Apparently you should be enjoying current gas prices, as two analysts are insisting that crude will be selling for $200 a barrel within 2-3 years.
Translating this price into dollars and cents at the gas pump, one of our forecasters, the chairman of Houston-based Dune Energy, Alan Gaines, sees gas rising to $7–$8 a gallon. The other, a commodities tracker at Weiss Research in Jupiter, Fla., Sean Brodrick, projects a range of $8 to $10 a gallon.
Early last year, with a barrel of oil trading in the low $50s and gasoline nationally selling in a range of $2.30 to $2.50 a gallon, Mr. Gaines — in an impressive display of crystal ball gazing — accurately predicted oil was $100-bound and that gasoline would follow suit by reaching $4 a gallon.
Whether this prediction pans out or not, the global community is in for a world of hurt, one way or another, unless serious steps are taken to address our energy consumption. We put a man on the moon because we wanted to, and we can solve our energy problems if we put our collective minds at work. Unfortunately, if history is any indicator, we'll wait until it's too late, inevitably finding ourself living in a Mad Max future.
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond is offering $20-million for any individual or company that can harness the power of the ocean to create renewable energy in an environmentally friendly fashion. This is the largest dollar amount offered by any nation to spur advances in energy technology and is hopefully a sign of things to come.
"[We made a] decision to target an aspect of renewables that on one hand has amazing potential but is still in its infancy," he said.
"Looking at this array of prizes, renewables require an impetus, and this will electrify the renewables community and spur them on to greater effort."
Now if only the biggest polluter on the planet, the good ole US of A, would start putting some incentives out there.
Brainiacs from Spain and Croatia have been researching several spider species, all of which are known to live the majority of their lives upside-down. This includes such activities as breeding and eating, something I've personally found very difficult to pull off.
What's the advantage to living a life upside down?
According to Dr. Dejan Vinkovic:
“As a physicist, I was particularly interested in the energetics of upside-down locomotion. With this research we finally proved that the energetic efficiency of such motion stems from the same physical principle used to run the grandfather’s clock – motion of a pendulum under the influence of gravity.”
By existing in such a state, upside-down spiders have evolved a unique shape that allows for extremely high energy efficiency. Smart little buggers.
Leviathan Energy has invented the Benkatine Turbine, a device that generates power from any pipe through which water flows. Hydroelectric power is generated the same way, however, the Benkatine Turbine is small enough to fit in your toilet.
We use the toilet all the time, so why not generate power from it? Although the device was not made specifically for use in a toilet, it would be nice to see a growing trend of generating power in things we use everyday.
According to Leviathan Energy, the technology is scalable, meaning it could be used for both commercial and residential use. Whether it be in larger sewer systems or the gutter drains in your own home, this device could change the way we look at renewable energy.
