Climate Guru

The Kite Wind Generator

2009-12-24T06:33:00.000-08:00

Experts estimate that the wind blowing across the planet holds enough energy to meet all human needs 100 times over. The question then is how to capture it. There are some interesting new approaches being developed.

Alternative Energy News.Info reports.

"The Kite Wind Generator simply known as KiteGen is an Italian company. They are installing kites that sprout from funnel like structures. They are mounted on giant poles. When wind blows these kites come out of funnels. For short, use kites that spring from funnels on the end of giant poles when the wind blows. For each kite, winches release a pair of high-resistance cables to control direction and angle. These kites are light and ultra-resistant. These kites are similar to those used for kite surfing - light and ultra-resistant, capable of flying up to a height of 2,000 meters.

The basics of the wind turbines and KiteGen are same. But they have moved the heaviest parts to the ground. They claim that the resulting structure, base foundation included, is much lighter and cheaper. They have also provided flexibility regarding the height of kites. If the wind is strong at certain height, the height of the kite too can be adjusted accordingly. If today wind if blowing nicely at 1000m, say, kites can be adjusted at the same height. If tomorrow the strong wind is blowing at certain other height, wind kites can be flown at that height to gain maximum advantage of the wind power." See full article and video.

World Bank Will Invest In North African Solar Projects

2009-12-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

The sun-soaked regions of North Africa provide major opportunities for alternative energy development.

Alternative Energy News.Info reports:

"The World Bank will invest $5.5 billion for North African solar power projects. They have announced that initially World Bank will put in $750 million dollars from the Clean Technology Fund with the remaining amount will be arranged from other sources. World Bank is expecting to complete these projects by 2015. They are willing to include five countries in this project and hoping to triple world wide concentrated solar power technology (CSP) capacity. This relatively new technology uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto a single point, heating water to drive turbines. Construction of the 11 facilities in the project is scheduled to begin in 2011. It is expected that the North African project will generate a total of 900 MW in capacity by 2020." See full article.

Zero Emissions Concept Taxi May Come To Market In Mexico

2009-12-24T06:03:00.000-08:00

Mexican car builders are showing interest in a dramatic new taxi design.

Mike Spinelli from PopSci.com reports:

"Industrial designer Alberto Villareal had an idea for a zero-emissions taxicab to replace the copious cabs of his home domicile: smog-choked Mexico City. He named the fuel-cell-powered taxi, which maximizes space while reducing weight and uses solar power to supplement its electrical system, MX-Libris.
Officials at Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany thought MX-Libris was such a novel solution to the city's car-for-hire ills that they gave Villareal their coveted Red Dot design award in 2008. Now, Villareal says two Mexico-based companies -- a taxi distribution and management firm and a car body maker -- could be ready to build a prototype of MX-Libris, and maybe even put it into production." See full article

Tiny Glitter-sized Solar Cells -- An Energy Revolution

2009-12-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

Technology is emerging that can make the average person on the street a walking battery charger.

Jude Garvey for Gizmag.com reports:

"Scientists from Sandia National Laboratories have developed tiny, glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that are ten times thinner than conventional solar cells and could one day be used in a variety of applications – from satellites and remote-sensing, to tents and perhaps even clothing.

The Sandia research team identified over 20 benefits of scale for these tiny cells over traditional solar cells, including better performance, more efficiencies and possibly reduced costs." See full article.

Eighteen Wheeler Design Innovation Cuts Fuel Use By 7.5%

2009-12-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

A "boat tail" addition to the nation's eighteen-wheeled tractor trailers would make a significant difference in U.S. fuel consumption.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"A simple attachment of a tapering protrusion at the back of a truck can save up to 7.5% in fuel consumption. This is a significant amount of fuel saving with a simple alteration. This fuel saving is possible due to dramatically-improved aerodynamics. It has been verified by road tests conducted by the Dutch PART (Platform for Aerodynamic Road Transport) public-private partnership platform.

They short listed adding of a boat tail to the back of the truck. What is a boat tail? It is a tapering protrusion which is mounted on the back end of a truck. Tail ends length is about two meters. The feasibility of this arrangement is already demonstrated by the wind tunnel experiments and computer simulations." See full article.

First Sea Water Osmotic Power Plant Goes Live

2009-12-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

A form of alternative energy that shows great promise involves the ocean and the use of osmosis.

Clay Dillow of Popsci.com reports:

"Osmotic power works by separating saltwater and seawater in two chambers separated by a polymer membrane that will only allow freshwater to pass through. The salinity of the seawater draws the freshwater through the membrane, creating a great deal of pressure on the seawater side. That pressure can be used to turn a turbine to create power.

The Norwegians have no problem going big on their maritime energy projects either. Norwegian energy giant StatiolHydro recently erected Hywind, the world's first floating full-scale offshore wind turbine, and Statiol's Snohvit field in the Barents sea is the world's most environmentally friendly liquid natural gas plant and boasts the world's longest undersea pipeline system." See full article.

Goblin Motors: The Future of Pedal Power

2009-11-21T05:28:00.000-08:00

For some people a pedal-powered commute make sense. This technology is evolving along with speed and comfort.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"Based upon high tech aerodynamics engineering and standard cycling technology, Goblin Motors introduces products that offer a reasonable way to commute using human power alone. Drivers have protection from the elements, whether it is hot or cold, sunny or raining. Popular in Europe for years, this is the first time that such vehicles have been designed and manufactured to accommodate larger American citizens.

Visit the Goblin Aero page for project details and photos. Look forward to the release of Goblin Motors’ new hybrid drive power assist on Earth Day, 2009." See full article.

Icetape: 90% Less Cooling Energy At Large Data Centers:

2009-11-21T04:54:00.000-08:00

A new approach to cooling computer server "farms" could make a big difference in global greenhouse gas emissions.

Clay Dillow at Popsci.com reports:

"Server farms are undeniably awesome in that they store huge pools of data, enable such modern phenomena as cloud computing and Web-hosted email, and most importantly, make the Internet as it stands today possible. The downside: data centers get very, very hot. Cooling huge banks of servers doesn't just cost a lot, it eats up a lot of energy, and that generally means fossil fuels. UK-based Iceotope hopes to cut those costs by about 93 percent by wrapping servers in liquid coolant.

Iceotope works by wrapping individual components inside each server in a kind of ice-pack filled with synthetic coolant. The system also employs water to carry excess heat out of the data center, either releasing it into the atmosphere or channeling it to offices or other areas as a form of heating during cold weather." See full article.

New High-Performance Hybrid Two-Wheeler Will Get 150 MPG

2009-11-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Hybrid vehicle technology continues to improve and Piaggio is making great advances with three and two-wheels.

Mike Hanlon for Gizmag.com reports:

"Piaggio's MP3 was the world's first hybrid three-wheeler and at EICMA this week, it showed what is likely to be the first two-wheeled hybrid – the Piaggio USB (urban sport bike). The combination of a highly efficient, low-emmission GDI (gasoline direct injection) two-stroke motor and an electric motor, the USB is much smaller than it looks in the images and weighs in at just 130 kg. The USB runs 50km (30 miles) on electric only, and returns 1.5 l/100 km (156 U.S. mpg and 188 imperial mpg).

Quite remarkably, the performance of the USB is awesome using both to develop a claimed combined torque figure of 200 Nm which means the plug-in USB blitzes to its top speed of 100 kmh far faster than your average performance car." See full article.

A Lamp That Runs On Phone Jack Electricity

2009-11-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

The electricity that comes through the phone lines is, in many ways, wasted except when you are making or receiving calls. Some think of this as a way to lower carbon footprint using "free" power.

Darren Quick at Gizmag.com reports:

"If you’re looking to shave every last cent off your next electricity bill then this gooseneck lamp is for you. The lamp is so energy efficient its eight white LED lights are powered by the trickle of electricity flowing from a RJ11 socket – or garden-variety telephone socket. This means that, even if you’ve fallen behind on your electricity bill and the power has been cut off, you can still enjoy some late night reading. If the only RJ11 jack available is already being used by another appliance – say a phone – then you’ll be left in the dark, as the light isn’t able to connect to a regular power point." See full article.

New Table-Top Solar Storage Unit: ReNu

2009-11-04T16:54:00.001-08:00

A new home table-top unit will run an Ipod -- a desk lamp and more.

Paul Ridden at Gizmag.com reports:

"A recent winner of the i-stage consumer electronics competition, the ReNu system couples a sleek, minimal design with clever looking functionality. The separate ReNu panel charges in nine hours when placed in direct sunlight or 20 hours in poorer light, and can then be used to power an iPod or iPhone dock or charger, or an LED lamp. The panel gives around eight hours of playback time, two full iPhone charges, or four hours of light, and does away with users having to expose their iPods or iPhones to direct sunlight while the charger does its work.

The interface displays the amount of energy harvested, the level remaining in reserve, as well as when it is time to expose the ReNu panel to sunlight again. The iPod dock features a USB port for syncing, and all units have an AC adapter should the sun's rays really be in scarce supply." See full article.

Wind Turbines May Be Getting Stealth Technology

2009-11-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

High-flying wind turbines near low-flying aircraft can cause radar confusion. Military stealth technology may offer a solution.

Paul Ridden at Gizmag.com reports:

Radar technology tracks moving objects by looking for Doppler but if an aircraft flies low over a wind farm, even though only the moving parts on a turbine are its blades the radar is unable to easily distinguish one moving object from the other.

Technology consultants, QinetiQ (which was formed after the breakup of the UK Government's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 2001) and turbine manufacturer Vestas believe that the solution lies in hiding the turbines and blades from the radar using stealth technology.
In a project partly funded by the UK Government, radar absorbing materials were integrated in a turbine blade which was then fitted to an existing Vestas V90 turbine. Radar cross section measurements were then taken using a system developed by QinetiQ. The results showed a significant reduction in the radar signature of the turbine" See full article:

The Movement Toward Home-Brewed Electricity

2009-11-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

Home made (and stored) electricity is getting closer to a reality:

Physorg.com reports:

"A report by an international expert on solar energy ... describes a long-awaited, inexpensive method for solar energy storage that could help power homes and plug-in cars in the future while helping keep the environment clean. Daniel Nocera explains that the global energy need will double by mid-century and triple by 2100 due to rising standards of living world population growth. Personalized solar energy - the capture and storage of solar energy at the individual or home level - could meet that demand in a sustainable way, especially in poorer areas of the world.

The report describes development of a practical, inexpensive storage system for achieving personalized solar energy. At its heart is an innovative catalyst that splits water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen that become fuel for producing electricity in a fuel cell." See full article.

An Inconvenient Truth In The Classroom: Free High School Curriculum

2009-10-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

Many Americans have seen the Oscar-winning film documentary, An inconvenient Truth. It is based on a powerful visual and factual presentation on the realities of global warming that was developed through many years of hard work by former U.S. Vice President, Al Gore.

The National Wildlife Federation has, in cooperation with Mr. Gore, and with the support of film producer Particpant Media and the Tosa Foundation, developed an Incovenient Truth high school curriculum that focuses on the science of global warming and educational activities about global warming solutions.

The curriculum and other materials on climate change education can be found on the NWF Climate Classroom website which has age-differentiated sections for both teens and younger children and a wide range od useful parent, child and educator resources.

Click here and scroll down the page to access and download free copies of An Incovenient Truth high school curriculum

Color-Changing Roof Tiles: Dark In Winter & Light In Summer

2009-10-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

If you have ever been in an attic in the summer, you know it can be incredibly overheated. In the winter, on a sunny day, it can be surpisingly warm. A group of students are working on a way to have the best of both worlds.

Physorg.com reports:

"The ideal situation, then, would be to get the advantage of white roofs when it's hot and black roofs when it's cold. Now, there may be a way to have both. A team of recent MIT graduates has developed roof tiles that change color based on the temperature. The tiles become white when it's hot, allowing them to reflect away most of the sun's heat. When it's cold they turn black and absorb heat just when it's needed.

The team's lab measurements show that in their white state, the tiles reflect about 80 percent of the sunlight falling on them, while when black they reflect only about 30 percent. That means in their white state, they could save as much as 20 percent of present cooling costs, according to recent studies. Savings from the black state in winter have yet to be quantified." See full article.

Working On Solar Cells That Will Print Like Newspaper

2009-10-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

Investing in solar power still has a long enough economic break-even period to discourage more widespread investment. Creating less expensive and more efficient soalr panels is a key aspectof making solar power more universal.

Alternative Energy News reports:

"It is believed that solar cells could soon be produced more cheaply using nanoparticle “inks”. These nanoparticles can help in printing solar cells like newspaper or painted onto the sides of buildings or rooftops to absorb electricity-producing sunlight. Brian Korgel along with his team is working on this low-cost, nanomaterial solution that can replace the current photovoltaics. Brian Korgel is a chemical engineer at University of Texas at Austin. He is quite hopeful that his new technique coupled with different manufacturing processes will lower the price of solar cells to one tenth

Korgel is utilizing the light-absorbing nanomaterials. Their specialty is that they are 10,000 times thinner than a strand of hair. Their microscopic size makes it possible to attain higher-efficiency devices. The inks could be printed on a roll-to-roll printing process. They can use a plastic substrate or stainless steel for printing. It seems that this type of ink could be used to paint a rooftop or building and it doesn’t look like a tall claim." See full article.

New Green Concrete Developed -- Implications For The Building Industry

2009-10-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

In the national discussion about green buildings and green development, there is considerable hope that the use of concrete can be made more climate and eco-friendly. Some recent breakthroughs make that more possible .

Jeff Salton at Gizmag.com reports:

"Concrete is the most prevalent building material on the planet, and though the world would be pretty flat without it (not many tall buildings and structures), it does come at a price – around 5-8 percent of all human-generated atmospheric CO2 comes from the concrete industry. A culprit is Portland cement, the binding agent in concrete. It’s the most widely produced man-made material on earth. Production of Portland cement is currently exceeding 2.6 billion tons per year worldwide and growing at 5 percent annually. To halt these alarming pollution figures, innovative research on geopolymer concrete, along with ways of using a waste byproduct from coal-fired powerplants, is being conducted by Dr Erez Allouche, assistant professor of civil engineering at Louisiana Tech University and associate director of the Trenchless Technology Center.

A greener alternative, inorganic polymer concrete (geopolymer) fits into an emerging class of cementitious materials that utilize ‘fly ash’, one of the most abundant industrial by-products on earth, as a substitute for Portland cement. Geopolymer concrete has a number of benefits. The first is it has the potential to substantially curb CO2 emissions. It can also produce a more durable infrastructure capable of lasting hundreds of years, instead of tens. And by utilizing the fly ash, it can conserve hundreds of thousands of acres currently used for disposal of coal combustion products, and protect our water ways from fly ash ‘contamination’, too." See full article.

Using Mobile Phone Towers For Wind Power

2009-10-03T05:25:00.000-07:00

As the world moves toward lower carbon energy production it will cause us to look for new power production opportunties including cell towers. This is particularly important for areas where electric distribution is limited.

Paul Ridden of Gizmag.com reports:

"Later this month, Helix Wind Corporation will deliver its first test wind turbines to Eltek Network Solutions Group for installation at two test sites in Nigeria. Sites in the US are also set to take delivery of test modules. The turbines will provide a clean energy solution for mobile phone towers and if tests prove successful, could see wind power being rolled out to hundreds of sites over the next few years.

'Currently such towers are powered by diesel generators, which are bad for the environment and extremely expensive to operate,' said Helix Wind CEO Ian Gardner. 'Anywhere the power grid is unreliable, expensive or simply non-existent, wind is an ideal renewable energy resource able to power these towers and reduce their operating cost."' See full article.

BMW Solar Concept Car With Air-breaking Wind Flaps!

2009-10-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

An interesting new concept car collects power using solar panels and then raises them to help it slow down.

Jeremy Hsu at Popsci.com reports:

"The BMW Lovos has 260 exterior flaps that can collect solar power and act as airbrakes at the same time. The wacky car concept comes from Anne Forschner, a 24-year-old graduate of Pforzheim University in Germany. Each scale-like flap holds solar photovoltaic cells and can move to follow the sun or act as individual airbrakes. We can only imagine that seeing a full-scale version of this car driving around might bring to mind a Beast Machine Transformer, or a ruffled feathered dino made metallic." See full article.

River Turbines On Floating Dock Could Electrify New York City

2009-09-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Solar Panels Built Directly Into Roads

2009-08-29T05:52:00.000-07:00

A design proposal would cover roadways with solar panels.

Adrian Covert at Popsci.com reports:

"The Department of Energy just gave $100,000 to upstart company Solar Roadways, to develop 12-by-12-foot solar panels, dubbed "Solar Roads," that can be embedded into roads, pumping power into the grid. The panels may also feature LED road warnings and built-in heating elements that could prevent roads from freezing. Each Solar Road panel can develop around 7.6 kwh of power each day, and each costs around $7,000. If widely adopted, they could realistically wean the US off fossil fuels: a mile-long stretch of four-lane highway could take 500 homes off the grid. If the entire US Interstate system made use of the panels, energy would no longer be a concern for the country." See full article.

Hummer Challenges Chevy Volt On Fuel Economy: For Real?

2009-08-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine a fuel-efficient Hum-V?

Jeremy Hsu at PopSci.com reports:

"Hummer H3e claims its green version can get 100 mpg on average. And what's a little boasting without taking a shot at the competition? Raser Technologies calls its revamped Hummer a "Prius-Stomping Green Machine," based on an E-REV powertrain that supposedly enables large vehicles to drive the first 40 miles in all-electric mode. The company calculates that a typical driver who goes 65 miles per day would average about 100 mpg, and that driving over 200 miles per day would still get about double the fuel economy of a regular Hummer.

The electric Humvee developer has also not hesitated to join the crowd questioning Chevrolet's claim of 230 mpg for the upcoming Chevy Volt hybrid. Fast Company reports that Raser claims a Hummer would get 190 mpg in city driving conditions, based on the same methodology used to calculate the Volt's fuel economy." See full article.

Solar Sunflowers: A New Design For Solar Power

2009-08-25T04:47:00.001-07:00

An art exhibit and alternative energy project near Austin Texas is turning heads with a enw design for solar energy: the sunflower.

PopSci reports:

"Designed by Massachusetts art duo Harries/Heder, the SunFlowers are an art exhibit at heart, and stand over 30 feet tall. They collect power from the sun by day, and use that energy to power their blue LEDs at night. Up to 15 kilowatts of surplus power is sent back to the grid as payment for any maintenance fees the SunFlowers incur." See full article.

Chevy Volt Looking At 230-Mile In-City Range

2009-08-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

Recent tests are indicating that the Chevy Volt will have a greater range between charges than originally expected.

Darren Quick at Gizmag.com reports:

"With the anticipated production date of 2010 rapidly approaching, GM has announced that its extended-range electric vehicle is expected to achieve city fuel economy of at least 230 miles per gallon. The figure is based on development testing using a draft EPA federal fuel economy methodology for labeling for plug-in electric vehicles. The new methodology being developed weights plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity and uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins." See full article.

Laser-Guided Wind Turbine Technology For Greater Output

2009-08-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

Emerging laser technology can help wind turbines be more efficient.

Jeff Kart at CleanTechnica.com reports:

"The Manassas, Virginia-based Catch the Wind has signed an agreement to work with the National Renewable Energy Lab in Boulder, Colorado, to test the company’s Vindicator laser wind sensor. Catch the Wind will provide a test unit to the U.S. Department of Energy facility for up to three years. The lab will use the Vindicator to measure wind speeds and direction with a goal of optimally aligning turbines and turbine blades. The idea is to cut stress loads on turbines and up their energy output." See full article.

Fusion Power Breakthrough: Energy In Ten years?

2009-08-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

"Low budget" in fusion reactor terms means $1 billion. A new design may bring fusion power to the world sooner than anyone ever thought.

Physorg.com reports:

"Currently, most nuclear fusion power plants are large, expensive projects that will take decades to benefit from. But a startup company in Vancouver, Canada, called General Fusion is taking the fast track to fusion, with a plan to build a working prototype fusion power plant within the next decade at a cost of less than a billion dollars." See full article.

Meet The Amphibious Hybrid

2009-08-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

More fuel-efficient vehicles -- by land and by sea!

Jeff Salton at GizMag.com reports:

"The Amphibious Hybrid concept vehicle - is a case of Bond meets the Transformers with its automatically adjusting tire design that morphs to ensure maximum grip on any given terrain including ice and water, where it becomes a kind of three wheel paddle boat. The team that designed this car thought it should be able to navigate on land, ice and water and, hence, its tires have the ability to change shape automatically to suit the terrain. For instance, when the terrain sensors located within the ‘intelligent wheels’ detect the vehicle has moved from normal mode (bitumen roads) to a slipperier surface, like snow, the tires open up a little. The more traction required, the wider the tire. When on the water, the tires resemble something more akin to a propeller." See full article:

A Review of Home Energy Monitoring Devices

2009-08-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

There are a number of new programs and devices designed to help consumers and homeowners know more about energy of their use HVAC systems and appliances.

Paul Lester at GizMag.com reports:

"Perhaps the first step on the road to being green comes from learning a bit more about the various appliances in the modern home and how much energy they actually use. There are a range of home energy meters available for just this purpose, reporting not only current usage in monetary terms, but also estimated CO2 emissions, power consumption and historical data that can be used to identify and cut down during periods of excessive consumption." See reviews:

How Does the "Cloud Ship" Idea Strike You?

2009-08-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

A new climate change-fighting idea being "floated" in the "global engineering" realm is to build a fleet of ships that pushes sea water into the sky to make reflective white clouds.

Kevin Jess at the Digitial Journal reports:

"A flotilla of 1,900 cloud ships would be needed to cruise the Pacific Ocean in order to create clouds that would deflect the sun rays and curb global warming. The project, now being worked on by U.S. and UK scientists is the favorite among many schemes aimed at fighting climate change. It would see wind-powered ships travelling the ocean sucking up seawater and spraying minuscule droplets of it out through tall funnels to create large white clouds." See full article.

MIT Tackles Making An Electric Car That Recharges In Ten Minutes

2009-08-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

The overall practicality of electric vehicle tranportation depends on the speed of battery recharge. Many EVs take six to eight hours. MIT is going for something closer to what people might experience at the gas pump.

Michael Mulcahy at GizMag.com reports:

"Sometimes in science, it helps to set the bar high. That seems to be the attitude of the MIT Electric Vehicle Team (EVT). By their reckoning, one of the biggest impediments to the average driver adopting an electric vehicle is recharge times. So ....their next project is to produce a prototype family car that will achieve 0-60mph in under nine seconds, have a range of 200 miles, and fully recharge in under 11 minutes. Dubbed the elEVen, this latest project is an attempt to build an electric car that meets the expectations of mainstream drivers, including a “refill” time comparable to that at a gas pump. The engine will be replaced with a 250-horsepower, 180kW AC induction motor, donated by SatCon and originally designed for use in a 16.5-ton electric transit bus. Given the sedan will only weigh about 2 tons, it should easily achieve their acceleration goal and, better, manage a top speed of about 100mph." See full article:

A Battery That Stores Enough Solar to Run A House For 24 Hours

2009-08-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

A new battery is helping to store enough power to greatly improve the overall effectiveness of alternative energy.

Times of India reports:

"A Utah-based company has found a new way to store solar energy – in a small ceramic disk which can store more power for less. Researchers at Ceramatec have created the disk, which can hold up to 20-kilowatt hours, enough to power an entire house for a large portion of the day. The new battery runs on sodium-sulfur — a composition that typically operates at greater than 600°F. “Sodium-sulfur is more energetic than lead-acid, so if you can somehow get it to a lower temperature, it would be valuable for residential use”, Ralph Brodd, an independent energy conversion consultant, says. Ceramatec’s new battery runs at less than 200°F. " See full article.

Startup eSolar Switches On Solar Thermal Plant

2009-08-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

A new solar plant in California uses algorithims to power 4,000 homes.

Rick Merritt at EETimes.com reports:

"The 5 MW Sierra SunTower solar power plant in Lancaster, California, will produce electricity for Southern California Edison, powering more than 4,000 homes in the Antelope Valley area. The plant was built in less than a year. The startup uses algorithms that track the Sun's movements and move thousands of small mirrors to concentrate solar energy. To speed construction time it prefabricates its system in a factory and builds the generator on private land close to transmission systems, said Bill Gross a serial entrepreneur and chief executive of eSolar." See full article.

Electric Trucks: Quiet and Effective

2009-08-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

High fuel prices caused a Missouri company, Smith Electric Vehicles, to think about rolling out elctric trucks for local deliveries.

Chris Woodyard at USA Today reports:

The first truck to run solely on electricity was released by Smith in Washington last month. Smith also announced partnerships with six companies, including Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, Staples and AT&T, which plan to make the new trucks part of their shipping and carrying fleets as early as this year. They are interested in a truck that can run a long ways around town:

The electric truck has a lithium-ion battery that recharges in a 220 volt outlet in six to eight hours. The battery is good for 100 miles per charge and has a lifetime of about seven to 10 years. The truck drives like a big golf cart -- no gears or shifting -- but is extremely quiet due to the electric engine. It can reach speeds of up to 50 mph. See full article.

The Floating Solar Island Concept

2009-08-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

Another idea about using water bodies as locations for solar energy has been put forward.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"Remember the Solar Lily Pads? Well, Swiss inventor Thomas Hinderling has taken that idea to the next level with his solar islands concept (check out the video). The 5km wide, 20m height island concept would be mobile and would adjust according to the sun’s movement across the sky. Each island would generate hundreds of kilowatts of electricity that would be almost five times cheaper than current electricity rates." See full article.

Hybrid Tugboats On The Drawing Board

2009-08-02T04:46:00.000-07:00

The boats that move cargo up and down America's rivers (also called tow boats) are enormous fuel consumers. Now there are plans to develop a hybrid vessel.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"General Electric and the C-MAR Group .... announced plans to work together on the development of hybrid engine technologies for tugboats, in an effort to offer lower costs for customers and while lowering carbon emissions. The tugboat platform builds on current hybrid technology projects for locomotives, city buses and off-highway vehicles. These hybrid technologies are all part of GE’s ecomagination initiative." See full article.

The New Gyroscopic Electric Uno-bike

2009-08-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting way to save fuel and get around town -- the Uno-bike!

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"Canadian Inventor Ben Gulak of BPG-Technologies has developed a wild new green motorcycle that uses gyro technology to stay upright on its two side-by-side wheels. Acceleration is controlled by leaning forward to go faster, and leaning back to slow down. The gyro tells the ECU how much to accelerate and that in turn delivers the proper amount of current to the electric motors, one for each wheel. Weighing in at a mere 129 pounds, the ‘bike’ has a top speed of 25mph and a battery life of 2 1/2 hours. The bike was recently unveiled for the first time at the 2008 National Motorcycle Show in Toronto." See article and video.

New Combination Bus/Train Vehicle Developed

2009-08-01T04:11:00.000-07:00

The availability and convenience of public transportation is getting a boost with a new vehicle that can run on tracks and on the road.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"A dual mode road/rail vehicle is being tested in Japan by Toyota and its truck-manufacturing division Hino Motors. The bus bridges the gap between road and rail with 4 rubber tires for road use and 4 steel wheels for riding on rails. It can hold 25 passengers and is based on the Toyota Microbus. ....the bus 'is expected to be another step toward more practical use of the dual mode vehicle.' This could be the mass transit vehicle of the future for Japanese commuters." See full article.

New Ultracapacitor May Be Coming Soon

2009-07-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-07-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-08T05:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-06T17:12:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

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.

New Artificial "Tree" -- 1,000 Times the CO2 Absorption

2009-06-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

Trees draw carbon dioxide out of the air and forests are considered an important part of the global warming solution. But a scientist as Columbia University has an idea for artifical structures ("trees) that would be 1,000 times more potent.

Sharon Vaknin at GreenTech reports:

"Klaus Lackner, a professor of geophysics at the university, has been working on the project since 1998, according to a CNN report, and is optimistic about a near-future application.
Modern improvements in coal-fired power plants have reduced carbon emissions, but Lackner is seeking a different function. The "tree" would be used to trap carbon that has already been emitted into the air by car gasoline or airplane fuel, CNN reports.

Unlike the real thing, the synthetic "tree" doesn't need direct sunlight, water, a trunk, or branches to function, as it looks more like a cylinder than a soaring Redwood. The concept, which Lackner says is flexible in size and can be placed nearly anywhere, works by collecting carbon dioxide on a sorbent, cleaning and pressurizing the gas, and releasing it. Similar to the way a sponge collects water, the sorbent would collect carbon dioxide." See full article.

Solar Sahara: Massive Solar Proposal Could Power Europe.

2009-06-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

There is a serious proposal to build a massive-scale solar power farm in the Sahara. How big? Imagine a plant that covers an area the size of Massachusetts. (Phot0: Eco13.net)

Examiner.com reports:

"The project being proposed by Desertec would not all be situated in one location, but scattered throughout politically stable countries. Promoters of the project claim that it could satisfy as much as 15 percent of the European Union’s power needs. This project is the brain child of multinational partnership organizations in the likes of TREC-( Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation), Eumena(European Union),The Club of Rome, and The Mediterranean and North Africa ." See full article

The New Carbon "Clock" of New York City

2009-06-27T04:09:00.000-07:00

If you are ever wondering how many tons of of greenhouse gases are pumped into the atmosphere a new carbon counter in New York City will tell you.

Science Insider reports:

"A new attraction debuted outside Madison Square Garden.... : a 20-meter-tall billboard that flashes the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The current number is 3.6 trillion metric tons, and is rising by about 2 billion a month. The sign is run by Deutsche Bank, which manages $4 billion in investments related to climate change." See post.

If you are not going to be in NYC anytime soon -- check out the billboard website here -- Pretty startling.

Einstein's Refrigerator Making a Comeback

2009-06-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

In 1930 the great theorist and scientist invented a refrigerator that never made it to market. Now that may change.

Physorg.com reports:

"While almost everybody knows how Einstein revolutionized physics with his theories of relativity, many people may not know that the great scientist had a domestic side, too. Well, sort of - in 1930, Einstein and his former student Leo Szilard designed a refrigerator that required no electricity and had no moving parts. However, as refrigerator technology became more efficient, Einstein's design was nearly forgotten.

Now, Malcolm McCulloch, an electrical engineer at Oxford, is trying to bring Einstein's refrigerator back. McCulloch explains that the design is environmentally friendly and could prove especially useful in developing countries, where demand for cooling appliances is quickly increasing. McCulloch's team has recently built a prototype of Einstein and Szilard's refrigerator. Instead of compressing man-made greenhouse gases called freons, as typical refrigerators do, the prototype uses pressurized gas to keep items cold. The refrigerator just requires a way to heat the liquids, and McCulloch has been working on developing a solar energy system to meet this requirement." See full article.

Highly Efficient Vertical Home Wind Turbine

2009-06-25T19:22:00.000-07:00

A company in Taiwan has developed a wind turbine that could help power homes.

The green optimisitic reports:

"Vertical wind turbines proved to be more efficient and advantageous in comparison with the horizontal ones as they are more cheaper, smaller in size making them easier to mount at ground level, portable and also safe for the birds. Hi Energy Technology provides their wind turbines with the main rotor shaft running vertically in 50 x 50 x 150 cm packing. The power ranges vary from 400W, to 1500W and 3000W." See full article.

New Smaller WindCube Generator Can Fit On Buildings

2009-06-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

Innovators continue to work on smaller-scale wind generators for use in urban areas. The WindCube, which can be aimed at prevailing winds, has real potential.

Alternative Energy News.info reports:

"Green Energy Technologies has developed a brand new wind power generator known as the WindCube. It is smaller compared to the normal wind generator. WindCube is specially designed to set up on the roof of a building in urban and rural areas. WindCube carries a 22 x 22 x 12 feet framework and its single unit can produce a maximum of 60kW of power. Mark L. Cironi, who is the president and founder of Green Energy Technologies, explains, “Building owners anywhere can consider being a part of the renewable energy picture. See full article.

A $5 Box to Save the World?

2009-06-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most important inventions are the simplest. An inexpensive and amazingly simple box could improve the lives on hundreds of millions and reduce wood burning and habitat loss.

Myra Per-Lee at InventorsSpot.com reports:

"The device, which cost Bøhner $5 to make, would decrease pollution, deforestation, energy costs, and about 1.3 million deaths a year in Africa alone caused by wood-burning related respiratory illnesses. The life-saving estimate does not even include the number of deaths resulting from contaminated water.

The Kyoto Box is targeted to the three billion people who use firewood to cook. Estimates are that each family that uses wood-burning methods of cooking releases almost 2 tons of carbon dioxide per year into the atmosphere. The Kyoto Box consists of two cardboard boxes, one inside the other, insulated with straw or newspaper between them. The inside of the box is painted in black and the flaps of the boxes are covered in aluminum foil. A transparent layer of acrylic then covers the box. The stove can boil water and bake, but not fry, according to Bøhmer, as the temperature required to fry would burn the box." See full article.

Montreal's Public Bicycle Program

2009-06-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

In the world of good ideas, one city's public bike prgoram makes great sense. The hard part is getting people to use the bikes.

Time Magazine reports:

"....when the city of Montreal built its Public Bike System, nicknamed Bixi, the designers packed in all the technology they could find, in a desperate attempt to out-engineer human iniquity. The modular bike-rack stations are Web-enabled and solar-powered. The bicycles are designed with tons of sealed components to resist the savage beatings they will undoubtedly receive, and they're equipped with RFID tags so they're easily trackable." See full article.

Wind Power From On High

2009-06-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

Suppose windmills floated high in the air?

Alexis Madrigal for WIRED Reports:

"The first rigorous, worldwide study of high-altitude wind power estimates that there is enough wind energy at altitudes of about 1,600 to 40,000 feet to meet global electricity demand a hundred times over. The very best ground-based wind sites have a wind-power density of less than 1 kilowatt per square meter of area swept. Up near the jet stream above New York, the wind power density can reach 16 kilowatts per square meter. The air up there is a vast potential reservoir of energy, if its intermittency can be overcome. Even better, the best high-altitude wind-power resources match up with highly populated areas including North America's Eastern Seaboard and China's coastline." See full article.

200 MPG Three-Wheeled Car Ready for Production

2009-06-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

A new type of hybrid car is being made ready for production.

Kit Eaton and Fast Company.com reports:

"Robert Q. Riley's company offered the XR3 as a kit-car option last year, but work has continued behind the scenes, and it's nearly ready to hit the road as a serious production car. All that remains is some prototype testing, and some work at the Center for Automotive Research to optimize its drive-train system. The drive train is the core of the vehicle--it uses a patented three-wheel system, with the rear wheel being solely electric-powered, and the front two wheels deriving power from an efficient diesel engine that can burn eco-fuels. Working alone, the Li-ion powered electric motor can push you 40 miles, and the diesel engine can get 125 mpg by itself. Combined, the two give the car a ridiculous efficiency of 200 miles per gallon of fuel." See full article:

New Electric Vehicle Design Gets One Fourth More Power Channeling Wind

2009-06-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

How about an electric car that runs well over 150 mph? Designers from California have a car that charges on solar power and gets a major energy boost by channeling wind into a turbine.

Alternative Energy News.Info reports.

"To achieve an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph this car will take less than four seconds. A full battery would empower the driver to travel more than 200 miles or to race around a track for an hour. Four tactically placed air intakes will be built discretely into the car’s bodywork. These air intakes will channel the airflow over the car’s body towards the turbine. There are two intakes on the front of the car and one on each side towards the rear. The turbine is concealed within the car body and will be connected to an alternator. This alternator will boost the amount of electricity available to the car by 20 to 25 per cent." See full article.

Colorful Glass Will Improve Solar Efficiency

2009-06-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

Technical teams at MIT are working on ways to improve solar panel efficiency by as much as 1,000%. Colored glass may hold part of the answer.

Alternative Energy News.Info reports:

"Scholars at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way to trap maximum sunlight into solar panels and improve its much needed efficiency and take care of the esthetically inclined consumers who don’t want to see the same glass panel lining every rooftop in the area. This can be achieved by colored dyes mixed glass which can direct sunlight to the edge of the glass in a cost effective and practical way. The MIT researchers are using “solar concentrators” — an improved version over the 70s era. These solar concentrators can grab the solar light and keep it too. The concentrator can send the light at a much longer distance than past models have achieved, shooting the energy straight into solar cells along the glass’s edge. The solar concentrator can produce 10 times more energy than what current systems can provide — and, it can achieve it at a fraction of the price. The MIT team is optimistic that the products could become commercially available within the next three years." See full article.

Nano Tech and Green Energy

2009-06-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

Nano-technology will play a major role in alternative energy trechnology with many new applications:

RCS publishing reports:

"These include advanced thermal insulation materials for buildings and industrial processes, waste heat conversion into electrical power using thermoelectrics, and technologies such as solid-state lighting based on light-emitting diodes. In the mid-term (5-10 years), hydrogen fuel and devices such as fuel cells will reach the point of becoming competitive in the energy market, especially for transport. The long-term (>10 years) future will rely on solar fuels as truly sustainable energy carriers. These would, with solar energy, use only renewable feedstocks, such as water and carbon dioxide, to produce synthetic liquid fuels.

Nanotechnology research will play a critical part in these developments and will make the systems more efficient and cost effective." See full article.

Will Vehicles of the Future Supply Power to the Grid?

2009-06-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

What if millions of cars and trucks had a two-way relationship with the power grid?

Alternantive Energy News.info reports:

"How about a vehicle that not only draws energy from an electric grid but also gives it back when there is surplus or unused energy in the vehicle? This is exactly the kind of car being developed by Willett Kempton, a renewable-energy professor at the University of Delaware.

This is a great concept, especially when 95% of the time the vehicles are just standing and their batteries remain unused. While it’s not being driven, an electric-drive motor vehicle can be plugged into a nearby grid and that grid can receive energy from the vehicle. When the battery needs to be charged it can be quickly done by drawing energy from the grid. According to some claims this can provide a utility value of $4000 per year to a vehicle owner." See full article.

Despite Bankruptcy, GM Opens $25 Million Battery Lab

2009-06-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

Electric vehicles loomlarge in General Motor's future as evidenced by its opening a new technology lab in Michigan.

Johnathan Martinez at Examiner.com reports:

"The failing auto giant’s highly anticipated energy research lab officially opened up shop on Monday, despite filing chapter 11 bankruptcy. The new lab, located in Warren, Michigan, is touted as the world’s most leading-edge automotive technology research center. Chevrolet's electric car, the Volt, is the reason why GM went ahead with the facility. The laboratory has turned some heads, including those of the U.S. government, who have given GM billions as they continue to restructure and layoff workers. The battery research lab’s main goal is getting the Chevy Volt, the company’s first fully electric vehicle, off assembly lines by the scheduled 2010 deadline." See full article.

IBM Shoots for 500-Mile Electric Car Battery

2009-06-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today's electric cars are fairly limited in how far they can go without being recharged. IBM's investment in a new battery technology may be changing that.

International Business Times reports:

"The company [IBM] will begin a project to develop lithium metal-air batteries that perform 10 times better, are lighter and more compact than today's lithium-ion batteries. For the project, IBM's Research unit will partner with U.S. laboratories to develop a technology that uses lithium metal to react with oxygen in the air, resulting in a storage capacity of more than 5,000 watt-hours per kilogram, more than ten times the capacity of today's lithium-ion batteries. A battery with this technology is expected to run for 500 miles, IBM said according to MIT." See full article.

New Heat Capture Technology for Gas Turbines

2009-06-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

With the average industrial turbine operating at only about one third efficiency, a new GE technology can come close to doubling that.

Clay Dillow at Fast Company.com reports:

"General Electric has devised a way to generate energy from a unique kind of waste: the excess heat from its own gas turbines. An innovative system based on a process understood for decades but previously too expensive to implement can capture waste heat from any industrial gas turbine and return it to the energy cycle without any additional emissions or water consumption.
The Department of Energy recently granted GE and Idaho National Laboratory $2 million to further develop the technology, which could potentially increase the efficiency of industrial engines--which often run at only 35% efficiency--by 20% to 40%." See full article.

Phone Will Be Powered from Ambient Radio Waves

2009-06-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

We have all heard about phones that can be powered from solar power or even manual cranks but how about an "energy harvesting" one that feeds on ambient radio waves?
Illustration: Nokia

CBR Online reports:

"Nokia is developing a mobile phone that would utilise the ambient radio waves to recharge itself.

The new technology would work on the same principles as the Radio frequency Identification (RFID) tags and would convert ambient electromagnetic waves into electrical signals.
The mobile phone will use the ambient electromagnetic radiation, emitted from Wi-Fi transmitters, cell-phone antennas, TV masts and other sources." See full article.

Commercial Airliners -- Fly in Formation to Save Fuel?

2009-06-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

A university-based contest called "Fly Your Idea" is producing interesting ideas for more environmentally-sound flight including borrowing some ideas from geese.

Physorg.com reports:

"A team of five doctoral students from the Aeronautics and Astronautics program has conceptualized a way for commercial planes to save fuel by flying in formation. The concept of formation flight for drag reduction, which the team says can increase fuel efficiency and reduce harmful engine emissions, is borrowed from migratory birds.

The Stanford Aircraft Aerodynamics and Design Group will fly to France this June to pitch their vision as finalists in a design contest sponsored by aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The "Fly Your Ideas" contest, which serves as an international call for original concepts to make commercial flight more environmentally responsible, has inspired various possibilities, such as solar cells for aircraft, and planes with windowless cabins." See full article

New York City Icon Goes Green

2009-06-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

The Empire State Building is going green. Energy retrofits are a major way to cut green house gases and save costs in older high-rises.

Reuters and MatteR Network report:

"Today the building is still iconic, but is has also become symbolic of New York City's unbelievable consumption of energy and the fact that buildings contribute almost 80% towards the city's total Greenhouse Gas emissions.

In April, the owners of the building announced a major undertaking- the Empire State Building is going green and earning back its previous reputation for modernity and technological progress. The project will cost $25 million, but the investment will be recouped by savings on energy bills within 5 years. The fifth floor of the building is being turned into an on-site "factory" where the original windows will be taken for thermal-resistant glazing. The radiators will all be altered to ensure that heat stays trapped in the building, rather than being released into NYC." See full article.