New Ultracapacitor May Be Coming Soon

The company EEStor's CEO is purported to have released some information that shows they are within months of developing an ultracapacitor that would affect electric cars and more.

Adrian Covert atPopsci.com reports:

"If all of its perceived potential is delivered, the ultracapacitor could revolutionize everything from electric cars to renewable energy storage, providing a long-awaited evolutionary step beyond current rechargeable battery tech. EEStor's ultracapacitor works more or less exactly like the capacitors found in electronics today, briefly holding and releasing small charges, only on a much larger scale; it would be able rapidly take on enough juice to power a car for 250-300 miles within a matter of minutes, EEStor claims. It could also be used to store renewable energy generated by solar and wind plants more efficiently." See full article.

Downloadable Carbon Calculator Automatically Offests Your Computer

Now there is a program that measures your computer's energy use and automatically buys the right amount of carbon offset for you.

Newsmaker.com reports:

"With the manufacture and energy used to run computers creating as big a carbon footprint as the global airline industry, green minded computer users now have an option to offset their PC’s carbon emissions.The Little Green Genie is a program that works by calculating how much energy is being used by a computer, and then uses this information to buy a proportionate amount of carbon credits to offset this use.For the average computer user this will cost roughly ten dollars a year, and with two typical Internet searches using the equivalent energy of boiling an electric kettle according to a Harvard University physicist, the benefits eclipse the small financial annual outlay." See full article.

Radar to Protect Birds From Wind Generators

As the number of wind farms increases in the United States the number of bird deaths will likely go up. Designers are looking to a variety of ways to avoid wildlfie harm. One involves radar.

Alternative-energy-news.info reports:

The new Peñascal wind farm in Texas hopes to become a model for responsible development by installing new radar technology to protect migratory birds and wildlife.

The same technology was originally developed for NASA and the US Air Force. It can detect approaching birds up to four miles away and assess their altitude, numbers and visibility. It then analyzes weather conditions to determine if they are in danger of flying into wind turbine blades. If so, the turbines are programmed to automatically shut down and restart once the birds are a safe distance away. See full article:

High Altitude Wind Energy Hots Spots Studied

High altitude wind generation is getting more serious attention these days and a new study assesses some wind energy "hot spots" in the heavens.

Stuart Fox at PopSci.com reports:

"With the US granting wind power plant leases off the coasts of New Jersey and Delaware, the UK planning to overtake nuclear power with wind in five years, and even coal loving China getting in on the act, all the talk about wind power these days has focused on offshore wind farms. However, a new study suggests that the wind power mother lode may be up in the sky, not off in the sea. Sure, high altitude wind power isn't the newest idea in the world. Not only has the tech been around for a couple of years, but companies like Kite Gen and Sky WindPower are already trying to break into the market. However, this study is the first to identify the best spots to place the high-flying turbines." See full article.

Microsoft's New Hohm Program For Home Energy Management

Microsoft has a new home software program that will help consumers monitor their energy use and get ready to participate in the smart grid.

John Brandon at PopSci.com reports:

"Microsoft has announced Hohm (which telescopes home into ohm), a new Web-based service for keeping an eye on your smart grid. The beta for the service goes live next week; users can sign up to access the service at microsoft-hohm.com. With Hohm, consumers can see how they are currently using energy in their home, and then, if necessary, change their routine based on what Hohm shows them. A recommendation system shows how you can reduce energy with certain appliances and devices. For example, you might see that using a washing machine at night would save money over daytime use. Historical data is available too, to show energy usage from previous months and years, with easy-to-read bar charts. There's also a trend engine to compare appliances, lighting, and power use for electronics in your home." See full article.

Harvesting Energy From Bumps In the Road

A group of MIT undergraduate students who recognized that electric power in hybrid vehicles can come from applying brakes wondered if the vehicle's suspension system might offer similar promise.

Alternative-energy-news.info reports:

"They rented a variety of car models, attaching sensors to suspension to determine the energy potential. They were aided by laptop computers for recording the sensor data. Their tests revealed that “a significant amount of energy” was being wasted in conventional suspension systems, Anderson said, “especially for heavy vehicles”. After that they set out to prepare a prototype system to harness the wasted power. Their shock absorber employs a hydraulic system that forces fluid through a turbine attached to a generator. The system is controlled by an active electronic system that optimizes the damping. This device provides a smoother ride than traditional shocks while generating electricity to recharge the batteries or operate electrical equipment." See full article.

A Hybrid Three-Wheeler Called MP3 Gets 100MPG

A new three-wheel hybrid design would get 100 MPG and be a safer urban vehicle.

Mike Hanlon for GizMag.com reports:

"The Piaggio Group's claim that its new MP3 Hybrid is “destined to revolutionize urban mobility” would normally be classified as a somewhat overreaching PR claim. Though a highly optimistic viewpoint in view of the machine's US$12,500 price tag, a 33% premium over the 250cc version, the MP3 Hybrid is a landmark vehicle in that it is the first hybrid motorcycle at the same time as offering a number of significant safety features that make the miserly 60 km/l (140+ mpg) three-wheeler a compelling choice for commuters. We've spent some time on the 250cc version of the MP3 and can vouch that it is just as manoeuvrable and enjoyable as a motorcycle yet much safer and surefooted. While the stupidly named MP3 doesn't actually play music, we believe it will make an impact when it goes on sale in Europe next month. Expect to see the hybrid on U.S. Roads next year." See full article.

Humpback Whale Inspires New Wind Power Turbine Designs

A new design for wind turbine blades was inspired by a whale and a work of art.

T. Goodman at InventorSpot.com reports:

"Frank Fish (yes, it's his real name), whose field just happens to be biomechanics, actually came about his observations of the humpback whale serendipitously when he saw a sculpture of a humpback with what he thought were misplaced tubercles on the whale's flipper. The artist had placed them on the "leading" edge of the flipper, not on the underside of the flipper, where Fish "knew" they should be because of his study of fluid dynamics (i.e, smooth edges are most aerodynamic). The artist was correct, however, and Fish's further research indicated that at least part of the science of fluid dynamics was wrong. The tubercle placement on the humpback whale's flippers and tail is a major part of the reason the great mammal is so aerodynamic

This tubercle design operationally keeps air attached to the blades, thereby managing the flow of air and increasing the lift of the blade -- two areas of concern in the development of wind turbines." See full article.

Ride Your Bike To Work: Supply The Power You Generated To Your Bus On The Way Home

Technology for generating electricity during a bike ride can charge a capacitor that can later be used at a kiosk to transfer that energy to a city's smart grid. The charge can then be used for hybrid and electric buses.

Dan Smith at Popsci.com reports:

"The idea is to put "ultracapacitors" into the bikes that will harness and store the kinetic energy generated by pedaling and braking. Once you return the bike to its rental kiosk, the energy stored in the bike will be transferred to the city's smart grid, and used to help power hybrid buses. The city doesn't simply expect you to generate free electricity for them. The bikes come equipped with handlebars that display how much energy has been generated over the course of your bike ride." See full article.

Solar Powered Cargo Ship: Sustainability On The High Seas

Cargo ships and tankers use large amounts of fossil fuel in their normal operations. Now the power of the sun is being employed.

Adrian Covert at PopSci.com reports:

"The M/V Auriga Leader is the world's first solar powered cargo ship, which uses solar panels to provide up to 10 percent of the ship's power. .... 328 solar panels are mounted to the ship's top deck car carrier, which help power the ship's main electrical grid both at sea and in-port. M/V Auriga claims it will help cut down on emissions and raise fuel efficiency. The solar rig is able to generate up to 40 kilowatts, roughly enough to power 10 homes. Inhabitat sees this as a positive step for an industry whose work has some of the worst effects on the environment." See full article.

Portable Off-The-Grid Solar Refrigerator

Refrigerators are major home energy consumers. Here is a new technology that is developing as solar cells become more efficient.

Paul Ridden of GizMag.com reports:

"A fridge that positively thrives in direct sunlight might seem a bit of a strange idea, but if you find yourself in a baking hot country where keeping your medical supplies cool and fresh could mean the difference between life and death, or you just want to sell some chilled refreshments to passers-by, then you need a portable, stand-alone chill solution. Industrial Insulation Systems (IIS) has developed a solar powered fridge/freezer which can be tailored to meet the needs of these off-the-grid scenarios.

The custom, made to order IIS solution will maintain temperatures as cold as -5F (-20C) for at least 24 hours between charge, but with the (up to) 400 amp hr battery capacity and the solar panels working in harmony and regular exposure to sunlight, you should be able to go completely off-grid indefinitely." See full article.

Four-Time World Solar Car Challenge Winner Unveils New Model

Each year there is a 2,000 mile race through the desert to claim the title of best solar vehicle.

Paul Evans for GizMag.com reports:

"The team that won the World Solar Challenge for the last four years running has unveiled its latest solar racer. Like its predecessor, the Nuna5 from Delft University's Nuon Solar Team is covered with six square meters of solar panels but is 30kg lighter at a super low 160kg excluding driver. The solar panels are made up of 2120x Gallium Arsenide triple joint cells with 34% efficiency. These drive an Australian CSIRO developed Axial Flux BLDC in wheel motor that produces 50 Nm of torque at 97% peak efficiency. When the solar cells are producing more power than is required to drive the motor the excess is stored in a 25kg lithium polymer battery pack. The aerodynamic load is approx 1/12th that of a normal road car while the rolling resistance is 1/10th." See full article.

Seven Environmental Media Stories That Are Full Of Hope

We all hear about the daunting challenges and dire consequences of failing to address global warming or make the planet more sustained. Here is an exciting summary of some of the many good developments that guide us toward a hopeful vision of the future.

Ken Edelstein for Mother Nature News reports:

"[it’s easy to lose sight of hopeful news that’s lurking just outside the media’s spotlight. Often, it’s those hopeful stories -- the ones that are about steady, quiet progress rather than political conflict -- that make the larger difference in our lives." See full article:

Green Roadway Project -- U.S. Highways As Alternative Energy Corridors

One way to create wind, solar and other alternative energy facilities with less impact on the environment could be to place them along highways, The Green Roadway Project is examining that possibility with the idea that every community could be served and electric vehcles could be easily recharged. (Image: model of a recharging station)

AzoCleantech.com reports:

"The Green Roadway™ is a comprehensive end-to-end system of unique installations and configurations for creating, gathering and distributing solar, geothermal or wind energy along roadways. The technology could be implemented on the right-of-way along interstate highways, local roads and even railways. The new energy bill passed by the House requires reductions in carbon emissions and establishes “Cap & Trade,” which makes The Green Roadway well-positioned, as The Green Roadway has the potential to generate billions of dollars worth of offset and tax credits as installed systems. The systems also seize on another tenet of the energy bill by providing power and technology to electric vehicles and charging stations." See full article.

A Pedal/Electric Vehicle for the Whole Family (And The Dog)

An eighth-grade student and his dad developed a street-worthy family passenger vehicle that can carry the family, the dog and and the groceries. It is pedal operated and electric power-assisted.

Paul Ridden at GizMag.com reports:

"It's a great-looking 4 wheeler where the power comes courtesy of the harmonization of solar power and a good old-fashioned lower body workout. There's an iPod dock, a GPS navigation system, a cargo area and even a platform especially for the dog. It's definitely a worthy contender for the crown of coolest green transportation around. Oh, and it's also a school project.

A search for .... articles on this vehicle will yield information claiming this project was the work of a class of 8th graders. It was in fact the sole work of David Dixon (the 8th grader) and his father/mentor (also called David and not an 8th grader) for a Novato Charter School project looking into alternative energy sources and green transport solutions. Young David produced a design plan and presented the outline for the SOHH project to his teacher in August of 2008. He wanted to produce a human/electric vehicle to replace trips to school by car - he would ensure that the craft was street legal, that it wasn't too big for use in cycle lanes, that it would use solar power and that it would have room onboard for the groceries. See full article.

Seven Approaches to Ocean Power Generation

There are a number of competing approaches to harnassing the energy-generating power of the ocean and tidal waters. (Image: AWS Ocean Energy)

Colin Barras for New Scientist reports:

"Dedicated research into renewable energy at sea truly began during the oil crisis of the 1970s. But progress towards harnessing the estimated 1 million gigawatt-hours of globally available ocean power has been slow, according to the World Energy Council. A bout of gawky prototypes have taken to the water for the first time in recent weeks, signalling a new assault on a decades-old problem: how to generate power from the oceans." See slides of seven diferent approaches.

New Fuel-Saving Technology Pauses Car Engine During Stops To Save Gas

Mazda has devised a new system for saving fuel during traffic jams and at long traffic lights. It puts the engine in pause mode. It is called iStop

Jeff Salton at GizMag.com reports:

"In everyday city driving, when the vehicle first comes to a standstill and the driver depresses the clutch to engage neutral, the engine shuts down automatically. A green indicator lamp in the instrument cluster shows that the start-stop system has initiated engine cut-off as planned. The car doesn’t use any fuel when it’s stationary. To continue driving, the driver depresses the clutch and the engine starts up again automatically. The Mazda system uses combustion energy to restart the engine quickly with only a little help from the starter motor in certain situations and a small amount of fuel. Mazda i-stop ‘pauses’ the engine, rather than stops it, so it is poised on ‘stand-by’ for a rapid restart in just 0.35 seconds because the combusted fuel mix is stored, ready to be ignited as soon as the driver depresses the clutch." See full article.

New Gadget Remembers to Turn Off DVDs and Computer Screens For You

In many homes, turning off the TV or the computer means that DVD players, speakers and other "support" devices remain on and are still drawing down energy -- sometimes as much as $250 per year. Now there is a smart device that knows when the TV and computer are off and turns off the other devices for you.

Mike Webb at GizMag.com reports:

"The TV TrickleSaver has current sensing circuitry that senses when a TV is off, and cuts power to any connected devices like DVD players and consoles so there is no continuing flow of standby power. Likewise, the “sister product” PC TrickleSaver connects via USB to monitor a PC’s power usage and when in standby mode or turned off, shuts down the flow of power to any printers, speakers and the like." See full article.

A New Retrofit Kit To Make Your Car Into A Hybrid

A former IBM engineer has designed a kit that can transform existing automobiles into hybrids. The kit would place an electric motor inside each wheel so that a majority of drivers will get double the fuel mileage.

EETimes.Eu.Uk and R. Colin Johnson (Automotive DesignLine) report:

"Charles Perry ... recently received first prize for his invention at a green energy competition at the Tennessee Technology Development Corp. The patent pending Plug-in Hybrid Retrofit Kit will be developed into a commercial product by Palmer Labs LLC (Reston, Va.).

According to Perry, 80 percent of U.S. drivers make daily trips of less than 30 miles at 40 miles per hour or slower, all of which could be powered by his 10-15 horsepower electric motors to save as much as 120 million gallons of fuel per day in the U.S. alone, he claimed. The motors would be powered by extra batteries installed in the automobile's trunk. Perry said the kit will cost between $3,000 to $5,000." See full article.

How About A Car That Runs on Air?

A car is due out in 2010 that runs on compressed air and can be "refueled" in a few minutes. It goes 50 mph and can cover 90 to 125 mileson a charge. Later models will be able to go 80 mph.

Nick Kurczewski for Edmunds Inside Line reports:

"The heart of the 2010 MDI AIRPod is a piston engine that has been specially adapted by MDI to run on compressed air. The expansion of the compressed air within the cylinders moves the pistons. The engine is 'fueled' by a system of high-pressure air tanks. Built by EADS, an aerospace firm, the tanks are constructed of lightweight carbon-fiber. Though the tanks are presently limited to a capacity of 80 liters (21.1 gallons) at 200 bars of pressure (2,900 psi), MDI plans an increase to 200 liters (53 gallons) and 300 bars of pressure (4,400 psi, which is actually substantially less than the 10,000-psi rating of hydrogen tanks used in fuel-cell vehicles) for the first production models of the AIRPod, set to be built by the end of this year." See full article.

Roofs That Generate Electricity

Roof tops are a huge potential source of power and using solar roof "shingles" show great promise. Photo by Pam Owen RLEP.org

The Energy Harvesting Journal Reports:

"A transparent thin film barrier used to protect flat panel TVs from moisture could become the basis for flexible solar panels that would be installed on roofs like shingles. The flexible rooftop solar panels - called building-integrated photovoltaics, or BIPVs - could replace today's boxy solar panels that are made with rigid glass or silicon and mounted on thick metal frames. The flexible solar shingles would be less expensive to install than current panels and made to last 25 years.

'There's a lot of wasted space on rooftops that could actually be used to generate power,' said Mark Gross, a senior scientist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 'Flexible solar panels could easily become integrated into the architecture of commercial buildings and homes. Solar panels have had limited success because they've been difficult and expensive to install."' See full article.

Plug-in Vehicles That Go Aloft

As technology evolves for electric cars, it seems the airplane is not too far behind. A new Chinese-built electric model can last 2.5 hours in the air.

George Delozier at Inventor Spot.com reports:

"Small, personally owned aircraft are becoming more common throughout the world. Not only are they becoming increasing easy to fly, but they also are becoming less expensive to operate and maintain. A perfect example of this can be seen with the Yuneec E430 all electric airframe set to go on sale next year. Upon its release, the E430 will be the first commercially available plug-in aircraft. From completely depleted, the lithium polymer battery stack can be charged in 3 hours on a standard 230 volt outlet. A full charge provides up to 2.5 hours in the air. The E430 is 52 foot wide at the wings and uses a 54 horsepower electric motor to stay in the air." See full article.

Business Partnership Will Make Home Appliances More Energy-Smart

A new busines partnership will make home appliances smarter and more energy efficient and contribute to the smart grid.

Camille Ricketts at Greenbeat reports:

"General Electric’s Consumer & Industrial division finalized a deal with home energy management startup Tendril today to improve broadband communication between demand response appliances in the home, smart meters and utilities. Ideally, the result of this tandem project will be a wide range of appliances that respond automatically to utility signals — programmable thermostats that shut off by themselves during peak hours, for example, or dishwashers that run only when electricity is cheapest." See full article.

Thousands Year-Old Process Could Help Defeat Global Warming

Welsh scientists are looking at the ancient practices of Amazonian Indians who developed a process some 6,000 years ago that could help to trap carbon dioxide and lower greenhouse gas levels. Photo: International Biochar Inititiative.

Robin Turner, from the Western Mail reports:

"A process invented thousands of years ago by Amazonian Indians could play a key role in defeating global warming, experts in Wales claim today. The scientists from Swansea University have established a research group to develop the little-known but potentially planet-saving product Biochar. Itis is made when vegetable waste is burned in the absence of oxygen, a process called pyrolysis.The substance was first discovered in the Amazon where Indians used it to fertilise the rainforest’s nutrient-poor soil, between 2,500 and 6,000 years ago. It is an extremely good fertiliser, because it contains high levels of nutrients vital for plant growth, like nitrogen, phosphate, and calcium. It is also highly porous, which helps soil retain water, and provides a solid environment for various microbes that are beneficial for plant growth. Plus it locks carbon dioxide away, possibly for thousands of years." See full article.

A New Green Home Concierge Service

A new service can help busy people have greener and more energy efficient homes.

Beth Hodgson at Inventers Spot.com reports:

"Green Homes Concierge helps London homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and save money through a comprehensive evaluation of the efficiency of their home. Through a report they will identity areas that need improvement, and once approved, can make the arrangement to have contractors complete the work required to make the home more energy efficient. With a service like this, you don't have to worry about finding the time to call for quotes, wait around for contractors, and struggle to maintain balance in your life." See full article.

Parking Lot Pressure Plates Generate Power for a Market

A green supermarket in the UK has a new way to generate power -- the weight of vehicles entering and leaving its parking lot.

Lisa Zyga of Physorg.com reports:

"The system is expected to produce about 30 kW of energy per hour, which is more than enough energy to power the store's checkouts. As designer Peter Hughes of Highway Energy Systems explains, as a vehicle passes over the plates, the plates are pushed down by the weight of the vehicle. The pushed plates create rocking motions under the road's surface that turn generators, which is redirected back to the store." See full article.

London Going For Ten Designated Low-carbon Zones

London is taking steps to create special low-carbon zones.

ClimateBiz.com and Luke Walsh, Edie News report:

"[Mayor] Boris Johnson has pledged £3 million (about U.S.$4.5 million) to develop ten flagship low carbon zones (LCZ) -- aimed at creating jobs and cutting carbon emissions.Speaking at HRH Prince Charles' May Day Summit on Climate Change last week London's mayor formally invited applications for the LCZ by committing at least £200,000 funding for each one.The zones will be funded by the London Development Agency's recently approved budget for climate change activities and private sponsorship.

The Zones are expected to include a range of carbon-cutting measures in homes, neighbourhoods, businesses and public buildings such as: • Home insulation • Smart meters to help people regulate their energy use • Retrofit packages for public and commercial buildings• Decentralized energy plants to produce heat and electricity locally • Renewable energy sources such as solar panels • State of the art facilities to use waste as a clean fuel source." See full article.

Wind Energy Installed In Existing Power Line Towers

There are tens of thousands of miles of transmission lines in the U.S. supported by towers that could be fitted with wind turbines. Some wind energy designers are offering an approach they call the Wind-it Project.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"Wind-it project offers to answer many challenges we face while setting up wind farms in an area. One of the greatest challenges to the expansion of wind power: where to site wind turbines. Choppin, Delon and Menard’s design uses the existing infrastructure. They suggest the use of already existing towers and pylons that dot the more than 157,000 miles of high voltage power lines in the U.S. They ask us to install the wind turbines within already sited structures." See full article.

Solar Airplane to Circle the World

We think of solar power in many contexts but a solar-powered airplane is an interesting opportunity. The company Solar Impulse is debuting a solar flying machine.

George Delozier at Inventor Spot.com reports:

"To keep the Solar Impulse in the air, an array of 11,628 solar cells cover the wings and horizontal stabilizer. The energy is fed into stacks of Lithium Polymer batteries, one stack per motor and then used to turn the props. In the course of 24 hours, the motors on the HB-SIA average about 8 horsepower output, slightly less than the Wright Brothers had during their first powered flight back in 1903. The mission of the Solar Impulse HB-SIA is to verify the feasibility of an aircraft powered only by solar energy. The team has many tests planned for their plane, many to test the ability of the batteries to sustain flight overnight. The finale of the tests will be a flight that will circumnavigate the globe, with the team following its progress the entire way. The trip will be broken into 5 stages, each lasting about 4 days. It has a wingspan of 208 feet, the equivalent of a Boeing-747, but weights in at only 3500l bs. See full article.

"Weed" Gene Splicing for Climate-ready Crops

Some plants, mostly considered weeds, are resistent to higher temperatures and may become part of our future agricultural landscape. Photo: Earth Photos, via Flickr.com

Pop Sci.com reports:

"Over the past few years, studies have shown that many weeds survive far better in the high-heat, high atmospheric carbon dioxide environment of the future than their regularly cultivated counterparts. Thus, as carbon dioxide levels rise, spurring on greater climate change, many crops such as rice and corn face the dual problem of increased competition from weeds and reduced yield from a harsher environment.

Now, scientists hope to either breed or genetically engineer the genes that make weeds to successful into the food crops. For instance, rice does not produce seeds when the temperature rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and cannot compete with a closely related weed plant called red rice in a high CO2 environment. By breeding the red rice genes into the regular white rice strains, scientists can create hybrid rice that can both withstand the heat and out-compete the weeds." See full article.

Green Building of America Award for Wake Tech in North Carolina

This year, a North Carolina community college won the award Construction Communications green building of America award.

Carolina Newswire reports:

"Wake Technical Community College is proud to be the recipient of a 2009 “Green Building of America” Award from Construction Communications. Building D, on Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus, was chosen for the award from more than 2,500 entries.

At just under 75,000 square feet, the building features daylight harvesting - a system that detects the amount of light coming in from outside and automatically dims the inside lights accordingly to save energy. Occupancy sensors in rooms automatically turn lights off when no one is present. Building D also has a white roof to reflect the sun, sun-blocking louvers and roof overhang on the south side of the building, and high-efficiency condensing boilers, fan and pump motors." See full article.

Hydrokinetics -- "Wind" Technology Goes Underwater

Damming a river can be environmentally damaging but the flow of water on our water-rich continent is also a significant source of power that would reduce greenhouse gases. New approaches to harnessing water power are being developed.

Pop Sci.com reports:

"Installed this winter in –30° weather and switched on in January, the Houston-based Hydro Green Energy's pilot plant is the first federally licensed hydrokinetic project in the U.S. Like an underwater wind turbine, it will produce electricity by using the high-velocity current gushing out of an existing hydroelectric dam to turn a 12-foot, three-blade fan. Known as "run-of-river" hydrokinetic, Hydro Green's technology is similar to turbines that are being used to tap tidal power in Europe, except it's optimized to work in water flowing in just one direction (tidal turbines use water flowing both in and out)." See full article.

Cisco's New Smart and Connected Buildings Technology

To have a smart grid we will need smarter buildings. Buildings will need to be able talk to the power companies computers and Cisco is evolving a new software/hardware system that willlet buildings also talk to each other and for differnt systems within a single bulding to share information.

Reuters reports:

As a key component of delivering on the Smart+Connected Communitiesvision, Cisco today announced the availability of the Cisco(R) NetworkBuilding Mediator, a Smart Connected Buildings solution that provides theintelligence to interconnect and enable building systems such as heating,ventilation and cooling (HVAC), lighting, electrical, security, andrenewables over the IP network to build smart and energy-efficientbuildings of the future. This provides operators and owners of thesebuildings with new ways of managing how energy is used based on policiesthat make sense for occupants. See full article.

Dupont: New Thin Film Protection for Longer-Lasting Photvoltaic Modules

Solar power modules can suffer from cost per-watt degradation over time through exposure to environmental conditions and moistures.

Trading Markets.com reports:

[Dupont] "today announced the commercialization of two new families of photovoltaic encapsulant sheets that are expected to improve durability and efficiency of photovoltaic modules. The new DuPont(TM) PV5300 Series and DuPont(TM) PV5200 Series deliver long-term protection for the most sensitive part of photovoltaic modules - the solar cells. They contribute to longer life and reduced cost-per-watt, helping system manufacturers deliver more reliable and cost-effective solar power. On a global basis, DuPont expects to nearly triple annual sales." See full article.

Carbon-Eating Microbes That Make Fuel

Some might describe them as the "perfect biofuel" because methanogens can make methane from CO2 and water with the help of a little spark.

Pop Sci.com reports:

"The technology is still experimental, but late last year researchers at Penn State University discovered how to make methane — a main ingredient in natural gas — from the very thing driving climate change: carbon dioxide. The key is microorganisms called methanogens. Engineer Bruce Logan discovered that the organisms produced methane with nothing but water and carbon dioxide when zapped with an electric current." See article.

Energy-Havesting Technology Module Examined

Radio wave energy-harvesting technology is moving forward. It can now be used in a number of applications such as cell phone-charging and supporting wireless technology by doing away with battery recharge. The technology is moving in the direction of harvesting ambient radio wave energy but so far it is responsive to specific targeted frequencies.

Product Design and Development reports:

"Powercast’s P2100 Powerharvester™ module is one of several components from the company that convert radio frequency energy into direct current. The Powerharvester won a Gold award in the sensor components category at Sensors Expo 2009. See article.

For added insight also see CNET Crave.

The Eneloop Lamp -- LED Technology Moving Ahead

LED (light emitting diode) technology is extremely promising in the drive to reduce energy usage and lower greenhouse gases. But, so far, not everyone likes its bright white light. A new design combines a white light with a cool blue "healing" light. (Photo by Sanyo)

Erik Palm at CNET News.com Crave reports:

"Sanyo is turning to LED light technology, a hot new area for experimentation, to squeeze three uses out of a single lamp. The company's new Eneloop Lamp is a desk light that can also work as an emergency flashlight and even send some healing energy your way--or so the company says. Operating on rechargable AA "eneloop" batteries, Sanyo's new Eneloop Lamp based on high-luminance LED technology can be situated anywhere in the room since no cords constrain the placement. It also uses a contactless charging system and has no metallic contact on the product body interrupting the design. The batteries are recharged by putting the lamp unit on the charging stand.

In low-white-light mode, one 12-hour charge lasts an impressive 45 hours, but on high output it only lasts 3 hours. The Eneloop Lamp also features a blue lamp 'Healing Light' mode that according to Sanyo 'creates a healing ambience.'" See full article.