Posts Tagged energy

WWII Bunker Turned into Green Power Generating Facility in Germany

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Energy news, Recycling on April 24, 2013

An old World War II bunker used for sheltering 30,000 people in Hamburg is going to be transformed into an energy-generating facility that will provide heat for 3,000 homes and electricity for 1,000, reports Inhabitat. A large solar array has already been attached to the roof and exterior, and an open-air terrace will open this [...]

Block-Level Electricity Usage Mapping May Encourage Energy Efficiency

Posted by Leigh Kim in Energy news on March 29, 2013

The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) has published a map that shows how inefficient one city building is in comparison with another. The web application provides the municipal utility, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), and city planners the ability to see how LA blocks compare to each other and [...]

US Department of Energy Plans for the Future with Biofuel Projects

Posted by Leigh Kim in Biodiesel, Energy news on December 1, 2012

The Department of Energy has awarded $6.1 million to four biofuel-related energy technology projects, not least of which include engineered bioenergy crops and a molecular sieve for biofuel production. The DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) awarded funding to 66 different projects, all involving biofuel-related energy. The projects focus on a host of varied technologies, [...]

Tesla Motors’ Elon Musk on the Future of Energy and Transport

Posted by Benji Jerew in Electric Vehicles on November 23, 2012

Visionary and entrepreneur Elon Musk knows how to get things done. As CEO of Tesla Motors, he fought conventional wisdom and now has one very popular electric vehicle [EV], which is sold out. In the end, we’ll have to see whether he won that fight or not, but so far it looks promising. Musk also [...]

Antiquated Electric Grid Needs a Reboot

Posted by Leigh Kim in Energy news on November 18, 2012

Electric companies played soothsayer to customers days before Hurricane Sandy’s arrival. They warned of extensive power failure and potential widespread outages. Their predictions were accurate and Sandy affected an immense number of customers in New York and New Jersey. Sadly, none of the power outages resulting from Sandy should be surprising. The hurricane only served [...]

Stony Brook Gets Award for Piezoelectric Railroad Energy Harvestor

Posted by Leigh Kim in Piezoelectric on November 17, 2012

Engineers at Stony Brook University in New York have won a national award for developing an energy harvestor that significantly reduces railroads’ carbon dioxide emissions. The harvestor may even save $10 million in New York trackside power supply costs and has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide by 3000 tons per year, equating to a [...]

Urine-Powered Generator Delivers Hours of Continuous Electricity

Posted by Leigh Kim in Hydrogen Power on November 9, 2012

In 2009, the founders of the international organization Maker Faire Africa envisioned an environment where inventors and problem solvers could meet annually to focus on finding simple breakthroughs to solve immediate crises in Africa and then determine ways to propagate the solutions. This year’s Maker Faire Africa convened in Lagos, Nigeria. At the 2012 meeting, three 14 [...]

Quantum Batteries Nearly Perfect, Theory Says

Posted by Leigh Kim in Energy Storage on November 8, 2012

Entanglement, or the quantum link that happens when separate particles share a wave function, may make quantum batteries almost perfect. Engines and refrigerators have often been the subjects physicists have amused themselves with in the quest to calculate the properties of quantum machines. However, the primary question is how efficient and useful these devices actually [...]

Wind Turbine Innovator Inspires Community Involvement

Posted by Leigh Kim in Wind Power on November 7, 2012

On October 25, Kean Stimm of Kean Wind Turbines, Inc. announced his self-proclaimed engineering breakthrough to the Springville Area Chamber of Commerce and Springville-Griffith Institute high school upperclassmen. Stimm’s goal for the lecture was to inspire the next generation of engineers and activists and to highlight the importance of community involvement in realizing sustainable energy [...]

Geothermal Power a Possible Solution for Japan’s Energy Crisis

Posted by Leigh Kim in Geothermal Power on November 7, 2012

While unquestionably tragic, the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011 has Japan reconsidering previously feared forms of renewable energy. Long-neglected geothermal energy is now being considered thanks to the country’s massive energy shortage. Even onsen (hot spring) resorts, major Japanese tourist attractions, once vehemently against the use of geothermal power, are [...]

Energy-Starved Japan Kicks Off Campaign to Battle Shortage

Posted by Leigh Kim in Energy news on November 2, 2012

Japan implores citizens to band together to combat the national energy shortage. On Thursday, Japan debuted its ‘warmbiz’ energy-saving campaign, encouraging people to take energy measures during colder months. After 2011’s Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster, Japan is facing a significant nation-wide energy shortage, and all but two nuclear reactors are idle. Until the tsunami damage [...]

Japanese Researchers Find Ways To Produce Biobutanol More Efficiently

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Ethanol on November 29, 2010

Butanol can be made greener by the research of a Japanese institute, who developed an energy-saving biobutanol with a density of at least 80 percent. They derived their biobutanol from a 1 percent concentrated butanol and used a zeolitic separation membrane.

Hydrology Student Invents Solar Powered Mass Desalination System

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Solar Power, Water Purifiers on January 8, 2010

Worldwide terminus lakes could benefit from a new system to desalinate water, using a low-cost solar pond and patented membrane distillation system powered by renewable energy.

Charge Your Gadgets With Regen ReNu Solar Charger

Posted by Cristi in Green Electronics on October 28, 2009

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.

Oceanlinx Prepares to Deploy 2.5MW Tidal Power System Near Sydney

Posted by Cristi in Wave power on October 26, 2009

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.