The Green Optimistic

Solid-State Rechargeable Lithium-Air Battery Reduces Risk of Explosion

Mike — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:06:39 +0000

Binod Kumar, a research engineer and leader of UDRI’s electrochemical power group said that the university is looking for partners that could license the “breakthrough” technology for manufacturing the batteries.

Indian Students Develop Bio-Cell to Clean Sewage Water and Generate Electricity

Mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:29:10 +0000

A group of students at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur have developed a bio cell(battery) that can be used to treat sewage water and generate electric energy, being a perfect solution to combat the water and energy crisis.

Interesting and Easy to Build Solar “Sandwich” Makes Efficient Use of Space

Ovidiu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:18:03 +0000

I have just received a comment on one of my articles this afternoon from a certain mr. Ryszard Dzikowski, who presents his innovation I call "solar sandwich", consisting of two Gratzel organic cells, faced one another, and covered by reflective layers on the sides, except for one, which is used to feed the aggregate with light.

Imperfecting Carbon Nanotubes Makes Them Very Good Fast-Charging Batteries

Ovidiu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:15 +0000

Prabhakar Bandaru, a professor in the UCSD Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, along with graduate student Mark Hoefer, have discovered that artificially introducing defects in carbon nanotubes would increase their energy storage capacity.

Widetronix and Ithaca Making Progress in Betavoltaic Battery Research

Ovidiu — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:48:30 +0000

Nuclear power has been discarded for decades since the tragic accidents from the 80's that led to numerous environmental damages in Ukraine and other parts of the world. Still, nowadays there is a trend of reviving nuclear power, to make it 100% safe and to convince people it's worth investing in it, as an alternative to coal or petrol.

New Polymer Synthesis Cuts Plastic Solar Cell Production Time by 50%

Ovidiu — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:27:43 +0000

Their discovery drastically reduces the reaction time (99% faster). In the past, the reaction that took place in 48 hours, now only lasts 30 minutes and increases the average molecular weight of the polymer by a factor of more than three.

New MIT Thermoelectric Device Pushes Efficiency to Its Theoretical Limit

Ovidiu — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:45:05 +0000

The Carnot Limit, calculated in the 19th century, demonstrates and sets the maximum efficiency that any device can achieve in converting heat into work. Theoretically and practically, you can't go over that limit. So, the devices constructed up to now only get a tenth of Carnot's limit.

Injecting CO2 Instead of Water in Geothermal Wells Could Triple-Serve the Environment

Ovidiu — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:43:42 +0000

When we hear about carbon dioxide, it's like hearing of a serial killer. LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), and a CA-based company Symyx Technologies, instead, aided by several U.S. universities, have changed the image of this greenhouse gas a bit by putting it into a green job: geothermal energy harvesting.

Solyndra’s Cylindrical Solar Cell Racks Reduce Costs of Solar Power Production

Cristi — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:19:14 +0000

Solyndra Inc. has recently developed a new solar cell system that will reduce the costs of solar power production. They will install it over the rooftop of a North Sacramento plastics factory. This investment will prove to be one of the biggest West Coast solar harvesting systems.

America’s First High School Powered Entirely by Renewable Energy

Mike — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:20:18 +0000

The greenest high school ever built will conserve energy by using 36 wind turbines and solar panels in conjunction with a green roof and systems that maximize the use of ventilation and natural light.

Saltworks’ New Desalination Technology Uses 70% Less Energy

Cristi — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:38:23 +0000

Saltworks Technologies reported that they can produce 1 cubic meter of fresh water using just 1kWh compared to 3.7kWh per cubic meter achievable using reverse osmosis.

Groundbreaking Nanowire Fabrication Technique Will Improve Solar Cells

Ovidiu — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:27:05 +0000

Nanowires have been the center of attention for the past few years. By enabling scientists to produce devices that were never thought to be possible, the nanowires made investments flow into this area and bring even more discoveries of their potential.

Solar-Powered Bacteria Convert Carbon Dioxide Into Biofuel

Mike — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:06:25 +0000

A team of U.S. researchers have developed a new way to generate alternative fuel from bacteria. They have genetically modified bacteria to eat CO2 and produce isobutyraldehyde, which can further be used to produce isobutanol.

Bismuth-Ferrite Piezoelectric Material Opens New Roads for Energy Generation

Mike — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:32:58 +0000

Researchers at the UC Berkeley and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Lab have developed a new lead-free material that generates electricity when exposed to stress. One day, this phenomenon called piezoelectricity could become as common as backyard grills.

Dutch Company Generates Cow-Manure Power to 1,100 Homes

Ovidiu — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:35:40 +0000

I have been to the Netherlands this summer, in my honeymoon. While you travel down their free and super-strictly speed limited highways (120km/h), you'll see a lot of cows on the left... and on the right (the pic above is taken by my wife).

Tennessee Scientists Generate Hydrogen With Photosynthesis

Ovidiu — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:25:14 +0000

Prof. Bruce isolated the core of the photosynthetic process from certain algae, and proved that, if coupled with a platinum catalyst, it could produce hydrogen in the presence of light. Photosynthesis is at the base of our fossil fuel energy, because it comes from the plants that lived here millions of years ago - indirectly, from the Sun.

DeltaStream: UK-Based Underwater Generator to Power 1000 Homes

Mike — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:11:24 +0000

The unit has been invented by Pembrokeshire engineer Richard Ayre, featuring three generators mounted on a triangular frame and due to its floating crane it can easily be lowered and recovered from the seabed.

Road Trains Would Reduce Your Car’s Fuel Consumption by 20%

Ovidiu — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:28:48 +0000

The European Union has an ongoing plan of designing an assisted towing they call "road trains". A road train wants to be a wireless controlled system in which a leader truck, driven by a professional driver is the coordinator, and the cars behind it are the followers. The train is going to run on highways, and all the cars would be free to attach and detach the train at will.

Pyrite Could Become The Solar Cell Manufacturers’ New Best Friend

Ovidiu — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:54:05 +0000

U.S. scientists, along with Swiss-based NLV Solar are searching for a possibility to use pyrite for making efficient solar cells, and replace the expensive silicon with a thinner and cheaper option. "This analysis is truly a blend of semiconductor physics and natural resource economic analysis," he said.

Plastic Solar Cells with LEDs Offer Cheap Lighting in Poor Countries

Mike — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:37:09 +0000

According to a study, there are about 1.5 billion people in developing countries who do not have electricity, the majority of them using kerosene lamps for light after sunset. But now, thanks to the researchers from Denmark, the lighting problem could disappear.

Innovative Powder Catalyst Used to Transform Methane into Methanol

Ovidiu — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:43:36 +0000

Max Planck Institute for Coal Research and at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces have invented a material in the form of a powder than can transform methane into methanol, which is easier to transport and handle.

New System Using Microbes to Convert CO2 to Biofuels in a Single-Step Process

Ovidiu — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:57:16 +0000

These microbes feed on solar power and synthesize both the alkane and olefin molecules. Although the hydrocarbon fuels have only been produced in lab quantities, the company plans a pilot demonstration for 2011.

Japan Plans to Deploy Space-Based Solar Power Station

Ovidiu — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:11:25 +0000

JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, wants to compete with the United States' PG&E project for collecting solar power from outer space and beam it on Earth through clusters of lasers and microwaves.

BACS: Biodegradable Packaging Fabricated by Bacteria

Ovidiu — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:03:04 +0000

Today's civilized society sometimes uses weird ways of doing things, like packing software serial numbers in cardboard or a lot of plastic. A project, named Bacs, is using bacteria to make an interesting cellulose material for green packaging.

Silicon Nanowires Anode Technology Promises Li-Ion Batteries 10 Times Stronger

Ovidiu — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:51:26 +0000

Amprius, a start-up company from Menlo Park, CA, has invented an innovative type of anode for Li-Ion batteries. The material that they intend to use is made of silicon nanowires, that are said to store 10 times more electricity than graphite.

ETT: Intercontinental Vacuum-Based Transportation System Can Reach 4,000mph

Ovidiu — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:18:36 +0000

ETT stands for Evacuated Tube Transport, and it is a new concept of a transportation system that makes use of vacuum pumps, tubes and cabins to take people from point A to point B with only 2 percent of the energy required otherwise to power an airplane, a car or a train.

GM to Research Shape Memory Alloy for Heat Recovery Systems

Cristi — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:19:54 +0000

GM's R&D has to build a prototype of a thermo-mechanical waste heat recovery system using a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) heat engine to generate electricity from the heat in exhaust. Noticeable is the fact that GM was between the 37 other candidates that received the ARPA-E award.

Solar Impulse Aircraft to Make the First Solar-Powered Flight Around the World

Mike — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:14:50 +0000

The Solar Impulse aircraft, officially known as HB-SIA, successfully underwent its first engine run up on Friday at an airbase near Zurich in Switzerland. It is designed to make the first solar-powered flight around the world.

Lightnings Found to Produce 10% of Atmospheric NOx Greenhouse Gas

Cristi — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:49:26 +0000

Every year, scientists learn something new about the power of lightning. With the helps of the satellites they have created a lightning map for the globe, which shows that Rwanda has the most flashes per square kilometer, while the flashes at the polar regions occur rarely. Every year, 1,2 million flashes occur around the world.

Swing Door WaveRoller Generates Up to 300KW of Energy in the Surge Zone

Cristi — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:33:01 +0000

One of the simplest ideas of harvesting the ocean power was developed by Rauno Koivusaari, a fin diver who got inspired by exploring the depths of the seas and lots of shipwrecks.

EarthSure’s Wind & Solar Powered Electric Car: Would It Work?

Mike — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:59:36 +0000

EarthSure, an innovator in alternative energy sources and renewable energy company is planning to develop a zero-emission electric vehicle powered by solar and wind energy. Called AirRay, the new car will be equipped with four wind turbines and a solar roof. All of these to generate necessary electricity to keep the batteries charged up.

Metal-Air Ionic Liquid Battery: 11 Times The Capacity of Li-Ion

Mike — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:46:54 +0000

A spinoff company from Arizona State University is planning to develop a metal-air battery which unlike lithium-ion batteries has an energy density 11 times greater, for less than one-third the cost. Last week, the US Department of Energy awarded a $5.13-million research grant to Scottsdale, AZ-based Fluidic Energy. This company hopes that its ultra-dense energy storage technology to become reality.

Ocean-Based Algae Production System Could Revolutionize the Biofuel Industry

Cristi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:17:04 +0000

Two Kansas State University Engineers have designed a new algae production system that could reduce the cost of biodiesel and help the U.S. Government to change from fossil fuel dependency to a renewable power source.

New Solar Farm That Generates Electricity Even After Sunset

Mike — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:04:18 +0000

The new solar farm will be based on the use of 17,500 large mirrors called heliostats which will be arrayed in a circle around a 538-foot concrete tower. Each one will measures between 24 - 28 feet, being attached to 12-foot pedestals.

Bulk Fluid-Processed Carbon Nanotubes Could Make Better Power Lines

Mike — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:26 +0000

Scientists at Rice University have developed a new method for producing carbon nanotubes in bulk fluids. It could lead to revolutionary advances in nanoelectronics, materials science and power distribution.

Torotrak’s Flywheel System Could Be Cheaper Alternative to Hybrid Car Batteries

Ovidiu — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:16:05 +0000

Flywheels are known to be very good mechanical energy storage devices. They have a certain weight and, by spinning, they capture the energy in their momentum. That energy can be released by electromagnetic means and transformed into electricity.

Mirror-Based Solar Device as Cheap as Coal-Burning Electric Power Plants

Cristi — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:32:05 +0000

Steward Observatory Mirror Lab from the University of Arizona has produced a prototype of a solar device that is able to produce energy at a price comparable with the cheapest fossil fuels.

Sharp Releases 450mW Solar Cell Module for Cellphones

Mike — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:25:07 +0000

Sharp Corp. has announced the development of an improved solar cell module for cellphones at Green Device 2009, a trade show that will be open to the public from Oct 28 to 30, 2009, at Pacifico Yokohama, Yokohama City, Japan.

Cereplast’s Algae-Based Bioplastics Reduce Petroleum Use by 50%

Cristi — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:21:09 +0000

Cereplast has already developed some new technologies before, being able to make plastic from renewable materials such as corn starch, tapioca, wheat and potatoes.

Toshiba Corp Building SCiB Cell Production Factory by 2011

Cristi — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:17:39 +0000

Toshiba Corp is anticipating strong demands and sales for their SCiB (super charge ion battery) and started the construction of another production plant in the Kashiwazaki Frontier Park, in Kashiwazaki city, Niigata prefecture.

New Discovery Sheds Light on Way to High Temperature Superconductivity

Ovidiu — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:50:00 +0000

High temperature superconductors are today what some other time the philosopher's stone used to be. Research done by Gennady Logvenov and his colleagues from the Brookehaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY sheds a new light on how scientists could engineer materials to obtain their desiderate: room temperature superconductors.

WindSentinel to Reduce Costs for Offshore Wind Power

Cristi — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:29:12 +0000

A Virginia based company specialized in wind power called Catch the Wind Ltd. has deployed its first laser wind sensor on a buoy in Race Rocks Island, British Columbia, for an initial assessment of a new offshore wind power farm.

FastCAP Receives DOE Funding for Developing Commercial Ultracapacitor

Ovidiu — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:49:08 +0000

ARPA-E, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has awarded FastCAP Systems, from Cambridge, MA, with a 2.5 year, $5.35 million grant to further develop and commercialize a nanotube-enhanced ultracapacitor, which could reduce the costs of hybrid and electric cars.

Prius-Like Gearbox to be Used in Less Pricey Wind Turbines

Ovidiu — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:50:42 +0000

The CVT (continuously variable transmission) technology is already being used in hybrid cars, and now it enters the wind turbine industry. Texas-based Viryd Technologies, use CVTs to make the fluctuating wind speeds convert into a more efficient stream of AC current that will be fed to the grids.

Optical Fiber Solar Cells: Cheap, Flexible, Six Times More Efficient

Ovidiu — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:51:04 +0000

Georgia Tech researchers have developed a system that uses dye-sensitized (Grätzel) solar cells wrapped around optical fibers to increase their overall efficiency, since it's known Grätzel cells are not very efficient. The fiber solar cells they obtained are 6 times more efficient than zinc-oxide solar cells having the same area.

DIY: How to Build Your Own iPhone Solar Panel Charger With Just $50

Mike — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:23:35 +0000

The construction of this universal solar charger is very simple and cheap(only $50) . You don't need to have any familiarity with electronics or prior circuit knowledge. It can be used to charge any device via USB.

Solarig to Build Eight Photovoltaic Parks in Italy

Mike — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:42:00 +0000

SOLARIG, a Spanish solar company, has started construction of 8 photovoltaic parks in Itlay this month. When the construction will be ready, the parks will provide 8 MW of clean energy in total. The same company plans to build photovoltaic projects that will produce 30 MW throughout different regions of Italy.

Mylow Magnetic Motor Debunked: NSA Involved – It Can’t Be Fake

Ovidiu — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:39:44 +0000

A guy named Mylow has tried to, and seemingly succeeded to build a magnetic motor whose power was self-sufficient to run it. The invention was not his, but Howard Johnson's, who, in the 80's, tried the same experiment and at that time it's said it was a success. Anyway, nobody seems to have publicly replicated the magnetic motor until Mylow.

New York Area to Have 17 GW of Renewable Energy Projects

Mike — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:56:17 +0000

According to a recent report by SNL Financial, a business research firm, more than half of all planned energy projects in the Northeast Power Coordinating Council region, comprising part of Canada and 6 US states, are renewable energy projects.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Could Power Your Home

Mike — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:40:30 +0000

Today the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) require an overnight charge back at your home. But scientists at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) have found a way to use these PHEVs as large mobile batteries that can be integrated and used in powering your home.

Former GM Economist Reveals Auto Industry Conspiracy

Ovidiu — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:35:41 +0000

Former General Motors economist Walter McManus reveals some shocking statements that show GM not only ignored the consumers' wishes regarding fuel efficiency, but intentionally misled the public opinion on fuel efficiency.

Tesla Roadster Hypermiling: 501km/charge in Australia

Ovidiu — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:01:00 +0000

They went 501km with one battery charge, from Alice Springs, in the Australian Northern Territory, to the finish marker at a point 183 km north of Coober Pedy, in South Australia.

Zinc Air Batteries Just Got Rechargeable

Mike — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:59:54 +0000

A Swiss company based in Staefa, claims it developed zinc-air batteries, capable to hold three times the energy of lithium ion batteries, by volume, while costing only half as much," and compared with other existing air batteries, this one would be rechargeable.

Charge Your Gadgets With Regen ReNu Solar Charger

Cristi — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:23:17 +0000

Regen ReNu is a good alternative solution to power you gadgets free of charge. The ReNu charging device has a solar panel design which could fit very well into a modern environment. The ReNu can be used to charge a variety of electronic gadgets like the iPhone, iPod or other USB devices.

Displacing Food Crop Lands for Biofuel May Be More Harmful Than Thought

Ovidiu — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:13:05 +0000

Not only the CO2 is responsible for global warming, as there is not only one source of pollution affecting our planet. By studying the impact of a global scale biofuel program, a report led by Jerry Melillo from the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) predicts that the carbon loss resulting from the displacement of food crops and pastures for biofuel crops may be twice the CO2 the lands dedicated to biofuels would emit.

Pyron Solar’s Floating Photovoltaic Panels Use CSP to Get Efficient

Mike — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:12:16 +0000

Their new concentrated solar power system uses shallow pools of water as a passive cooling system for high-efficiency solar cells. The unique proprietary technology was developed by Pyron Solar of Sorrento Valley, California.

Boosting Power Output of Fuel Cell Systems Using Flowcath Technology

Cristi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:59:16 +0000

ACAL Energy (Cheshire, UK) has recently developed a liquid cathode technology that will be used for boosting the power output for a kilowatt-scale fuel cell system.

Novotech’s System Generates Renewable Energy from Asphalt

Mike — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:55:06 +0000

Scientists at Novotech and two Massachusetts universities are working to create a new system that could channel heat from asphalt and other paving materials into clean and usable energy.

Toyota Launching EV Charging Station at Tokyo Motor Show

Cristi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:45:31 +0000

This year's Tokyo Motor Show was dominated by the Nippon market, Alpina and Lotus being the only foreigners with a stand at the show. Big companies like Daihatsu, Honda, Toyota, Suzuki, Nissan and Mitsubishi presented a lot of new concepts and hybrid or electric cars.

Novacell – The Fast Pocked Sized Solar Powered Universal Charger

Mike — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:38:50 +0000

A California based company called SunCore has developed a pocket-sized universal charger powered by solar energy. The new device dubbed Novacell is an external charger that will power mobile devices via a USB connection. It is able to recharge the majority of Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), iPods, GPS units, digital still and video cameras and other gadgets.

NASA Planning to Use Nuclear Powered Stirling Engine for Moon Base

Ovidiu — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:16:09 +0000

NASA is said to be the forerunner of the newest invented technologies, even before the military puts an eye on them (or sometimes the second to use them). Still, some NASA officials have decided to use an old technology, such as the Stirling engine, to generate electricity on the future moon bases.

Oceanlinx Prepares to Deploy 2.5MW Tidal Power System Near Sydney

Cristi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:22:19 +0000

Engineers are performing the last tests and measurements before the grid-connection off the coast of Port Kembla, near Sydney. The system will be generating about 2.5MW by harvesting air pressure that will turn a wind turbine.

The Best Way to Generate Electricity from Pig Poop

Cristi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:07:53 +0000

Hog farms, where thousands of animals are raised, look really horrible and they pollute rivers, poison groundwater supplies and releaseclouds of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Study Finds Solution for Methane-Producing Cow Burps

Ovidiu — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:26:10 +0000

Earlier this year, it has almost been said that cow burps are the root of all evil regarding global warming, the emissions of methane gases and, overall, an enemy of our humble existence on this planet. Well, recent "discoveries" reveal the fact that a well-managed cow could actually help reduce methane emissions.

Sharp Reaches Solar Cell Energy Conversion Efficiency of 35.8%

Mike — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:55:21 +0000

Sharp Corporation has recently announced a breakthrough technology with which it has achieved the world’s highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 35.8%.The best feature of this triple-junction compound solar cell is that it uses photo-absorption layers made from compounds consisting of two or more elements such as indium and gallium.

Scientists Develop Synthetic Battery Based on Staphylococcus Aureus Protein

Ovidiu — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:39:57 +0000

A very simplified synthetic model battery has been developed by scientists from the Yale University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The cells are based on organic substances and can generate power for minuscule devices.

Minesto’s Underwater Turbine Will Power 4 Million UK Homes

Mike — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:34:20 +0000

A spinoff from the Swedish military and aircraft design firm Saab, Minesto has developed a new concept of underwater wave energy using a simple 7 ton kite turbine design. Exactly like a kite in the wind, the Deep Green underwater turbine collects and stores the power of the ocean.

Toshiba Releases Dynario DMFC Fuel Cell Charger

Cristi — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:39:38 +0000

The market is in a continuously search for a battery pack that should be able to power portable electronic devices for a longer period of time and with shorter charging times. Toshibas' Dynario Charger is the perfect solution for the moment.

Precision Nanoparticles Technology to Revolutionize Solar Cells

Cristi — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:35:50 +0000

The chemists from the Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho State University may have found the gold mine of solar energy efficiency. They invented the manufacturing of a highly precise and uniform nanopaticle that improves solar cells and further spurs the growing nanotech revolution.

Earthship: Dennis Weaver’s Proof You Can Build Greener

Ovidiu — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:21:05 +0000

Dennis Weaver (1924-2006), a retired actor, environmentalist, humanitarian, has built a house whose walls are made of nothing but rubber tires and cans. It is very energy-efficient, as he himself discovered, powered mostly by solar panels and renewable energy.

G24 Innovations Sells Grätzel’s Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells for the First Time

Ovidiu — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:23:10 +0000

Dye-sensitized solar cells, or Grätzel cells, have been invented by Michael Grätzel in 1991. Grätzel is a chemistry professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, and since now they didn't have any commercial purpose, being developed just for research. The first company who is about to commercialize Grätzel's cells is G24 Innovations, and the first use of the cells will be in a solar-powered backpack.

SEADOG Uses Waves’ Own Power to Desalinate Sea Water

Cristi — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:05:40 +0000

A company called Renew Blue, Inc. will use wave power to run a desalination plant in Freeport, Texas. The resulted water will be finally put into corn-based biodegradable plastic bottles. The SEADOG power system is made from a buoy which puts in motion a piston mechanism that rotates a water wheel to generate electricity.

Hydrogen Created by Artificial Photosynthesis Process

Cristi — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:12:59 +0000

A team of scientists from the University of Rochester has a tough mission creating a hydrogen fuel cell that not only burns cleanly but the fuel itself has to be created from clean sources. They have developed a process that uses artificial photosynthesis and nanotubes to finalize this project.

Skoda Planning to Build Electric Car Based on VW’s E-Up

Cristi — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:01:12 +0000

After the presentation of the Volkswagen E-up car, Skoda plans to build it's own electric vehicle in the coming years starting from this concept. As VW already has the technology it should be easy for the Czech manufacturer to get on the market with a brand new EV.

Toshiba’s Methanol Fuel Cell Might Power Your Future Gadgets

Cristi — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:29:37 +0000

Toshiba recently unveiled one of their master batteries used for mobile phones. They have presented a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) battery which can be easily charged in just a few seconds.

Meteosat Used to Detect Faulty Solar Panel Power Stations

Ovidiu — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:28:18 +0000

Italy is known for its plans to develop photovoltaic power as one of their main sources of energy. Having such a wide experience in solar power harvesting, several issues arise regarding the solar panels' maintenance. Every PV plant has a sensor verifying the quantity of light arriving at its location at any given moment during the day.

Protein Nanotubes Could Make Solar Panels Self-Washable

Mike — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:17:04 +0000

Scientists at the Tel Aviv University (TAU) are sure that their newest research in the nanotechnology field could lead to the development of a new type of solar panels and glass that need no cleaning and apparently put window washers out of work.

Prius Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Present at Tokyo Motor Show

Cristi — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:02:05 +0000

A long time ago, Toyota Motor Corporation has started its green thinking trend with hybrid cars which revolutionized fuel consumption. Now they found a way to combine electric vehicles with hybrid ones and they presented their concept just days before the Tokyo Motor Show.

Hydrogen On-Demand System Boosts Van Mileage by 94%

Ovidiu — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:45:06 +0000

This man (a retired school teacher) says he applied what many others on the internet describe as "on-board hydrogen generation", with a couple of jars, some electrodes and potassium hydroxide.

Ion Tiger, Fuel Cell Powered UAV Sets Flight Time Record

Mike — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:39:10 +0000

Ion Tiger is a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle (UAV) developed by the Naval Research Laboratory . It has set an unofficial flight endurance record by flying 23 hours and 17 minutes at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The Electric Chevy Spark Will Debut in India at a Low Price

Ovidiu — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:28:47 +0000

It looks like all the big players in the auto industry need boosts and help from their competition after all for succeeding in their plans. GM and Reva Electric Car Co., from India, announced that they will start producing a small electric car for the Indian market, based on GM's Chevrolet Spark. The announcement was made by GM India president Karl Slym.

SuperStation: The Superconductor Energy Hub Uniting U.S. Grids

Ovidiu — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:14:26 +0000

New Mexico may become a hub for this kind of energetic interaction, as Clovis is wanted to host the SuperStation, a hub using superconducting cables to link three networks: The Eastern Interconnection, The Western Interconnection and the Texas Interconnection. The 5GW carrying cables will be cooled down to -300°F and thus energy losses through heat will be infinitesimally close to zero.

Todd Ditmire’s Petawatt Laser: One Step Closer to Nuclear Fusion

Ovidiu — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:53:27 +0000

Todd Ditmire, from the University of Texas, has invented a laser device that can produce petawatt power through a process of chirping, that takes a short light pulse (150 femtoseconds) and stretches it out in time, amplifies it to higher energy and then recompresses it to about 100 femtoseconds in time, obtaining 190 joules of energy.

Turkish Company Begins Exploitation of 60MW Geothermal Field

Ovidiu — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:01:34 +0000

The group already owns a 17.4 MW plant on a field where it has operating rights since September last year, so this new geothermal field can bring them a total of 77.4MW of power.

Mobion Methanol Micro Fuel Cell v4: New Energy Density Records

Ovidiu — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:24:03 +0000

The Mobion methanol fuel cell engine has surpassed its previous performance, with the fourth version reaching a power density of 84mW/cm², while maintaining its fuel efficiency of 1800Wh/kg, or 1.4Wh/cc.

AFC Developing Cheaper Fuel Cells Immune to CO2 Poisoning

Ovidiu — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:31:06 +0000

UK-based company AFC Energy has developed an alkaline-based hydrogen fuel cell technology and tested it at a chlor-alkai plant in Germany, where they demonstrated it can generate electricity and feed it to the grid as efficiently as older, more expensive platinum-based fuel cells.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Got Better by Using Ionic Salts

Ovidiu — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:43:51 +0000

Grätzel cells work by using the interaction of a structured semiconductor less than nanometer in size and an organic dye acting as a solar collector. Many tweaks to the Grätzel cells are done at the dye level, but this one is different.

Redox Flow Batteries: a Quickly-Charging Alternative to Li-Ion?

Ovidiu — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:31:21 +0000

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) in Pfintzal, near Karlsruhe, propose an alternative to the lazily-charging Lithium-Ions: the redox flow batteries.

New Method of Guiding Light Through Polymer Helps Solar Cells Get Cheaper

Ovidiu — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:21:58 +0000

New research is paving the pathway towards better and more efficient solar cells, as University of Florida chemists have invented a method of "hacking" the molecular structures of the materials the solar cells are made of, in order to gain a maximum transfer efficiency from them.

New Ceramic Material Makes Fuel Cells Capable of Using Normal Fuels

Ovidiu — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:28:40 +0000

Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology have invented a new type of ceramic material that could widen the uses of SOFCs, so they could also be used with a wide range of liquid or gaseous fuels, without the need of separating hydrogen or cleaning them.

Ecofriendly Bacteria Batteries Powered by Dirt

Mike — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:04:50 +0000

Harvard scientists have found a solution that could light up homes of some 500 million people living in sub-Saharan Africa. They have created microbial fuel cell (MFC) batteries that derive power from naturally occurring bacteria in soil.

Thermeleon: Roof Turning from Black to White as Temperature Changes

Ovidiu — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:44:30 +0000

While attending a competition for teams of MIT students, Making and Designing Materials Engineering Contest (MADMEC), a team of students and fresh-graduates have shown an invention that could turn the old roof tiles into chameleon-like tiles, turning from black to white and vice-versa as temperatures get low, respectively high.

Researchers Developing Hybrid Retrofit Kit That Could Turn Your Car Into a Hybrid

Mike — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:43:20 +0000

A research team at the Tennessee Tech University and Middle Tennessee State University has developed a Plug-in Hybrid Retrofit Kit that allows car owners to convert their regular cars to a hybrid vehicle.

Reducing Coal CO2 Emissions with Chilled-Ammonia Technology

Cristi — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:32:52 +0000

The coal based power plant located in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin in Kenosha County called Pleasant Prairie Power Plant has generated approximately 1,226 MW of electricity in 2006, being one of the largest generating stations in Wisconsin.

Toyota’s Future Fuel Cell Vehicles Able to Work at Minus 37 degrees Celsius

Cristi — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:52:59 +0000

This year's Air Resources Board’s ZEV Technology Symposium from California brought to attention the presentation of Tatsuaki Yokoyama from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America. “Progress and Challenges for TOYOTA’s Fuel Cell Vehicle Development” had a huge impact on the crowd.

Redbird Solar Water Purification System Can Process 14,400 gallons/day

Mike — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:04:21 +0000

The company Chemviron Midwest has developed the world's first solar-powered water purification system. The 25-feet long and 15-feet high water purification system, known as Redbird, can be completely enclosed in a shipping container, being easily transported in various parts of the world.

Researchers Develop Method of Turning Sewage Sludge into Ethanol

Mike — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:18:06 +0000

According to the researchers this new method can reduce the amount of sludge processed by traditional treatment facilities and turn municipal solid waste into a green fuel.

Electric Smart For Two Available Starting 2012 Promises to be More Fun

Cristi — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:21:38 +0000

Daimler AG plans to introduce its electric Smart for Two by the end of this year. Serial production of this model will only start in 2012 in the plant from Hambach, France.

NASA to Make Its Future Rocket Fuel From Water and Aluminum

Ovidiu — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:46:47 +0000

At first, I found it surprising, but when I did some research and had a second though about it, I learned that when NASA or any other space agency launches a space ship, it consumes about 773 tons of ammonium perchlorate, and releases some 230 tons of hydrochloric acid immediately after launch.

DeSoto Solar Power Plant Capable of Generating 110MW of Electricity

Mike — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:21:43 +0000

The company Florida Power & Light has announced that its project called DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Arcadia, Florida, will be finalized soon and should be generating electric energy by the end of this month.