Let me be the first to admit that I don’t know much about hydrogen. It’s the most abundant element in the universe and yet elusive here on earth. There seems to be a conflict of logic here, but remember that it is the lightest element. It is so light weight that on earth it rises above other useful gases like oxygen and escapes into space. Fortunately finding hydrogen is not the problem; usually scientists rip it out of other materials like water. There are several commercial methods to achieve this, but most are energy-intensive or expensive. Hydrogen likes to bond to other elements so convincing it to “come away quietly” is difficult. Enter Nanoptek’s new solar hydrogen generator.

Using solar or other renewable energies to produce hydrogen is not a new idea, but making it work has been difficult. With solar energy the trick has been to create stable electrodes that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The problem? Creating an electrode stable enough to do the job has presented a formidable hurtle. Nanoptek has apparently cleared the jump. Michael Kanellos from CNet News explains it well:

Other companies have tried to use titania electrodes for this job in the past, but they broke down relatively rapidly, according to Nanoptek. The company’s electrodes work better because, ironically, they are more brittle. The crystal lattice in the electrode is stressed, i.e. additional materials are added. (Semiconductor makers similarly stress their chips with germanium to create strained silicon, which improves performance.)

This technology is still in experimental stages, but Nanoptek is nevertheless collecting investments and research funding to bring it off the drawing table. The company website suggests several potential markets for their future product. Their stand-alone system could provide clean energy and water for developing communities, home fuel production for hydrogen cars, back-up power for hospitals, businesses, or cell towers, and of course support for manufacturers or the larger energy grid.

Of course this is no utopian vision of clean energy for all. The solar system requires square footage to generate enough energy to produce the hydrogen. The company claims a “rooftop area of about 50 ft by 50 ft would supply enough hydrogen for the driving needs of an average family of 4.” That’s not a terribly small amount of space if you live in say, and apartment building or a small home. There is also the issue of cost, which the company does not seem ready to approach yet. The environmentalist in me would also want to know about the production process and weigh the benefits.

This is still a step in the right direction. Who knows? A few decades from now we could all enjoy clean hydrogen cars or power our air conditioners and appliances with hydrogen. We could generate our own drinking water or even recycle our gray water back into the system. Image a day when releasing water vapor via car emissions starts to effect the environment? Well, maybe not. But this technology certainly opens some important doors towards a much-anticipated green technology.

(for more info visit CNet news and Nanoptek.com)

(image courtesy of Nanoptek.com)

I’ve heard a lot about a green economy’s potential and the boost it could promise for the job market. Living on Earth and others have reported on the topic recently. It’s big news if the promises come through: blue collar jobs for millions of Americans, upward social mobility, and an international industry for the U.S.A. to dominate. Let’s not forget the icing on the cake, the wide-spread benefits for society and the environment. It sounds like a win-win situation if it takes off. Google just invested millions into solar and wind and hopes to help make renewables cheaper than coal. Things are already looking up, right?

If you cruise the various “Green Job Boards” (see a list below) you may be inclined to agree. The boards are littered with jobs in every field around the country. California, Washington DC and New York City are hot spots for these positions.The national job boards often do not include local listings. The local job market cannot be underestimated, as an area like the Baltimore/DC metro corridor encompasses millions of businesses and local job seekers. Even my native Chattanooga, TN boasts a cut of the green economy. The city is proud of its electric bus fleet and Riverpark and they help boost the local economy.

This past August I felt elated as I sat down to career search in the green economy. As a college grad with a double-major from a prestigious liberal arts college and a year of international working experience, I thought it wouldn’t take long (a month or two) before I landed a “green” job. The afore-mentioned reports gave me that hope we idealistic youth grow out of as reality sets in, but it has been four months with two interviews. Reality is come. There will always be some positions available, but I’m referring to a boom in growth. I’d like to pose this question to the blog sphere. Has the recent economic downturn sapped the surge? Do we need government subsidies or will new advances provide all the impetus we need?

 Job search sites with the environment in mind: 

http://www.greenbiz.com/jobs/ 

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/

http://www.greenjobs.com/Public/Index.aspx 

http://www.ecoemploy.com/

http://www.simplyhired.com/a/special-searches/eco-friendly

http://www.environmentalcareer.info/jobseekers/search.asp 

(image courtesy of  celsias.com)