Future of Energy (June 2013 PopSci Articles)
1) Oil & Gas - Hydraulic Fracturing - EIA forecasts that from 2011 to the next 30 yrs, shale oil production will rise 44%.
- Closed Cycle: fine-tune series of membranes to remove the contaminants from the water flowbacks
- Hydrocarbon fix: use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) instead of water. LPG is a hydrocarbon gel that would dissolve into target oil/ gas but doesn't return with contaminants
- Methane recapture -- Bakken shale flared/ vented cubic feet of natural gas they couldn't use of store (to heat 2% household for a year)
2) Wind
- Bigger blades: bigger rotors can generate more electricity, esp. from low winds
- Man-made thunderstorm: Solar Wind Energy's downdraft tower
