A snake to generate power in Sea Water?
A giant rubber snake could be the future of renewable energy. The rippling "Anaconda" produces electricity as it is squeezed by passing waves. Its developers say it would produce more energy than existing wave-energy devices and be cheaper to maintain.
Retired physicist Francis Farley and Rod Rainey of Atkins Global dreamed up a flexible tube filled with seawater and sealed at both ends like a giant sausage. The structure streams out in the waves like a windsock pushed by the wind. The passage of each wave squeezes the rubber and produces a bulging pressure wave that travels down its length. When the bulge reaches the end it sets turbines spinning to generate electricity.
 Eventually, full-scale versions should be 7 metres across, 200 m long and be anchored at one end in water between 40 m and 100 m deep. For now, however, engineers John Chaplin and Grant Hearn at the University of Southampton are testing mini Anacondas, a few metres long, in a wave tank.
"The top barely breaks the surface, and you can see the bulges moving down the tube," says Chaplin. "In engineering terms, it is unlike any other offshore structure," he said. "It's not a solid structure like an oil platform and it doesn't behave like a boat either."
Preliminary results are promising, says Chaplin. By tuning the diameter, flexibility and thickness of the rubber tube it is possible to make the Anaconda's pressure bulges travel at roughly the same speed as the waves outside. As a result they gradually gather more energy from the waves as they travel down the tube. A full-scale device should produce 1 megawatt – enough to power around 2000 houses.
Anaconda's unique design should also handle the greatest challenge of wave energy better. "The ocean is a very hostile environment," says Chaplin. "The structure has got to be there and still working after the largest storms." What's more, saltwater corrodes metal structures, making maintenance costs high, he says.
A rubber structure with few mechanical parts exposed to the sea should be more resilient. Chaplin hopes to have a one-third scale model for testing in the sea next year and says full-scale Anacondas could be commercially available in five years.
Story identified by Glen Moore, Director of Wollongong Science Centre and Planetarium (http://sciencecentre.uow.edu.au) From http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14258-giant-rubber-snake-could-be-the-future-of-wave-power.html
Get that microwave out of the kitchen!
DBA global reported to the recent 12th Australian Coal Preparation Conference that they are experimenting with using microwaves to dry coal. The “Drycoal Process” relies on the microwaves to heat the moisture in the coal and not the coal itself.
The benefit of this process is that the coal properties are not affected – this is a critical problem for conventional drying processes. Story supplied by Brian Cooney of the Australian Coal Preparation society.
Solar Power at night
MIT Researchers have discovered a simple way to store solar energy. Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants Professor Daniel Nocera and Dr Mathew Khan have developed a process that allows the sun’s energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Later the hydrogen and oxygen may be recombined in a fuel cell, creating carbon free energy.
The key component in the process is the catalyst that produces oxygen gas from water; another catalyst produces hydrogen gas. Story sourced from Sustainability Matters magazine October/November 2008 (www.sustainabilityMatters.net.au )
Innovation Grants
Ausindustry is calling applications for Grants for Climate Ready Projects. Applications can involve topics including:
• Water recycling, waste recovery or small scale renewable energy technologies
• Products, processes or services to monitor emissions or power usage using biotechnology or nanotechnology to address the effects of climate change on humans and the environment
• Information systems for businesses or consumers to compare the carbon footprints of different activities
• Green buildings that make homes more efficient.
Round 2 closes on 4 December 2008, Round 3 on 12 March 2009 and round 4 on 25 June 2009. For more details go to: www.ausindustry.gov.au or call 132846
Targeting Skills Needs in Regions (TSNR)
The Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA) is running the TSNR project in November. It is putting the spotlight on the latest technologies and world’s best practice
The Targeting Skills Needs in Regions project is part of an initiative taken by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The project aims to provide training, and up-skilling at an international standard level to RTO advisors/trainers.
All workshops are from 8am to 12.45pm and dates and locations are as follows: Sydney - Thursday, 13 November 2008, South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Granville College; Wollongong - Wednesday 12 November, Illawarra Institute of TAFE, Wollongong Campus; and Gosford - Friday 14 November, Hunter Institute of TAFE, Gosford Campus. To register for any workshop call 9748 4443 or email events@wtia.com.au
Your Ideas, Innovations or Events?
If you want publicity for an idea, innovation or technically related event, contact the I&I editor, Colin Seaborn on 4254 0200 or 0419 841829 or click here->
We welcome stories and photos.
If you want to promote your product or service via video please contact YOC office on (02) 4254 0200 or click here-> | 
