1 00:00:00,051 --> 00:00:03,014 What I'm going to do is, I'm going to explain to you 2 00:00:03,014 --> 00:00:05,066 an extreme green concept 3 00:00:05,066 --> 00:00:08,058 that was developed at NASA's Glenn Research Center 4 00:00:08,058 --> 00:00:10,060 in Cleveland, Ohio. 5 00:00:10,060 --> 00:00:12,490 But before I do that, we have to go over 6 00:00:12,490 --> 00:00:14,027 the definition of what green is, 7 00:00:14,027 --> 00:00:17,024 'cause a lot of us have a different definition of it. 8 00:00:17,024 --> 00:00:19,017 Green. The product is created through 9 00:00:19,017 --> 00:00:21,480 environmentally and socially conscious means. 10 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,668 There's plenty of things that are being called green now. 11 00:00:24,668 --> 00:00:26,280 What does it actually mean? 12 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,923 We use three metrics to determine green. 13 00:00:29,923 --> 00:00:33,015 The first metric is: Is it sustainable? 14 00:00:33,015 --> 00:00:36,539 Which means, are you preserving what you are doing for future use 15 00:00:36,539 --> 00:00:39,034 or for future generations? 16 00:00:39,034 --> 00:00:43,007 Is it alternative? Is it different than what is being used today, 17 00:00:43,007 --> 00:00:45,812 or does it have a lower carbon footprint 18 00:00:45,812 --> 00:00:48,396 than what's used conventionally? 19 00:00:48,396 --> 00:00:51,231 And three: Is it renewable? 20 00:00:51,231 --> 00:00:54,987 Does it come from Earth's natural replenishing resources, 21 00:00:54,987 --> 00:00:58,087 such as sun, wind and water? 22 00:00:58,087 --> 00:01:01,619 Now, my task at NASA is to develop 23 00:01:01,619 --> 00:01:04,815 the next generation of aviation fuels. 24 00:01:04,815 --> 00:01:07,644 Extreme green. Why aviation? 25 00:01:07,644 --> 00:01:11,001 The field of aviation uses more fuel than just about 26 00:01:11,001 --> 00:01:16,017 every other combined. We need to find an alternative. 27 00:01:16,017 --> 00:01:19,017 Also it's a national aeronautics directive. 28 00:01:19,017 --> 00:01:21,685 One of the national aeronautics goals is to develop 29 00:01:21,685 --> 00:01:24,381 the next generation of fuels, biofuels, 30 00:01:24,381 --> 00:01:28,091 using domestic and safe, friendly resources. 31 00:01:28,091 --> 00:01:30,959 Now, combating that challenge 32 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:33,849 we have to also meet the big three metric — 33 00:01:33,849 --> 00:01:37,662 Actually, extreme green for us is all three together; 34 00:01:37,662 --> 00:01:40,052 that's why you see the plus there. I was told to say that. 35 00:01:40,052 --> 00:01:45,049 So it has to be the big three at GRC. That's another metric. 36 00:01:45,049 --> 00:01:51,000 Ninety-seven percent of the world's water is saltwater. 37 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,010 How about we use that? Combine that with number three. 38 00:01:55,010 --> 00:01:58,042 Do not use arable land. 39 00:01:58,042 --> 00:02:00,222 Because crops are already growing on that land 40 00:02:00,222 --> 00:02:03,019 that's very scarce around the world. 41 00:02:03,019 --> 00:02:06,026 Number two: Don't compete with food crops. 42 00:02:06,026 --> 00:02:10,443 That's already a well established entity, they don't need another entry. 43 00:02:10,443 --> 00:02:14,391 And lastly the most precious resource we have on this Earth 44 00:02:14,391 --> 00:02:19,051 is fresh water. Don't use fresh water. 45 00:02:19,051 --> 00:02:22,022 If 97.5 percent of the world's water is saltwater, 46 00:02:22,022 --> 00:02:25,299 2.5 percent is fresh water. Less than a half percent 47 00:02:25,299 --> 00:02:27,060 of that is accessible for human use. 48 00:02:27,060 --> 00:02:31,021 But 60 percent of the population lives within that one percent. 49 00:02:31,021 --> 00:02:36,013 So, combating my problem was, now I have to be extreme green 50 00:02:36,013 --> 00:02:38,261 and meet the big three. Ladies and gentlemen, 51 00:02:38,261 --> 00:02:42,007 welcome to the GreenLab Research Facility. 52 00:02:42,007 --> 00:02:44,942 This is a facility dedicated to the next generation 53 00:02:44,942 --> 00:02:48,087 of aviation fuels using halophytes. 54 00:02:48,087 --> 00:02:51,065 A halophyte is a salt-tolerating plant. 55 00:02:51,065 --> 00:02:55,093 Most plants don't like salt, but halophytes tolerate salt. 56 00:02:55,093 --> 00:02:58,088 We also are using weeds 57 00:02:58,088 --> 00:03:01,019 and we are also using algae. 58 00:03:01,019 --> 00:03:03,010 The good thing about our lab is, we've had 59 00:03:03,010 --> 00:03:06,020 3,600 visitors in the last two years. 60 00:03:06,020 --> 00:03:08,022 Why do you think that's so? 61 00:03:08,022 --> 00:03:12,028 Because we are on to something special. 62 00:03:12,028 --> 00:03:14,597 So, in the lower you see the GreenLab obviously, 63 00:03:14,597 --> 00:03:17,049 and on the right hand side you'll see algae. 64 00:03:17,049 --> 00:03:20,002 If you are into the business of the next generation 65 00:03:20,002 --> 00:03:22,322 of aviation fuels, algae is a viable option, 66 00:03:22,322 --> 00:03:24,001 there's a lot of funding right now, 67 00:03:24,001 --> 00:03:26,022 and we have an algae to fuels program. 68 00:03:26,022 --> 00:03:28,022 There's two types of algae growing. 69 00:03:28,022 --> 00:03:31,015 One is a closed photobioreactor that you see here, 70 00:03:31,015 --> 00:03:35,036 and what you see on the other side is our species — 71 00:03:35,036 --> 00:03:39,006 we are currently using a species called Scenedesmus dimorphus. 72 00:03:39,006 --> 00:03:43,312 Our job at NASA is to take the experimental and computational 73 00:03:43,312 --> 00:03:48,007 and make a better mixing for the closed photobioreactors. 74 00:03:48,007 --> 00:03:50,044 Now the problems with closed photobioreactors are: 75 00:03:50,044 --> 00:03:52,775 They are quite expensive, they are automated, 76 00:03:52,775 --> 00:03:55,803 and it's very difficult to get them in large scale. 77 00:03:55,803 --> 00:03:57,428 So on large scale what do they use? 78 00:03:57,428 --> 00:04:00,921 We use open pond systems. Now, around the world 79 00:04:00,921 --> 00:04:04,442 they are growing algae, with this racetrack design 80 00:04:04,442 --> 00:04:06,891 that you see here. Looks like an oval with 81 00:04:06,891 --> 00:04:09,028 a paddle wheel and mixes really well, 82 00:04:09,028 --> 00:04:13,086 but when it gets around the last turn, which I call turn four — it's stagnant. 83 00:04:13,086 --> 00:04:15,076 We actually have a solution for that. 84 00:04:15,076 --> 00:04:18,040 In the GreenLab in our open pond system 85 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,055 we use something that happens in nature: waves. 86 00:04:21,055 --> 00:04:24,747 We actually use wave technology on our open pond systems. 87 00:04:24,747 --> 00:04:29,431 We have 95 percent mixing and our lipid content is higher 88 00:04:29,431 --> 00:04:32,049 than a closed photobioreactor system, 89 00:04:32,049 --> 00:04:34,030 which we think is significant. 90 00:04:34,030 --> 00:04:38,062 There is a drawback to algae, however: It's very expensive. 91 00:04:38,062 --> 00:04:43,165 Is there a way to produce algae inexpensively? 92 00:04:43,165 --> 00:04:45,026 And the answer is: yes. 93 00:04:45,026 --> 00:04:48,049 We do the same thing we do with halophytes, 94 00:04:48,049 --> 00:04:52,004 and that is: climatic adaptation. 95 00:04:52,004 --> 00:04:54,816 In our GreenLab we have six primary ecosystems 96 00:04:54,816 --> 00:04:58,787 that range from freshwater all the way to saltwater. 97 00:04:58,787 --> 00:05:02,546 What we do: We take a potential species, we start at freshwater, 98 00:05:02,546 --> 00:05:05,274 we add a little bit more salt, when the second tank here 99 00:05:05,274 --> 00:05:07,406 will be the same ecosystem as Brazil — 100 00:05:07,406 --> 00:05:10,502 right next to the sugar cane fields you can have our plants — 101 00:05:10,502 --> 00:05:14,745 the next tank represents Africa, the next tank represents Arizona, 102 00:05:14,745 --> 00:05:17,056 the next tank represents Florida, 103 00:05:17,056 --> 00:05:20,919 and the next tank represents California or the open ocean. 104 00:05:20,919 --> 00:05:25,014 What we are trying to do is to come up with a single species 105 00:05:25,014 --> 00:05:31,019 that can survive anywhere in the world, where there's barren desert. 106 00:05:31,019 --> 00:05:33,057 We are being very successful so far. 107 00:05:33,057 --> 00:05:35,701 Now, here's one of the problems. 108 00:05:35,701 --> 00:05:41,428 If you are a farmer, you need five things to be successful: You need seeds, 109 00:05:41,428 --> 00:05:45,043 you need soil, you need water and you need sun, 110 00:05:45,043 --> 00:05:48,613 and the last thing that you need is fertilizer. 111 00:05:48,613 --> 00:05:52,168 Most people use chemical fertilizers. But guess what? 112 00:05:52,168 --> 00:05:54,868 We do not use chemical fertilizer. 113 00:05:54,868 --> 00:06:00,023 Wait a second! I just saw lots of greenery in your GreenLab. You have to use fertilizer. 114 00:06:00,023 --> 00:06:04,228 Believe it or not, in our analysis of our saltwater ecosystems 115 00:06:04,228 --> 00:06:08,028 80 percent of what we need are in these tanks themselves. 116 00:06:08,028 --> 00:06:12,027 The 20 percent that's missing is nitrogen and phosphorous. 117 00:06:12,027 --> 00:06:14,083 We have a natural solution: fish. 118 00:06:14,083 --> 00:06:17,971 No we don't cut up the fish and put them in there. 119 00:06:17,971 --> 00:06:21,854 Fish waste is what we use. As a matter of fact 120 00:06:21,854 --> 00:06:26,019 we use freshwater mollies, that we've used our climatic adaptation technique 121 00:06:26,019 --> 00:06:29,041 from freshwater all the way to seawater. 122 00:06:29,041 --> 00:06:36,037 Freshwater mollies: cheap, they love to make babies, 123 00:06:36,037 --> 00:06:37,846 and they love to go to the bathroom. 124 00:06:37,846 --> 00:06:40,001 And the more they go to the bathroom, the more fertilizer we get, 125 00:06:40,001 --> 00:06:42,540 the better off we are, believe it or not. 126 00:06:42,540 --> 00:06:47,805 It should be noted that we use sand as our soil, 127 00:06:47,805 --> 00:06:52,030 regular beach sand. Fossilized coral. 128 00:06:52,030 --> 00:06:56,001 So a lot of people ask me, "How did you get started?" 129 00:06:56,001 --> 00:07:01,006 Well, we got started in what we call the indoor biofuels lab. 130 00:07:01,006 --> 00:07:05,401 It's a seedling lab. We have 26 different species of halophytes, 131 00:07:05,412 --> 00:07:08,684 and five are winners. What we do here is — 132 00:07:08,684 --> 00:07:11,509 actually it should be called a death lab, 'cause we try to 133 00:07:11,509 --> 00:07:14,098 kill the seedlings, make them rough — 134 00:07:14,098 --> 00:07:16,418 and then we come to the GreenLab. 135 00:07:16,418 --> 00:07:18,176 What you see in the lower corner 136 00:07:18,176 --> 00:07:20,364 is a wastewater treatment plant experiment 137 00:07:20,364 --> 00:07:24,057 that we are growing, a macro-algae that I'll talk about in a minute. 138 00:07:24,057 --> 00:07:28,043 And lastly, it's me actually working in the lab to prove to you I do work, 139 00:07:28,043 --> 00:07:31,775 I don't just talk about what I do. 140 00:07:31,775 --> 00:07:35,005 Here's the plant species. Salicornia virginica. 141 00:07:35,005 --> 00:07:38,564 It's a wonderful plant. I love that plant. 142 00:07:38,564 --> 00:07:42,030 Everywhere we go we see it. It's all over the place, from Maine 143 00:07:42,030 --> 00:07:45,041 all the way to California. We love that plant. 144 00:07:45,041 --> 00:07:50,006 Second is Salicornia bigelovii. Very difficult to get around the world. 145 00:07:50,006 --> 00:07:52,052 It is the highest lipid content that we have, 146 00:07:52,052 --> 00:07:56,042 but it has a shortcoming: It's short. 147 00:07:56,042 --> 00:08:01,163 Now you take europaea, which is the largest or the tallest plant that we have. 148 00:08:01,163 --> 00:08:03,081 And what we are trying to do 149 00:08:03,081 --> 00:08:07,462 with natural selection or adaptive biology — combine all three 150 00:08:07,462 --> 00:08:11,578 to make a high-growth, high-lipid plant. 151 00:08:11,578 --> 00:08:18,842 Next, when a hurricane decimated the Delaware Bay — soybean fields gone — 152 00:08:18,842 --> 00:08:21,706 we came up with an idea: Can you have a plant 153 00:08:21,706 --> 00:08:27,017 that has a land reclamation positive in Delaware? And the answer is yes. 154 00:08:27,017 --> 00:08:30,991 It's called seashore mallow. Kosteletzkya virginica — 155 00:08:30,991 --> 00:08:34,009 say that five times fast if you can. 156 00:08:34,009 --> 00:08:41,597 This is a 100 percent usable plant. The seeds: biofuels. The rest: cattle feed. 157 00:08:41,597 --> 00:08:45,036 It's there for 10 years; it's working very well. 158 00:08:45,036 --> 00:08:48,363 Now we get to Chaetomorpha. 159 00:08:48,363 --> 00:08:51,585 This is a macro-algae that loves 160 00:08:51,585 --> 00:08:54,007 excess nutrients. If you are in the aquarium industry 161 00:08:54,007 --> 00:08:56,818 you know we use it to clean up dirty tanks. 162 00:08:56,818 --> 00:09:01,029 This species is so significant to us. 163 00:09:01,029 --> 00:09:05,000 The properties are very close to plastic. 164 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,378 We are trying right now to convert this macro-algae into a bioplastic. 165 00:09:10,378 --> 00:09:15,051 If we are successful, we will revolutionize the plastics industry. 166 00:09:15,051 --> 00:09:18,573 So, we have a seed to fuel program. 167 00:09:18,573 --> 00:09:21,530 We have to do something with this biomass that we have. 168 00:09:21,530 --> 00:09:26,039 And so we do G.C. extraction, lipid optimization, so on and so forth, 169 00:09:26,039 --> 00:09:29,726 because our goal really is to come up with 170 00:09:29,726 --> 00:09:33,636 the next generation of aviation fuels, aviation specifics, so on and so forth. 171 00:09:33,636 --> 00:09:38,056 So far we talked about water and fuel, 172 00:09:38,056 --> 00:09:45,000 but along the way we found out something interesting about Salicornia: 173 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,686 It's a food product. 174 00:09:48,686 --> 00:09:51,499 So we talk about ideas worth spreading, right? 175 00:09:51,499 --> 00:09:58,353 How about this: In sub-Saharan Africa, next to the sea, saltwater, 176 00:09:58,353 --> 00:10:03,212 barren desert, how about we take that plant, 177 00:10:03,212 --> 00:10:08,044 plant it, half use for food, half use for fuel. 178 00:10:08,044 --> 00:10:11,845 We can make that happen, inexpensively. 179 00:10:11,845 --> 00:10:14,543 You can see there's a greenhouse in Germany 180 00:10:14,543 --> 00:10:17,007 that sells it as a health food product. 181 00:10:17,007 --> 00:10:22,233 This is harvested, and in the middle here is a shrimp dish, and it's being pickled. 182 00:10:22,233 --> 00:10:26,846 So I have to tell you a joke. Salicornia is known as sea beans, 183 00:10:26,846 --> 00:10:30,319 saltwater asparagus and pickle weed. 184 00:10:30,319 --> 00:10:33,050 So we are pickling pickle weed in the middle. 185 00:10:33,050 --> 00:10:35,852 Oh, I thought it was funny. (Laughter) 186 00:10:35,852 --> 00:10:39,225 And at the bottom is seaman's mustard. It does make sense, 187 00:10:39,225 --> 00:10:41,612 this is a logical snack. You have mustard, 188 00:10:41,612 --> 00:10:44,760 you are a seaman, you see the halophyte, you mix it together, 189 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:47,022 it's a great snack with some crackers. 190 00:10:47,022 --> 00:10:54,022 And last, garlic with Salicornia, which is what I like. 191 00:10:54,022 --> 00:10:58,997 So, water, fuel and food. 192 00:10:58,997 --> 00:11:02,548 None of this is possible without the GreenLab team. 193 00:11:02,548 --> 00:11:07,529 Just like the Miami Heat has the big three, we have the big three at NASA GRC. 194 00:11:07,529 --> 00:11:13,008 That's myself, professor Bob Hendricks, our fearless leader, and Dr. Arnon Chait. 195 00:11:13,008 --> 00:11:17,537 The backbone of the GreenLab is students. 196 00:11:17,537 --> 00:11:21,452 Over the last two years we've had 35 different students 197 00:11:21,452 --> 00:11:24,607 from around the world working at GreenLab. 198 00:11:24,607 --> 00:11:29,016 As a matter fact my division chief says a lot, "You have a green university." 199 00:11:29,016 --> 00:11:31,551 I say, "I'm okay with that, 'cause we are nurturing 200 00:11:31,551 --> 00:11:36,575 the next generation of extreme green thinkers, which is significant." 201 00:11:36,575 --> 00:11:41,896 So, in first summary I presented to you what we think 202 00:11:41,896 --> 00:11:48,023 is a global solution for food, fuel and water. 203 00:11:48,023 --> 00:11:51,017 There's something missing to be complete. 204 00:11:51,017 --> 00:11:55,808 Clearly we use electricity. We have a solution for you — 205 00:11:55,808 --> 00:11:59,057 We're using clean energy sources here. 206 00:11:59,057 --> 00:12:03,478 So, we have two wind turbines connected to the GreenLab, 207 00:12:03,478 --> 00:12:07,005 we have four or five more hopefully coming soon. 208 00:12:07,005 --> 00:12:10,615 We are also using something that is quite interesting — 209 00:12:10,615 --> 00:12:15,238 there is a solar array field at NASA's Glenn Research Center, 210 00:12:15,238 --> 00:12:18,380 hasn't been used for 15 years. 211 00:12:18,380 --> 00:12:21,143 Along with some of my electrical engineering colleagues, 212 00:12:21,143 --> 00:12:23,286 we realized that they are still viable, 213 00:12:23,286 --> 00:12:26,042 so we are refurbishing them right now. 214 00:12:26,042 --> 00:12:31,078 In about 30 days or so they'll be connected to the GreenLab. 215 00:12:31,078 --> 00:12:34,004 And the reason why you see red, red and yellow, is 216 00:12:34,004 --> 00:12:37,271 a lot of people think NASA employees don't work on Saturday — 217 00:12:37,271 --> 00:12:40,189 This is a picture taken on Saturday. 218 00:12:40,189 --> 00:12:44,814 There are no cars around, but you see my truck in yellow. I work on Saturday. (Laughter) 219 00:12:44,814 --> 00:12:46,647 This is a proof to you that I'm working. 220 00:12:46,647 --> 00:12:50,547 'Cause we do what it takes to get the job done, most people know that. 221 00:12:50,547 --> 00:12:53,425 Here's a concept with this: 222 00:12:53,425 --> 00:12:58,981 We are using the GreenLab for a micro-grid test bed 223 00:12:58,981 --> 00:13:03,044 for the smart grid concept in Ohio. 224 00:13:03,044 --> 00:13:08,951 We have the ability to do that, and I think it's going to work. 225 00:13:08,951 --> 00:13:14,044 So, GreenLab Research Facility. 226 00:13:14,044 --> 00:13:19,067 A self-sustainable renewable energy ecosystem was presented today. 227 00:13:19,067 --> 00:13:25,014 We really, really hope this concept catches on worldwide. 228 00:13:25,014 --> 00:13:34,064 We think we have a solution for food, water, fuel and now energy. Complete. 229 00:13:34,064 --> 00:13:40,189 It's extreme green, it's sustainable, alternative and renewable 230 00:13:40,189 --> 00:13:44,027 and it meets the big three at GRC: 231 00:13:44,027 --> 00:13:49,018 Don't use arable land, don't compete with food crops, 232 00:13:49,018 --> 00:13:52,080 and most of all, don't use fresh water. 233 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:57,054 So I get a lot of questions about, "What are you doing in that lab?" 234 00:13:57,054 --> 00:14:02,807 And I usually say, "None of your business, that's what I'm doing in the lab." (Laughter) 235 00:14:02,807 --> 00:14:06,350 And believe it or not, my number one goal 236 00:14:06,350 --> 00:14:09,060 for working on this project is 237 00:14:09,060 --> 00:14:14,011 I want to help save the world.