Blue Fuel Energy

A real solution to real problems

Global warming is real. That humankind has induced this scourge through the careless combustion of greenhouse-gas (GHG) generating fossil fuels is beyond debate. And despite the remarkably low price for a barrel of oil at present ($35-$40 in late 2008), the finite nature of the world’s oil resources is also real. The recession in which the global economy is currently mired is no illusion either. We are at a critical junction.

Business as usual is not an option

This applies profoundly to the energy field, where, fortunately, a “renewables revolution” is gaining traction around the world. In British Columbia (BC), Canada, Blue Fuel Energy is at the forefront of this revolution as we prepare to provide a practical, short- and medium-term option to fossil fuels for power generation, transportation and heating and cooking.

The world does not have time to wait for end-game solutions to bail us out at the 59-minute mark of the eleventh hour. We must act now if we are to prevent GHG emissions from peaking after 2015, the year regularly pegged by climate scientists as a cut-off point by which a drastic reduction in GHG emissions must be underway to prevent runaway climate change––and the consequent irreversible destruction of ecosystems and civilization as we know them.


Leading alternative to fossil fuels

Blue Fuel is now widely recognized by alternative fuel experts as a leading alternative fuel––one with, according to a 2005 report by US Department of Energy researchers, the greatest potential impact on society and should thus be considered the fuel of choice for eliminating dependency on petroleum-based fuels, such as natural gas, diesel, and propane, which carbon-neutral Blue Fuel can replace.

No new technology required

Not a panacea but a spoke in the clean alternative energy wheel, Blue Fuel can be used in many applications without the advent of new technology or scientific breakthroughs. Blue Fuel can be produced, distributed and used today with existing technologies. No light bulbs need turn on in the minds of researchers and inventors. Blue Fuel––like global warming, the upcoming oil shortage, and the recession––is for real.

Stepping stone to the Hydrogen Age

What is not yet real, but getting closer to being so, is the reforming, onboard vehicles, of Blue Fuel into hydrogen for powering fuel cells––devices that generate no CO2. The use of Blue Fuel for this purpose would solve two critical problems in the use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel: transportation and storage. When onboard reforming is perfected, Blue Fuel will serve as a stepping stone to the Hydrogen Age––and its full potential will be realized.


Water as Fuel?
Oleh: Jayan Sentanuhady
Bahan bakar (fuel) umumnya dari bahan-2 hidrokarbon seperti metan, propan, heptan, batu bara, arang, dll. Bahan bakar tersebut tersusun dari unsur carbon dan hydrogen. Tetapi hidrogen saja juga bisa dijadikan bahan bakar layaknya bahan bakar hidrokarbon. Jika bahan bakar hidrokarbon umumnya didapat dari bahan bakar fosil, bahan bakar hidrogen umunya didapat dengan cara elektoslisis dari berbagai sumber. Salah satu sumbernya tentu adalah air yang gratis dan murah didapat (kecuali air AQUA). Tetapi walau hidrogen diproses dari air, air (H2O dalam bentuk cair) tidak bisa disebut sebagai bahan bakar. Dengan melakukan proses elektrolisis, H2O tersebut dapat diubah menjadi gas hidrogen. Hidrogen inilah yang digunakan sebagai bahan bakar, jadi bahan bakarnya bukan air. Pada umumnya elektrolisis dengan menggunakan teknik pemberian electric pulse ke air. (tentang elektrolis akan di bahas tersendiri, krn chain branchingnya ruwet…)
Jika perekasinya (oksidizer) udara (0.21 O2 + 0.79 N2), hasil akhir proses reaksinya adalah H2O (dalam bentuk uap) dan N2 (tidak bereaksi, tetapi berfungsi sebagai diluent atau penghambat reaksi). Seperti hidrogen-2 yang lain, hasil pembakarannya juga sama reaktifnya


After we discuss what is the blue energy, then we we know that we can can get fuel from the water. So in this part i will provide the explanation of the proses to make the fuel from water.Actually the process called ”electrolysis”. Let’s we see the explanation as below:
The Hydrogen and Oxygen of Water
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Hydrogen + Oxygen = Water
The simple statement that water is made from hydrogen and oxygen doesn't give us a very clear picture of what really goes into the creation of a molecule of water. A quick look at the chemical equation for the formation of water tells us more.
2H2 + O2 = 2H2O
It takes two molecules of the diatomic hydrogen gas, combined with one molecule of the diatomic oxygen gas to produce two molecules of water. In other words the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2:1, the ratio of hydrogen to water is 1:1, and the ratio of oxygen to water is 1:2.
There's something more though that doesn't show up in the equation. Energy. The formation of water from it's elements produces, in addition to water, a tremendous amount of energy, 572 kJ to be exact.
2H2 + O2 = 2H2O + ENERGY
This is an example of an exothermic reaction, a reaction that produces energy. It is also an example of what is called a combustion reaction, where a substance (in this case hydrogen gas) is combined with oxygen. You are probably familiar with this reaction through two tragic examples of the unleashed energy of the combustion reaction of hydrogen, the Hindenburg, and the spaceshuttle Challenger.
Hydrogen Fuel?
Yes - hydrogen is a good, clean fuel, producing only water as a by-product. Unfortunately it produces so much energy that it can get out of control, resulting in an explosion. But let's forget about that explosive part for a minute and think about the possibilities - Hydrogen as a New Clean Fuel - it could be the end of the energy crisis - but where would we get the hydrogen?
Can we create Hydrogen from Water?
Oh Yes! It's the same chemical reaction, but run in reverse:
2H2O + ENERGY = 2H2 + O2
Notice now that the requirement is for energy to be ADDED TO the reactants. This is an example of an Endothermic reaction. This means that we could use Water as a Fuel! IF (and this is a big if) we could find an easy way to convert the water to hydrogen and oxygen, then the hydrogen could be used as a clean fuel.
One way to convert Water to Hydrogen and Oxygen is through the process of Electrolysis - using electricity as the source of energy to drive the reaction. Let's take a look at what that might look like:

IMAGE SOURCE: "Chemistry in Context" Wm C Brown Publishers, Dubuque Iowa, 2nd edition, A project of the American Chemical Society, ed: A. Truman Schwartz et al., 1997, Chapter 5 "The Wonder of Water"
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Isn't this rather circular?
Using Energy to break water to form hydrogen to combine oxygen to form Energy - in this way is rather circular. In fact, because of the laws of thermodynamics, you can't break even in this exchange of energy. However, there exist better ways to disassemble water - namely using CATALYSIS.

IMAGE SOURCE: "Chemistry in Context" Wm C Brown Publishers, Dubuque Iowa, 2nd edition, A project of the American Chemical Society, ed: A. Truman Schwartz et al., 1997, Chapter 5 "The Wonder of Water"
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What does a catalyst do?
A catalyst is a chemical compound that acts to speed up a reaction, but in the process is not itself changed. Therefore the catalyst, at the end of the reaction, is free to act again to assist another reactant through the reaction.
Catalysts work by lowering the energy barrier between the reactants and the products. In this case:
2H2O + ENERGY = 2H2 + O2
where it normally takes a tremendous amount of energy to convert reactants to products - the addition of a catalyst can decrease the amount of energy required and therefore speed the reaction up!
2H2O + CATALYST+ energy = 2H2 + O2 + CATALYST
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Does this catalyst really exist?
Sort of...... Have you ever wondered how a plant uses water and carbon dioxide to create glucose and oxygen? This too is an endothermic reaction, an energy producing reaction run in reverse. Normally we would think of using glucose as a fuel, through oxidation we could produce carbon dioxide, water and energy - In fact this is what OUR bodies do to provide us with the energy we need for maintaining all of our bodily functions including THINKING!
Glucose (C6H12O6) + Oxygen (O2) = Water (H20) + Carbon Dioxide (CO2) + ENERGY
To run the reaction in reverse, the plant utilizes a catalyst - CHLOROPHYLL - and the energy from the SUN to aid in the decomposition of water. While the chlorophyllic reaction does produce diatomic oxygen gas, it does not produce the hydrogen in a gaseous form. The hydrogen released from the water is used for the formation of glucose.
Could we use such a catalyst for converting Water and Sunlight into Fuel?
Scientists often use Nature as a model for the development of new compounds. One such development, which has been studied extensively in this regard, is a molecule known as Rubippy. The structure of Rubippy is shown below. It is similar in structure to the chlorophyll molecule having a metal center (in chlorophyll it's a magnesium ion, in rubippy it's a ruthenium ion) and an attached system of organic rings (in chlorophyll its a porphyrin derivative, in rubippy its a pyridine derivative).

IMAGE SOURCE: "Chemistry in Context" Wm C Brown Publishers, Dubuque Iowa, 2nd edition, A project of the American Chemical Society, ed: A. Truman Schwartz et al., 1997, Chapter 5 "The Wonder of Water"
Acting as "relay" channel for the transfer of electrons, Rubippy has shown some potential to do just that - convert water and sunlight into a clean, seemingly inexhaustible, source of energy. However, while rubippy has shown promise in this regard, it is not a commercially viable enterprise because of it's high cost, instability, and low efficiency.
If Scientists were able to get Rubippy to work, or created a viable alternative, what would we do about the explosion potential of using Hydrogen Fuel?
Good question! Would you believe that it is possible to do the combustion of hydrogen without letting the oxygen and hydrogen come in contact? This can happen in a FUEL CELL. A fuel cell is like a battery - It utilizes a chemical reaction to produce electricity. A drawing of a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell is shown below:

IMAGE SOURCE: "Chemistry in Context" Wm C Brown Publishers, Dubuque Iowa, 2nd edition, A project of the American Chemical Society, ed: A. Truman Schwartz et al., 1997, Chapter 5 "The Wonder of Water"
The kind of fuel cell shown here are routinely used in the space program. If this technology ever becomes viably available to the common person, the estimated cost of a fuel-cell hydrogen powered car would be less than half that of your current gas-mobile. In addition, it would be simpler, require less maintenance, and be environmentally friendly!