Brits Developing Carbon-neutral Home Powering System

Experts at Newcastle University in the UK are designing a unique energy storage system to support a generator which runs on veggie oil and can power, heat and cool homes. It takes super-efficient to the next level because the waste heat from the process is also used to provide heat, hot water, and can even be converted to cool a fridge. And that's not all. The plant producing the fuel in the form of oil (Croton Megalocarpus) not only absorbs carbon as it grows, but can be grown in soil that is not adequate for standard farming or food production - resulting in nearly zero overall carbon emissions while providing fuel without sacrificing land for food crops. "In the past, a significant barrier to the take-up of domestic scale micro-trigeneration systems has been the availability of the right energy at the right time" said Newcastle University's Dr Yaodong Wang. The new system addresses this by allowing home owners to store any extra energy during ‘off-peak' times (such as at night) while efficiently releasing it when it's needed most. Can't seem to find a micro-trigeneration system at a store near you? The technology hasn't made it to market yet, but wind power has. It's a clean and affordable way to help make your home carbon neutral during these cold winter months.