Fluorescent Efficiency

Posts Tagged ‘alternative energy’

Australia is currently having a very lively debate surrounding the implementation of a carbon tax as a solution to the climate change dilemma. While skepticism about global warming has been growing in some sections of the world’s population, the Australian government has nevertheless pushed forward with plans to put a firm price on carbon by July 2012.

This is actually one of the first wide-ranging carbon pricing schemes being implemented, and will have some major economic ramifications for Australia. At a starting price of $23 per tonne of carbon, many businesses are being asked to get ready to pay many billions of dollars in tax.

Economic Reinvestment

The clever thing about the implementation is the way this tax is being redistributed. More than 50% of the tax takings actually goes back to the public to compensate for the inevitable price increases that will come with a carbon price. The rest goes to subsidize companies that will be worst hit by the carbon price – so-called trade exposed industries involved in things like mining and smelting.

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Palm Tree

Palm oil is currently the most commonly produced vegetable oil in the world. For many rural poor countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, income received from the production of palm oil is the sole source of income.

Palm oil is extremely versatile. While it is extremely high in saturated fats, it is almost solid at room temperature. However when heated, palm oil turns into a liquid. It is used for a variety of purposes, from producing margarine, to a source of alternative energy.

Palm Oil As Biodeisel

Palm oil is used as a fuel in biodiesel internal combustion engines. It is being researched as an alternative to crude oil for its benefits in reducing greenhouse gases and depleting the ozone layer. It is also a renewable source of energy, which means we can always get more; whereas energy sources such as crude oil are finite in their resources.

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Natural Gas

Millions of years ago, the remains of plants and animals decayed and built up in thick layers. This decayed matter from plants and animals is called organic material — it was once alive. Over time, the mud and soil changed to rock, covered the organic material and trapped it beneath the rock.

Pressure and heat changed some of this organic material into coal, some into oil (petroleum), and some into natural gas — tiny bubbles of odorless gas. The main ingredient in natural gas is methane, a gas (or compound) composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.

In some places, gas escapes from small gaps in the rocks into the air; then, if there is enough activation energy from lightning or a fire, it burns. When people first saw the flames, they experimented with them and learned they could use them for heat and light.

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