Author: Isaac Gendler

On Convergence of Infinite Sums

On Convergence of Infinite Sums

On Convergence of Infinite Sums

Matthew Hanna

02/18/19

“What is so special about infinite sums coming to a specific value?”

 

1

We have all seen the classic sum.

2

Which is often represented as…

3

We, in our high school careers, have been taught that this sum is 2. This is
most often done so with an algebraic manipulation of both sides of the sum. We
haven’t been taught how to verify this sum. But how would we go about doing
this?
The basic idea is that if I end my sum at nite point, my result will deviate
from the actual sum by some error (which we will call ε. This error is some
positive real number. To verify that this sum indeed approaches 2, it suffices
to show that for any error, there exists a nite point in the series in which the
difference between 2 and this point is less than the error AND all further points
will also be less than the error.

Our Very First Guest Post!

Our Very First Guest Post!

Hello fellow science fans,

 

We here at Isaac’s Science Blog are very pleased to announce our first guest post done by no other than Matthew Hannah! Matthew is a 4th-year mathematics student at
the University of California, Riverside. His current research interests include
Functional Analysis and Representation Theory. You can read his post about the Convergence of Infinite Sums here.

Methanol Fuel

Methanol Fuel

Methanol Fuel

02/18/19

“What is a more optimal fuel than gasoline?”

 

While gasoline is the most widespread vehicle fuel in the world, recent advances in science and technology have created competitors. One in particular comes in the form of Methanol Fuel. Methanol fuel is synthesized from carbon dioxide and hydrogen burns cleaner and is cheaper to produce sustainably than ethanol. Since it does not produce a thick cloud of smoke upon use, it is often used in racing applications. Although methanol is less toxic than petroleum, there exist very few methanol refueling stations, it is commonly found in a mixture with other fuels.

Image credit https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov

Why HVDC Can Hurt Fire Resilience

Why HVDC Can Hurt Fire Resilience

Why HVDC Can Hurt Fire Resilience

02/17/19

“Why are the most serious drawbacks to HVDC lines?”

 

HVDC lines are one of the hottest topics in the renewable energy world nowadays. Their ability to transmit a large volume of electricity across great distances with minuscule losses can make them a vital part of easing the duck curve. However, their high voltage also means that if they get sapped, they have a much higher potential to produce a fire. This will have great implications for the regionalization of California, where increased connectivity to other states could bring grid stability but exacerbate the potential for chaos.

Marginal Cost

Marginal Cost

Marginal Cost

02/16/19

“What happens to total cost if one more unit is produced?”

 

Everything in economics has a cost associated with it. And these costs and can be divided into different categories. Take a factory producing solar panels for example. There is already a base cost with operating the factory, and the total cost for each unit of production. This is known as the Marginal Cost and can be used in risk assessment of engineering projects. Sometimes when more units are produced in a given span, the cost goes down because of economies of scale, while other times it goes up.

 

Image credit img.tfd.com

Four-wheel Drive

Four-wheel Drive

Four-wheel Drive

02/15/19

“What happens when power is provided to all four wheels of a car at the same time?”

 

Different driving conditions will need different modes. When a vehicle is off-road in a low-traction environment, the wheels will need to receive a large amount of power. This can be solved using a Four-wheel Drive in which all wheels of a car are powered evenly and simultaneously. Although four drives are great for off-road conditions, the immense power can wear out tires on a normal road.

 

Image credit https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com

Renewable Energy in Brownfields

Renewable Energy in Brownfields

Renewable Energy in Brownfields

02/14/19

“How can renewable energy be used in unusable land?”

 

Brownfields, or areas where pollution has made habitation unfit for humans, are often thought as unusable. However, since renewable energy is often immune to a lot of the toxins present in these areas, they have no problem being installed there. As a result Renewable Energy in Brownfields can open up a lot of sustainability potential in blighted areas.

Image credit thumbor.forbes.com

 

Cellulosic Ethanol

Cellulosic Ethanol

Cellulosic Ethanol

02/13/19

“How can we make potentially more sustainable fuels from plants?”

 

Fuel is the most common energy storage method in the world. Whether it is used in consumer vehicles, aircraft, or submarines, fuel seems to be present. However, the common petroleum or natural-gas derived fuel is quite disastrous for the environment, being one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas generation. So how can we make a cleaner substitute? Well, what if we were to instead make fuel from the stringy-fiber of a plant? This is known as Cellulosic Ethanol and has the potential to be a paradigm shift since it would not compete with existing food crops and does not emit greenhouse gasses. However, if land usage is implemented into the lifecycle analysis, then Cellulosic Ethanol is more destructive due to its intense water and land usage.

 

Image credit wi-images.condecdn.net

How Community Choice Aggregators Can Offer Cleaner Energy at Lower Rates

How Community Choice Aggregators Can Offer Cleaner Energy at Lower Rates

How Community Choice Aggregators Can Offer Cleaner Energy at Lower Rates

02/12/19

“How can community-sourced energy be cheaper and greener?”

 

There is a revolution brewing in the renewable energy world. While in the past residents and businesses were tied to one electric utility based on their geographic area, organizations known as Community Choice Aggregators are starting to sprout up and challenge this. Community choice aggregators or CCAs are non-profit organizations that procure power generation and deliver it to customers through a utility’s transmission lines. Since these do not operate for investors and only need to pay for energy and staff, they can give their customers better rates than traditional electricity service and focus on particular resources. To illustrate, just look at the CCA San Jose Clean Energy. Even though their energy portfolio is 45% Renewable Energy/80% carbon-free, they sell energy at rates 1% lower than the standard San Francisco Bay Area PG&E service which is 33% Renewable Energy/78% carbon-free. This is How Community Choice Aggregators Can Offer Cleaner Energy at Lower Rates!

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