My entry in Virgin's Global $25 million Earth Challenge 07-051

Last Friday, Richard Branson announced the Virgin Earth Challenge -- a prize of $25m for whoever can demonstrate to the judges' satisfaction a commercially viable design which results in the removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases so as to contribute materially to the stability of Earth's climate. New Scientist covered the event  quite nicely.

So here's my solution to the problem. (although I must profess my bias here, that I think "global cooling" over the next 200 years is a bigger threat to society (based on paradoxes, anomalies and contraditions that mainstream science seems to ignore.) Also tinkering with a global dynamic complex weather and climate system that we know very little about is dangerous too...our solutions today could cause bigger problems down the road)

That said, back to our problem at hand...

Conceptually to do this, one would need a system composed of three stages or parts.

System one would need to draw large amounts to air through it like a giant global air conditioner or a bunch of smaller distributed ones.  I can only think of five natural systems that can do that today: hurricanes, tornadoes, twisters, dust devils and water spouts, all of which depend on a heat gradient, or a 20-30 degree differential in temperature to get started and maintain momentum and energy ....what we need is an artificial whirlwind or a stationary, "tamed" tornado....think Vortex ( hint #1 .....a Canadian company mentioned in the Smart Economy blog within the last six months can do this today).

(Hint #2 ... we especially need to speed up these artificial tornadoes and not slow them down, the way scientist have been trying to do, to create a larger atmospheric scrubbing footprint)

.....Richard Branson should understand the mechanics of this, being an avid hot air balloonist.

These  'thermal atmospheric vortex engines" could be placed next to man-made sources of latent heat, such as existing nuclear power stations ( replacing cooling towers), hydro power stations (steam), coal powered plants, waste-to-energy (waste incineration) plants, such as those in Ukraine, Russia, Sweden or Denmark, central district heating plants that are popular in Europe, Ukraine and Russia, and chemical and cement plants or in natural settings where there is a ready-to-use thermal gradient, such as geothermal hot springs or in the distant future, maybe even underwater thermal vents. One added benefit is that you can turn steam or latent heat that is escaping into the atmosphere today into electricity as well.

The second element that is needed is a system that can efficiently absorb CO2 at ambient air temperatures and other green house gases (such as methane that will be given off as the Siberian tundra begins to thaw and melt).  An above-ground or airborne version of subterranean carbon sequestration, so to speak.  ( yes,  we covered this one too in our previous postings....I'll give you a 3d hint...it involves nanotechnology)

The third element needed is a system that is coupled to the second absorption system above, that can detach CO2 in bulk and on-demand, which can then be used as a feedstock (input) to create useful products such as bio plastic, synthetic oil, or bio diesel (several Smart Economy blog examples were cited in the last year or so)

Frequent readers of the Smart Economy blog over the past two years will recognize these three unrelated smart technologies that can meet all of the above requirements.

From estimates I've seen, Stage one alone will cost about $7 -$10 million dollars in the West to build a working prototype, less if built and designed in a developing country such as Ukraine, India, China or Russia --countries that have the scientists and know-how to do it …..

Technology for stages 2 and 3 are all in the works...in the R of the R&D phase.

Now all we need is someone to put all of these three disparate elements together into a working proof of concept and a model prototype.

.......let's get to it

© 2005-2007

Walter Derzko

Expert, Consultant and Keynote Speaker on Emerging Smart Technologies, Innovation, Strategic Foresight, Business Development, Lateral Creative Thinking and author of an upcoming book on the Smart Economy "

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Comments

[William Malley, III]

I believe, you might be interested in reading my solution to the carbon dioxide problem. It's an online version of my entry into a certain challenge. The name of the challenge must remain unspoken at this point due to clauses in the participation agreement I signed. This is not some kind of humorous foolishness. I believe I have come up with a realistic commonsense approach that will actually work.
By using my, patent pending, method we get an economically advantageous side benefit, that might make this solution profitable for most everyone. I respectfully recommend that you add a link to my page from your pages. Though you don't really need it, I give you my permission to do this. You may if you wish, quote up to 300 words of my entry document on your pages.

http://theshancreekgang.com/carbon.html

Sincerely; William Eugene Malley

[Alexander]

Looking for a Partner & Sponsor for Richard Branson’s ‘Virgin Earth Challenge’ I have 5 Solutions to completely End Globe Warming and cheap 400 to 800 dollars Canadian to make a proto-type and Patent it for entry. Ideas have been designed, thought out with calculated results for the last 4 to 5 years. Ideas can not be explained in detail without the patent and need a working model for validity of clams, but have taken steps to ensure the copy writing with trusted PHD engineers signed alpha-david’s to.
Idea 1: An attachment to any car that takes out more Carbon out of the atmosphere then it emits costs $400 CDN to make.
Idea 2: Generator Runs and heats any House using Tap Water $500 CDN to make.
Idea 3: Motor runs 250-500 HP for 10-12 hours on air-pressure and battery $600 CDN to make.
Idea 4: Engine runs 1000-2000 HP on Hydrogen (NOT USING FUEL CELL) for 20-25 hours on 10 liters for over 4000 kilometers (conservative estimate) 1/10 model will only cost $700 for 100-200 HP.
Idea 5: Under Water Generator and Air Conditioner will Power a City with over 1 million people for 500,000 gig watts an hour per bus sized unit placed 100,000 ft. below sea level, 1/1000 model for $800 CDN to make.
I have no doubt in my mind that these products will be in full use in 5-10 years and will receive at lest a percentage of the $25 million prize. And despite how cheap it is to receive a patent "I am Broke" and all earns go to cost of living. So I am sending a Call for Help to share all Royalties and Winnings 50, 50.

My Name is Alexander Graham Dean, born October 13, 1980 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. MSN is one_neo_eon@hotmail.com EMAIL is alexander_dean@rogers.com (SPAMED) Phone Number is (905)660-6623 only 1 I will answer for this reason only from 7am to 3pm EST I am home.

[Rajesh Patel]

Dear,

I have an Idea by which we can solve the problem of global warming, fuel & electricity.

rajesh patel
+91-9425693124