Comments on: ARPA-E backs 66 projects: energy beets, fabric wind blades, dust devils

By: Gene

Gene — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:40:33 +0000

Here we go again!

Providing Funds , of a Food source, “Beets for Energy” is totally insane .
How about feeding the world first.
It was CORN before now its BEETS. Can’t we think?

Gene in Wheaton,ILL

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 12:18:42 +0000

I have been reading the 66 projects and I’m proud to say that the United States will become energy independent within the next ten years. We have developed a
new portable energy device that can produce massive amounts of power from 5MW to as high as 1GW from one ton of fuel. Our technology is designed and already proven to operate at the desired thermodynamics for the production of raw grid ready power. Coal and Nuclear power cannot compete at 3.5. cents to 4.0 cents a KW and that is just what our system can deliver at those prices. Our development team is a group of professors and scientists working here in the United States. The goal with our development team is to announce the press release dates to each new step forward on the thermal reactor development from the lab to field applications. Its has not been easy to stay silent on such energy technology developments as we have and that will now change over the few years. Our Thermal Reactor is a true Green Reactor that will change the way raw power is supplied to the power grid and local community uses be it State or Federal power needs. We have the solutions to the energy needs for this country and now it will be can the industry handle the technology that will be the means test for us professor’s and scientists. With the grace of God this new reactor will come online very soon for we will have governmental issues that we must address first and away we go. The release date of the two thermal reactors will be fall 2014. I will do my best to keep the public up to date on the reactors.

By: Wilmot McCutchen

Wilmot McCutchen — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 21:03:25 +0000

There should be a way for such considerations to be discussed with input from the public before ARPA-E commits money to unscalable projects. DOE needs a database of technology assessment too, as the GAO insists. Re the dust devil, how about the Atmospheric Vortex Engine of Louis Michaud? http://www.powermag.com/issues/features/Harnessing-Energy-from-Upward-Heat-Convection_2511.html

By: Wilmot McCutchen

Wilmot McCutchen — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 19:08:55 +0000

The 20% cost sharing requirement rules out startups, so GE and well-funded giants get so many ARPA-E grants, for timid, incremental improvements. Other than the super wires and dust devils, where are the disruptive projects in this list? Even if they succeed, they won’t matter much. Why does GE need to be subsidized (with money intended for disruptive technology) to work on tweaks? This is like a teenage trick-or-treater vacuuming up the candy. Another barrier to entry is ARPA-E’s extremely short application deadlines (3 days), which disadvantages startups and would advantage those who might gain advance notice.

By: NICHOLAS GARIP

NICHOLAS GARIP — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:14:38 +0000

Apparently, the publication of an article on 2013 prospectives in Ethanol Producer Magazine was right on the money, refering to the much greater need for biomass to have a greater recognition in value. The mere fact that higher corn prices will drive innovation, may ultimately take its toll as ethanol producers realize that the raw input costs for biomass are actually lower. My project, although ignored in this instance, has caught the attention of some at the DOE. There’s more work that needs to be done, but without funding it would be like an Ant pushing an Elephant.

By: cyrous gheyri

cyrous gheyri — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 07:10:26 +0000

If one of the ways to replace fossil fuel is electric vehicle , we really need to anticipate a gradual more use of electric power and thus the grid. On 2011 days before clean energy in Austin Texas ,the Texas grid failed after couple of hot days. In California the marginal grid had power company to encourage home owner to use some appliances during night time. This requires us to upgrade our grids and ways to efficiency and creation of new ways in energy creation. About half of energy consumption goes for heating and cooling a house. There are ways to reduce this energy consumption . Please visit http://www.cgitechnology.net
I have posed a question to some people in ARPA E organization . Are rats more green than human. The rats live in crawl space during hot summer time and live in attic space during winter time. This fact made me to come up with the thermal conducting time delay concept ( changing days temperature to nights and vice versa).

By: william davis

william davis — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 01:43:35 +0000

How do we get the DOT/DOE and dept. of HIGHWAYS to acknowledge our attempt to open a conversation about a new concept to save our current system of driving on streets and highways while improving our entire system of National transportation.with a minimum of cost and disruption. BIMODAL GLIDEWAYS, is a proposed concept for a pattern of a practical solution for all current transportation problems. If the DOT and all entrepreneurs would seriously consider BMG potential they will be suprised at the enormous benefits to the entire US, economically, physically, internationally, while saving our current system and improving all other forms of transportation, ie: air, truck, bus, auto., rails, shipping, etc. Please see our net pages. “bimodalglideway.com” . Thanks, Bill Davis

By: william davis

william davis — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 01:05:56 +0000

By: Pyrroho

Pyrroho — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:45:12 +0000

One would think arpa-e would bother to run some type of baseline analysis on potential effect of what they invest in. Small mirrors? Really? Hmmm…solar power density is still crap whether you use Pv bIg mirrors or small mirrors. The dust devil totally unproven, already been tried multiple timesand failed, and by the inventors own words will not significant increase per m^2 output.

Arpa-e is no DARPA. Frigging joke.

By: JoAnn

JoAnn — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:06:05 +0000

That is pure “green painted” energy, it does not solve the US energy needs, but keeps some connected companies happy, and ready to return the favor…they are simply wasting the money.