Eco Factor: Low emission gas hydrates to heat homes and perhaps generate electricity too.
Solar and wind energy are the two most researched sources of energy, which researchers expect can take the burden of our energy-dependent world once conventional fossil fuels are extinct. Though completely green, both these sources are dependent on the climatic conditions of a place and hence are not as trustworthy as fossil fuels. With global warming already showing its effects, scientists, researchers and designers are trying to develop and perhaps figure out cleaner materials that can be used to generate energy.
U.S. government researchers have figured out one such source hidden deep underground, which can possibly be used to generate vast amounts of energy. Known as gas hydrates or “ice that burns,” the material could be mined just like gas and the reserves are enough to heat 100 million homes for a decade. Though not a complexly renewable resource, the gas hydrates can give researchers enough time to realize systems that can provide cheap and green energy for all.
The gas hydrates are also cleaner than fossil fuels and leave a comparatively smaller carbon footprint. They are formed when a methane gas from decomposing organic material comes in contact with water at a low temperature and high pressure.
The Dark Side:
The fuel needs to be processed to make it efficient enough to be used as fuel. Moreover, the gas hydrates are neither renewable nor a completely green source of energy.
Via: DailyMail
