers everywhere quickly jumped off the Internet bandwagon, corralling the troops back to traditional tried and true marketing and sales tactics. What most did not understand or identify at that time is that the use of technology to effectively market and communicate with customers was just in the infancy stage. |
Cover Story: Taking Care of Business Online Banking and Online Bill PayingThe Business Bank of St. Louis The quest for convenience and flexibility often comes with a caveat these days, in terms of increased cost or reduced personal service. This is not the case at The Business Bank of St. Louis, where on-line services are available to personal account clients at no cost, and without the loss of the regular personal full service, that all account holders receive. |
| Job News |
|
 |
