The Honolulu Star-Advertiser had two articles today, one on "Oil Oil Everywhere" and a second on "Microalgae." I have spent most of my professional life on finding a substitute for oil, beginning in the Seventies on growing microalgae in raceways, and recently wrote a Huffington Post article introducing the background of this potential.
In 1979 I drafted the first hydrogen bill (An Act to Establish the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Program Act of 1990)
introduced in the U.S. Senate. Some of this early work was published from a conference sponsored by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. Through all these years I have come to a personal conclusion that methanol from biomass was the most sensible bridge to an ultimate hydrogen economy. But this would only be for ground transport.
introduced in the U.S. Senate. Some of this early work was published from a conference sponsored by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. Through all these years I have come to a personal conclusion that methanol from biomass was the most sensible bridge to an ultimate hydrogen economy. But this would only be for ground transport.I thus posted "The Future of Sustainable Aviation." Hawaii, in particular, is in a critical period when there is no replacement for jet fuel, and skyrocketing oil prices will send our economy into a local depression, for a long period of time. The idiocy of this all is that, aside for tentative steps being initiated by that "microalgae" article above, we are not doing anything of relevance to truly overcome this unfolding cataclysm. We need a quantum leap of imagination to do something, as suggested in my article on "The Sustainable Expo for 2020."
Hawaii is so infinitesimal a site that the best we can do is to catalyze action. Good for us that we are proceeding on taking a lead role for biofuels, as extravagant claims for algae fuel show production ten times higher than corn and 100 times that of soybeans. There are huge cost unknowns, and much yet needs to be researched, but we are finally getting started. The problem is that the dual hammer of Peak Oil and Global Warming is right around the corner, and we have yet to do anything about next generation aircraft. At least Rinaldo Brutoco of the World Business Academy has his Hawaiian Hydrogen Clipper being developed.
While the story of sustainable fuels is unfolding, my book on SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Planet Earth provides the background.
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There is a minor disturbance north of South American heading for the Caribbean.
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