The Green Optimistic

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.

Better Solar Panels With Newly Discovered Nanometric Butterfly Wings

Mike — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:18:12 +0000

Researchers at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and the State University of Pennsylvania (USA) have created a method to replicate biological structures, such as butterfly wings, on a nanometric scale. The resulting biomaterial could be used to make optically active structures, such as optical diffusers for solar panels.

XX55: Military Designed Methanol Fuel Cell Lasting for Weeks

Ovidiu — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:26:14 +0000

The company that produced the XX25 methanol fuel cell we talked about last year, Ultracell, came up with an improved version of it, the XX55. This fuel cell outputs 55watts at 4 amps (10-30 volts), and can last for days or even weeks on a single methane cartridge.

MU Scientists Discover Nuclear Battery That Might Just Be Safe

Cristi — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:59:11 +0000

The scientists from the University of Missouri may have found a way to develop a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter and more efficient.

Researchers Make One More Step Towards Metallic Hydrogen as Superconductor

Ovidiu — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:47:24 +0000

A team of scientists from Cornell University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook announced this week in a specialized publication that they discovered, at least theoretically, how to turn hydrogen into a metal at significantly lower pressures than ever thought and make a superconductor out of it.

IAV to Release On-the-fly Charging System for Electric Cars in 3 Years

Ovidiu — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:08:54 +0000

A German supplier of electronics and powertrain design to most of the major automakers for the last 25 years gives a solution to both the battery and the car manufacturers. The company is called IAV (Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr), and their solution is to charge the electric cars on-the-go through electromagnetic induction.

New Nickel-Lithium Batteries: Chance for 800 Miles Electric Car Autonomy

Cristi — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:41:09 +0000

The electric cars' problem of a low mileage may have found its solution. Recently discovered Nickel-Lithium batteries have 3.5 times more energy than the standard Lithium-Ion batteries and besides this, they are much safer to use.

Dow Chemical to Develop Energy Efficient Solar Shingles

Mike — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:57:13 +0000

A company named Dow Chemical revealed a new line of solar roof shingles that convert sunlight into electric energy, being able to generate $5 billion in revenue for the company by 2015.

France to Make Net Improvements on Electric Car Infrastructure by 2015

Cristi — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:57:01 +0000

The French government announced that it plans to spend €1.5 billion (about $2.2 billion) in the development of an infrastructure that will encourage the development of clean vehicle technology and battery manufacturing.

The Sea Snake: Scotland’s 750kW Wave Powered Project

Ovidiu — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:47:58 +0000

Scotland built a 180 m tube they call "The Sea Snake", that will capture the waves' movements and energy and transmit it via subshore cables to the land.

The Napa Winery Making Hydrogen from Grape Wastewater

Ovidiu — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:20:14 +0000

Napa Wine Company in Oakville found an interesting way of producing hydrogen by using the winery's own wastewater, using naturally-occurring bacteria and a small amount of electricity to extract hydrogen the organic material they usually throw away,with a generator the size of a refrigerator.

Israel Highway Equipped With Pilot Piezoelectric Generator System

Ovidiu — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:18:16 +0000

Yesterday morning, the Hefer intersection along the old coastal road of Route 4 in Israel was the place where a piezoelectric generator was put to the test and generated some 2,000 watt-hours of electricity. The setup consists of a ten-meter strip of asphalt, with generators lying underneath, and batteries in the road's proximity.

Toshiba to Release New Home LED Lighting Devices on Oct. 16

Cristi — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:59:26 +0000

With small steps, LEDs entered in the home and industrial lightning, as well. Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corp will soon release a high-output LED light bulb which power will be equivalent of an incandescent bulb of 60 W.

IBM Chooses Lithium Air Batteries for 500 Miles EV Range

Ovidiu — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:57:57 +0000

IBM, through its "Big Green" - "Battery 500" project, aimed to produce a battery for an electric car that would be able to carry a family-sized sedan up to 500 miles, spotted the lithium-air (STAIR) invention as its goal, and predicted that they could improve the STAIR battery further with the nanoscale semiconductor manufacturing techniques they possess.

Scientists Researching Fuel Cell Powered by Sugars

Cristi — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:44:22 +0000

Researchers from Brigham Young University have a plan to make different fuel cells than those we actually know, and turn them into something very efficient and reliable. Their goal is to make a cheap fuel cell with a cheap catalyst, which can be even more efficient than a PEM and which can use something easier to make and store than hydrogen and which has no net emissions.

Natural Gas Powered Fuel Cells Project Presented to US Congress

Cristi — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:10 +0000

ClearEdge Power has addressed a proposal to the Congress for a new and interesting project. They found a way to obtain heat and power with fuel cells working on natural gas. The investment can be payed back after a six or seven year period as mentioned by Bill Sproull, senior vice president of the company.

Lithium-Polymer Based Battery System for Solar-Powered Homes

Mike — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:37:23 +0000

A Malaysian company called ETI Tech Corporation Bhd has developed the world’s first lithium-polymer battery system for solar-powered homes. “The lithium ion battery is 100 per cent environment-friendly, unlike the more commonly used lead acid battery,” said ETI Tech Corporation Bhd managing director K. K. Lee.

Helix-Shaped Vertical Wind Turbines Will Power GSM Towers in Africa & US

Ovidiu — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:36:53 +0000

Too often, regardless of the energy sources being used, the GSM transmission towers' power fails, because of various reasons: theft, heavy rain/snow, disturbances in the grid lines. Helix, a San Diego-based wind company, is working on a wind turbine that is designed to power base stations in hard to reach, remote locations from Africa and the US.

The Electric Car’s Song

Ovidiu — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:37:54 +0000

I heard this is a little old, but it fits into GreenOptimistic's subjects, and, there sure are people who haven't seen it.

30% Efficiency with Gallium-Nitride Silicon Solar Cells

Cristi — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:31:33 +0000

The Phoenix-based company RoseStreet Labs Energy has developed a prototype solar cell that combines gallium-nitride with silicon, a technology that achieves an efficiency of 25 to 30 percent.

New Electronic Circuit Cooling System Offers Brighter Electric Car Perspectives

Ovidiu — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:45:24 +0000

Researchers from Purdue University discovered precisely how fluid boils in capilary cooling sytems, and that by designing a system by using those rules they got a much more efficient heat transfer between the object to be cooled and the liquid.

Clean Hydrogen Obtained Through Thermolysis of Water by H2 Power Systems

Ovidiu — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:07:50 +0000

H2 Power Systems, based in the UK, has designed an on-site and on-demand hydrogen producing system based not on electrolysis, but on thermolysis, which is the splitting of water at very high temperatures.

Tesla Motors Introducing Swappable Battery Pack for Model S

Cristi — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:44:45 +0000

As battery mileage efficiency for electric vehicle is still in huge debate and controversy Tesla Motors came with a great idea to please its buyers.

Biodiesel Developed Safely from Rhodococcus Bacteria

Cristi — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:40:05 +0000

Using synthetic biology, researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are trying to develop a new bacteria similar to the tuberculosis root to produce biofuel.

New Nanostructure Film Reduces Solar Cells Reflection for Better Efficiency

Ovidiu — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:55:36 +0000

Oregon State University engineers have innovated a new nanostructure film technology that they can deposit on any surface and reduce the reflectance of light. Their technology should perform better and have a lower price.

Fraunhofer Develops New, Easy to Make High Efficiency Solar Cells

Ovidiu — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:06:01 +0000

Yet another efficiency record has been established for mass-producible solar cells: 23.4%. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) from Germany succeeded to manufacture a single-crystal silicon solar cell of a thin p-type semiconductor layer residing on an n-type semiconductor substrate. The solar cell's area is 2x2cm.

Steorn’s Free Energy Machine to Be Tested One More Time This Year

Ovidiu — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:34:55 +0000

Maybe you've heard about Steorn and their Orbo. Steorn is an Irish company that has been promising for a few years to accomplish something mankind has been dreaming for thousands of years: some call it perpetuum mobile, others call it overunity, but it is mostly known as "free energy" in lay terms.

Spain Transforms Phone Booths into EV Charging Stations

Cristi — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:35:14 +0000

One of the major cities in Europe, Madrid, has found an innovative solution to give a new meaning and usage to the phone booths.