River Turbines On Floating Dock Could Electrify New York City

A New Jersey Institute of Technology professor and a student have developed a proposed design for floating docks that capture energy from river flows plus provide recreational space.

Charles Choi for LiveScience and MSNBC.com reports:

"Each dock could generate power off the city's river currents. Three vertical turbines fastened out of sight to the underside of each station would harness the 4 mph currents, with each module generating up to 24 kilowatts of constant energy from the Hudson and East Rivers.
These stations would plug into the conventional piers of the city, extending them into the rivers. They could alleviate the need for conventional power to light the city streets, with each module supporting 350 LED streetlamps.

These docks could eventually get extended further up the rivers to both generate power and increase recreational green space and tidal pools for wildlife, said researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and at GRO Architects in New York. They currently have a provisional patent on the idea." See full article.

Taiwan Convention Center To Feature Solar-Powered Facades And Natural Ventilation

Beijing-based MAD Ltd. unveiled its solar eco-skin design for the Taichung Convention Center in Taiwan.

Green Diary.com reports:

"The Taichung Convention Center seems to blend mountainous architecture with sustainably soothing green technologies. Designed by the Beijing architects MAD, the buildings will have facades studded with photovoltaic panels to help provide them with abundant solar power. The concertina surface will create a natural passage for natural light and air as well. While it will cut down the expenses relating to heating and cooling solutions, the overall energy consumption also will follow suit. The architects have been specially commissioned by the Taiwanese government to suggest an eco-friendly model for the proposed construction and they’ve done a commendable job indeed." See full article and photos:

Google Earth Maps Carbon in The Atmosphere

Google Earth has teamed up with science experts to help people better understand CO2 in the atmosphere through dynamic mapping.

Physorg.com reports:

"A better understanding of the carbon cycle has implications for energy and environmental policy and carbon management. In June 2009, Michalak described this research at the NASA Earth System Science at 20 symposium in Washington, D.C.

A snapshot from Erickson's Google Earth application shows green tracks representing carbon dioxide in the lowest part of the atmosphere close to Earth's surface where vegetation and land processes can impact the carbon cycle. Red tracks indicate particles at higher altitudes that are immune from ground influences. The application is designed to educate the public and even scientists about how carbon dioxide emissions can be traced. A network of 1,000-foot towers across the United States is equipped with instruments by NOAA to measure the carbon dioxide content of parcels of air at single locations." See full article.

New Lightbulb Technology Combines CFL, LED and Incandescent

A Seattle-based company is developing a new line of lightbulbs with higher energy efficiency that are also mercury-free.

Sandeep Ravindran from Popsci.com reports:

"The ESL bulbs generate light by firing electrons to stimulate phosphor, and the whole setup is encased in normal light-bulb glass. The bulbs are estimated to last up to 6,000 hours, which is comparable to CFLs, and three to four times as long as incandescent bulbs.
Unlike CFLs, they do not contain mercury, which is a potent neurotoxin, and can be disposed of as regular trash. Burned-out CFLs need to be disposed of with hazardous waste or returned for recycling.

LEDs are still the most efficient bulbs, lasting 40,000 to 50,000 hours per bulb, but they are a lot more expensive. For example, Panasonic's new Everleds LED light is likely to retail for around $40 per bulb, or twice as much as the expected cost of the new ESL bulbs.
According to Vu1, another advantage of the ESL bulbs is that, unlike CFL and LED bulbs, they produce light that is nearly identical to incandescents, as seen in the infomercial below. The company also says that the new bulbs have a smaller carbon footprint over their lifecycle than CFL or LED bulbs." See full article.

China Is Developing A Massive New 2GW Solar Plant

China has plans for the largest solar power plant to-date. It would cover 25 square miles and power 3 million homes.

Sandra Acaro at Gizmag.com reports:

"The Chinese government has announced its intention to construct a 2-gigawatt solar power plant in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia. Mike Ahearn, CEO of the Arizona-based company which will construct the plant, describes the unprecedented project as “an encouraging first step forward toward the mass-scale deployment of solar power worldwide to help mitigate climate change concerns.” As outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between First Solar and the Chinese government, the project will be developed in four phases over a nine-year period, with Phase 1 beginning 1 June 2010 and Phase 4 to be completed by 2019. Phase 1 will initiate a 30-megawatt demonstration project, while Phases 2, 3 and 4 will consolidate a further 100 megawatts, 870 megawatts and 1000 megawatts respectively.

The magnitude of the development is many times greater than any solar plant in operation or even contemplated, including projects such as the 290-megawatt Starwood Solar Iand the 500-megawatt solar thermal project in the Mojave Desert. If successful, the Ordos plant will cover a staggering 25-square miles, cost billions of dollars and power 3 million Chinese homes." See full article.

REVive: Is Electric Car Company From India Ready To Roll Out A Remote Wireless Recharge?

Reva of India is suggesting that they are ready to unveil an electric car thatcan be recharged from a remote wireless station. Could it be true or will it be wireless directions on where to find a plug-in charge?

Popsci.com reports:

"India's Reva electric car company has a UK hit on its hands with the diminutive G-Wiz, an increasingly common addition to London traffic. This year, the company will introduce a new model, the Reva NXR -- a four-seat, three-door hatchback -- and plans to unveil a two-seat sports car, dubbed NXG, at next week's Frankfurt motor show. But what's got the electric-car world talking is something the company calls REVive -- a new feature purported to allow a driver who finds himself with insufficient battery charge to get an "instant remote recharge."

Could Reva be ready to roll out an inductive recharging system that would work over the course of miles instead of just a tabletop"? See full article:

Plug-in Prius Test Fleet Coming in Early 2010

The much-discussed Prius plug-in is coming. The unveiling will be at Germany's Frankfort auto show.

Popsci.com reports:

"This week the company offered its first tangible evidence of a plug-in Prius, at least in two dimensions. The company released the first official photo image of a new Prius concept car that can get juice from the electrical grid. Toyota hasn't yet offered any details on the car, except to say that around 150 units of the plug-in Prius will arrive in 2010 at the doorstep of selected fleet customers in Europe as part of an extensive field test. The lease program will subsequently migrate to Japan and the US. More details on the plug-in Prius concept will arrive next week ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, where the concept will be unveiled." See full article.