Discovered early in the twentieth century, argon was one of the first rare gases to find commercial application. Making up slightly less than one percent of air, argon is best known for the properties it lacks—color, odor, and taste—and for...
The world needs energy—and it will need a lot more of it as we move forward. This presents us with a daunting challenge. Economic development over the coming decades will most likely hinge on the ways we source and...
As the world moves toward a cleaner planet, mandates for the use of environmentally friendly chemicals and technologies have created shifts in gas demand in some markets and ushered in new and/or expanded market opportunities for industrial and specialty gases and...
To most, the key technology revolution is an electronic one, where advances like the internet, wireless communications, and the resulting instantaneous access to information are altering the way we work and live. The proverbial “Dick Tracy Watch” with its built in...
According to a recent report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (“What’s Next for Alternative Energy,” www.bcg.com), “several alternative-energy technologies are approaching inflection points in their development, and the day when they could have a profound impact on the global energy landscape could...
Man has harnessed the power of the wind for thousands of years to advance industrial and social development, from the windmills used in the 7th century for irrigation pumping and grain milling, to the early wind turbines developed in the UK...
With the advent of summer, our thoughts turn to pleasant weather, some time off, and an idyllic place to enjoy that free time — like a trip to a farm. Today, there is more going on alongside the cows, corn,...
The MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) (mit.edu/mitei/) sponsors a series of colloquia to showcase areas of critical energy research and analysis in hopes of mitigating foreseeable upcoming energy challenges. On May 4, 2010, MITEI featured a seminar by Bruce E. Dale, PhD,...
With the installation of solar systems growing at between 30–40 percent per year, photovoltaics is the world’s fastest-growing power generation technology. By the end of 2008 more than 15GW of new solar power was installed worldwide, with around 7GW added in...
Fossil fuels — petroleum, coal, and natural gas — represent mainstream energy sources: alternative fuels include everything else — from biomass to nuclear. Most of the energy consumed in the US, about 84 percent, comes from fossil...
