ozone Archives - Michaels Energy

May 18

Amazing Refrigerant Facts

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Rant No Comments

Does anyone make ice cream at home these days? That was one of our favorite treats as kids – back when we had three network channels and no recording devices. I’m not going to look into modern ice cream makers for home, but I’ll bet they have cheaters that don’t require ice and salt. Why is salt used with ice to freeze ice cream? Read on to find out. Anyway, I found an early-patented “refrigeration system” (1793) that used ice and salt with charcoal and blankets for insulation. The simple mechanical refrigeration cycle was invented in the early 1900s. Mechanical…

Sep 06

Love0

Blackouts for a Rounding Error

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Government, Renewable Energy, Utility Stuff One Comment

This week features an overload of potential topics but let’s start with this one: Can we put some adults in charge in certain seats of power in Washington. I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the EPA is running wild when it comes to mandating emissions requirements from power plants. Lisa Jackson, head of the EPA and her cronies make policy in a vacuum sometimes with no regard to implications, at all. People can govern with the carrot – providing incentives to do the right thing; sugar – handouts to politically favored, typically dead end technologies or businesses (see tidbits below); and…