Current Research
Presentation To Brookline Conservation Commission
Download the Viewgraphs for the October 9, 2007 presentation to the Brookline Conservation Commission at Town Hall. Thank you BCC for letting us come and present new ideas for Brookline, and answering our questions.
Resources
http://www.geoexchange.org/index.htm - Geoexchange has information about geothermal energy.
Summer Photo Gallery
We studied solar, wind, and hydrogen fuel cells this summer. We created a model concept house that has alternative energy features - some are passive, and some use innovate equipment in special 'energy' rooms of the house. The car in the garage does not run on gasoline.
Click to play movies:
In footsteps of Edison - we're making a lightbulb.
We used solar cells for electrolysis. Hydrogen is separated from oxygen in water into different holding tanks. The hydrogen is used by the hydrogen fuel cell. The solar cell can't produce hydrogen as quickly as it is consumed. We are looking into other ways to make hydrogen 'on the fly'. We might use the water from the hydrogen fuel cell to create electricity. Lord Kelvin showed a way to make electricity from water and gravity. We might find additional electricity from piezoelectric materials embedded in the car.
What are the optimal blade sizes? What is the optimal placement of turbines in a wind farm?
Can compressed air be used to store energy that be released to create electricity when needed?
Bamboo is a renewable resource. It grows faster than trees. Can we make composite building materials out of bamboo? Can the thermal and electrical properties of bamboo be used to make passive energy heating and cooling systems in a house? With nanotechnology can these new building materials be stronger enabling heavier equipment to be installed? Providing safety against weather and earthquakes? Last longer? Be self-cleaning thus reducing the energy use and environmental impact of cleaning agents.